Nasturtium Baby Rose. Photo courtesy all-americaselections.org
The garden catalogs have begun arriving along with the email reminders from the online plant and seed merchants.
It’s always so tempting to try another new coneflower, or maybe one of those bell-shaped clematis vines, a lime-green zinnia everyone has raved about or a new mix of spring greens.
I tell people all the time my eyes are too big for my yard. I always have to rein myself in because I get a lot of plants each year to trial. But sometimes I just want to try something new.
One place to learn about new plants that have been trialed throughout the country is All-America Selections. There you’ll find annuals, bulbs, herbs, perennials and vegetables that are recommended for our gardens.
AAS is an independent, non-profit organization that tests new varieties for the home gardener. After a full season of trialing by volunteer horticulture professionals, only the top garden performers are given the AAS Winner award designation.
The site has links to online merchants that sell AAS plants or seeds. New plant introductions can be hard to find the first few years. This is another one of those cases where gardening teaching us patience.
Winning flowers
I’m excited about Baby Rose nasturtium (Tropaeolum minus), the first nasturtium to be named an AAS Winner since the 1930s. The color is unusual for nasturtiums, which are usually in the orange range. This edible, compact annual gets about 12 inches tall. So far, I haven’t found any seeds.
Viking Red on Chocolate begonis. Photo courtesy all-americaselections.org
Red on Chocolate begonia looks like another improvement on a popular summer annual that is just about unbeatable in pots or in the ground. This member of the Viking series is extra large, easily reaching a mound 30-inches tall and wide. Its size means one plant will probably fill a 12- to 14-inch wide pot. This introduction has red, outward-facing flowers amid bronze-brown leaves.
Big Duck Gold marigold (Tagetes erecta) is also a winner that promises season-long bloom on a 15-inch tall plant. The AAS judges recommend this plant for anywhere in the landscape, in the ground, in pots and as a filler among perennials.
Big Duck Gold marigold. Photo courtesy All-AmericaSelections.org