This 'n That Thursdays: 2018 Garden Picks of the Year, Part 4a

AAS Display Garden (from All-America Selections)

Today's post is the first of a two-part series describing the 2018 garden picks of the year from All-America Selections (AAS).  Every year AAS, a non-profit North American plant trailing organization, tests brand new garden plant varieties and chooses the top performers as their AAS Winners.  Six flowering annuals were selected for 2018, so let's take a look, shall we?

Canna South Pacific Orange F1

Vivid orange flowers and bright green foliage characterize Canna South Pacific Orange F1, a 2018 AAS National Flower Winner, as does increased basal branching and a prolonged blooming period.  This tall upright annual prefers full sun, is attractive to pollinators, and can be grown as a container or landscape plant.

Cuphea Floriglory Diana

Cuphea Floriglory Diana is the 2018 AAS National Ornamental Vegetative Winner.  Commonly known as Mexican heather, this drought-tolerant mounded annual has dark green foliage and abundant intensely magenta flowers.  Compact in size, the plant prefers full sun and works well in mass plantings or in containers.

Gypsophila Gypsy White Improved

Gypsophila Gypsy White Improved is another 2018 AAS National Flower Winner.  Also known as baby's breath, this plant is the non-invasive species Gypsophila muralis (not the invasive Gypsophila paniculata).  More abundant large semi-double white flowers, better branching and growth habit, a prolonged blooming period, and better heat tolerance make this variety a big improvement over its predecessors.  With afternoon shade and sufficient watering during the hottest days, this mounding annual is perfect for containers or flower beds.

Marigold Super Hero Spry

Yet another 2018 AAS National Flower Winner is Marigold Super Hero Spry, a bushy, compact, mounded annual with vibrant bicolor flowers of maroon red and golden yellow.  This early-blooming French marigold does well in full sun, is drought tolerant, requires no deadheading, and can be grown in containers or the garden.

Ornamental Pepper Onyx Red

I think that Ornamental Pepper Onyx Red is my favorite of the 2018 AAS National Flower Winner selections!  Tiny black leaves and multitudes of round bright red fruits on a compact but well-branched plant make this ornamental pepper stand out in any garden setting.  Full sun and warmer temperatures are preferred by this drought-tolerant annual.  Growth is vigorous but the bushy and compact growth habit is maintained.  I will definitely be looking for this one at my local garden centers!

Zinnia Queeny Lime Orange

The final 2018 AAS National Flower Winner is Zinnia Queeny Lime Orange, and it is stunning.  Very large bicolor blooms in gradations of lime, yellow, peach, and salmon with a dark orange center characterize this zinnia variety.  The plant itself is a tall, upright, drought-tolerant annual which prefers full sun.  It is an outstanding choice for a cutting flower garden.

🌼🌷🌸🌹🌻🌺🌼🌷🌸🌹🌻🌺🌼🌷🌸🌹🌻🌺🌼🌷🌸🌹🌻🌺

Now that you have seen the exciting new flowering annual picks from AAS, I'm sure all of the vegetable gardeners out there are looking forward to the new vegetable varieties selected for 2018, so stay tuned for next week's final 2018 garden picks of the year post!