Ten Favourites from the Sawaya Garden Trials
Every year, growers and garden lovers descend on Sawaya Gardens in Waterford, Ontario for the annual Summer Garden Trials. This year, with roughly 500 varieties on display, there was a lot to take in! Put on by Mel Sawaya and his team for more than a decade now, the Sawaya Summer Garden Trials have become one of the most anticipated horticultural events in Ontario – if not across Canada – and members of the A.M.A. team always look forward to attending.
“It’s one of my favourite days of the year,” says Alex Frew, A.M.A.’s Customer Service and Sales Associate, who represented A.M.A. at this year’s Sawaya Summer Garden Trials. “The variety is incredible, and the turn-out never disappoints. It was great to see Mel and connect with customers and friends, including Davis Hill Nursery, Johnstons Greenhouse, Horlings Garden Centre and others. I mean, a bunch of plant lovers walking around, looking at new plants together on a sunny day?… what’s not to love about that?!”
Love it, she did. In fact, Alex came home with a full album of photos to show the rest of the team here at A.M.A. In this blog post, she shares her top ten favourite varieties on display at the Sawaya Summer Garden Trials – with a few words of commentary on each one!
1. Eucomis “Purple Reign”
“I loved the wavy edges and deep purple, almost brown, colouring. Reminds me of bacon – always good. 🥓 Will be exciting to see this in bloom!”
2. Rudbeckia “Sunbeckia Marilyn”
“A.K.A. my new phone screensaver. Just look at those golden blooms!”
3. Leucanthemum “Betsy”
“Such a classic look. When you think daisy, you think this. Gorgeous!”
4. Coleus “Downtown Greenville”
“We’ve had a lot of weather this summer. Heat, burning sun, tons of rain. This plant was absolutely thriving. Safe to say it’s hardy!”
5. MixMasters “Retro Summer”
“A bright, optimistic, ready-to-grow colour palette. It took me forever to figure out where I had seen this colour palette before. Then it hit me: Instagram!”
6. Vinca “Soiree Double – Appleblossom”
“This had incredibly delicate and beautiful colouring. A very romantic variety.”
7. Delphinium Grandiflorum “Hunky Dory – Sky Blue”
“Just look at that incredibly striking blue! Definitely lived up to its name. This series was also on display in pure white.”
8. Echinaeca “Double Scoop – Watermelon Deluxe”
“Double scoop or double take? This was an extremly eye-catching perennial option with intensely vibrant colouring. And now I’m craving ice cream🍨.”
9. Browallia “Endless Flirtation”
“I thought this one had butterflies all over it at first glance. The delicate flowers are so evenly covering the plant. And for a shade plant, it was doing very well in full sun.”
10. Thunbergis “Coconut-a-Peel”
“Eye”-catching flowers! 👀 And a nice full trailing growth.”
BONUS! Gerbera “Tropical Corine”
“Instant vacation vibes. This is a gerbera and then some.”
BONUS! Hot Pepper Jalapeno “Pot-a-Peno”
“The name got me. Love it.”
What were your favourite varieties from the Sawaya Garden Trials 2024? Let us know on social media at @amahort!