Gardening Articles: Flowers :: Annuals
Visit an AAS Display Garden
by Susan Littlefield
We've written frequently about particular All-America Selection (AAS) winners, plants that have been chosen by independent AAS judges for their superior garden performance across the country. But there is nothing like seeing the plants actually growing in a garden to appreciate why they were selected. That's why you might want to consider planning a visit to one of the nearly 200 AAS Display Gardens this summer.
These gardens are found across the U.S. and in Canada and give the public the opportunity to see the newest AAS winners in an attractive and well-maintained setting. Gardens are located in a public botanic garden or arboretum, on a university campus, in a municipal setting, at a garden retailer, or in many other settings. (There is one at Vermont Garden Park, the home grounds of the National Gardening Association, in South Burlington, Vermont. That's AAS winner Gaillardia 'Mesa Yellow' pictured in bloom there last summer.)
Some gardens showcase vegetable plants, some flowers, while many display both. You can see what plants look like in a garden environment and get an idea of how they will do in your climate and growing conditions. Some gardens even provide educational programs about the AAS trialing and award process during ″open house″ or ″field day″ events during the growing season.
For a listing of AAS Display Gardens, go to: AAS.