3 groups name award winners

2008 All- America Selections

Goldsmith Seeds’ ‘ Asti White,’ an AAS Bedding Plant Award winner, is the first F1-hybrid, white-flowered osteospermum from seed. Large, 2- to 2 ¾-inch, single flowers with bright-blue centers attract shoppers.

From plug to flowering requires 14-16 weeks in 4-inch pots or larger. ‘Asti White’ can be produced for several seasons, such as early spring in the South, bedding plant season in the North and fall in Southern states.

‘Asti White’ exhibited heat and drought tolerance. Plants also tolerate light frosts for early spring or fall extended seasons.

Kieft Seeds’ ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ is a viola with a golden face, black whiskers and shades of plum surrounding the face.

It was cold- and heat-tolerant in trial grounds. As a Cool Season Bedding Plant winner, it was tested in Southern locations in winter. Judges found it to be packed with flowers. ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ also tolerated summer heat conditions into August.

Plants need about 10 weeks from sow to flower. ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ is recommended for 3- to 4-inch pots or combination planters with bulbs or annuals. Mature plants spread 6-8 inches.

‘Hansel’ is a true miniature eggplant in both size of plant and size of fruit. The plant, less than 3 feet tall, adapts to container production. ‘Hansel’ was productive under a wide range of growing conditions. It was bred by Seminis Vegetable Seeds.

Like all eggplants, ‘Hansel’ needs high temperatures to thrive and blossom. Glossy, dark-purple fruit are borne in fingerlike clusters of three to six. They mature early, about 55 days from transplanting, which is about 10 days earlier than comparisons.

Gardeners can harvest eggplant while still small (3 inches long). If fruit is left on the plant, it continues to grow and remains tender and non-bitter.

Seed of AAS winners is available from your seed supplier.

2008 All-America Rose Selections

Dream Come True is a stunning mix of catchy colors. This plant produces yellow flowers blushed with ruby-red at the tips. They are set among abundant matte-green foliage. Big, bushy, vigorous plants yield long-stemmed, long-lived roses with a mild tea fragrance.

Dream Come True was hybridized by John Pottschmidt of Cincinnati -- only the third amateur hybridizer to win the AARS award in 67 years -- and introduced by Weeks Roses.

For more: Weeks Roses, (714) 949-4409; www.weeksroses.com.

Mardi Gras is defined by impressive blossom production and a color combination of yellow and bright pink with orange undertones. The roses grow in large clusters of 25 petals per rose, which offer a moderately peppery perfume. Foliage is dark green and semi-glossy. With an upright, columnar habit, Mardi Gras is suitable for hedge, border or mixed perennial beds.

Mardi Gras was hybridized by Keith Zary and is introduced by Jackson & Perkins Wholesale Inc.

For more: Jackson & Perkins Wholesale Inc., (541) 864-2145; www.jproses.com.

2008 Fleuroselect Gold Medal winners

Begonia semperflorens ‘Volumia Rose Bicolor’ impressed judges with its garden performance throughout the season. This novelty is well-branched and has a neat, compact habit. ‘Volumia Rose Bicolor’ has large and persistent rose-bicolor blossoms that appear for an extended period.

For more: Syngenta Seeds, (800) 454-8159; www.greendemon.net.

Delphinium consolida ‘Sydney Light Blue’ is pastel light blue. ‘Sydney Light Blue’ is an easy-to-grow cut flower with strong, uniform flower spikes.

For more: Kieft Seeds, (360) 445-2031; www.kieftseeds.com.

Lavandula angustifolia ‘Ellagance Purple’ has a compact, uniform plant habit and is free flowering. First-year-flowering ‘Ellagance Purple’ has the added bonus of outstanding garden performance. This variety has a short cycle from sow to sale.

For more: Kieft Seeds, (360) 445-2031; www.kieftseeds.com.

Monarda x hybrida ‘ Bergamo’ stunned judges with its earliness and color. This annual produces masses of intense rose-purple from June to August. ‘ Bergamo’ has a tidy, compact form and a dwarf habit. It has good garden performance and is highly resistant to mildew.

For more: Kieft Seeds, (360) 445-2031; www.kieftseeds.com.

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cappuccino’ is semi-tall and uniform, has good basal branching and is strong and vigorous. ‘Cappuccino’ has impressive garden performance. This tetraploid variety will produce bronze-brown blossoms for a long period.

For more: Clause Tezier, www.clausetezier.com.

Salvia farinacea ‘Fairy Queen’ bears multiple spikes of bicolor blue-and-white flowers on dark, distinctive flower stems from June to October. ‘Fairy Queen’ has a bushy and compact habit and thick stems.

For more: Ernst Benary, (815) 895-6705; www.benary.com.

{sidebar id=1}

Viola ‘Floral Power Orange Red Wing’ received a late 2007 Gold Medal. Judges commended its outstanding pack performance and garden performance. This viola produces continuous masses of flowers on compact, uniform and bushy plants.

For more: K. Sahin Zaden, www.sahin.nl.