For new annual flowers or vegetables, nothing quite has the allure of the All-America Selection designation. It has been going strong for more than 80 years and has covered many standbys still grown in gardens. Here is a look at what judges chose for 2012.
Bedding plant winner
The bedding plant winner is a flower, Summer Jewel Pink salvia. Foliage is a traditional yellowish green and plants rarely reach higher than 2 feet. The dense flower heads are pink but still attractive to hummingbirds, which thrive on the nectar. The compact plants produce a large quantity of the upright flowers, especially if the old bloom stalks are deadheaded when more than half the stem is bloomed out.
Summer Jewel Pink is noted for blooming two weeks earlier than the typical pink salvia, though if you buy bedding plants instead of starting the plants yourself, you'll probably never notice.
Salvias can tolerate heat and drought well and do well in containers, especially if you need the softening color pink provides.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: University of Illinois Extension