2008 All America Selections Flower Display Garden

Burlington Waterfront Park

 

The All America Selections (AAS) is a national program to select the best of the new varieties each year.  This is done in about 30 trial gardens throughout North America.  Although mainly annuals, perennials can be included if they are grown from seed and bloom the first year.  The varieties proving new or better than similar existing ones are given the “All America Award”, and are displayed in over 200 display gardens, such as this one.  The flowers below represent some of the most recent winners and other new introductions such as from Park Seed (Parks), and are primarily annuals. 

 

We are especially pleased and thankful this year once again for many new “specialty annuals” (those generally grown from cuttings and not seeds) provided by two wholesale greenhouse propagators in New Hampshire—Pleasant View Gardens (PVG) and DS Cole Growers (DSC).  The PVG annuals are from their Proven Winners and Proven Selections series.  Those from DSC are from several other brand name series.  Plants were rated early August 2008, on a scale of d=dead, 1=poor vigor, few or no flowers, 3= excellent habit and flowering.  Ratings reflect growth during a wetter than normal July. Plants noted * were exceptional or tops in their genus.

 

Flower

Source

Rating

Comments

Ageratum Artist Alto Light Blue

PVG

3

Floss Flower, few dead flowers, uniform habit

Angelonia Angelface Wedgwood Blue

PVG

3

Summer Snapdragon, upright 15in.

Angelonia Carita Deep Pink

DSC

3

sprawling, vigorous

Begonia Bellagio Apricot

PVG

d

Angelwing Begonia

Begonia Bellagio Blush

PVG

d

 

Begonia Bellagio Pink

PVG

d

 

Begonia Mandalay Flamingo

PVG

1

better in pots in shade

Begonia Mandalay Mandarin

PVG

2

best of cvs, good in pots in shade

Begonia Mandalay Pearl

PVG

2

 

Bidens Solaire Yellow

PVG

3*

Bidens

Brachyscome Jumbo Mauve

DSC

2

Swan River Daisy, sparse fls, variable

Calibrachoa Million Bells Yellow

DSC

2

Trailing Petunia

Calibrachoa Minifamous Double Dark Pink and Blue

DSC

2

 

Calibrachoa Superbells Cherry Blossom

PVG

2

 

Calibrachoa Superbells Trailing Lilac Mist

PVG

1

 

Celosia Chinatown

Parks

3*

Europe Fleuroselect winner, ununiform hgt

Celosia Fresh Look Gold

AAS

3

2007 winner, ununiform hgt

Celosia Fresh Look Red

AAS

3

2004 winner, dense plumes, uniform

Celosia Fresh Look Yellow

AAS

3

2004 winner, dense plumes, uniform

Coleus Alabama Sunset

DSC

3

New genus: Solenostemon

Coleus ColorBlaze Kingswood Torch

PVG

3

2nd poorest vigor of coleus

Coleus ColorBlaze Royal Glissade

PVG

3*

 

Coleus ColorBlaze Sedona

PVG

3*

variable leaves

Coleus Gay's Delight

DSC

3*

 

Coleus Glennis

DSC

3

shorter than other cvs, less vigor

Coleus Lancelot Velvet Mocha

PVG

3*

 

Coleus Moonglow

DSC

3*

 

Coleus Mt. Washington

PVG

3*

 

Coleus Saturn

DSC

3*

most vigor

Coleus TiltaWhirl

DSC

3*

variable dark and red leaves

Coreopsis Creme Brulee

PVG

3*

Tickseed, good flowering

Cuphea Totally Tempted

PVG

3*

Cuphea

Cynara Cardoon

DSC

3*

Globe Artichoke

Dianthus Can Can Scarlet

AAS

2

2003 winner, sparse flowers

Dianthus Supra Purple

AAS

2

Dianthus, 2006 winner, sparse flowers

Diascia Diamonte Coral Rose

AAS

3

Twinspur, 2006 winner, uneven growth

Diascia Flirtation Pink

PVG

3

short, uneven flowering

Diascia Genta Pink

DSC

3

open areas in growth

Euphorbia Diamond Frost

PVG

3*

Spurge

Gypsophila Gypsy Deep Rose

AAS

3

Baby's breath, 2004 winner

Heliotrope Fragrant Delight

DSC

3

Heliotrope, ununiform flowering

Heliotrope Incense

PVG

3*

uniform hgt and fls

Heliotrope Nagano

PVG

3

ununiform flowering

Hollyhock Queeny Purple

AAS

2

Hollyhock, 2004 winner, sparse flowers, insect damage

Impatiens Celebration White

DSC

3*

New Guinea impatiens, forms dense mass

Impatiens Infinity White (Imp)

