Final answer:
The garden pea was a good choice for Mendel's experiments due to its visible features, self-fertilization, and fast growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The garden pea (Pisum sativum) was a good choice as an experimental organism in Mendel's work for several reasons. Firstly, pea plants have numerous visible features and characteristics, such as seed form and color, flower color, pod form and color, placement of pods and flowers on stems, and stem length, which made it easy for Mendel to observe and study variations. Secondly, pea plants are naturally self-fertilizing, meaning that pollen encounters ova within individual flowers, which allowed Mendel to easily control and manipulate the breeding process. Lastly, pea plants are fast-growing and can be cultivated in large quantities simultaneously, enabling Mendel to conduct multiple experiments within a short period of time and draw reliable conclusions from his results.