For those who have not yet heard, I am sad to announce that this will be the final year for the Alberta Perennial Trials. Unfortunately, we have been unable to secure enough funding to continue after this year.
The perennial trials first started at the Calgary Zoo in 1999. In 2002 the program was expanded to two additional sites, one at Olds College and the other at the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton. Since 1999 approximately 350 new varieties of plants have been tested for their hardiness and landscape qualities in Alberta. As anyone who has gardened here knows, Alberta’s climate is certainly unique.
Knowing that this was likely to be the final year for the project, no new perennials were planted in the trial gardens this year. The plants in the 2008-2010 series will complete the trial this year and the results will be published on CD and on the website. Data will also be published at the end of this year for the plants in the 2009-2011 series, with the knowledge that those plants were only monitored for one winter and two growing seasons.
For the past two years, I have been very fortunate to have been a part of this project . This has been a dream job! But please, don’t go away yet. I will continue to post on this site until after all of the results are complete and have been posted on the Alberta Agriculture website, hopefully by the end of October.
Alberta Perennial Trials 
September 14, 2010 at 8:22 am
Oh no, that is sad! I have thoroughly enjoyed your newsletters and updates on the trial gardens. I will continue to follow you through to the end.
September 14, 2010 at 9:33 am
Oh no! I am so sad! I’ve loved reading your updates and seeing the wonderful pictures, not to mention enjoying the gardens themselves. Thank you for all your hard work!
September 14, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Oh No! What sad news, I only recently discovered this site and it contains so much valuable information. Will the space be planted in a permanent way, with the ‘winners’ from the trial?
September 14, 2010 at 5:45 pm
I am so glad that people are enjoying this site and finding it useful! It is sad to be wrapping things up.
All of the trial results will be posted on the Alberta Agriculture website ‘Ropin’the Web’. In fact, the results from 1999 – 2008 are there now. If you click on Trial Results at the top of this page it will bring you to the site.
September 16, 2010 at 10:45 am
I am so sad to hear this! Thanks so much on behalf of all AB gardeners for all the wonderful work you folks have done on this project. It will be sorely missed.
September 26, 2010 at 8:14 am
It is too bad that the program didn’t receive funding to continue. It really is valuable to have ongoing research into how perennials respond to the Alberta growing conditions, and to compare different varieties. The feedback for gardeners is very useful.