PVG

3

 

Impatiens Sonic Salmon

DSC

2

uneven flowering, good leaves

Impatiens Supersonic Flame

DSC

3*

 

Lantana Bandana Cherry

DSC

2

Lantana, sparse flowers, yellow and cherry

Lantana Luscious Citrus Blend

PVG

3

 

Lantana Luscious Grape

PVG

3

small leaves

Lantana Luscious Lemonade

PVG

3

 

Lantana Luscious Tropical Fruit

PVG

3

variegated leaves

Lantana Patriot Classic Passion

PVG

2

sparse flowering

Lantana Samantha

PVG

3

sparse flowering, good variegated leaves

Lantana Silver Mound

PVG

3*

dense flowering

Lantana Tiddley Winks Red

PVG

3

 

Lobelia Laguna Heavenly Lilac

PVG

1

Lobelia

Mecardonia Prima Lemon Yellow

DSC

3*

Axilflower

Nemesia Compact Pink Innocence

PVG

3*

Nemesia

Nemesia Honey Cloud Lavender

DSC

1

few flowers, weak vigor, ununiform

Nicotiana Perfume Deep Purple

AAS

2

Flowering Tobacco, open areas w/out fls

Ornamental Millet Purple Majesty

AAS

3*

2003 winner

Ornamental Pepper Black Pearl

AAS

3*

2006 winner

Osteospermum Asti White

AAS

2

2008 winner., good lvs, few fls

Osteospermum Flowerpower Purple Red

DSC

1

South African Daisy, good lvs, no fls

Osteospermum Kenai Orange Dream

DSC

1

uneven, small fls, poor vigor

Petunia Cascadia Mystic Purple

DSC

1

Petunia, not good in pots either

Petunia Fortunia Purple Picotee

DSC

3*

 

Petunia Limbo Violet

AAS

2

2004 winner

Petunia Opera Supreme Pink Morn

AAS

3

2006 winner

Petunia Petitunia Blue Dream

DSC

3*

 

Petunia Supertunia Blue (Imp)

PVG

3

 

Petunia Supertunia Vista Silverberry

PVG

3*

most vigorous and tallest cv

Petunia Surfinia Blue Vein

DSC

3*

 

Petunia Surfinia Patio Yellow

DSC

3*

 

Petunia Surfinia Sky Blue

PVG

3*

 

Portulaca Yubi Apricot

PVG

3*

Moss rose

Salvia (farinacea) Evolution

AAS

3

Sage, 2006 winner, purplish blue

Salvia Sallyfun Blue Emotion

DSC

3*

30in., bluer than Evolution

Sanvitalia Tequila

DSC

3

Creeping Zinnia

Scaevola Surdiva Blue

DSC

3*

Fan Flower, good in pots too

Sedum (hakonense) Makino

PVG

2

Sedum, no fls, small plants, lvs blend with mulch

Torenia Catalina White Linen

PVG

3

Wishbone flower, less vigor than Moons

Torenia Magenta Moon

DSC

3*

good in pots too

Torenia Yellow Moon

DSC

3*

good in pots too

Verbena Little One

PVG

d

Verbena, died early in season

Verbena Tukana Scarlet Star

PVG

3

good lvs, open areas w/out fls.

Vinca First Kiss Blueberry

AAS

2

Annual Periwinkle, 2005 winner, sparse fls.

Vinca Pacifica Burgundy Halo

AAS

3

2007 winner

Viola Skippy XL Red Gold

AAS

2

AAS Classic variety, weak vigor

Zinnia Magellan Coral

AAS

3*

Zinnia, 2005 winner

Zinnia Zowie Yellow Flame

AAS

3

2006 winner, some leaf insect damage

 

                                                                                                                                               

A cooperative program of the Burlington Dept. of Parks and Recreation and University of Vermont Extension (Dr. Leonard Perry).  Appreciation is expressed to the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association and the Burlington Garden Club for funding and support.  Photos, videos, and past results are available online (perrysperennials.info/aaswp.html).