(Distributed 01/18/08) With the New Year come announcements of ornamental plant winners. One popular competition is the All-America Rose Selections. AARS winners for 2008 are Mardi Gras and Dream Come True.

Pointy and pretty, no flower quite has the petal power of poinsettias at the holidays. And the selection would be far fewer in Louisiana were it not for the LSU AgCenter. Although AgCenter horticulturists do not develop new varieties of poinsettias, they do evaluate the varieties that come on the market and test them for their suitability to grow here.

The 'Easy Wave' series of petunias are smaller versions of the original 'Wave' series. This group has also allowed for the expansion of flower color options in the series. Here is a photo gallery of the cultivars. Several "mixes" are available also.

The 'Wave' series of petunias are very popular with commercial landscapers and home gardeners at the current time. Here is a photo gallery of the cultivars.

The 'Tidal Wave' series of petunias are hedgiflora type petunias. They are the tallest growing and widest spreading of these petunia groups. Here is a photo gallery of the four cultivars in this series.

(For Release On Or After 10/05/07) Fall is a prime planting season in Louisiana. Cool-season flowering bedding plants and cool-season vegetables are planted from now through February, and November through February is the best time to plant hardy shrubs, ground covers and perennials in the landscape. How well you prepare the soil before planting has an enormous effect on the health and growth of your plants.

Louisiana in August may not be the most enjoyable time to work in the yard, but rose bushes need attention to ensure good performance this fall, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

Yards and gardens generally look a little frayed by this time of the year. Heat stress takes its toll on just about everything in landscapes except the tropicals, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill.

(Distributed 07/27/07) Louisiana gardeners may be enjoying a second bloom of purple coneflowers this time of year. The perennial plant is one of the most popular in home landscapes.

(Distributed 07/02/07) Lantanas continue to be one of the most popular herbaceous perennials for Louisiana landscapes. Numerous varieties, some old and some new, offer many growth forms and colors, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.