Looking for something new for your garden this year? How about trying some of the many All-America Selections (AAS) available either by seed or as plants from your favorite garden center.

Last year's winners (1994) included Lady Lavender, a lavender that will bloom in its first season; Big Beef tomato, a hamburger's delight due to its large meaty size; and Fanfare cucumber, a dwarf disease-tolerant bush type cuke.

This year's (1995) winners include two petunias and one rubeckia.

Purple Wave [1] is the first petunia to grow two to four feet in one season. Its spreading habit can be useful for mass plantings, but it will also cascade from planters and window boxes and can even be trained to climb a trellis.

Celebrity Chiffon Morn [2] adds a new pastel color to the floribunda class of petunias. It is earlier to bloom and has a compact branching habit. Another quality is its ability to recover rapidly from severe weather such as thunderstorms.

And finally, Rubeckia Indian Summer [3], similar to the common black-eyed Susan, will attain a height of three feet, but will branch from its base so that you do not need to stake the plants. The huge blooms appearing all summer are on strong stems, perfect for cut flower bouquets.

As you make your garden plans for this year, look for the familiar AAS logo on the seed packets or in the catalogs accompanying all of these exceptional varieties.