The Michigan Garden Plant Tour announces 2020 stops and dates

The 17^th annual Michigan Garden Plant Tour  is scheduled to run from July 27 to August 7. The event is a free and coordinated open house that offers commercial growers, landscapers, public garden employees and other industry professionals the opportunity to learn about new and existing ornamental plant selections from the major breeding companies and to assess their performance in different outdoor settings.

Tour participants can visit the following five locations:

Four Star Greenhouse in Carleton, Michigan, is accepting visitors from July 27-31. Their 1-acre garden will have numerous combinations, new 2021 Proven Winners and Proven Selections varieties on display, and plenty of tropical plants incorporated into the overall design. Tours are also available.

Mast Young Plants in Grand Rapids, Michigan, invites attendees to experience their garden’s living catalog — with 1,500 varieties on display — where you can compare your favorites alongside new and improved varieties. They also have 500 unique handcrafted hanging basket and deco pot combinations as well as more than 150 new items for 2020/2021.

The Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens in East Lansing, Michigan, is evaluating over 200 varieties of annuals, perennials, and vegetables on four different indices (plant vigor, plant uniformity, ‘WOW’ factor and pest and environmental stress).  In addition to viewing their trial gardens, there are a multitude of other themed gardens to explore across their 14-acre landscape.

The Raker-Roberta's Trial Gardens in Litchfield, Michigan, includes over 100,000 plants across 7 acres. The attendees will experience over 1,000 varieties in 600 side-by-side rows, as well as 200 hanging baskets and 150 large containers in sun and shade. Daily greenhouse tours are available as well.

Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, has specially scheduled tour events and displays giving the attendee a behind-the-scenes look at their field and greenhouse operations, as well as new perennial introductions. Their gardens feature 1,000 classic and cutting-edge varieties on display. There is something worthwhile for everyone to enjoy when they visit.

For more information on how to RSVP for the free tour, click here. For more information regarding details, the tour's Facebook page (@miplanttour) features numerous photos and details about each garden.