Before a plant receives a gardener's stamp of approval, it must meet rigorous standards. Plant survival is uppermost and from a prairie gardener's perspective, that can mean withstanding record-setting low temperatures in winter or lengthy periods of unrelenting drought in summer.
Aside from surviving hostile environments, though, characteristics such as colour, pest- and disease-resistance, vigorous flower production, and eye appeal are just some of the important criteria for recognizing a plant's value.
When a gardener trials a new plant introduction in their garden, word spreads very quickly among fellow gardeners if the plant happens to meet or exceed expectations. Word of mouth is also successful in alerting gardeners to plants that promise superior performance or prolific blooms, etc. but definitely don't deliver. We know who you are.
Gardeners put their faith in recognized bodies that test new varieties for the purpose of assisting them in making an informed choice. Each year at the garden centre, a select number of plants display an official seal of approval.
Pink Beauty Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa), for example, which was developed at the University of Manitoba, department of plant sciences, by Prof. Louis Lenz, was awarded the British RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit) in 2002 for its superior performance in the garden.
AAS Winners is one of the best-known and highly regarded awards in North America. An independent, non-profit organization, All-America Selections puts plants through their paces with the assistance of qualified judges, all professionals in their respected horticulture-related fields who volunteer their time to trial plants in trial grounds throughout the U.S. and Canada.
After a judging and scoring process, the best performers become AAS winners and are made available to gardeners as seeds or plants. The seed of winning plants is sent to 200 dedicated AAS display gardens across North America, generally located in high-volume public spaces so the public can see them on display.
Assiniboine Park has participated in the AAS program for more than 20 years, germinating seed and installing the plants in the gardens throughout the park.
"Last year, we grouped the annual AAS winners together in the English Garden, adjacent to our trial rose collection," said Gerald Dieleman, director of horticulture. AAS vegetable varieties are grown in the Abilities Garden next to the Conservatory.
Diane Blazek is executive director for All-America Selections which celebrates its 82nd year in 2014.
"Our role came from a genuine need in the hort industry for an independent organization to test all these new varieties that are coming out," said Blazek from Chicago where AAS has maintained its office for the past 30 years.
"Seed breeders wholeheartedly support us and throughout the year continue to put their new varieties into our program so that there is a neutral independent trialling that gives a stamp of approval. I equate it to the Good Housekeeping stamp of approval," added Blazek.
It's a new marketplace and the entire hort industry is evolving in response to consumers' changing demands. The changing ethnic mosaic of our communities has led to strong demand for vegetables such as okra, sweet potatoes and eggplant. In the past, however, those vegetables were imported from outside of North America. Today, growers are researching ways to grow new varieties of vegetables and in turn, stimulate their local economy.
"We are now transitioning our terminology from vegetables to 'edibles' and flowers to 'ornamentals,' " said Blazek.
Starting this year, AAS will trial vegetative ornamentals. "For the first time ever," said Blazek, "We are taking a step into the realm of both annuals and perennials that are started from vegetative cuttings rather than seed. We are also trialling perennials as first-year flowering annuals because that is a huge trend."
AAS plans to adapt and should the future hold trials of true perennials, their stamp of approval will follow a two- to three-year trialling frame.
What are the names of some of the winners that might be suitable for Manitoba gardens?
Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea, a 2013 AAS Winner, is more compact and sturdy than most Echinacea varieties or coneflower as it is commonly known. Judges for the AAS were captivated by the range of bloom colour that includes red, pink, yellow, orange, purple and white.
As gardeners know, not all Echinacea are created equal. Some can be quite temperamental or hard to grow, putting on a vivid show one season and disappearing the next. They are among the more expensive perennials as well so growing one that has outshone lesser varieties is an advantage. You may need to locate a protected area in your garden for Cheyenne Spirit since it is classified as zone 4, however, it's award-winning characteristics are sure to please.
Penstemon Arabesque Red, a 2014 AAS award winner, is a perennial in zones 6 to 9 but can be grown in our zone 3 climate as an annual. The first penstemon to become an AAS winner in more than 80 years of trialling, this pollinator-friendly plant features stunning bicolour tubular blooms in red and white, irresistible to gardeners and hummingbirds alike.
What would the summer be without the ubiquitous petunia, the workhorse of the garden? Characteristics such as designer-coloured blooms in near neon blood-orange colours, combined with uniform growth and tolerance to both heat and rain, have earned accolades for Petunia African Sunset and designation as a 2014 AAS Winner. If this plant is not available at your local garden centre this spring, look for seed which is available from a number of online sources.
Last summer, the City of Winnipeg combined gaura, a delicate-looking flowering annual with purple fountain grass in container displays situated near the windy, wide-open intersection at the south end of the Moray Bridge. I marvelled throughout the summer and fall at their long-lasting beauty. This year, look for Gaura Sparkle White, 2014 AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner. The long slender stems of Sparkle White, topped by dainty white flowers with a hint of blush, will withstand extremes of drought, heat and wind. Ideal for unprotected areas.
Zinnias are an old-fashioned plant that many gardeners are falling in love with all over again. Zinnia Profusion Double Hot Cherry is as delicious as it sounds. Double-petalled blooms in a non-fading, rich rose colour are self-cleaning and disease-resistant. This 2013 AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner can be found in the display garden at Assiniboine Park and is easy to grow.
Another medium growing AAS Award Winner for 2014 is Sunflower Suntastic, the smallest dwarf sunflower available. With as many as 20 blooms per plant in three successive bloom periods, this compact annual is ideal for mass plantings in annual borders or containers and window boxes.
Try growing some of these winning plants by seed for inexpensive additions to your garden. If you are planning a vegetable garden, look for Mama Mia Giallo Pepper. An AAS 2014 Winner, its selection by judges was based partly by its disease tolerance to the Tobacco mosaic virus. Easy to grow, this very early maturing yellow sweet Italian pepper grows on a bushy-type plant that provides excellent coverage from the hot dry sun. Start seeds for transplant about 5 weeks before setting outside after all risk of frost.
Heirloom plants are more sought after than ever. Chef's Choice Orange, a 2014 AAS Vegetable Award Winner, is a sweetly mild hybrid derived from the heirloom Amana George. Superior taste and texture as well as bright, almost neon colour that does not fade or discolour in soups or sauces, will make this a popular choice. Its disease resistance makes it even more attractive. 75 days to harvest from transplant.
Check out other AAS Winners such as Canna South Pacific Scarlet, Geranium Pinto, Melon Melemon, and Tomato Jasper this summer at Assiniboine Park for a first-hand look at their performance. Visit www.all-americaselections.org for more details on best performers.
