b'CELEBRATING FLOWERS,VEGETABLES AND 100 YEARSDiane Blazek, executive director of the National Garden Bureau and All-American Selections, talks about her favorite flower varieties and 100 years of the National Garden Bureau. Seed World (SW): What are youof classes. We start by amassing a list reading? of potential plant classes put together by Diane Blazek (DB): I love historicalour office staff and board of directors. fiction and lately, anything related toWe then create a survey that is sent WWII or set in Great Britain seem to beto our members asking them to select my go-to choices. I also try to read alltheir choices. We pick 3-5 years at a the trade publications for our industrytime based on popularity, new breeding, as well as all the National Gardenavailability and how easy it is for a home Bureau (NGB) member catalogs andgardener to grow. Sometime we pick a consumer publications to see where All- class that we have to change at the last American Selections (AAS) and NGB areminute, but for the most part, we do mentioned.know at least three years out what the future featured crops will be. SW: Favorite flower?DB: For a cut flower, Id say sunflowers.SW: I\'ve heard 2020 is a big year for For annuals and perennials, its nothe NGB! surprise that its any of the AAS Winners.DB: It is! We are celebrating our 100th Its so fun and interesting to be in onAnniversary in 2020. Its a big deal for a the process from the entry phase to thesmall non-profit to reach that milestone. trialing phase, and then to the winnerWe are celebrating by using this announcement. I get to brag about themopportunity to take a look forward. being AAS Winners when visitors ask about them. And boy, do I brag! SW: In celebration of NGBs 100 years, what\'s your top priority SW: How did you begin workingfor 2020?with the NGB and AAS? DB: More growth! NGB is one of DB: I got into the horticulture industrythe oldest but fastest growing in 1993 via the publishing division oforganizations in the industry, Ball Horticultural Company. I workedwhich is a great place to be. there for 15 years, then left the industryWhat we are doing for our to broaden my skill set by running a PRmembers and for gardening firm in downtown Chicago. About a yearas a whole is extremely later, the executive director position atbeneficial. Weve tripled our NGB/AAS opened up, so I jumped on themembership during the past nine opportunity to get back to the industryyears, plus weve created an impressive that is so near and dear to me.online community that is growing every day. We are working hard to increase SW: Can you give us insight asour impact and visibility, which means to how NGB picks their "Year of"everyone benefits.SWplants?DB: Our members actually pick the Year 76/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2020'