AED Foundation & SkillsUSA Illinois Support Skilled Trades
Jessica Schwartz
All-America Selections For 2021
With the endless variety of plants on the market, and new ones developed each year, how can a landscaper stay on top of the latest introductions that will be ideal for client gardens? Start with a search at All-America Selections (AAS), the oldest, independent testing organization of flower and edible varieties in North America. A non-profit, AAS was started in 1932 as a reaction to the new “Garden Club” movement of the 1920s and 30s. W. Ray Hasting, president of the Southern Seedsmen’s Association of Atlanta, GA, proposed the idea as a way for home gardeners to learn which new plant varieties were “truly” improved, as opposed to just being advertised that way. Separating Wheat From Chaff Today, AAS conducts confidential and impartial trials each year of new, not-yet-introduced annuals, ornamentals, perennials, and vegetables throughout North America. Plants come from a variety of retailers, like Bonnie, Burpee, and more. Every autumn, AAS accepts the new entries, which are then grown and tested in more than 50 widespread locations. Existing varieties are grown side-by-side to the new entries for one-to-one comparisons. Over 80+ trial judges—including horticulture professionals at universities, public gardens, extension offices, seed companies, breeding companies, retailers and commercial growers—look for significantly improved qualities. These qualities include: earliness to bloom or harvest; disease or pest tolerance; novel colors or flavors; novel flower forms; total yield; length of flowering or harvest; and overall performance. Only the best trial performers, those that are superior to their comparisons, are declared AAS Winners. Entries ...
Ornamentals Feature: Spring Planting
For most landscapers without big plowing operations, Spring signals the start of the busy season. While there’s much to do in terms of mowing and maintenance, it’s also the one of the best times for establishing new trees and ornamentals before the heat and stress of summer sets in. When To Plant: Watch Your Frost Risk As an avid gardener, I’m a clock watcher. Well, a temperature watcher really. At the first sign of Spring, my (supposed) green thumbs are itchy to get out there and start digging in the dirt. As a landscaper, you’re anxious to get out there and generate income, not to mention please early bird clients. But I do my best to restrain myself since Spring is a fickle season and a 65 degree day can plummet to a freezing night with little warning. Some plants, particularly those showy annuals clients love, simply don’t like freezing temperatures and can wilt or die when exposed to just one frost. So I wait and I watch. I know the risk of frost must be past to dig in many of my pots and plantings. Here in New Jersey, Mother’s Day is the general rule of thumb for when you can start gardening with abandon. To determine when your region is no longer at risk of frost, the popular gardening site, Dave’s Garden, offers a handy search tool I found when researching the other end of the planting season—first frost and fall establishment. Simply type in your area code ...
America’s Top 25 Magnificent Historic Gardens Named
Historic Hotels of America are home to some of the nation’s most magnificent and beautiful storybook gardens. With this in mind, the organization has compiled the 2019 Historic Hotels of America Top 25 Most Magnificent Gardens. The Inn at Montchanin Village (1799) Montchanin, DE The Inn at Montchanin Village has a full-time horticulturist and its own off-site greenhouses, which provide exquisite colorful landscaping on the grounds. Plantings help define spaces and create private garden nooks for guests to enjoy. The restaurant at the Inn, Krazy Kat’s, offers dishes with herbs and vegetables grown in the gardens of this historic hotel. Guests can access the historic buildings via a maze of ornate gardens featuring beautiful flowers and fragrant herbs. Antrim 1844 Taneytown, MD Located within feet of the mansion and the glass enclosed pavilion is the formal rose garden, enhanced by matching bronze fountains with over 100 varieties of English Tea Roses. Guest can wander into the secluded secret garden that features the ancient branches of a majestic elm tree and provide an enchanted feeling for those who enjoy the beauty of nature. The original formal garden was designed and planted in 1844. Traditional plantings include Boxwood, Peonies, Holly Trees, Azalea, Silver Maple Trees, Jonquils, Tulips, and Cannas. There are more than 50 varieties of English tea roses, with many reaching a height of five feet tall. An herb garden is located beside the hotel’s original ice house, which provides the seasonings for the incredible cuisine from Antrim 1844’s Smokehouse Restaurant. ...
