URBANA, Ill. — While the rain, thunderstorms, and snow replenish the soil moisture, winter can still bring the blues. To welcome the spring season, check mailboxes for the new garden catalogs and start spring garden planning. When planning, remember to leave room for the spontaneous buys when shopping for plants this year.

Overwhelmed and wondering where to start? Begin by reviewing your garden records from previous years to aid in planning. When planning the new design, look for plants suited for USDA hardiness zone 5 or colder. Try plant mapping, drawing where things are placed, and thinking about incorporating new plants. One starting place is the new additions of All-America Selections.

All-America Selections is a non-profit organization that releases several trialed plants yearly as AAS Winners. AAS tests new varieties every year at private and public trial sites located around the U.S. and Canada. Currently, there are four trial locations in Illinois, with three northern and one central. Independent judges, who are professional horticulturists in geographically diverse areas, evaluate trial entries against comparison plants. The winners are chosen based on the compiled trial observations and results. Illinois residents should look for Great Lakes winners or National winners on the AAS Winners lists for the best plants suited to the area.

In 2024, there are 10 AAS winners. Nine winners are suited for Illinois, including two vegetables and seven flowers.

Vegetables

• Broccoli Purple Magic F1 (Brassica oleracea var. Purple Magic F1): The National Vegetable winner is an easy-to-grow purple uniform broccoli. Characteristics include stress and heat tolerance with a tender, sweet flavor. A growth rate of 90 days to harvest from transplant.
• Pepper Red Impact F1 (Capsicum annuum var. Red Impact F1): The National Vegetable winner is a high-yielding, thick, and sweet Lamuyo-type pepper. Characteristics include dark red, strong disease resistance, and uniform in size and shape. A growth rate of 75 days to harvest from transplant.

Flowers

• Celosia Burning Embers (Celosia plumosa var. Burning Embers): A National winner that is compact, with bronze foliage, dark pink veined, plumed Celosia. It has the largest and longest-lasting flowers and does well in humidity and heat. Multiple flower blooms. Transplant 25 days after germination.
• Geranium Big EEZE Pink Batik (Pelargonium x interspecific var. Big EEZE Pink Batik): A National Winning container geranium, that is heat tolerant, and contains pink mosaic against dark green foliage. Blooms are 4 to 5 inches with over 100 uniform flowers per plant.
• Impatiens Interspecific Solarscape® XL Pink Jewel F1 (Impatiens hybrida var. Solarscape® XL Pink Jewel F1): A National Winner with pink blooms against green leaves and mounded habit with flowers in late spring to frost. Great for beds, borders, and containers. Full or part shade.  
• Marigold Siam Gold F1 (Tagetes erecta var. Siam Gold F1): This National Winner contains globe-like gold flowers on mounded foliage. It has a beautiful appearance due to its uniformity, and flowers are 3 to 4 inches in size. Great for cut or dried flowers.
• Petchoa EnViva™ Pink (Petunia x Calibrachoa hybrida var. EnViva™ Pink): A National Winner that has bright pink flowers with a yellow center and mounding habit. Large flowers from spring to fall, not fading in the summer heat. A petunia that is heat tolerant and bounces back after weather. Plant in hanging baskets, containers, or garden beds.
• Petunia Sure Shot™ White (Petunia x hybrida var. Sure Shot™ White): A Regional Great Lakes National Winner that is great for containers, garden beds, or a hanging basket where it can withstand the elements. The white blooming, 2 to 3-inch flowers cover the green foliage, are fragrant, and attractive to pollinators.
• Verbena Sweetheart Kisses (Verbena tenuisecta var. Sweetheart Kisses): This National Winner contains a valentine palette of reds, whites, and pinks. This low-growing mounding plant is a centerpiece for a garden bed. Plant for the colors, and it will bring on pollinators. A versatile plant for full sun used as a ground cover or container plant which withstands dry days. Seed to flower in 55 days.

Looking for something else to fill your landscape and gardens? Plan a trip to a local garden shop or visit All-America Selections.org, which contains a list of all past vegetables and flower winners since its founding in 1933.

For more information about gardening, check out the University of Illinois Extension Horticulture website at extension.illinois.edu/Plants or our YouTube Channel at go.illinois.edu/UniversityOfIllinoisExtensionHorticulture. For questions, connect with a location Extension office at go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffice.

Bruce Black is an Illinois Extension horticulture educator for Carroll, Lee, Whiteside, Boone, DeKalb, and Ogle counties. Gardeners Corner is a quarterly newsletter from gardening experts around the state. Each issue highlights best practices that will make your houseplants, landscape, or garden shine in any season. Join the Gardener’s Corner email list at go.illinois.edu/GCsubscribe for direct access to timely tips.

Photo Caption: Petunia x Calibrachoa hybrida var. EnViva™ Pink flower variety. Photo: All-America Selections.