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Growing With Phipps: Three societies pick the top garden plants for 2001
Saturday, January 06, 2001 By Miranda Sutton, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Three societies -- the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Perennial Plant Association and All-America Selections -- have selected various plants to receive top awards for 2001.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society began its Gold Medal Plant Award Program in 1981 to recognize outstanding woody plants, many of which are widely underused. The PHS has named three plants as its 2001 Gold Medal Plant Award winners.
Cornelian cherry dogwood 'Golden Glory' is hardy in zones 4 to 7. In full or part sun, 'Golden Glory' can grow to be 25 feet tall with a 20-foot spread, and tends to grow more upright than other cornelian cherry dogwoods (Cornus mas). This plant showcases 1-inch-long red berries throughout the year and tiny yellow flowers from mid-February through March. 'Golden Glory' displays resistance to pests and deer and is drought-tolerant.
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' is a shrub often used in perennial borders, foundation plantings and naturalized gardens. From June through July, 'Annabelle' produces white flower clusters that can grow up to 1 foot wide. The optimal growing condition for this plant is in well-drained soil in part sun, although it can tolerate full sunlight.
American holly (Ilex opaca) is a tree that can reach 30 to 50 feet in height and 15 feet in width. This tree showcases spiny leaves and generates red berry-shaped fruit in October that last into the winter. American holly has several notable traits, including hardiness to cold and resistance to deer, pollution, drought and moderately wet areas.
The Perennial Plant Association's Plant of the Year program promotes the use of perennials. Winners typically grow in a wide range of climates, require little maintenance and are easily propagated.
The ornamental grass 'Karl Foerster' is the 2001 Perennial Plant of the Year chosen by the PPA. 'Karl Foerster,' a cultivar of Calamagrostis x acutiflora, is a clump-forming grass that displays dark green foliage. Light pink flowers that appear in June later turn tan. Growing up to 5 feet tall, the plant is used to create hedges and screens.
All-America Selections has selected a plant to receive an AAS Gold Medal Flower Award for 2001.
Zinnia 'Profusion White' was named the 2001 AAS Gold Medal Flower Award-Winner. Chosen for its ease of growing (no pinching or pruning needed), length of its flowering season (early spring to fall), and its proven disease and mildew resistance, this white Zinnia produces 2 1/2-inch daisy-like flowers that can spread up to 24 inches in a full-sun garden.
Four other flowers and four vegetables made the 2001 AAS list (they're listed above). Use these plants in this year's garden, and you'll create a beautiful landscape to enjoy throughout the year.
This is one of a series of periodic columns by staffers of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Miranda Sutton is Phipps' communications coordinator.
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