What’s New You Ask?
Twelve New AAS Winners and Two of Them are Gold Medal Winners!
There are twelve exciting and new AAS Winners recently introduced by this non-profit organization; each one was trialed anonymously by independent, volunteer judges all across North America.
However, twelve gorgeous plants is a lot to put into one post. So this week we will feature just the two Gold Medal Winners. Next week will be the National Winners then the week after that, the Regional Winners. There is sure to be something for every garden in this collection of super fantastic garden performers.
Each AAS Winner is grown and scored next to a very similar variety (we call it a comparison variety) and only if the entry performed better than the comparison does it become an AAS Winner. The same is not good enough in our world!
Keep an eye on this website and as each variety becomes available from National Garden Bureau members, the “Where to Buy” buttons on each winner’s page will be updated so you can purchase your own AAS Winners for your gardens. For an overall list of online retailers who carry the non-GMO AAS Winners, check out the “Buy AAS Winners” page.
What makes it a Gold Medal Winner?
This prestigious honor is reserved for a plant breeding breakthrough. Historically given very rarely, these two new AAS Winners were deemed Gold Medal Winners because of their unique characteristics and super-outstanding garden performance. These two entries earned scores from the AAS Judges that were high enough to earn this prestigious distinction!
Unique trailing habit
Erase that sea-faring conqueror image and replace it with this garden-faring beauty that performs exceptionally well and has high impact color. This trailing begonia “explores” the garden by spreading and spilling its branches over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. Prolific rose-colored flowers stand out against the glossy green foliage and do so all season long. It has a strong tolerance to heat & many diseases, as well as both wet & dry conditions. These new Vikings are sure to be a garden favorite.
“Stellar performance for containers” states one AAS Judge. “Good plant with season-long integrity,” says another. “The compact plants are covered in large flowers. The flowers are nicely held above the foliage,” exclaimed another judge.
Lush Blooms
This yellow petunia was so outstanding and eye-catching in the AAS Trials that the judges deemed it a Gold Medal Winner! Each Bee’s Knees petunia is filled with lush blooms that put on a colorful show of deep yellow, non-fading flowers all season long. The intense yellow petunia color contrasts beautifully against the deep green leaves. Bee’s Knees offers great garden performance in a variety of conditions and requires very little maintenance. Gardeners will love its deep, rich yellow color and its versatile mounding habit. Works great as an element in mixed containers or as a hanging basket but also thrives as a long-blooming groundcover.
“Amazing eye-catching color, full cover with color,” stated one AAS Judge. “No disease, no deer problem, no breakage from the wind. Great plant!” mentioned another. “It withstood the summer heat and tolerated the colder and wetter conditions of the end of the season very well,” exclaimed another judge.
AAS Winners
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