New Plant Introductions

Credit: All-America Selections

The 2003 winners:

Ornamental Millet ‘Purple Majesty’ (1)
This cultivar of Pennisetum glaucum grows to a height of up to 1.5 metres, and has leaves that resemble purple corn stalks.

Dianthus ‘Can Can Scarlet’ (2)
This is one of the most fragrant garden carnations. Perfect for a cut-flower garden.

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’ (3)
A robust rudbeckia with distinctive blooms. Its light-green central cone blends beautifully with golden-yellow petals that are tipped primrose yellow.

Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’ (4)
This golden-leaved aromatic herb thrives in a full-sun or partial-shade garden. Produces dense spikes of lavender-blue florets in mid- to late summer.

Petunia ‘Blue Wave’ (5)
Velvety, dark-blue five-centimetre blooms cover this trailing plant for the growing season. The plants are capable of spreading to 1.2 metres and can be planted as a ground cover.

Vinca ‘Jaio Dark Red’ (6)
A really red bloom with a small white centre gives this summer-flowering vinca a distinctive look. If you are looking for plants that are not attractive to deer, try this one.

Gaillardia pulchella ‘Sundance Bicolor’ (7)
This is a consistent mahogany red and yellow bicolour flower. The globe-shaped blooms are primarily double.

Eustoma ‘Forever White’ (8)
Large six-centimetre ivory-white blooms cover the plant at various times throughout the growing season. The plant showed heat and low moisture tolerance in trials.

Melon ‘Angel’ (9)
The lightly netted skin of this very sweet melon turns a creamy yellow when mature. Vines spread to between 1.8 metres and 2.1 metres and are fusarium resistant.

Petunia ‘Merlin Blue Morn’ (10)
A distinctly different blue and white petunia. The six-centimetre blooms are pure white in the centre with a soft transition to velvety blue on the petal edge.

Summer Squash ‘Papaya Pear’
This bright-yellow squash is an intriguing light-bulb shape. Easy to grow in any garden with full sun. Matures in 40 days. (not shown)

Dianthus ‘Corona Cherry Magic’
This is the first dianthus with a capricious bicolour pattern. The flower can be entirely cherry-red, entirely lavender or a mosaic of both colours. (not shown)

Several Canadian seed merchants sell All-America Selections award-winners’ seed. They include:

• Veseys Seeds (www.veseys.com)
• Stokes Seeds (www.stokeseeds.com)
• Dominion Seed House (www.dominion-seed-house.com)
• Lindenberg Seeds (www.lindenbergseeds.mb.ca).

For further information go to www.aaswinners.com.