The All-America Selections Regional Awards ARE A BIG DEAL!   With March Madness behind us, regional awards have been on my mind. Regionals in sports tend to be the lead-up to the Big Dance, the big award, the major victory. It’s the ribbon before the trophy. It’s definitely a big deal, at least until theRead more

For all our new fans and followers, we thought this was a great time (spring is gardening time, right?) to answer your questions about our organization. Since a Q&A format is easy to follow, here we go!   What exactly is All-America Selections (AAS)? AAS is a non-profit plant trialing organization that promotes new varietiesRead more

Year of the Pumpkin Our sister organization, National Garden Bureau, has a “Year of” program that selects one type of edible, annual, perennial and bulb plant to highlight for the year. This program has been around since 1980 and continues to grow in scope and reach. For 2019, NGB has chosen the pumpkin as theRead more

Growing Up: Five Vertical Gardening Tips [From one of our AAS Edible/Vegetable judges who has discovered you need a LOT of room for all the entries in the AAS Trials!] “Grow up!”  While that phrase most often is used as an insult for those acting immaturely, it can also be great gardening advice – especiallyRead more

“Why and How I Judge the AAS entries” …a Judge’s Perspective [From a judge who just happens to have an effusive personality that extends way beyond the garden] One of All-America Selections’ outstanding characteristics is that the organization relies on input from horticulture professionals as judges to determine award-winning varieties. (And of course they should–weRead more

Looking for new varieties that are proven garden performers? Look no further than these All-America Selections (AAS) Winners for 2019. After being trialed by AAS volunteer judges in more than 35 locations all over North America, the following new AAS Winners are proven performers, perfect for your garden!  AAS Winners are available as seeds and plantsRead more

By: Pam Bennett, AAS Judge Ohio State University CES Plant for Pollinators! Almost every gardening resource today has something to share about pollinators. We have all heard about the plight of the pollinators and about what gardeners can do to help increase their numbers. My mantra is JUST PLANT SOMETHING! Something, that is, for pollinators.Read more

Let’s venture a guess that your mind is wandering toward what to plant in your 2019 garden. As you look through seed catalogs and websites, it’s natural to look for what’s new and what will grow best in the garden. We thought we would help take the guesswork out of “what to grow” by asking a fewRead more

Nestled in the City Park of New Orleans (one of our nation’s oldest urban parks!) is AAS Display Garden New Orleans Botanical Garden. Recently, during the All-America Selections Summer Summit, our group visited the garden but the rain nor heat and humidity diminished the beauty, diversity and art that is the New Orleans Botanical Garden.Read more

If you like ooey gooey brownies, this is for you. These could almost be described as a cross between a brownie and a hot lava cake. Recipe credit goes to Crazy for Crust. Bossa Nova Squash – 2015 AAS Winner These compact plants produce fruits earlier in the season and continue producing for three weeks longer than theRead more