This year there was a tie for the top vote getter. One has been an industry offering form many years, zinnia 'Uproar Rose' and one is a new introduction marigold 'Moonsong Deep Orange'. 'Uproar Rose' just commands attention for its large size, electric color and overall nice habit and clean foliage. 'Moonsong Deep Orange' is a 2010 All America Selection winner that also impressed visitors. It is tall and covered with large blooms all season. New flowers tend to grow over the older flowers hiding them from view and giving the plant a nice clean appearance with very little dead heading.

2nd place

Coming in second was another zinnia, 'Profusion Knee High Red'. The profusion series as a whole performed very well this season and 'Knee High' provided a nice mid height plant, covered with blooms and nice clean foliage (http://foliagenetwork.com/).

Well, the votes are in and for the second year, attendees to the Illinois Turfgrass Foundation Field Day (Turf Expo) were given the opportunity to tell us what they found interesting in the 2010 University of Illinois Extension Annual Variety Trials. Professionals from the golf course, park district, and landscape maintenance fields of horticulture enjoyed looking at the over 192 cultivars of flowers on display and then given the chance to tells us what they liked. Attendees were given five flags and asked to place them by the cultivars they really found interesting and liked. Why some varieties garnered flags and others didn't is hard to say but in any case this very informal survey allows you an idea of what the industry professionals find to their liking.

This year there was a tie for the top vote getter. One has been an industry offering form many years, zinnia 'Uproar Rose' and one is a new introduction marigold 'Moonsong Deep Orange'. 'Uproar Rose' just commands attention for its large size, electric color and overall nice habit and clean foliage. 'Moonsong Deep Orange' is a 2010 All America Selection winner that also impressed visitors. It is tall and covered with large blooms all season. New flowers tend to grow over the older flowers hiding them from view and giving the plant a nice clean appearance with very little dead heading.

Coming in second was another zinnia, 'Profusion Knee High Red'. The profusion series as a whole performed very well this season and 'Knee High' provided a nice mid height plant, covered with blooms and nice clean foliage.