Demonstration Garden Survey Summary 2020
November 9th, 2020
Summary and Notes from the 2020 Demonstration Garden Surveys
Seventy public gardens around the Rocky Mountain and High Plains region partner with Plant Select® through the Demonstration Garden program! Demonstration Gardens draw visitors and provide community members opportunities to showcase and learn about appropriate garden and landscape choices for their unique, local environmental conditions. Demonstration Garden Volunteers and Managers from various locations contributed to the following 2020 survey results. Learn more about participating Plant Select® Demonstration Gardens at plantselect.org/learn/demonstration-gardens/ where you will find up to date information, garden photos, maps, driving directions, and more! Visit a Plant Select® Demonstration Garden near you and contribute to the evaluation process! Digital survey information is available at www.plantselect.org/learn/research and we encourage all to participate.
2020 Water, Soil, and Sun Exposure Data
- 24 Demonstration gardens participated in the 2020 plant performance survey and reported an overall average of 20,883 garden visitors in 2019.
- The average 2019 annual precipitation rate was 13.97 inches.
- 33.3% of the gardens surveyed reported watering only once per week. 75% of these gardens utilized overhead irrigation.
- 74% of the gardens are planting in clay loam soils.
Plant Data
- Over 150 plant taxa rated on a 1-8 scale.
- The elevations of reporting demonstration gardens ranged from 2818-6256 feet in elevation.
- Blonde Ambition grama grass and Turquoise Tails blue sedum are the plants that received the highest score by the highest number of gardens that completed and returned the 2020 survey with a mean score of 7.13.
| Average Rating | Number of Plant Select® Plant Taxa That Received This Average Rating |
| 8.0 | 9 |
| 7.0-7.9 | 47 |
| 6.0-6.9 | 50 |
| 5.0-5.9 | 26 |
| 4.0-4.9 | 13 |
| 0-3.9 | 3 |
2020 Detailed Plant Rating Averages by Category
Top Five Plants: Conifers, Trees, and Vines
| TRADE OR COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | AVERAGE | NUMBER OF RESPONSES |
| KINTZLEY’S GHOST® honeysuckle | Lonicera reticulata ‘P015S’ | 7.58 | 12 |
| Dwarf pinyon pine | Pinus edulis (Jerry Morris selections) | 7.14 | 7 |
| HOT WINGS® Tatarian maple | Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’ PP 15,023 | 7.00 | 6 |
| Russian hawthorn | Crataegus ambigua | 6.00 | 4 |
| SUCKER PUNCH® chokecherry | Prunus ‘P002S’ PP25,767 | 5.50 | 6 |
Top Five Grasses
| TRADE OR COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | AVERAGE | NUMBER OF RESPONSES |
| WINDWALKER® big bluestem | Andropogon gerardii ‘PWIN01S’ | 7.14 | 7 |
| Blonde Ambition grama grass | Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ PP 22,048 | 7.13 | 16 |
| Korean feather reed grass | Calamagrostis brachytricha | 6.25 | 8 |
| UNDAUNTED® ruby muhly | Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S’ | 6.70 | 10 |
| Standing Ovation little bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ PP25,202 | 6.83 | 6 |
Top Five Groundcovers
| TRADE OR COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | AVERAGE | NUMBER OF RESPONSES |
| Wallowa Mountain Desert moss | Arenaria ‘Wallowa Mountain’ | 7.40 | 5 |
