All cultivars were evaluated every two weeks from April 25 - August 1. Plants were given a rating from 0-5 (0 = dead and 5 = could not look better) based on garden performance. Taken into account were plant habit, foliage color, number of flowers, and presence/absence of insects or diseases.

At the end of both the spring (April and May) and summer (June and July) evaluation periods, awards were given out to those cultivars that really stood out in the garden. A list of these award-winning plants can be found under Awards.