Like This Flower? Vote For It at Missouri Botanical Garden

America is a land of favorites.

We love to elect our favorite Idol, vote for our favorite All-Star player and once in a while even head to a polling place to elect our favorite candidate.

Yet for all of our voting, would you believe that America has yet to elect its favorite flower?

That's about to change this summer at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The garden -- in conjunction with 15 other parks and arboretums nationwide -- is participating in the American Garden Award, a "bold new creation" designed to learn the most popular flowers as voted by American consumers.

Here's how it works: This summer Mobot will grow Pentas lanceolata 'Northern Lights Lavender,' Petunia 'Baby Duck Yellow,' Petunia 'Opera Supreme Purple,' Petunia 'Plush Lilac Pearl,' Rudbeckia hirta 'Tiger Eye Gold,' and Catharanthus roseus 'Viper Orchid Halo.'

Garden visitors can send a text message or dial an 800 number to vote on which flower they like best. The garden is equipped with signage to coach people through their voting process. And like All-Star Game balloting, visitors can vote "early and often" during the competition.

Me? I'm voting for the Viper Orchid Halo 'cause I like flowers with fierce names.