Part III — Top annual trial performers

    Each year at Colorado State University, professor James Klett of landscape horticulture, ornamentals and nursery management has a committee of professionals in the green industry rate annuals in their trial gardens.  
    The list is extensive, so there will be a series of articles in this column to highlight the best performers of 2016. As catalogs come to your mailbox this year, you can look to see how you can acquire these, if you wish, for your garden.
    The groups within this article will start alphabetically with annuals starting with S through Z. In other words, salvia to zinnia. Pay particular attention to the Sun Impatiens. Yes, that’s right. Impatiens are not just for the shade anymore.
    If you wish to view the photos that go with each flower the link is as follows: http://www.flowertrials.colostate.edu. I encourage you to go to the internet and look up the photos. Some of these annuals are truly stunning.
    Each one that is listed has a breeding company or breeder’s name after the name of the flower such as Proven Winner or Ball Flora Plant. That is the original source of the seed, not the retailer or wholesale seed company.  But it does help if you wish to acquire some of these when you make the request when asking a greenhouse or nursery.
    ­—Best salvia — “Mirage Cherry Red” from Darwin Perennial. Prolific bright cherry-red flowers are large and make a great hummingbird attractant for the garden. Abundant branching and good growth habit.
    —Best scaevola — “Scalora™ Pearl” from Westoff. Great vigor and the biggest in its class. White flowers numerous and showy. Flowering begins early in the season and keeps well into September. Strong mounding habit that works well in baskets.

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