Jul 3, 2013

AAS Announces First Winners for 2014Source: All-America Selections

All-America Selections (AAS) has announced the first of the AAS Winners for the 2014 gardening season. One is a Bedding Plant Winner, ‘Sparkle White’ gaura, and one is a vegetable, ‘Mascotte’ bean.

Both of these winners were trialed next to two other similar varieties that are currently on the market. The AAS Judges grew each entry and the comparisons then did a side-by-side analysis of growth habit, taste, disease resistance and more to determine if these were truly better than those already available to home gardeners.

Only those flower entries with superior garden performance or the vegetables with superior taste and garden performance are given the AAS award.

With this announcement, these varieties become available for immediate sale. Brokers and growers can purchase these varieties immediately. Consumers will find this seed for sale in the coming months as supply becomes available with catalog companies, in seed packets, from mail order companies and various websites. AAS Winners will also be available as young plants in lawn & garden retail stores next spring, in time for the 2014 gardening season.

‘Sparkle White’ gaura, bred by Kieft Seed, will bring a touch of airy elegance to the garden with its long slender stems sporting a large number of dainty white flowers tinged with a pink blush. This variety works mass planted in sun-drenched landscape beds, in groupings with other perennials or in larger containers. It is a season-long bloomer and has excellent heat tolerance. Commercial growers can use ‘Sparkle White’ as a first-year flowering perennial or as an annual.

Bean ‘Mascotte’ is the first AAS winning bean since 1991. Bred by Clause Vegetable Seeds, this compact variety is perfect for small-space gardens. It is a bush type bean that produces long, slender pods that stay above the foliage for easy harvest. This bean also has white showy flowers for ornamental value during bloom time. Judges appreciated the crunchiness and taste of this bean as well as the plentiful harvest all season long. The ‘Mascotte’ root system is ideal for patio containers and window boxes, and this versatile variety performs well in garden beds too.

A list of trial grounds and judges is available at www.aaswinners.com/trial_grounds/index.cfm. All AAS Winners since 1932 can be found at www.aaswinners.com/winners/index.cfm.