Home gardeners are always interested in new cultural practices and different varieties of annuals and vegetables. To satisfy this growing need, eight research farms across the state each established a home demonstration garden and accompanying field day. In these gardens, different annuals and vegetables were grown for display and research purposes. More than 50 plant varieties representing several themes were grown for the 2001 demonstration gardens. Themes included tomatoes grown in various colors of plastic mulch; compact or space-saving vines; ornamental foliage plants; and plants having “chicken,” “egg,” or “feather” in their name. In this report, data from the colored mulch trial and surveys of attendees will be presented.