This year’s awards and recipients are:

·       The Emerging Perennial Professional Award to Ben O’Brien, owner of Wild by Design. This award recognizes an individual who is a talented and diligent newcomer to the perennial plant industry. Ben creates artfully crafted, richly planted, and lovingly tended naturalistic gardens inspired by the landscape of Prince Edward County in Ontario, where he lives and works.He is a passionate young plantsman and progressive planting designer bringing the best of the new perennial movement to Canada. He has conducted thorough experiments and trials using a variety of growing media including gravel, sand and construction waste to assess perennial behavior and longevity for both public and private projects. He speaks and writes widely on his work and has always been at the forefront of design and ecology. Wild by Design, founded in 2014, is guided by Ben’s passion for plants and naturalistic planting design, but also by the desire to create gardens and landscapes that provide people with the same simple delights and pleasures as the wild rural landscapes of his youth.

·       The Perennial Outreach and Education Award to speaker and lecturer Rebecca McMackin, Arboretum Curator ofWoodlawn Cemetery, and former Director of Horticulture ofBrooklyn Bridge Park. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves by advancing perennial plants and the industry through education, advocacy, awareness, outreach, or promotion.Rebecca is a dynamic public speaker, writer, lecturer and advocate on the importance of ecological gardening, advocating for North American native plants and perennials. Her “Let your garden grow wild” TED Talk has been viewed more than a million times. Rebecca is the Lead Horticulturist for the American Horticultural Society and a Program Associate for the Harvard Divinity School’s Thinking with Plants & Fungi Initiative. Rebecca spent a decade as Director of Horticulture of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically and with an eye towards habitat creation for birds, butterflies, and soil microorganisms. Their research into cultivating urban biodiversity and ethical management strategies has influenced thousands of people and entire urban parks systems to adopt similar approaches.

·       The Perennial Excellence Award to Jack DeVroomen of DeVroomen Holland Garden Products. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves through their contributions, skills, and efforts related to herbaceous perennial plants and the perennial plant industry.

A member of PPA since its inception more than 40 years ago, Jack has been a friend, colleague, and trusted resource for many people worldwide. He has spent the past 50 years traveling to the United States and Canada, representing the company that his grandfather founded 100 years ago, and introducing colleagues and plant enthusiasts to a plethora of European plant introductions. Jack has made significant contributions to the perennial plant industry, both in North America and in Europe.

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to the 2025 award recipients! To learn more about the recipients and the awards program please visit https://perennialplant.org/page/2025SpecialRecognitionWinners

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators, and others that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial industry. With a mission to connect professionals, provide education and promote perennial plants, the association has served the horticultural industry since 1984.

For more information visit www.perennialplant.org.

Raleigh, NC, July 30, 2025

The Perennial Plant Association proudly announces the 2026 Perennial Plant of the Year®, Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’.  Selected by PPA members, this exceptional cultivar, commonly known as Blackhawks big bluestem, stands out for its striking appearance and resilience once established.

More compact than other big bluestem varieties, Blackhawks reaches a height of five feet and a width of two feet.  Its near-black coloration and strong, upright growth habit create a dramatic presence in fall gardens.  The dark green leaves emerge in spring, gradually transitioning to reddish-purple tips as summer progresses.  By August, the characteristic three-parted “turkeyfoot” inflorescences appear, and by September, the entire plant takes on a deep purple hue.

Richard Hawke, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Director of Ornamental Plant Research at the Chicago Botanic Garden, states that Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ is, “Notable for its compact size and sublimely dark burgundy leaves, stems, and flowers.  It quickly became a standout in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s ornamental grass trial.  It is the perfect choice to add color, texture, and movement to smaller gardens or landscapes where one of its bigger relatives would overwhelm.”

Beyond its ornamental appeal, Blackhawks big bluestem provides vital habitat.  Its dense foliage and sturdy stems offer nesting sites and cover for birds, while also serving as a larval food source for several skipper butterfly species.  Though it forms a single clump, it may reseed in the garden.

This cultivar is remarkably low-maintenance, with no major pest or disease concerns.  The only required care is cutting it back to the ground in late winter, like other ornamental grasses.  Once established, a process that may take a few years, Blackhawks becomes very drought tolerant. 

Bill Hall, Head Grower at Hoffman Nursery, states that, “This upright growing big Bluestem is slow to awaken from dormancy but is worth the wait. The dark purple foliage – which is near black – emerges clean and colors up quickly in the growing season.  Like most Andropogon grasses, ‘Blackhawks’ seems to be relatively free of foliar disease”.

For a stunning fall display, consider pairing Blackhawks big bluestem with companion plants like black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.), tall stonecrops (Hylotelephium spp.), and asters (Symphyotrichum spp.).  Their contrasting textures and movements beautifully complement the bold, vertical spikes of Blackhawks.

