I have seen other gardens and am just as glad I can't vote. There's a "send in your favorites" poll, and I've been staring at it. I go through the garden and love about half, so it's like asking me "who's your favorite child"?

I'll have to think some more...................

MadPlanter, that one was difficult for me too. How can I not vote for Mama plantaginea? It is my first hosta love.
I simply filled it out with what is doing nicely here NOW, and sealed it up and put it in the mail. I don't want to remember what I voted on so there is no guilt for not choosing all the others. This year there are so many of them looking FINE, how can I choose one child over another. I know just what you mean, MP. Me too.

Aaaahh. The world is a good place when people care about this stuff.

Life is good, AnnieGolden. True true.

OK, Mocc. Here are my choices for all three levels.

HM: Mourning Dove, Dance With Me, Sunshine Glory, Dancing Queen, Prairie Sky

AOM: Key West, Love Pat, Hoosier Dome

Benedict Medal: Sum and Substance

Firstly, let me suggest that everyone should join the AHS. You get great color journals and online journal and a discount from quality nurseries if you are a new member.

But since not everyone is, here is the list of those plants who are up for the Benedict Medal this year. Just so we are clear the Award is for GARDEN PERFORMANCE. It's not for your personal favorite that grows at a glacial pace or burns in the least bit of sun, (cough, Great Expectations, cough).

Here's the list. Each of these has already won an Honorable Mention and an Award of Merit. Which one would you choose for the Benedict Medal.

Benedict Garden Performance Medal Vote for (ONE 1),
Vote only for cultivars observed in your region and/or national convention gardens.. (Year listed to right of cultivar name indicates first year on ballot at this level.)

Atlantis 2012, Olive Bailey Langdon 2011, Blue Angel 2013, Robert Frost 2012, Brave Amherst 2013, Satisfaction 2011, Cathedral Windows 2011, Silver Bay 2011, Hanky Panky 2012, Sum and Substance 2013, JourneyâÂÂs End 2012, Sun Power 2013, Leading Lady 2012, Tiny Tears 2012, Manhattan 2012, Wolverine 2012, Millennium 2012

Happy voting,

Steve

Steve, thank you for this information. I'm not an AHS member, but got onto the AHS website for the first time and enjoyed stepping through the list of previous Benedict winners. Even though my hosta collection is small, I have many of the previous winners, all purchased at local nurseries, none online. So, in promotion and recognition of superior cultivars, the Benedict program ensures that people such as myself, who are not knowledgeable hobbyists, are given good shopping choices.

While on the AHS website, I was unable to find a description of the performance criteria. Specifically, I was thinking about your comments regarding personal favorites. How do they balance notions of beauty with growing like a weed?

Thank you to Moccasin and Steve for this thread - it helps us space-constrained gardeners make good choices.

Christine

if performance means speed to size Atlantis hands down