All-American Selections Announces Its 2012 Winners

Begonia boliviensis ‘Santa Cruz Sunset'

The public has voted, and it’s time to announce the 2012 American Garden Award Winners. The 2012 American Garden Award program, now in its fourth year, featured six new flower varieties chosen by their breeders for their excellent garden performance. Once these new varieties were planted and put on display at the participating gardens, the public was invited to vote on their favorite using one of several voting methods. The votes have been tallied and the three winners are:

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Most Popular! Grand Prize Winner

Begonia boliviensis ‘Santa Cruz™ Sunset’ from Ernst Benary of America
This flowering plant lights up your garden with an abundance of scarlet/orange blooms. Its elegant softly cascading form is perfect for hanging baskets, urns or mass plantings in your garden. Surprisingly heat, drought and rain tolerant, this summer beauty thrives in any location from full sun to shade.

Second Place Winner

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Gazania  ‘Big Kiss White Flame’ F1 from Syngenta Flowers
Gazania ‘Big Kiss White Flame’ has huge white and rose striped flowers that cover full, bushy plants. This carefree, heat loving and drought tolerant annual loves the sun and thrives in tough conditions, all summer long. Extra large flowers and plants make high impact displays in garden beds or containers.

Third Place Winner

Petunia ‘Surfinia Deep Red’ from Suntory Flowers
‘Finally, the true deep red petunia gardeners have been searching for! For 20 years, Surfinia has been the best-selling vegetative petunia series in the world, offering superior garden performance with no pinching or pruning needed. Enjoy P. ‘Surfinia Deep Red’ in container gardens or in the landscape from spring through fall.
 

Look for these consumer choices as seeds or plants at your favorite local retailer or online suplier.

The participating garden include:

Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Boerner Botanical Gardens
Burden Botanical Gardens
Callaway Gardens
Cantigny Gardens
Cleveland Botanical Garden
Cole Gardens
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden
Denver Botanic Gardens
Garfield Park Arts Center
International Peace Garden
Kentucky Exposition Center
Longwood Gardens
Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Missouri Botanical Garden
MSU Horticulture Gardens
NCSUJC Raulston Arboretum
Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
Oregon Garden
Park Seed Company
Pier 39, Inc.
Powell Gardens
Rotary Botanical Gardens
San Francisco Botanical Garden
Taltree Arboretum & Gardens
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Zilker Botanical Garden

Past winners include:

2011
‘Sunpatiens Varigated Spreading White’
Dahlia ‘Dahlinova Hypnotica Lavender’
Petunia ‘Easy Wave Neon Rose’

2010                                                                 
Rudbeckia ‘Denver Daisy’                                 
Echinacea ‘Prairie Splendor’                            
Ornamental Pepper ‘Purple Flash’                    

2009
Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’
Petunia ‘Baby Duck Yellow’
Pentas ‘Northern Lights Lavender’

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