The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to showcase a standout perennial among its competitors!  Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free. The Perennial Plant Association Board of Directors reviews the nominated perennials and selects three or four perennials to be placed on a voting ballot.  Perennial Plant Association members vote for the Perennial Plant of the Year® and nominate additional plants for the following year’s ballot.  In addition, Perennial Plant Association members have access to several marketing resources to assist with promoting the Perennial Plant of the Year®. You can visit the Perennial Plant of the Year® website for more information at https://perennialplantoftheyear.com and learn more about the 2026 Perennial Plant of the Year® at https://perennialplant.org/page/2026PPOY .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators, and others that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial industry. With a mission to connect professionals, provide education and promote perennial plants, the association has served the horticultural industry since 1984.

For more information visit www.perennialplant.org.

2025 Landscape Design Award Recipients Announced at the PPA National Symposium

Raleigh, NC, July 29, 2025 –

During the Perennial Plant Association’s (PPA) 2025 National Symposium hosted in Des Moines, Iowa fifteen Landscape Design companies were recognized for their exceptional projects. The entries comprise eight categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal designs, and price of production. The design may be a single project or a section of a larger project. The focus must be on perennials but may include other plants. Six of the eight entry categories are defined by the wholesale cost of the project and two are for specialty garden designs. 

Initiated in 1992, the Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes. The “after-market” applications of our growers’ products and the design, installation, and maintenance of plants in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association. Both experienced and novice designers were invited to participate.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the implantations of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations. PPA Regional Board Member and Master of Ceremony for the 2025 Landscape Design Awards, Scott Hokunson, shared his thoughts on this year’s project submissions saying, “PPA is proud to announce the 2025 Landscape Design Award competition winners! Entries this year displayed wonderful creativity with plant combinations, problem solving, seasonal interest, and contemporary design styles. We are especially pleased with an increase in international entries this year, evidence of a growing passion for the use of perennials in landscape design!”

Once again, the Perennial Plant Association received an exceptional amount of project entries for the judging committee to evaluate, diversely spread over all entry categories. Award recipients received either an Award of Merit or Award of Excellence, which is the highest landscape design award.

This year’s recipients included:

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to these 2025 award recipients! To learn more about the PPA Landscape Design Awards program and view more details, including photos, about each awarded project, please visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/2025LDAWINNERS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers and contractors, educators, and others that are professionally involved in the herbaceous perennial industry. With a mission to connect professionals, provide education and promote perennial plants, the association has served the horticultural industry since 1984.

For more information visit www.perennialplant.org.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the installation of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

The entries comprise 8 categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal designs, and price of production. The judges are professionals in the fields of horticulture and design.

This year’s award winners will be recognized the following ways:

• Awards presentation during the 2025 PPA National Symposium in Asheville, North Carolina
• Complimentary National Symposium registration for the day of the awards ceremony
• Custom designed poster for all award winners on display at the 2025 National Symposium
• Press release announcing award recipients sent out to media publications
• Promotion through PPA Instagram and Facebook posts as well as full feature article in the PPA newsletter
• PPA Webinar featuring all Award of Excellence project winners, hosted by the design team

For more information and to apply, visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/LDASubmissionsInfo

Award applications and supporting materials are due to the Perennial Plant Association office by January 29, 2025. Applicants will be notified of evaluations in March 2025.

Pycnanthemum muticum is a must-have for pollinator gardens with heads of tiny white to light pink blooms attracting butterflies, wasps, and bees from July to September. Although the flowers are inconspicuous, they are surrounded by silver bracts with give the illusion of frost in summer and can persist for months.

Clustered mountainmint is a tough and adaptable perennial native with no serious disease issues and due to its aromatic foliage, it is unpalatable to deer and rabbits. Branched, vertical stems grow two to three feet tall and form a dense, weed-suppressing clump. It spreads through underground rhizomes and in moist conditions, can be aggressive although it is not invasive to the degree of true mints.

Pycnanthemum muticum plays a great supporting role in the garden. As Kyle Lambert, Perennial and Rose Manager at The Growing Place Garden Center states, “While not necessarily the show-stopper with large eye-catching flowers, it’s a great pollinator plant, adding to its supporting role credentials. It provides a nice textural contrast to finer leaved plants and has a minty fragrance when touched. Silvery bracts top the plant when in bloom, adding to the interest. It is less of a spreader when planted in a lean, well-drained location and it looks great all season with no effort.”

Sam Hoadley, Horticulture Research Manager at Mt. Cuba Center, also believes it’s a fantastic plant, stating, “If you are looking to attract pollinators en masse to your garden, look no further than Pycnanthemum muticum. It is invaluable to gardeners thanks to its beauty, vigor, adaptability, and disease and herbivore resistance.”