| SNOWMASS® blue-eyed veronica | Veronica x ‘P018S’ | 7.14 | 7 |
| Moroccan pincushion flower | Pterocephalus depressus | 7.10 | 10 |
| Alan’s Apricot ice plant | Delosperma ‘Alan’s Apricot’ | 7.00 | 11 |
| RED MOUNTAIN® Flame ice plant | Delosperma ‘PWWG02S’ | 7.00 | 5 |
Top Six Shrubs
| TRADE OR COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | AVERAGE | NUMBER OF RESPONSES |
| PAWNEE BUTTES® Sand Cherry | Prunus besseyi ‘P011S’ | 7.67 | 6 |
| Woodward columnar juniper | Juniperus scopulorum ‘Woodward’ | 7.50 | 2 |
| Alleghany viburnum | Viburnum x rhytidophylloides ‘Alleghany’ | 7.50 | 2 |
| Apache plume | Fallugia paradoxa | 7.40 | 5 |
| SPANISH GOLD® broom | Cytisus purgans | 7.25 | 4 |
| Red yucca | Hesperaloe parviflora | 7.25 | 4 |
Top 10 Perennials
| TRADE OR COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | AVERAGE | NUMBER OF RESPONSES |
| LA VETA LACE® geranium | Geranium magniflorum ‘P013S’ | 7.80 | 5 |
| Filigree daisy | Anthemis marschalliana | 7.75 | 8 |
| KANNAH CREEK® buckwheat | Eriogonum umbellatum var. aureum ‘Psdowns’ | 7.70 | 10 |
| ORANGE CARPET® hummingbird trumpet | Epilobium canum ssp. garretti ‘PWWG01S’ (E) | 7.60 | 5 |
| Golden storksbill | Erodium chrysanthum | 7.56 | 9 |
| FIRST LOVE™ dianthus | Dianthus | 7.50 | 4 |
| Dalmatian pink cranesbill | Geranium dalmaticum | 7.50 | 4 |
| Narbonne blue flax | Linum narbonense | 7.44 | 9 |
| Grand Mesa beardtongue | Penstemon mensarum | 7.40 | 5 |
| WINDWALKER® royal red salvia | Salvia darcyi x S. microphylla ‘PWIN03S’ | 7.40 | 5 |
2020 Demonstration Garden Participants
Aurora Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, elevation 5416′
Berthoud Community Library District, elevation 5019′
Butterfly Pavilion, elevation 5282′
Cherry Creek 3 HOA, elevation 5580′
City of Lakewood – The Gardens at Kendrick Lake (Lakewood), elevation 5620′
City of Westminster Grand Staircase, elevation 5360′
Colorado State University – Flower Trial Garden (Fort Collins), elevation 4986′
Converse County Master Gardeners (Douglas), elevation 4812′
CSU Extension Adams County Fairgrounds (Brighton), elevation 5019′
CSU Extension Boulder County, elevation 4986′
CSU Extension Douglas County (Castle Rock), elevation 6256′
CSU Extension Elbert County (Kiowa), elevation 6368′
CSU Extension Jefferson County Gardens (Golden) Elevation 5889′
CSU Extension Tri-River Area (Grand Junction), elevation 4652′
CSU Extension Weld County (Greeley), elevation 4652′
Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, elevation 5502′
Gardens on Spring Creek (Fort Collins), elevation 4990′
Home on the Range Gardens (Billings), elevation 3116′
Idaho Botanical Garden (Boise), elevation 2818′
Left Hand Water District/Water Wise Garden (Niwot), elevation 5095′
Montrose Botanic Garden (Montrose), elevation 5885′
Otero County Courthouse Garden (La Junta), elevation 4078′
Pueblo West Xeriscape Demonstration Garden (Pueblo West), elevation 5144′
Treasure Island Garden (Windsor), elevation 4763′
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | TRADE OR COMMON NAME | AVERAGE | NUMBER OF RESPONSES |
| Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’ PP 15,023 | HOT WINGS® Tatarian maple | 7.00 | 6 |
| Achnatherum calamagrostis ‘PUND02S’ | UNDAUNTED® Alpine Plume Grass | 8.00 | 1 |
