The ADS has several trial gardens around the US & Canada. Growers from around the country can send their new varieties to these gardens to see how they grow in different climates, and to be evaluated for show qualities. Club members at each trial garden fertilize, maintain and groom the plants to produce the best quality blooms possible. 

Each entry is only identified by a number, so no one (except the trial garden director) knows who sent in each one, the names of the varieties, or what they are supposed to look like. With all the great dahlia hybridizers in the Pacific Northwest, the entry being judged could have come from the other side of the country, or from the person standing next to you in the garden!

 Then our dahlia show judges come in and score the entries according to show criteria. They consider aspects of form and color, as well as the stems, leaves, number of blooms, and overall presentation of the flowers. The judges are looking for the best new varieties, which they hope will compete well against current show winners. Entries are judged on a 100 point scale, and must score 85 or higher to pass. Passing entries are recognized by the ADS, and may also become eligible for further awards. A dahlia variety does not need to pass in a trial garden to be introduced for sale, or even to be entered in dahlia shows, but a good trial garden score is something prospective buyers value. Every year brings a new set of entries, and since they are only identified by entry number, each one is an exciting new surprise when the first flowers open.