Pycnanthemum muticum prefers an area where it can freely naturalize and mingle among other plants. Its silver sheen plays well with other flower colors and contrasts wonderfully with plants with dark foliage. Some good companions include black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.), bee balms (Monarda spp.), blazing stars (Liatris spp.), Joe Pye weeds (Eutrochium spp.), and native grasses such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum).

The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to showcase a perennial that is a standout among its competitors! Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free. The Perennial Plant Association Board of Directors reviews the nominated perennials and selects three or four perennials to be placed on a voting ballot. Perennial Plant Association members vote for the Perennial Plant of the Year® and nominate additional plants for the following year’s ballot. In addition, Perennial Plant Association members have access to several marketing resources to assist with promoting the Perennial Plant of the Year®.
Learn more about the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year® at https://perennialplant.org/page/2025PPOY

New in 2024, PPA is pleased to announce a revised awards program designed to reflect the changes in the perennial plant industry, particularly the maturity of the sector overall, while recognizing the immense contributions individuals and companies continue to make to the industry.

This year’s awards and recipients are:

The Emerging Perennial Professional Award to David McKinney. This award may be given to a Perennial Plant Association member who is a talented and diligent newcomer to the perennial plant industry. David has earned two undergraduate degrees in horticulture as well as a master’s degree from Colorado State University. He worked for the Denver Zoological Foundation as a horticulture specialist and is currently Curator of Collections and Grounds at the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens. He’s an active member of the Perennial Plant Association, serves on the local planning committee for PPA’s 2025 National Symposium, and was a Perennial Plant Foundation scholar in 2018.

The Perennial Service Award to Patty Steinhauser, owner of Stonehouse Nursery in Berrien Springs, Michigan. This award acknowledges a Perennial Plant Association member for outstanding service to the association. The Perennial Plant Association benefited greatly from Patty’s 6 years of Board service, during which she provided wise council and enthusiasm for the association. A PPA member for decades, Patty unfailingly promotes PPA to potential members. As co-owner of Stonehouse Nursery, she's actively participated in symposia and the trade show, supporting PPA and offering to help with logistics. She also continues to serve on the Foundation board and has enthusiastically supported the Foundation, even after stepping off the PPA board.

The Perennial Outreach and Education Award to Paul Pilon, Director of Growing at Opel Growers in Hudsonville, Michigan, and editor-at-large of the Perennial Pulse e-newsletter. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves by advancing perennial plants and the industry through education, advocacy, awareness, outreach, or promotion. Paul has been instrumental in helping raise the bar in perennial plant production through his consulting, speaking and writing. His work to keep perennial growers informed through regular columns in Grower Talks and as a speaker at many industry events provides the timely subject matter expertise needed to achieve production success.

The Perennial Excellence Award to Jeff Epping. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves through their contributions, skills, and efforts related to herbaceous perennial plants and the perennial plant industry. Jeff is a longtime advocate and promoter of perennials through his garden designs and lectures. Over his 28 years at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin, Jeff developed several significant gravel gardens, which focus on perennial plants and promote an environmental and sustainable message.

The Directors Award to The Founders of the Perennial Plant Association. This award recognizes an individual or group who go above and beyond in their support of the Perennial Plant Association and the broader perennial industry. In the summer of 1983 Dr. Steven Still, a young horticulture professor at The Ohio State University, saw a need for more information regarding perennials. Dr. Still sent out word of a conference to be held in Columbus, which ended up hosting an impressive 250 attendees. An ad hoc committee of growers which included Aine Busse, Jim Kyle, Jim Beam and Pierre Bennerup donated money and cobbled together the PPA, with Dr. Still as Executive Director and Beam as President. PPA officially became a non-profit in 1984. Countless horticulture professionals have gained knowledge, colleagues, and friends through PPA’s National Symposia and other events over the past 40 years. Thirty-five outstanding perennial plants have received widespread recognition as Perennial Plants of the Year, furthering the industry’s and public’s knowledge of perennial plants. Future horticulture leaders have been introduced to and inspired by perennial plants thanks to the Perennial Plant Foundation’s scholarship program. Industry leaders from around the world have been celebrated through the Association’s annual awards.

