The Perennial Plant Association is a North American group of growers, garden designers, nursery and garden centre owners. As members, this group votes for the Perennial of the Year, as well as nominating future plants for the award. Perennials of the year are usually known for their year-round interest, their ease of care, their ability to thrive in a wide range of zones and varying growing conditions. Try some of these perennials in your garden!

2011: Amsonia hubrichtii

The 2011 winner is Thread leaf Blue Star/Arkansas Blue Star/Blue star flower (Amsonia hubrichtii), a native North American plant with bright green fern-like foliage in the spring and summer, followed by a bright yellow-orange colour in the fall. The flower blooms from late spring to early summer with small, light bluish white/silvery, star-shaped flowers. Around 90 cm (36”) tall with a similar spread, it’s a well behaved addition to your garden – upright and not floppy! It likes full sun to part shade and average to moist, rich soil but will do okay with less moisture. You can plant it on its own or with other perennials – very adaptable, versatile and easy to maintain. Well suited to a perennial border or a wildflower meadow; it looks very nice with grasses or other plants with seed heads. A long-lived plant, but it takes a few years to reach maturity. Hardy as low as zone 5a and reported to be deer resistant.

2010: Baptisia australis

The 2010 winner is false indigo (baptisia australis), a native North American plant with grey-green foliage, and lovely dark blue pea-like flowers over a long period in spring, followed by attractive black seed pods that rustle in the wind. Around 100 cm (40”) tall with a similar spread, it’s a well behaved addition to your perennial border. It likes full sun to part shade and average, well drained soil. You can plant it on its own or with spring bulbs. Hardy as low as zone 3; slow to get established, but very long-lived.

2009: Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’

The 2009 choice is Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ — a perennial ornamental grass, originally from Japan. It’s commonly referred to as Japanese Forest Grass or Hakone Grass. Its botanical name comes from Hakon, a region in Japan, and chloa, the Greek word for grass. The ‘Aureola’ cultivar has golden-striped blades about 1.25 cm (½ inch) wide, thus ‘golden variegated hakone grass’. You can even enjoy shades of pink and red on its foliage during the fall. The flower spikes are often inconspicuous.

This grass is hardy to zone 5, thus fine for Ottawa. It is well behaved, clumping and is naturally arching. Not a huge plant, it measures 12 – 18 inches in spread by 18 – 24 inches tall.

It may be used as a ground cover, in mass plantings or as a border plant. You can even try it in a container – don’t forget to sink the grass into your garden in the fall, however, if you want your Forest grass to survive our winter.

Moist yet well drained soil, and shade (part or dense) are this grass’ ideal growing conditions. Hakone grass likes cool temperatures. You’ll love its brightness in a dark corner of your garden or in the evenings.

2008: Geranium ‘Rozanne’

The 2008 choice is Geranium ‘Rozanne’ — a perennial geranium. ‘Rozanne’ naturally grows in a clump – and is ideal as an edger or a border plant. Framed by green leaves, her large violet-blue cup-shaped blooms (with large white eyes and purple violet veins) are held up on delicate wiry stems, and as we all like to hear, she has a good repeat-blooming habit, having started to flower in late May to early June. If you feel Rozanne is looking a bit leggy, you can give her a good trim back in midsummer. She reaches about 40 - 50 cm (16 -20”) tall and her spread is just a bit wider. She prefers sun to part sun/part shade – but would prefer to stay out of our hot afternoon sun. Rozanne is hardy in the Ottawa area – rated for Zone 5. She isn’t very fussy about soil – average to moist, and well drained. Lots of people even like her in a container or a window box for the season.

2007: Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’

The 2007 choice is Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ — one of the catmint varieties and a very long bloomer. Catmint is a sun lover (although it will grow in partial shade) and is very drought tolerant. Nepeta like well drained soil, with a neutral pH. Catmint is very easy to grow and maintain — and is pest- and disease-resistant.

‘Walker’s Low’ in particular does well in a perennial border, as a rock garden plant, or even as a groundcover, or in a herb garden. The foliage has a minty scent — slightly attractive to cats, but not as potent as catnip. It offers silver-green heart-shaped leaves, and blue violet spikes from summer through to fall. Snip off the deadheads to encourage reblooming. ‘Walker’s Low’ attracts bees and butterflies — and appears on lists of deer-resistant plants. This plant grows about 30 - 36 inches or 75 — 90 cm tall — not ‘Low’ at all; in fact it is named after a garden! Hardy to zone 4; a tough plant — and looks great with yellow and orange plants.

2006: Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Feuerhexe’ (Firewitch)

The 2006 choice is Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Feuerhexe’ (Firewitch) – one of the Cheddar Pinks from the Caryophyllaceae family. Dianthus are a large group of plants –mostly sun loving, usually low growing, evergreen and long bloomers, too. Dianthus like well drained soil, with pH being on the basic to alkaline side. Avoid mulching with thick layers of organic matter, especially in winter.

‘Firewitch’ in particular does well as a ground cover, rock garden plant or an edger plant and enjoys full sun, but tolerates light shade. It offers deep blue-green foliage, and magenta blooms in mid-spring, with a spicy, clove-like fragrance. This plant grows only about 6 inches or 15cm tall. Snip off the deadheads to encourage reblooming later in the summer. Hardy to zone 3; a tough plant – you may want to ensure that ‘Firewitch’ gets good snow cover as it’s evergreen.

2005: Helleborus x hybridus

The 2005 choice is Helleborus x hybridus from the Ranunculacae or buttercup family. The hellebore, or Lenten rose, prefers a shady or partly shady location (morning, not afternoon, sun) and organic, well-drained soil. Once established, it can withstand summer droughts with just a few waterings. It’s mid-sized, reaching 18 - 24 inches (45 - 60cm) tall and wide, with leathery evergreen foliage. This early Spring bloomer comes in lots of colours – plums, reds, pink, yellows, whites, etc. – some single and some double blooms and is a great addition to a woodland garden, planted among spring bulbs and perennials. Good news: deer do not eat hellebores; bad news, however: all parts of the plant are poisonous and also can cause skin irritation. Hardy to zone 5; a tough winter and an exposed planting could impact their performance.

2004: Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’

The 2004 choice is Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’ or Japanese Painted Fern. Like most ferns, it prefers a shady or part shady location (morning, not afternoon, sun) as well as moisture and an organic soil – well-rotted compost is just fine. This fern is fairly compact, reaching only 12 inches (30cm) tall and wide. It has elegant olive green and silvery fronds on deep burgundy stems that arch gracefully. A. niponicum is a great addition to a woodland garden, planted among spring bulbs, primulas, hostas and astilbes, and can brighten up a dark corner. It can function nicely as an accent plant, a space filler or a background plant. It even does well in a pot (but protect it over the winter). Japanese painted ferns are hardy to zone 4, and pests and diseases rarely bother them.

2003: Leucanthum x superbum ‘Becky’

The 2003 choice is Leucanthum x superbum ‘Becky’. This classic Shasta daisy is an excellent cut flower, with large single white flowers and deep green foliage. It grows about 3’ (90 cm) tall. With regular deadheading, it can bloom from June to September.

‘Becky’ likes sun to partial shade, but isn’t fussy about the soil, and needs little extra watering. Most shastas are short-lived; divide them every three years, and they’ll live longer. Pests rarely bother them, and deer don’t eat them.