Public asked to choose their favorite flowers.
The 2010 American Garden Award, now in its second year, featured four new flower varieties chosen by their breeders for their excellent garden performance. Once these new varieties were planted and put on display by 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:
Grand Prize Winner: Rudbeckia Denver Daisy by Ernst Benary of America
Denver Daisy wowed voters with masses of reddish ringed golden flowers with brown center. It has huge 4-6 in. golden blooms that cover attractive deep green foliage. The long-lasting blooms proved their ability to stand up under extreme weather conditions. It is suited to gardens, mixed containers and landscapes.
Second Place Winner: Echinacea Prairie Splendor by Syngenta Flowers
These large and abundant flowers bloom from early summer into the fall. Prairie Splendor is a first-year flowering perennial that attracted voters with an abundance of large rosy purple blooms. Butterflies will also be attracted to the 24-in. tall flowers. It begins flowering in June and continues blooming until first frost.
Third Place Winner: Ornamental Pepper Purple Flash by PanAmerican Seed
The exotic-looking Purple Flash enhances mixed containers and in-ground plantings with striking color. Its layered leaves are almost black with flashes of bright purple, topped with small, round, glossy black pepper fruits that are too hot to eat. The 12-in. tall Purple Flash offers great drought tolerance.
Participating gardens in this year’s contest included:
- Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- Boerner Botanical Gardens
- Cantigny Gardens
- Chicago Botanic Garden
- Chicago Park District
- Cole Gardens
- Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden
- Denver Botanic Gardens
- Longwood Gardens
- Massachusetts Horticultural Society
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
- Oregon State Fairgrounds
- Park Seed Company
- Pier 39, Inc.
- Rotary Botanical Gardens
- San Francisco Botanical Garden
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville