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to the 2024 award recipients! To learn more about the recipients and the awards program please visit https://perennialplant.org/page/2024SpecialRecognitionWinners

Award of Excellence, Class I – Tony Spencer • The New Perennialist for The Green Roof Alvar project

Award of Merit, Class I – Shireen Zia, CPLD for the Garden of Resilience: A Waterwise Haven that Never Rests project

Award of Excellence, Class II – Stefano Marinaz Landscape Architect for A Tapestry of Urban Greenery project

Award of Merit, Class II – Jay Sifford of Sifford Garden Design for the Rhodwood: My Mountain Retreat project

Award of Merit, Class II – Danilo Maffei of Maffei Landscape Design, LLC for the Becky's Garden project

Award of Excellence, Class III – Tony Avent for the Tony and Anita Avent home garden project

Award of Merit, Class III – Stefano Marinaz Landscape Architecture for A Chiswick Hideaway project

Award of Merit, Class III – Living Roofs, Inc. for the Camp Mending Heart Green Roofs project

Award of Merit, Class III – Campion Hruby Landscape Architects for the Winchester project

Award of Merit, Class VI – Danilo Maffei of Maffei Landscape Design, LLC for the Loman Hall Historic Adaptation project

Award of Excellence, Class VII – Kelly D. Norris, LLC for the Meadow for the Opera at Blank Performing Arts Center project

Award of Excellence, Class VII – Rebecca McMackin & Brook Klausing for the Brooklyn Museum Crescent Meadow project

Award of Merit, Class VII – Russell + Mills Studios for the Colorado State University Perennial Gardens

Award of Excellence, Class VIII – Susan Cohan, FAPLD for the A Garden of One's Own

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to these 2024 award recipients! To learn more about the PPA Landscape Design Awards program and view more details, including photos, about each awarded project, please visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/2024LDAWinners

The revised awards program is designed to reflect the changes in the perennial plant industry, particularly the maturity of the sector overall, while recognizing the immense contributions individuals and companies continue to make to the industry.

Nominations for the awards will be accepted through March 22, 2024.

New for 2024, the Perennial Plant Association will present the following awards at its National Symposium this summer in Asheville, North Carolina.

• Perennial Excellence Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves through their contributions, skills, and efforts related to herbaceous perennial plants and to the perennial plant industry.
• Perennial Outreach and Education Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization who has distinguished themselves by advancing perennial plants and the industry through education, advocacy, awareness, outreach, or promotion.
• Emerging Perennial Professional Award. This award may be given to a Perennial Plant Association member who is a talented and diligent newcomer to the perennial plant industry.
• Perennial Service Award. This award acknowledges a Perennial Plant Association member for outstanding service to the PPA.
• Directors’ Award. This award recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond in their support of the Perennial Plant Association and the broader perennial industry. This award is reserved for the PPA’s Board of Directors’ nomination and is given at the Board’s discretion; it need not be presented each year.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the installation of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

The entries comprise 8 categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal designs, and price of production. The judges are professionals in the fields of horticulture and design.

This year’s award winners will be recognized the following ways:
• Awards presentation during the 2024 PPA National Symposium in Asheville, North Carolina
• Complimentary National Symposium registration for the day of the awards ceremony
• Custom designed poster for all award winners on display at the 2024 National Symposium
• Press release announcing award recipients sent out to media publications
• Promotion through PPA Instagram and Facebook posts as well as full feature article in the PPA newsletter
• PPA Webinar featuring all Award of Excellence project winners, hosted by the design team

For more information and to apply, visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/LDASubmissionsInfo

Award applications and supporting materials are due to the Perennial Plant Association office by January 31, 2024. Applicants will be notified of evaluations in March 2024.

Initiated in 1985 by PPA, the Special Recognition Awards program honors individuals in eight, unique categories for their distinguished work. This year’s awards and recipients are:

The Award of Merit to Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm, Burlington, WI. This award is given for significant contribution to the herbaceous perennial plant industry in growing, marketing, contracting, writing, teaching, extension, research, landscaping, hybridizing, promotion, or innovation. Roy’s accomplishments are notable and extensive – plantsman, grower, author, designer, speaker, and staunch advocate for the intersection of horticulture and natural plant communities. From his public designs at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and Art Institute to the much-lauded book, The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden, to several significant plant introductions, Roy’s contributions to the perennial plant industry are widespread and have touched many.

The Educator Award to Paul Zammit, Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. This award celebrates exceptional leadership in education to the perennial industry. Paul spent many years sharing his skills and expertise with the public at a retail garden center in Toronto and then as Director of Horticulture at the Toronto Botanical Garden. He joined the faculty at Niagara College in 2020, where he continues to shape the future of the perennial plant industry through student engagement.

The Garden Media Promoter Award to Tony Spencer. This award recognizes an individual in the media whose educational and promotional efforts result in heightened public awareness of the work done by the perennial plant industry. Tony shares his work and that of others through his blog, The New Perennialist, via the popular Dutch Dreams Facebook group, and in published articles. His efforts have fostered and enriched discussion of perennial-focused design.

The Retail Sales Award to The Growing Place, based in the Greater Chicago Area. This award recognizes a commercial representative instrumental in making an operation progressive and successful in outstanding sales and service. The Growing Place, which has been family owned and operated since 1936, has locations in Naperville and Aurora, IL. Started as Emma’s Perennials and rebranded in 1976 as The Growing Place, they offer inspirational gardens, a wide plant selection, knowledgeable staff, and gardening fun. They’ve been delighting customers with unique experiences for decades.

The Young Professional Award to Sayde Heckman-Taber, Garden and Arboretum Manager at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, Crestwood, KY. This award recognizes a talented and diligent newcomer to PPA who has demonstrated involvement in the organization, contributed to the success of their company, and has portrayed a positive image of the industry to the public. Sayde excelled as a horticultural student, has built her professional knowledge at Yew Dell and with PPA, and is well on her way to being a leader in the perennial industry.

The Grower Award to Pleasant Run Nursery, Allentown, NJ. This award recognizes a perennial grower who holds high standards of production, maintains high quality plants, and seeks innovation while respecting the requirements of the perennial industry. Pleasant Run provides new and garden-worthy plants to the discerning garden world, maintaining quality and integrity across multiple generations of nursery professionals.

The International Contributor Award to Future Plants, Hillegom, The Netherlands. This award is given for outstanding contributions to the herbaceous perennial industry in the international arena. Future Plants has been bringing new plants to the U.S. market for over 25 years, including successful selections like Perovskia ‘Little Spire’, Salvia ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, and the Astilbe Vision series.

The Service Award to Liz Klose a horticultural professional based in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. This award goes to an individual who has contributed considerable time and effort by serving on committees, diligently attending meetings, motivating the membership to act on concerns within our industry, and demonstrating leadership and organizational skills. Liz has provided outstanding service on the PPA Board of Directors and on PPA National Symposium local planning committees. She has supported young professionals going into the perennial industry and has contributed to industry organizations at the international, national, and local community levels.

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to the 2023 award recipients! To learn more about the recipients and the awards program please visit https://perennialplant.org/page/SpecialRecognitionWinners

Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ performs best when regularly deadheaded as it promotes blooming. Deadheading also prevents self-seeding, avoiding inferior seedling production.

George Coombs, Director of Horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center echoed Paul Westervelt’s comments and stated, “Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ was hands-down the top performer in Mt. Cuba Center’s trial and continues to be a powerhouse in our gardens. Not only does it remain sturdy and disease-free all season long, but the beautiful floral display attracts more butterflies than any other phlox we have ever grown.” Peg Castorani, owner of Gateway Garden Center, reiterated the presence that Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ has in the garden, stating, “To be a true garden celebrity, a plant must be reliable, beautiful, easy to grow and inspire a sense of happiness to just gaze upon it. Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ belongs in the Garden Hall of Fame for her outstanding performance!”

The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to showcase a perennial that is a standout among its competitors! Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free. The Perennial Plant Association Board of Directors reviews the nominated perennials and selects three or four perennials to be placed on a voting ballot. Perennial Plant Association members vote for the Perennial Plant of the Year® and nominate additional plants for the following year’s ballot. In addition, Perennial Plant Association members have access to marketing materials to assist with promoting the Perennial Plant of the Year®.

Learn more about the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year® at https://perennialplant.org/page/2024PPOY

Raleigh, NC, January 3, 2023 –

Do you have a project that showcases perennials? The Perennial Plant Association is excited to announce the application period for the 2023 Landscape Design awards is now open!

Initiated in 1992, the PPA Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes. The “after- market” applications of growers’ products and the design, installation, and maintenance of plants in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association. Both experienced and novice designers are invited to participate.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the installation of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

The entries comprise 11 categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal designs, and price of production. The judges are professionals in the fields of horticulture and design.

This year’s award winners will be recognized the following ways:

• Awards presentation during the 2023 PPA National Symposium in Niagara Falls, Ontario on Tuesday, July 25.
• Complimentary National Symposium registration for the day of the awards ceremony
• Press release announcing award recipients sent out to media publications
• Promotion through PPA Instagram and Facebook posts as well as full feature article in the PPA newsletter
• PPA Webinar featuring award-winning design projects, hosted by the design team

For more information and to apply, visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/LDASubmissionsInfo.

Award applications and supporting materials are due to the Perennial Plant Association office by March 15, 2023. Applicants will be notified of evaluations in May 2023.

All-America Selections highlights this plant on its own web page.
National Garden Bureau has photos of this and other rudbeckia on the NGB website.
Perennial Plant Association has photos, descriptions and more on the PPOY web page.

These tools will help the North American home garden industry promote gardening with rudbeckia to consumers and encourage more planting of this interesting variety.

For more information about the AAS or NGB programs, please contact Diane Blazek at dblazek@ngb.org.

For more information about PPA and their programs, please contact Emily Bibens Chung at emily@perennialplant.org.

The green leaves and stems are covered in hairs, which gives them a silvery cast—on sunny days, peeking through the blooms to the leaves is a luminous silver-and-gold treat. More than just boosting the ornamental show, the hairy foliage is resistant to Septoria leaf spot—a debilitating fungal disease that

causes unsightly black spotting and premature seasonal decline on some Black-eyed Susans. ‘American Gold Rush’ is a reliable hardy perennial and a great substitute for popular, brassier ‘Goldsturm’, which is highly susceptible to leaf spotting.

Brent Horvath, owner of wholesale growing operation Intrinsic Perennial Gardens in Illinois, speaks highly of the ‘American Gold Rush’ and says, “I’ve always liked my plant introductions to speak for themselves and this one speaks volumes. From start to finish this plant is generally trouble free and easy to propagate, grow and finish in a container and a breeze to garden with.”

Richard Hawke, Director of Ornamental Plant Research of the Chicago Botanic Gardens says, “‘American Gold Rush’ is the black-eyed Susan that made me want to grow them again! It ticks all the boxes for a superior garden plant—bountiful golden flowers, long-blooming, disease-free, and a robust habit.”

‘American Gold Rush’ is a stunning focal point in perennial borders and meadows and is brilliant when massed in public or corpo­rate landscapes. Butterflies caper over the blooms and songbirds feast on the plentiful seed long after the flowers have passed—the seedheads also provide winter interest. Garden companions are many, including alliums, asters, sages, and native grasses such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis).

The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to showcase a perennial that is a standout among its competitors.  Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free. The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) Board of Directors reviews the nominated perennials and selects the finalists, which PPA members vote on to select the Perennial Plant of the Year®.  In addition, PPA members have access to a flyer, poster, bench card, and other resources to assist with promoting the Perennial Plant of the Year®.

Learn more about the 2023 Perennial Plant of the Year® at https://perennialplant.org/page/2023PPOY.

Initiated in 1985 by PPA, the Special Recognition Awards program recognizes individuals in nine unique perennial industry categories for their distinguished work. This year’s category descriptions and recipients are:

Educator Award – Panayoti Kelaidis of Denver Botanic Gardens
The 2022 Educator Award for exceptional leadership in education to the perennial industry goes to Panayoti Kelaidis of Denver Botanic Gardens. As Senior Curator and Director of Outreach, he works with botanical societies, horticultural organizations, and green industry professionals, introducing new plants and new ideas. He’s led tours to Asia, Europe, and South Africa and works with multiple plant societies. With humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of plants, Panayoti has enriched and educated us all.

Garden Media Award - John Friel of Emerald Coast Growers
The Garden Media Promoter Award recognizes an individual whose media efforts increase public awareness of the work done by the perennial industry. This year’s award goes to John Friel. John has spent over 40 years promoting the industry through sales, marketing, education, and writing. As Marketing Manager of Emerald Coast Growers, his newsletter has more than 9000 followers. He also writes a monthly column in Green Profit. His humor and vivid writing have entertained and enlightened. He has also served PPA in multiple leadership roles.

Grower Award – Ron Strasko of Creek Hill Nursery
The Grower Award goes to Ron Strasko of Creek Hill Nursery. This award recognizes Ron as a grower who holds high standards of production, maintains high quality plants, and seeks innovation. Creek Hill uses biologics and creative IPM strategies, and they grow an exciting, carefully curated palette of perennials. And Ron’s leadership in supporting and promoting the perennial plant industry and PPA make him a standout in the industry.

International Contributor Award – Christian Kress of Sarastro Stauden
The International Contributor Award goes to Christian Kress of Sarastro Stauden for outstanding contributions to the herbaceous perennial industry in the international arena. His nursery, located in northern Austria, specializes in rare and hard-to-find perennials. He grows over 3500 selections and has introduced over 60 perennials to the European plant industry. He writes award-winning books on perennials and has given invited talks in many countries, including the UK, Netherlands, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S.

Retail Sales Award – Izel Native Plants
The Retail Sales Award recognizes a commercial representative who is instrumental in making an operation progressive and successful in outstanding sales and service. This year’s award goes to Izel Native Plants. Founded by Amanda McClean and Claudio Vasquez, Izel serves as a plant broker and retail sales channel for wholesale growers. Their user-friendly, e-commerce site gives consumers and other customers who cannot buy wholesale a way to purchase high- quality native plants. They’ve built strong relationships with growers and have expanded rapidly into a leading, online retailer.

Young Professional – Laura Robles of Walters Gardens
The Young Professional Award recognizes a talented and diligent newcomer to the industry, with the hope they’ll continue contributing and growing with us. This year’s award goes to Laura Robles of Walters Gardens. Laura isn’t new to horticulture, but her work with perennials only began in 2017 when she joined Walters Gardens. She has quickly become an expert and gives talks to the industry and educates her customers, many of whom are PPA members. We recognize her today for jumping enthusiastically into PPA, for contributing to the success of her company, and for her promotion of perennials.

Service Award – Beth Engle of Griffin Greenhouse Supplies
The Service Award deservingly goes to Beth Engle of Griffin Greenhouse Supplies for outstanding service to the Perennial Plant Association. This award recognizes an individual who has contributed considerable time and effort to the organization. Beth has distinguished herself in her diligence, devotion, and advocacy for PPA. She served as a Regional Director and as Treasurer on the Board of Directors and was instrumental in the success of the Chicago National Symposium in 2019. She’s always there when called and continues to support and promote PPA.

Directors’ Award – Janet Draper of Smithsonian Gardens
We have a new award this year, which is chosen at the discretion of the PPA Board of Directors. Today, we give the Directors’ Award to Janet Draper of Smithsonian Gardens for going above and beyond in her support of PPA and the broader perennial industry. Janet has made outstanding contributions and demonstrated exceptional commitment. She has served in multiple official roles and helped steer PPA through a time of a great change. She serves on the Perennial Plant Foundation board and continues to make significant contributions to the future of the Foundation and PPA.

Award of Merit – Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens
The Award of Merit recognizes significant contributions to the herbaceous perennial plant industry. This year’s award goes to Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens. His extensive breeding efforts have created a wealth of perennials, many of which have revolutionized the industry. He has introduced many exceptional hostas, baptisias, kniphofias, phloxes, and mangaves, along with many other genera. His selections are found in gardens throughout the U.S. and have sparked renewed excitement about perennials.

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to these 2022 award recipients!

Initiated in 1992, the Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes. The “after-market” applications of our growers’ products and the design, installation, and maintenance of plants in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association. Both experienced and novice designers were invited to participate.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the implantations of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

This year the Perennial Plant Association received a record-breaking number of project entries for the judging committee to evaluate, diversely spread over all entry categories. Award recipients received either an Award of Merit or Award of Excellence, which is the highest landscape design award and can only be awarded to one project per class category.

This year’s recipients included:

Award of Merit, Category I - Radovan Hajek of US Perennials for the Arrowhead Project

Award of Excellence, Category I – Preston Montague of Preston Montague Studios for the Hanging Garden of Geer Street Project

Award of Merit, Category II – Sheila Brady, Sara Downing, Rachel Jawin of Oehme van Sweden for the Katonah Residence Project

Award of Merit, Category III – Keith Wallock and Mark Peterson of M.ERBS Fine gardens for the Modern Natural Project

Award of Merit, Category III – Kevin Campion of Campion Hruby Landscape Architects for the Willow Hill Project

Award of Excellence, Category III – Refugia Design for the Narberth Living Project

Award of Merit, Category IV – Bob Hruby of Campion Hruby Landscape Architects for the Ironstone Project

Award of Merit, Category IX – Steve Foltz and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden for the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Urban Learning Garden at Rockdale Academy Project

Award of Excellence, Category IX - Signe Nielsen, Daniel Yannaccone, Emily Gordon of MNLA for the Little Island Project

Award of Excellence, Category XI – Refugia Design for the Sanctuarium Project

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to these 2022 award recipients! To learn more about the PPA Landscape Design Awards program and view more details, including photos, about each awarded project, please visit: https://perennialplant.org/page/2022LandscapeDesignAwardWinners.

Initiated in 1992, the PPA Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are
exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes. The
“after- market” applications of growers’ products and the design, installation, and maintenance of plants
in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association. Both
experienced and novice designers are invited to participate.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries
based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the installation of new
cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

The entries comprise 11 categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal
designs, and price of production. The judges are professionals in the fields of horticulture and design.

This year’s award winners will be recognized the following ways:

• Awards presentation on August 2nd during the 2022 PPA National Symposium in Lancaster,
  PA
• Complimentary registration for Tuesday, August 2nd at the 2022 PPA National Symposium
  in Lancaster, PA
• Press release announcing award recipients sent out to media publications
• Social media promotion and a full feature in an upcoming PPA newsletter
• 2022 PPA Webinar featuring award-winning design projects, hosted by each design team
  (Webinar date to be confirmed with award winners)

For more information and to apply, click here.

Award applications and supporting materials are due to the Perennial Plant Association office by March
18, 2022. Applicants will be notified of evaluations in May 2021.

The Perennial Plant of the Year® program began in 1990 to showcase a perennial that is a standout among its competitors! Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free. The Perennial Plant Association Board of Directors reviews the nominated perennials and selects three or four perennials to be placed on a voting ballot. Perennial Plant Association members vote for the Perennial Plant of the Year® and nominate additional plants for the following year’s ballot. In addition, Perennial Plant Association members have access to a flyer, poster, and bench card to assist with promoting the Perennial Plant of the Year®.

The PPA is pleased to promote Schizachyrium scoparium and cultivars as the 2022 Perennial Plant of the Year®. The wider selection of Schizachyrium scoparium and cultivars allows the perennial expert in any region to select and promote the cultivars that do best in his or her location!

PPA Board members selected top performers in their regions and shared appealing details about each one. Highlights of each selection are below:

Central region - Richard Hawke of the Chicago Botanic Garden selects Schizachyrium scoparium 'Jazz' for the Central region. Richard notes, "The striking silvery blue leaves of Schizachyrium scoparium 'Jazz' are most comparable to 'The Blues’, but at 36 inches tall and 30 inches wide, 'Jazz' is a foot shorter than 'The Blues' and has sturdier stems.

Southern region - Shannon Currey of Hoffman Nursery selects Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' for the Southern region. Shannon comments, "In the South, our humidity, high nighttime temps, and wet springs can slow down some Little Bluestem. ‘The Blues’ is a strong, vigorous grower and has fantastic color. Blues, pinks, purples in the summer followed by reds and oranges in the fall. In the right conditions, it stands out for us."

Canadian region - Tony Post of Brookdale Treeland Nurseries - Valleybrook Farm, choses Schizachyrium scoparium 'Standing Ovation' PP25202 for the Canadian region. Tony says, “This selection adds excellent texture to the summer garden. Burgundy highlights add late season interest. Seed heads are attractive, particularly when backlit."

Western region - For the Western region, Nanci Hollerith Allen of MarkWatch Plants notes that Schizachyrium scoparium can be a tricky plant unless you have reasonably dry, well-drained soil. She shares two recommended cultivars for the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountain region: Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' and Schizachyrium scoparium 'Standing Ovation' PP25202.

Great Lakes region - Patty Steinhauser of Stonehouse Nursery chooses Schizachyrium scoparium 'Carousel' for the Great Lakes region. Patty says that, "This uniquely mounded selection forms a wide clump of blue-green foliage that emerges nearly horizontal and matures into strong, upright stems that remain standing through inclement weather and winter. It takes on pink, copper and orange-red tones in fall topped with tiny seed tufts."

Mid-Atlantic region - Taylor Pilker of Cavano’s Perennials suggests 'The Blues', 'Standing Ovation', and 'Jazz'. He also notes, "I like ‘Blue Heaven’ because it is taller and has good autumn color with a wide range of shades of burgundy and pink."

Learn more about the 2022 Perennial Plant of the Year®.

Initiated in 1992, the Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes. The “after-market” applications of our growers’ products and the design, installation, and maintenance of plants in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association. Both experienced and novice designers are invited to participate.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the installation of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

The entries comprise 11 categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal designs, and price of production. The judges are professionals in the fields of horticulture and design.

Award applications and supporting materials are due to the Perennial Plant Association office by March 26, 2021. Applicants will be notified of evaluations in May 2021.

Initiated in 1992, the Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes. The “after market” applications of our growers’ products and the design, installation, and maintenance of plants in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association. Both experienced and novice designers were invited to participate.

Each year, judges evaluate many outstanding landscape designs and select the most excellent entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the implantations of new cultivars, color combinations, textures, and seasonal combinations.

This year’s recipients include:

Campion Hruby Landscape Architects received two Honor Awards for their Children’s Garden at Hospice of the Chespeake project and Skywater project.  They also received a Merit Award for their Tudor House project. 

The judges felt the Children’s Garden at Hospice of the Chespeake was a truly impactful project.  Done with a shoestring budget and generous donations from the local landscape industry, the Children’s Garden is designed to “create a sanctuary of healing, reflection, and sharing for families that were suffering unthinkable pain.

"The team “loved the idea of a highly modern structure set into a wild, unruly landscape” for the Skywater project and the landscape architects were able to “influence how position and rotation to take advantage of waterfront views, avoid damaging existing trees, and minimize grading.

"The Tudor House project featured an urban property where the landscape architects included “large swaths of native shrubs and colorful perennials [that] drift through the garden, pulling together new and old spaces.”

Tony Spencer: The New Perennialist received an Honor Award for The New Perennial Pond Garden project. 

This stunning project was designed in 2016 and “is a local Canadian expression of the New Perennial movement in naturalistic planting design, whose ethos is about making gardens in symbiosis with nature.”

Richard Hartlage & Garrett Devier with Land Morphology received a Honor Award for their Creekside Contemporary Residence project. 

This beautifully executed project transformed a former horse pasture into a 5.6 acre garden that “offers a series of garden rooms programmed for family-oriented activities.”

The Perennial Plant Association extends a huge congratulations to these award recipients of the 2020 year.

If you would like to download this press release, click here.

If you would like to download this press release, click here.