| Agastache ‘Pstessene’ | CORONADO® Red hyssop | 4.67 | 3 |
| Agastache aurantiaca ‘P012S’ | CORONADO® hyssop | 4.67 | 6 |
| Agastache cana ‘Sinning’ PP 13,673 | SONORAN SUNSET® hyssop | 5.20 | 5 |
| Agastache rupestris | Sunset hyssop | 4.67 | 9 |
| Amorpha nana | Dwarf Leadplant | 6.83 | 6 |
| Amsonia jonesii | Colorado desert blue star | 7.17 | 6 |
| Anchusa capensis | Cape-forget-me-not | 6.80 | 5 |
| Andropogon gerardii ‘PWIN01S’ | WINDWALKER® big bluestem | 7.14 | 7 |
| Androsace sarmentosa ‘Chumbyi’ | Silky rock jasmine | 5.00 | 1 |
| Anthemis marschalliana | Filigree daisy | 7.75 | 8 |
| Aquilegia ‘Swan Violet & White’ | REMEMBRANCE® columbine | 6.17 | 6 |
| Aquilegia chrysantha | DENVER GOLD® columbine | 7.20 | 15 |
| Arctostaphylos x coloradensis | Mock Bearberry manzanita | 7.00 | 9 |
| Arctostaphylos x coloradensis ‘Panchito’ | Panchito manzanita | 7.20 | 5 |
| Arctostaphylos x coloradensis ‘Chieftain’ | Chieftain manzanita | 6.33 | 3 |
| Arenaria ‘Wallowa Mountain’ | Wallowa Mountain Desert moss | 7.40 | 5 |
| Artemisia abrotanum ‘Leprechaun’ | Leprechaun Southernwood WNDWALKER® series | 6.50 | 2 |
| Artemisia versicolor ‘Sea Foam’ | Sea Foam sage | 6.50 | 6 |
| Berlandiera lyrata | Chocolate flower | 5.82 | 11 |
| Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’PP 22,048 | Blonde Ambition grama grass | 7.13 | 16 |
| Buddleja alternifolia ‘Argentea’ | Silver Fountain butterfly bush | 6.83 | 6 |
| Calamagrostis brachytricha | Korean feather reed grass | 6.25 | 8 |
| Callirhoe involucrata | Winecups | 6.64 | 14 |
| Calylophus serrulatus ‘Prairie Lode’ | Prairie Lode sundrops | 6.00 | 1 |
| Cercocarpus intricatus | Littleleaf mountain mahogany | 6.14 | 7 |
| Chamaebatiaria millefolium | Fernbush | 7.00 | 5 |
| Ericameria nauseosa var. nauseosa | Baby Blue rabbitbrush | 6.56 | 9 |
| Clematis hexapetala | Mongolian Snowflakes | 8.00 | 2 |
| Clematis integrifolia ‘PSHarlan’ | MONGOLIAN BELLS® clematis | 7.27 | 11 |
| Clematis scottii | Scott’s sugarbowls | 6.00 | 4 |
| Crambe maritima | Curly leaf sea kale | 6.30 | 10 |
| Crataegus ambigua | Russian hawthorn | 6.00 | 4 |
| Cynodon ‘PWIN04S’ | DOG TUFF™ grass | 4.50 | 4 |
| Cytisus purgans | SPANISH GOLD® broom | 7.25 | 4 |
| Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’ | Carol Mackie daphne | 6.67 | 3 |
| Delosperma ‘Alan’s Apricot’ | Alan’s Apricot ice plant | 7.00 | 11 |
| Delosperma ‘John Proffitt’ | TABLE MOUNTAIN® ice plant | 6.83 | 6 |
| Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’ PP 13,876 | MESA VERDE® ice plant | 5.67 | 6 |
| Delosperma ‘P001S’ | FIRE SPINNER® ice plant | 6.25 | 8 |
| Delosperma ‘PJS01S’ | GRANITA® Raspberry ice plant | 6.00 | 6 |
| Delosperma ‘Psfave’ | Lavender Ice ice plant | 6.67 | 3 |
| Delosperma ‘PWWG02S’ | RED MOUNTAIN® Flame ice plant | 7.00 | 5 |
| Delosperma ‘PJS02S’ | GRANITA® Orange ice plant | 4.67 | 14 |
| Delosperma dyeri ‘Psdold’ | RED MOUNTAIN® ice plant | 6.50 | 7 |
| Delosperma floribundum | STARBURST® ice plant | 8.00 | 2 |
| Dianthus | FIRST LOVE™ dianthus | 7.50 | 4 |
| Diascia integerrima ‘P009S’ | CORAL CANYON® twinspur | 4.60 | 5 |
| Digitalis obscura | SUNSET® foxglove | 3.75 | 4 |
| Digitalis thapsi | SPANISH PEAKS® foxglove | 7.33 | 3 |
| Dolichos lablab ‘Ruby Moon’ | Ruby Moon hyacinth bean | 4.50 | 2 |
