This year we again managed to displace a few more weeds with flowers. For some reason patches of annuals seemed to take precedence over additional perennial plantings so far this year.

Fortunately we still have the late summer and fall seasons remaining, which are excellent times to add perennials and woody plants. As always I have more projects than will ever be accomplished. I guess that is the case with most of us who are addicted to the garden.

As one who makes his livelihood from the garden industry, my attention is always divided between my own garden projects and what is happening on the new plant scene. What will you find in the greenhouses when you visit next spring? What mix of tried and true plants, the winners from last year's introductions and the new introductions will be there?

We are fortunate to be in quick driving range of one of the premier test gardens in the country. I am referring to the Penn State Southeastern Experimental Farm near Landisville. In addition to agronomic crops they have a major trial of flowers.

These trials are organized by the Penn State Extension Service with a lot of planting assistance from the Lancaster County Master Gardeners. Many of the top names in the horticulture industry donate the plants and pay for space in these trials.

Throughout the season the plants are judged weekly on four points. They are flowers, foliage, uniformity and over all growth. The result of this judging becomes available from the Penn State Extension Service. A few of the best ones are flagged for quick identification by visitors to the trial. If a plant has multiple flags it also scored well last year.

I failed to mention that all plants are grown in containers and replicated three times. The container growing is to minimize soil born diseases, which are quick to invade such large trials. They are grown with drip irrigation and a fairly strong fertility program. As I have said many times, the successful container needs a lot more fertilizer than the successful flower garden.

Trials like this seem to attract hordes of some of the common plants. There are more geraniums, calibrochoa, petunias and New Guinea impatiens than I can look at and appreciate the subtle differences.There are also some interesting new plants. To me the eye catchers were an apricot colored thumbergia, a new series of exotic impatiens, a new begonia series to challenge the non-stops, better coleus, an annual white euphorbia to name a few.

A few years ago thumbergia arrived as the black-eyed-susan vine. My daughter had a hand in the new impatiens. The euphorbia will not reach widespread distribution for a year or so.Landisville is close and if you like flowers this trip would be a few hours well spent. They are open to the public, free, easy to find and you can wander at your leisure.

To get there I take 222 to 741. I follow 741 to the Old Harrisburg Pike. Instead of taking a right to Park City I head left through Landisville.

Past Landisville you hit a near dead-end stop sign and must turn left on Esbenshade Road. You quickly cross over 283 and immediately find Auction Road on your right. Follow Auction Road to the stop and small signs will lead you for the last half mile. You will see flowers before you figure out where you can park.

As our preacher said Sunday - GO, but then I guess he wasn't talking about flowers.