A simple description and explanation of the non-profit trialing organization, All-America Selections

1. What is
All-America
Selections?

2. A non-profit
organization,
founded in 1932
by Ray Hastings,
that promotes new
garden varieties
judged to have
superior garden
performance in
impartial trials
throughout North
America.

3. AAS is the oldest, and most trusted
national trialing organization in North
America, supported by breeding
companies.

4. Entries
Breeders enter new, never-before-sold
cultivars to be judged in one of four
categories:
1. Seed Ornamentals (flowers & foliage grown
from seed)
2. Vegetative Ornamentals (flowers & foliage
grown from cuttings)
3. Edible/Vegetables from Seed (self-
explanatory!)
4. Herbaceous Perennials (perennials that die

5. AAS Trials Sites in
U.S. and Canada
1. Seed Ornamentals – 40 sites
2. Edible/Vegetable – 28 sites
3. Vegetative Ornamentals – 18 sites
4. Herbaceous Perennials – 24 sites
Total of 80 AAS Trial Judges!

6. AAS Trial Site: Dallas
Arboretum

7. AAS Trial Site:
Rotary Botanical Gardens

8. AAS Trial Site:
Green Bay Botanical Garden

9. • Horticulture professionals
• Seasoned trialing experts
• Unpaid – they volunteer their time
• Unbiased - cannot judge their own entries
• The core of our success
AAS Trial Judges

10. What qualities make an
AAS Winner?
 Better tasting vegetables
 Longer blooming annuals
 Superior disease resistance
 Unique colors or qualities
 More flowers or fruits per plant
AAS Winners must out-perform other similar
varieties on the market in order to win the AAS
Winner designation

11. After the Trial;
Introduction Criteria
 Breeder gives the variety a marketing name
 Breeder submits publicity photos
 Seed/Cuttings in inventory
 Germination tests results are submitted
 Product is priced and ready to ship
Now it can be declared an “AAS Winner”

12. Publicity After Introduction
To:
• Seed Companies
• Distribution chain
• Growers
• Retailers
• Garden Writers
• Bloggers
•Consumers

13. Publicity Program
Robust website:

14. Publicity Program
Implementing Social Media:
• Pinterest
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Slide Share
• Etc.

15. Publicity Program
Display Gardens
Almost 200 public gardens grow and display the
past five years of AAS Winners.

16. Display Garden:
Dallas Arboretum

17. Display Garden:
Denver Botanic Gardens

18. Display Garden:
Michigan State University

19. Display Garden: Miami
University, Hamilton
Conservatory

20. Display Garden:
University of Saskatchewan

21. Display Garden:
University of Delaware

22. Display Garden: MSU South
Mississippi State University