Garden
by Lori Rose
It's time to start thinking about what to plant in the flower garden this spring. These thoughts of sunshine and a rainbow of flowers get me through our long and sometimes dreary winters. Each year, All-America Selections (AAS) tests and judges hundreds of new varieties. Here are some award-winning new twists on some old garden favorites.
Echinaceas, also known as coneflowers, are a North American relative of the daisy, and are reliable perennials that come back year after year. The new Echinacea Sombrero® Baja Burgundy, the 2020 AAS Herbaceous Perennial Winner, was trialed over three tough winters, and the AAS judges chose it for its sturdiness, hardiness and prolific flowers.
Baja Burgundy is a bold violet-red that makes an eye-catching addition to the sunny garden. Birds and other pollinators love it, but the deer do not.
Try Baja Burgundy in containers with other sun-loving plants, like bacopa whose cascading habit and tiny white or light blue flowers will offset the larger, vibrant flowers. It also makes a great cut flower and will last up to a week in the vase.
Coneflowers thrive in average soils and don't mind hot, dry conditions, nor do they mind the cold. Baja Burgundy plants grow up to 20 inches tall with three inch wide flowers. They bloom reliably from mid-summer till frost. The plants can be cut back by half in early summer which will give them a more compact form.
The judges had only good things to say about Echinacea Sombrero® Baja Burgundy:
"Very attractive and had unique deep rose colored flowers. A garden visitors' favorite year after year!" And they said, "The deep reddish-burgundy flower color was a standout and the plants were consistently full and compact."
Similar to, and a great companion to the coneflower, Rudbeckia are also known as black-eyed Susan. Rudbeckia x American Gold Rush, another 2020 AAS Herbaceous Perennial Winner, is a compact version that has bright golden-yellow flowers with black centers.
American Gold Rush was also trialed over three winters and was found to be very hardy and easy to grow. It has slender foliage that is resistant to fungus and leaf spot, even in humid conditions.
Black-eyed Susans love the sun and will thrive in well-drained soil. They are drought and heat tolerant and will bloom profusely from July to September and continue till frost. American Gold Rush will grow to two feet tall and reward you with loads of two inch golden yellow flowers that flying pollinators love.
Here's what the judges had to say about Rudbeckia x American Gold Rush: "Was very attractive in the perennial garden with nice full bloom coverage late in the season." Also they said, "I believe this is one of the very best rudbeckias I’ve trialed and one of the very best perennials, too."
Cannas, also known as canna lilies even though they are not really lilies, are flamboyant flowers that are hummingbird magnets. Grown as an annual in our area, cannas are usually grown from tubers. Canna South Pacific Orange F1, the 2018 AAS Flower Winner, is unique because it is easily grown from seed, and for the vibrant orange color that gives great contrast to any other flower color in the garden. It is compact and vigorous, and has more branching than other canna varieties, which means more flowers.
Canna South Pacific Orange loves full sun and heat, and also loves lots of water. In fact, it is even a great candidate for water gardens. The four foot tall plants with four-and-a-half inch flowers make a great focal point in the flower border, or a tall accent in a large container. And did I mention that hummingbirds love them?
Sow canna seeds indoors in mid February in a soil-less seed starting growing medium. Lightly cover the seeds and water. Seeds will germinate in about ten days when kept warm (around 70 degrees). When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them into individual pots. Plant outdoors after danger of frost is past, about two feet apart in the garden, or in a large deep pot.
The judges really enjoyed the color of this canna: "Has a beautiful soft glowing orange-colored flower" And, "I would grow this in my garden."
Petunias are so popular for both garden and container use for a number of reasons. They flower non-stop, all season long. They are easy to grow and maintain. They are beautiful, either rambling along the ground or trailing out of a pot. And they come in a rainbow of colors to blend or contrast with any other sun-loving plant.
Carmine Velour F1, a gorgeous cultivar of the popular Wave® petunias, was a 2019 AAS Flower Winner. The judges used these words to describe the unique velvety rose color: vivid, fabulous, stunning, intense, vibrant, lively, outstanding. The color stays bright regardless of clouds or sun, and the large flowers cover the plant continuously from summer to frost.
Carmine Velour is gorgeous in containers or hanging baskets as well as in the garden where it will spread up to four feet. This easy-care petunia is resistant to rain damage, loves sun and heat, and rarely needs deadheading as new flowers always come up to cover the spent blooms.
More compliments from the judges: "Great ground cover and a magnificent blanket of blooms." Also, "Outstanding entry. My favorite." And, "Unique red/purple color bloomed all summer long."
One of the 2017 AAS Flower Winners, Petunia Evening Scentsation F1, is the first petunia to receive an AAS award for its lovely fragrance and stunning color. Its unusual blue flowers are lightly scented in daytime, and become even more fragrant in the evening, with notes of hyacinth, sweet honey and rose.
Like Carmine Velour, Evening Scentsation is a beautiful addition to hanging baskets. Try them together for an eye-catching petunia display. The spreading habit can create a groundcover that out-competes weeds. The flowers remain firm even after rain; it loves sun and heat, and does not need to be deadheaded.
One of the judges had this to say about Evening Scentsation: "One of the best blue petunias I have seen, nice mounding and spreading habit. Excellent fragrance too!"
It is easy and rewarding to grow petunia plants from seed. Sow seeds into moist seed starting mix. For best germination, do not cover the seeds. Place the tray in a warm and bright location out of direct sunlight.
To prevent the seeds from moving, use a spray bottle to mist the tray. Keep it moist but not wet, and don’t allow it to dry out completely. Seeds should sprout in about a week to ten days.
Once the seedlings have five or six sets of leaves, transplant them to individual pots. Don’t let the soil completely dry out but do wait to water until the soil looks slightly dry and the container feels light. Then water thoroughly, allowing water to run through the bottom of the pot.
When all danger of frost has past, move the plants outside on warm days, and bring them inside at night to protect them from the cold. Keep them out of direct sun, and water as needed. After about a week the petunias can be planted outside. Try some of these new standouts and enjoy a rainbow of color in the garden this year.
Lori Rose, the Midnight Gardener, is a Temple University Certified Master Home Gardener and member of GardenComm: Garden Communicators International. She has gardened since childhood and has been writing about gardening for twenty years.