Top notch

As a garden junkie, I look forward to new varieties the same way techies anticipate innovations in computers and cell phones. Like the new and improved models of everything, some changes are significant. Others are only cosmetic, and in reality the new product isn't much different than those that are already on the market.

Currently, All-America Selections (AAS) awards go to plants grown from seeds that bloom the first season. Recent years have seen a shift in the selections. Gardeners who favor pure annuals would not consider some of the new perennials as proper choices, but in reality, many plants we grow in Utah as annuals are perennials in warmer climates.

Other awards for the 2003 season include several less common plants that will become perennials in our climate and in warmer climates. As an added bonus for Utah gardeners, the flowers we're mentioning today are both heat and drought tolerant.

Rudbeckia hirta "Prairie Sun" is robust with distinctive blooms. The light green central cone blends beautifully with the golden-yellow petals, which have striking primrose yellow tips. The 5-inch blooms are borne on branching plants that mature at about 3 feet tall and make a strong statement in any full-sun garden. For the coming season, this flower is an excellent choice because it is easy to grow and maintain. It is heat tolerant and flourishes with less water. "Prairie Sun" should be an excellent plant in any perennial, annual or cut flower garden. As an added bonus, the flower stems are sufficiently long for quality cut flowers. The large, attractive plants make a good focal point in any large container.

Millet is an important food grain in some parts of the world, but Ornamental Millet F1 "Purple Majesty" is so attractive that it received the Gold Medal Flower award. Judges described it as "tall, dark and handsome" for its size and distinctive purple leaves. This was the most distinctive plant that I noticed when I evaluated AAS trial gardens.

Like most young grasses, the plants are bushy with green leaves. Grow these in full sun because the direct, abundant sunlight induces the purple leaf color. The stems grow 3 to 5 feet tall and have distinctive 8- to 12-inch flower spikes. The immature spikes make excellent cut flowers for a dramatic touch in floral arrangements.