Home » Plants & Animals » Gardening Techniques » All America Selection Winners for 1999

All America Selection Winners for 1999

© Diana Pederson

Each year The All America Selections committee tests many new varieties of plants. In the fall the award winners for the next year are announced. This year they made 12 awards to flowers and vegetables.

Three of the flowers are of special importance for disabled gardeners because of their easy culture and care. Two are Zinnias and one is a Marigold. The two zinnias are such a major breeding breakthrough that they were awarded a special Gold Medal--something that hasn't occurred for the past 10 years.

The two Zinnias are "Profusion Orange" and "Profusion Cherry". You should find these in either seeds or as bedding plants in your local nurseries. According to the AAS literature:

'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange' exhibit tolerance to many foliar diseases such as powdery mildew and bacterial leafspot. They set a new standard for garden zinnias. ... These zinnias produce single flowers 2-3 inches wide. The plants reach about 12 to 18 inches tall and will spread slightly more than the height. Free flowering all season, no deadheading is needed. The new plant growth hides unsightly older blooms. Best plant performance will be achieved in full sun with draining soil. These carefree AAS Gold Medal zinnias are easy to grow from seed or bedding plants. 'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange' are adaptable to container culture for urban gardeners. PVP Pending.

(Left=Profusion Orange Right=Profusion Cherry

I absolutely love this style zinnia and sincerely hope it is as resistant to mildew and leaf spot as they claim. They will be in my garden this summer. I found the seeds in both the Burpee and Park Seed catalogs.

The third AAS winner I recommend for disabled gardeners (or any gardener who wants no-fuss flowers) is the 'Bonanza Bolero' Marigold. I found the seeds in Park Seed catalog. The AAS literature states:

'Bonanza Bolero' is an improved dwarf, french marigold, distinct because of its irregular gold and red bicolor pattern. The large 2 1/4 inch double flowers are primarily gold with red petal tips. Earliness to bloom is another superior trait. 'Bonanza Bolero' plants will attain a height of 8 to 12 inches and spread 12 to 24 inches when given adequate moisture and nutrients. Maximum flower production will occur in the full sun garden. This easy-to-grow annual is adaptable to container culture.

These zinnias and marigold varieties will look well together--providing a bright orange, red, and gold colored garden to enjoy throughout the summer. They both attract butterflies too--an added bonus. I have just the spot for these plants--a northwest corner garden which has well drained soil. Do you have the perfect spot for these plants? If you don't have an in-ground garden, why not try them in a strawberry jar--imagine a bright colored pillar sitting on your patio or porch.