It was an amazing turnout at this year’s Ball Seed Customer Days. With temps reaching into the high 80s°F in West Chicago at The Gardens at Ball, we welcomed 1,680 visitors to the event. Guests registered to attend on either July 24 or 25th and the gardens were looking spectacular both days.
Tent Talks with Horticulture Experts
Tent Talks with pro tips from our industry experts were a big hit. Attendees had the opportunity to sit in on these education sessions that discussed some key areas of interest such as: “Spotlight on Calibrachoa” with Ball Seed Technical Services Chris Ferguson and Nathan Jahnke, “Cut Flower Production and Crop Planning” with Dave Dowling, “Merchandising: What Can a New SKU Do for You?” with Candace Wilcox, “Labor-Saving Hacks for Your Greenhouse” with Jim Kennedy, and ending with a LIVE Tech On Demand Podcast featuring Bill Calkins and Jaime Kedrowski.
Most Popular Varieties
With 700 flower and plant introductions for 2026 in our garden beds, hanging baskets and landscape, visitors had a fantastic view of what’s to come with must-see varieties:
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Venti™ PinkBurst Dahlia from Ball FloraPlant
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Sunfinity Yellow Red Bicolor Sunflower from Syngenta
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Mountain Treats™ Fuchsia Penstemon from Darwin Perennials
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SuperCal® Blue Eyed Rose Petchoa from Sakata
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Coral Candy Premium Sun Coleus from PanAmerican Seed
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Solera™ Dark Red Interspecific Geranium from Ball FloraPlant
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Suntacular Rudbeckia from Darwin Perennials
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Whopper® Salmon with Bronze Leaf Begonia from Benari
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Mystical Blue Salvia from Ball FloraPlant
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Easy Wave® Pink Pearl Spreading Petunia from PanAmerican Seed
And if you didn’t get a chance to visit the Culverts by the Hillside, check out this video with Jaime and Landon. Here they discuss the flower combinations and inspiration behind this part of The Gardens at Ball that were a standout feature at the 2025 Ball Seed Customer Days:
A View from the Top (3-D Map)
For those that missed this year’s event altogether, or if you just want to experience the gardens in full bloom again, enjoy our digital tour! This 3-D map offers a walking tour of our full 13-acres to explore with all the flower and plant varieties from 10+ breeders being showcased in the gardens.