All-America Selections (AAS), with over 90 years of trials and award winners, is the only national, non-profit plant trialing program in North America. Reiman Gardens is proud to be both a trial site for ornamentals, edibles, and perennials showcased as both in-ground and containerized trials and a display garden highlighting recent winners. Check out the AAS website for trial and display sites, winners, blogs, and so much more!
Seed catalogs are starting to arrive and the mailing season may inspire a couple of different emotions in gardeners. Some folks may feel elation at the approaching growing season (just 17 more weeks until Central Iowa's frost-free date!) but others may already be overwhelmed by the wide variety of options highlighted in glossy catalogs with glowing descriptions. What if someone else had already grown these plants and had great success, not just a great copywriter? Never fear, All-America Selections is here with three more 2025 winners to recommend.
Cucurbita pepo 'Green Lightning': 'Green Lightning' is a new pattypan squash that had judges raving about early maturity and delicious flavor. One judge noted that with a faster finish time, this squash could be planted a few weeks later to avoid pests like squash vine borer. 'Green Lightning' has a mild flavor and a small seed cavity and would be just as lovely as a decoration as on your plate! 'Green Lightning' needs just 18-24" of garden spacing, so surely you can find a little room for this big impact pattypan!
Antirrhinum majus 'DoubleShot™ Yellow Red Heart': WOW! Did you follow my recommendation and grow 'DoubleShot™ Bicolor Orange' last year? I think you will love the sister winner 'DoubleShot™ Yellow Red Heart' even more. In our trials, Yellow Red Heart was earlier to bloom and held up even better throughout the growing season into fall. It's simply adorable and also apparently smells like candy--you'll see me in the winner display beds nose-down this summer!
Capsicum annuum 'Pick-N-Pop Yellow': This prolific pepper will have you popping between 50 and 100 fruits per plant in a season, either into your harvest basket or directly into your mouth! 'Pick-N-Pop Yellow' produces plenty of crunchy, sweet lunchbox-style peppers for enthusiasts and skeptics alike. With a relatively compact habit of 24"x24", you could even pot this pepper up in a large container for easy snacking, I mean gardening!



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