Tacoma Trial Garden
Photo by Susie Sziklai
The American Dahlia Society sponsors public trial gardens at locations across North America. Another group of excellent new cultivars were evaluated in our ADS Trial Gardens in 2019.
The results table shows the scores for each cultivar in each of the trial gardens.
You may also see photos from some trial gardens by visiting our photo gallery.
Trial Garden Entry Forms for 2020 are available in two formats: pdf docx
Report from the Trial Garden Co-Chairs
This year we noted that we had more than the usual number of entries that scored 85 and above. The competition was very stiff. Congratulations to all who had scoring entries! Photos of many of the entries can be found on the ADS website, dahlia.org. Derrill W Hart* and an Evie Gullikson** Medals are awarded to the cultivars that performed the best in three or more of the trial gardens.
The 2019 Medal award winners are:
| AA/A | Allen’s Country Roads | Allen Manuel |
| B | Clearview Saffron | Dick and Danielle Parshall |
| BB | Clearview Sarah | Dick and Danielle Parshall |
| M | Clearview Blaze | Dick and Danielle Parshall |
| BA/MB | Chi Nese Red | Paul McKittrick |
| ST | Baron Ron | Ron Miner |
| WL | My Forever | Nicholas Gitts |
| OC | Kelsey Spirit | Colin Walker |
The Parshall’s again set the standard that all we originators should strive to accomplish. Colin Walker receives the Evie Gullikson Medal for his micro collarette, in a new form division that is exciting and fun to observe as it develops. Congratulations to all our 2019 medal winners!
A special thanks to all our Trial Garden Directors and their sponsoring clubs, for another great year! Thanks also to all the judges who spend hours reviewing and scoring blooms, making the trial gardens a tremendous success. Of course, a big thank you to all the originators who keep dahlias new and exciting to all of us!
Thanks to Ron Miner who is retiring from the Trial Garden committee this year. It has been a pleasure working with Ron! Good luck in all the new projects ahead!
Jerry Zierdt and I will continue as the TG commitee. We pledge to uphold the achievements of those who have gone before us and make improvements where possible.
Marilyn Walton and Jerry Zierdt, Co-Chairs
* The Derrill W. Hart medal
Awarded to the cultivar that has the highest average trial garden score in the Trial Gardens located across the United States and Canada as an AA or A (Classes 0001-1515); B (Classes 2001-2515); BB (Classes 3001-3515); M (Classes 4001-4515); Ball, MiniatureBall, or Pompon (Classes 6001- 6215); ST(7001-7515) or NX(7601-7615); and Waterlily (7301-7315). The highest 3 scores (from individual Trial Gardens) are used to determine the highest average. In case of ties, duplicate awards will be awarded.
** The Evie Gullickson medal
Awarded to the cultivar that has the highest average Seedling Bench Evaluation score and the highest average Trial Garden score as a PE, AN, NO, CO, O, S, MS (8001-9715).