Tacoma Trial Garden 2021, Photo by Bob Schroeder
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 2020.
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. And check out this video for a virtual tour of the 2021 Canby Trial Garden.
Trial Garden Entry Forms are available in two formats: pdf docx
Report from the Trial Garden Chairman
2020 Trial Garden Results
Our ADS originators have done it again this year! Another crop of excellent new cultivars were submitted and evaluated in our Trial Gardens for the 2021 season. Pictures of many of those entries can be found on the ADS website, www.dahlia.org. Derrill W. Hart Medals and an Evie Gullikson Medal are awarded to the cultivars that perform best in three or more of the gardens. The Medal winners for 2021 are:
| AA/A | Felida Splendor | Eric Toedtli | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| B | Allen’s Cabin Fever | Allen Manuel | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| BB | Hollyhill Peachy Keen | Ted and Margaret Kennedy | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| M | Skipley Swan Song | Richard Williams | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| BA/MB/P | 20th Ave Old Major | Rich Gibson | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| ST/NX | Clearview Cinnabar | Richard Parshall | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| WL | Sandia Gold | Steve and Sandy Boley | Derrill W Hart Medal* |
| OC | Kelsey Tinker | Colin Walker | Evie Gullikson Medal** |
Congratulations Medal Winners! I believe that Eric Toedtli is new to this list while all others have been here before. Welcome Eric! You can check it off your bucket list now! After working trial gardens for many years, I can honestly say that these varieties are perhaps the best group I have seen. The competition was tough this year, so you all deserve to be proud.
The table here lists all the cultivars that successfully achieved a passing score in the Trial Gardens. The Medal Winners are shown in the table in color. Congratulations to all the originators who managed to have seedlings with passing scores!
The operation and maintenance of the ADS Trial Gardens are voluntary efforts and we would like to thank Trial Garden Directors, the local society volunteers, and the ADS judges who make the evaluation of these fine new cultivars possible.
Marilyn Walton TG Chairman
* 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 Gullikson 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).