John Voight, for whom the gardens were named along with his wife Hildegarde, rose from the ranks of the CCC/WPA, where he served as a crew leader in the 1930s and 40s, to become Gardens Director in 1941. During his 38 years as director, he advanced the visions of Charles Whitnall and Alfred Boerner. Under his leadership, the Trial Garden was developed in 1950, and eight years later it became one of the carefully selected sites for the All-America Rose Selections trials. In 1967, the gardens were also approved to conduct All-America Selections flower trials. These trial grounds conducted side-by-side comparison testing under a horticultural professional who methodically evaluated flowers, fruits, or vegetables for qualities such as flower form, color, fragrance, length of season, yield, taste, ease of harvest, and resistance to disease and pests.