Trials Garden

Explore the Trials Garden to see spectacular displays, discover new plants and take a look at which plants are being assessed by our trials team for the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM)

Plant trials at the heart of Wisley

Trialling plants for garden performance has been integral to the work of the RHS since its earliest years. In fact, plant trials have been carried out at Wisley for more than 100 years.

In 2021, our ornamental trials moved to the new Trials Garden, located near the Mixed Borders and at the heart of Wisley, so visitors can easily see the range of plants on trial.

Trials of fruit and vegetables are planned to commence in 2023 within the Orchard landscape.

Testing the best plants

Plant trials provide the opportunity for multiple varieties of the same plant to be grown together, side-by-side, for comparison. They offer an excellent method to judge plant performance, and trials may run for one, three or five years depending on the nature of the plant. A panel of industry experts regularly assesses the growing habits of each plant during the trial.

Current plants being grown in the Trials Garden for assessment include dahlias, hellebores, sweet peas, red-flowered roses and hebes.

Read the full list of RHS Plant Trials

Looking for inspiration

The Trials Garden is a fantastic place to compare different plant cultivars side by side, make selections for your own garden and discover new plants. Flowering trials look spectacular en masse and there are many fascinating displays to enjoy.

The perimeter to the east of the garden displays a hedging demonstration with 30 different hedge choices, including evergreen, flowering and fruiting hedges.

Top selling AGM plants

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.