| Draba rigida | Yellow stardust draba | 4.67 | 3 |
| Dracocephalum ruyschiana | Indigo Blue Dragonhead | 7.00 | 4 |
| Echinacea tennesseensis | Tennessee purple coneflower | 6.00 | 5 |
| Echium russicum compact form (Pontechium maculatum) | Red feathers | 5.67 | 9 |
| Engelmannia peristenia | Engelmann’s daisy | 5.75 | 8 |
| Ephedra equisetina | Bluestem joint fir | 7.00 | 7 |
| Epilobium fleischeri | Alpine willowherb | 5.00 | 1 |
| Eriogonum umbellatum var. aureum ‘Psdowns’ | KANNAH CREEK® buckwheat | 7.70 | 10 |
| Erodium chrysanthum | Golden storksbill | 7.56 | 9 |
| Fallugia paradoxa | Apache plume | 7.40 | 5 |
| Gazania krebsiana | TANAGER® gazania | 0.67 | 3 |
| Gazania linearis ‘P004S’ | COLORADO GOLD® gazania | 5.83 | 6 |
| Geranium dalmaticum | Dalmatian pink cranesbill | 7.50 | 4 |
| Geranium magniflorum ‘P013S’ | LA VETA LACE® geranium | 7.80 | 5 |
| Heptacodium miconioides | Seven-son-flower | 7.00 | 6 |
| Hesperaloe parviflora | Red yucca | 7.25 | 4 |
| Heterotheca jonesii x villosa ‘Goldhill’ | Goldhill golden-aster | 6.57 | 7 |
| Heuchera pulchella | Sandia coral bells | 4.50 | 6 |
| Heuchera sanguinea ‘Snow Angel’ | Snow Angel coral bells | 6.63 | 8 |
| Iris hookeri, I. setosa ssp. canadensis | Dwarf beach-head-iris | 5.71 | 7 |
| Jamesia americana | Waxflower | 8.00 | 1 |
| Juniperus scopulorum ‘Woodward’ | Woodward columnar juniper | 7.50 | 2 |
| Kniphofia caulescens | Regal torchlily | 6.00 | 6 |
| Lavandula angustifolia ‘Wee One’ | Wee One dwarf English lavender | 5.50 | 8 |
| Linum narbonense | Narbonne blue flax | 7.44 | 9 |
| Lonicera reticulata ‘P015S’ | KINTZLEY’S GHOST® honeysuckle | 7.58 | 12 |
| Marrubium rotundifolium | Silverheels horehound | 6.83 | 6 |
| Melinis nerviglumis | PINK CRYSTALS® ruby grass | 7.00 | 1 |
| Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’ | Hummingbird trumpet mint | 6.13 | 8 |
| Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S’ | UNDAUNTED® ruby muhly | 6.70 | 10 |
| Nepeta ‘Psfike’ PP 18,904 | LITTLE TRUDY® catmint | 5.56 | 9 |
| Oenothera macrocarpa subsp. incana | SILVER BLADE® evening primrose | 4.25 | 4 |
| Origanum libanoticum | Hopflower oregano | 6.56 | 9 |
| Osteospermum ‘Avalanche’PP 22,705 | Avalanche white sun daisy | 5.00 | 7 |
| Osteospermum barberiae var. compactum ‘P005S’ | PURPLE MOUNTAIN® sun daisy | 5.00 | 4 |
| Osteospermum ‘P006S’ | LAVENDER MIST® sun daisy | 5.00 | 2 |
| Paxistima canbyi | Mountain lover | 8.00 | 2 |
| Penstemon grandiflorus ‘P010S’ | PRAIRIE JEWEL® penstemon | 6.80 | 10 |
| Penstemon linarioides subsp. coloradoensis ‘P014S’ | SILVERTON® bluemat penstemon | 4.80 | 5 |
| Penstemon mensarum | Grand Mesa beardtongue | 7.40 | 5 |
| Penstemon pinifolius ‘P019S’ | SteppeSuns® Sunset Glow Penstemon | 5.80 | 5 |
| Penstemon pseudospectabilis | Desert beardtongue | 5.67 | 3 |
| Penstemon rostriflorus | Bridges’ penstemon | 6.50 | 2 |
| Penstemon x ‘Coral Baby’ | Coral Baby penstemon | 6.25 | 4 |
| Penstemon x mexicali ‘Carolyn’s Hope’ | Carolyn’s Hope pink penstemon | 6.00 | 4 |
| Penstemon x mexicali ‘P007S’ | PIKES PEAK PURPLE® penstemon | 6.00 | 2 |
| Penstemon x mexicali ‘P008S’ | RED ROCKS® penstemon | 6.67 | 3 |
| Penstemon x mexicali ‘Psmyers’ | SHADOW MOUNTAIN® penstemon | 8.00 | 2 |
