Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: 2019 AAS winners – including a Viking!
You know I love sharing the new year All America Selection Winners! Well, after the lousy season the Minnesota Vikings had, I’m especially happy to share a this Viking winner. It’s Begonia Viking™ XL Red on Chocolate
The AAS Judges were impressed with how the deep bronze/brown color stayed sharp and intense throughout the season, no matter where it grew; north, south, east or west. The compact plant is covered with vibrant red flowers and keeps its shape. One judge, that plants for a public garden, said they would choose this variety for those landscape beds. ‘Viking Red on Chocolate’ grows in a mounded form about 28 to 34 inches and blooms from late Spring/early Summer to Frost!
And now for a tinier size annual that hasn’t had a winner since the 1930’s… Introducing Nasturtium ‘Baby Rose’.
Baby Rose is a petite-flowered, mounding variety with healthy, dark foliage ideal for containers and small space gardens. Their compact habit means less “flower flopping”, their blooms stay upright throughout the season. The rose color is uncommon in nasturtiums and contrasts beautifully with the dark-green foliage. Bonus: both the leaves and flowers are edible, I love the peppery taste and it looks so pretty in salads! This little winner grows to about 12 inches, likes dry sun and blooms from summer to frost!
And a new marigold screams big and GOLD! I’m not sure who’s in charge of naming them but, ‘Big Duck Gold’ is gorgeous!
It sports very large golden-yellow flowers that bloom all season. The 15” plants (which are slightly taller than the more compact comparison varieties) bloom big and beautiful.