AMONG SPECIALTIES — The Cottage Garden with tulips in bloom is one of the specialty sections of the Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 121 Second St., Whitestown. Others include a day lilly, rose, vegetable, water and herb gardens. The annuals won’t be planted until May. Both the gardens and an adjacent nature trail are open during daylight hours. (Sentinel photo by John Clifford)

PICKED FOR CONTEST — Parker Scripture Botanical Gardens will show off past and present All-America Selections winners this summer on the south side of the Farm and Home Center, 121 Second St., off County Highway 840 (Judd Road) east of Airport Road in Whitestown. The gardens, maintained by Master Gardeners, along with an adjacent nature trail, are open to the public during daylight hours. Admission is free except a donation to support the gardens iis asked during the 16th Annual Herb & Flower Festival June 23. (Sentinel photo by John Clifford)

WHITESTOWN — Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens at Cornell Cooperative Extension, is one of 22 All-America Selections Display Gardens participating in the 2012 AAS Landscape Display Contest.

The Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens are on the south side of the Farm and Home Center, 121 Second St., off County Highway 840 (Judd Road) east of Airport Road. They are maintained by Master Gardeners.

The gardens, along with an adjacent nature trail, are open to the public during daylight hours.

All-America Selections describes itself as "an independent plant trialing and award program."

Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens will help All-America Selections celebrate its 80th anniversary by using past and present AAS Winners (both flowers and vegetables, if desired) in a creative landscape design located within their gardens. The contest criteria requires that each display have a minimum of 50 percent of the total landscaped area be AAS Winners and labeled with the variety name and the AAS logo, if possible.

These specially landscaped areas will be on display all summer, then judged by an expert panel at the end of the season. Winners in each category will be announced and recognized in October.

Master Gardener Volunteers are looking forward to the growing season to showcase these annual and vegetable plants in the Oneida County Cooperative Extension’s gardens.

For more information, contact Holly Wise at 736-3394 x 125, or go to http://www.aaswinners.com/Display_Garden_Locations.asp