| Penstemon x mexicali ‘PWIN02S’ | WINDWALKER® garnet penstemon | 6.00 | 1 |
| Philadelphus lewisii ‘PWY01S’ | CHEYENNE® mock orange | 6.20 | 5 |
| Phlomis cashmeriana | Cashmere sage | 7.25 | 8 |
| Phlox bifida | SNOWMASS® phlox | 5.00 | 2 |
| Picea glauca ‘Pendula’ | Weeping white spruce | 5.00 | 1 |
| Pinus edulis | Dwarf pinyon pine | 7.14 | 7 |
| Pinus monophylla ‘Blue Jazz’ | Blue Jazz pinyon pine | 8.00 | 2 |
| Primula elatior | Oxlip primrose | 5.50 | 2 |
| Prunus besseyi ‘P011S’ | PAWNEE BUTTES® Sand Cherry | 7.67 | 6 |
| Prunus spp ‘P002S’ PP25,767 | SUCKER PUNCH® chokecherry | 5.50 | 6 |
| Pterocephalus depressus | Moroccan pincushion flower | 7.10 | 10 |
| Rhamnus smithii | Smith’s buckthorn | 6.00 | 1 |
| Rhus trilobata ‘Autumn Amber’ | Autumn Amber sumac | 7.00 | 3 |
| Ribes uva-crispa ‘Red Jacket’ | Comanche gooseberry | 8.00 | 2 |
| Rosa ‘Ruby Voodoo’ | Ruby Voodoo rose | 5.83 | 6 |
| Rosa glauca, R. rubrifolia | Redleaf rose | 7.17 | 6 |
| Salvia argentea | Silver sage | 5.00 | 5 |
| Salvia daghestanica | PLATINUM® sage | 7.00 | 5 |
| Salvia darcyi ‘Pscarl’ | VERMILION BLUFFS® Mexican sage | 4.67 | 3 |
| Salvia darcyi x S. microphylla ‘PWIN03S’ | WINDWALKER® royal red salvia | 7.40 | 5 |
| Salvia greggii | Wild Thing sage | 2.33 | 3 |
| Salvia greggii ‘Furman’s Red’ | Furman’s Red sage | 6.00 | 1 |
| Salvia lemmonii ‘PWIN04S’ | WINDWALKER® Desert Rose salvia | 5.75 | 4 |
| Salvia moorcroftiana x indica | Shangri-la sage | 6.00 | 5 |
| Salvia pachyphylla | Mojave sage | 6.33 | 6 |
| Salvia reptans ‘P016S’ | Autumn Sapphire™ sage | 6.00 | 3 |
| Satureja montana subsp. illyrica | Purple winter savory | 7.00 | 5 |
| Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ PP25,202 | Standing Ovation little bluestem | 6.83 | 6 |
| Scrophularia macrantha | Red birds in a tree | 6.40 | 5 |
| Scutellaria resinosa ‘Smoky Hills’ | Smoky Hills skullcap | 6.50 | 2 |
| Scutellaria scordiifolia ‘Pat Hayward’ | Sky’s Edge® scutellaria | 8.00 | 1 |
| Sedum sediforme | Turquoise Tails blue sedum | 7.13 | 16 |
| Seseli gummiferum | Moon carrot | 7.00 | 7 |
| Sorghastrum nutans ‘Thin Man’ PP 28,923 | Thin Man Indian grass | 6.60 | 10 |
| Spartina pectinata | Prairie cordgrass | 5.00 | 1 |
| Sporobolus wrightii | Giant sacaton | 6.57 | 7 |
| Stachys lavandulifolia | Pink Cotton Lamb’s Ear | 7.00 | 5 |
| Tanacetum cinerariifolium | Dalmatian daisy | 7.00 | 2 |
| Tanacetum densum subsp. amani | Partridge feather | 6.44 | 9 |
| Veronica ‘Reavis’ | CRYSTAL RIVER® veronica | 6.50 | 10 |
| Veronica liwanensis | Turkish veronica | 6.33 | 12 |
| Veronica x ‘P018S’ | SNOWMASS® blue-eyed veronica | 7.14 | 7 |
| Viburnum burejaeticum ‘P017S’ Mini Man™ dwarf | Manchurian viburnum | 7.17 | 6 |
| Viburnum x rhytidophylloides ‘Alleghany’ | Alleghany viburnum | 7.50 | 2 |
| Viola corsica | Corsican violet | 5.75 | 4 |
| Vitis x ‘St. Theresa Seedless’ | St. Theresa seedless grape | 5.14 | 7 |
| Epilobium canum subsp. garrettii ‘PWWG01S’ | ORANGE CARPET® hummingbird trumpet | 7.60 | 5 |
| Zinnia grandiflora ‘Gold on Blue’ | Golden flowered prairie zinnia | 4.86 | 7 |
Learn more about participating Plant Select® Demonstration Gardens at plantselect.org/learn/demonstration-gardens/
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2020 Detailed Plant Rating Averages (alpha by botanic name)
