All-America Winners for 2000

My favorite time of year is late fall or early winter when the announcements for the perennial, herb, All-America, and "Year of the (whatever plant)" start arriving in my mailbox. I know that the plants given these honors will perform well in my garden. For the year 2000, we have 5 flowering plants that have been selected as the 2000 All America winners. These winners are selected for their long-flowering season and ease of care which is important to anyone who struggles with physical limitations when gardening. The less time you have to spend in the garden, the better if you can still enjoy a long season of flowers.

You may expect to find the seeds at mail order nurseries such as Park Seeds or Burpee. Your local garden centers may carry many of them in flats late spring or early summer. Look for the symbol on plant labels indicating that these plants have won this award at any time during the past few decades. Let's turn our attention to this year's winners.

COSMOS

Cosmic Orange is a 12 inch tall plant with bright orange flowers. Plant it in a sunny spot with fertile soil and provide water as necessary. You'll have plenty of flowers to cut for bouquets. This plant is pest and disease free. Cosmos is a good butterfly nectar source.

DIANTHUS 'MELODY PINK'

This annual dianthus species is a hybrid. Its pink flower petals have a serrated edge which gives them an old fashioned lacy look. Growing to a height of 22-24 inches, these are perfect for cutting. The plants are both heat and cold tolerant which means several months of flowering. Look for these plants at your garden center this summer. You'll be glad you added them to your sunny garden border.

SUNFLOWER 'SORAYA'

This year is the first time in the history of the All American awards, that a sunflower has won the coveted recognition. The flower consists of a chocolate brown center with orange petals. Their 4-6 inch size catches the eye of everyone who sees them. The plants grow to about five to six feet tall and are self-branching. Flowering time is estimated to be 80-90 days from seed. These are ideal flowers for cutting for your favorite bouquets. You may want to let the birds harvest some of the seed. Hint: If you have squirrels like I do, start these seeds indoors so YOU get to enjoy some of the plants!

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