All-America Selections has been trialing edible and ornamental plants for over 90 years, presenting awards to entries that will impress home gardeners with their performance regionally or nationally. There have been plenty of exciting new winners that merit a place in your garden that will be highlighted in this series.
AAS Winners are grown and planted at nearly 200 Display Gardens all over the US and Canada, including nine gardens in Iowa. To see these winners and more, check out www.all-americaselections.org and search under the Display Gardens tab. For a sneak peek at potential future winners, plan a visit to Reiman Gardens, an All-America Selections Trial Garden.
It's plant sale season! If you live in central Iowa, be sure to check out the Reiman Gardens Plant Sale Extravaganza (May 13-14) for a wide variety of plants grown by and for Reiman Gardens staff as well as sale collaborators such as ISU student groups and the Story County Master Gardeners. We'll even have some AAS Winners for sale! Visits this link to our website for more details.
Salvia hybrida 'Blue by You': 'Blue by You' is a new meadow sage that flowers earlier than comparisons like 'May Night'. Like most perennial sages, home gardeners will see a second flush of blooms heading into fall after deadheading the summer flush.
Petunia x hybrida 'Bee's Knees': A gorgeous golden petunia that was so popular, AAS judges designated it a Gold Medal winner! Perfect as a groundcover or a container spiller.
Zinnia hybrida 'Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor': Another Gold Medal winner that knocked almost all the judges off their feet. This zinnia is one of my new favorite cultivars for so many reasons; resistant to powdery mildew, compact, and covered in blooms that start out bright golden yellow and red and fade to shades of pink. I know that once you grow this once, you'll know exactly why AAS judges raved about the newest entry in the Profusion series.
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