Heritage Perennials are grown by Valleybrook Gardens, an innovative and leading producer of over 1500 varieties of perennials, hardy ferns and ornamental grasses. Our distinctive blue pots of HERITAGE PERENNIALS are available from independent retailers and dealers in many parts of Canada and the USA. We're passionate about perennials! We hope this newsletter helps you to enjoy your perennial gardening even more.

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Our best-selling book, the Perennial Gardening Guide is a handy reference used by gardeners across North America written by our own Horticulturist, John Valleau.

The snow that fell just in time for Christmas has created some beautiful effects, like white frosting on the branches of trees and plumes of the ornamental grasses. I find that snow also helps to hide all sorts of unattractive things, like those stacks of pots waiting to be recycled or the special huts some gardeners build to protect their tender roses. So long as the snow remains, I never feel the slightest bit of guilt about not being in the garden.

This is the time of year that gardeners catch up on their reading. It might be a seed catalogue just arrived in the mail or maybe a brand new gift book full of beautiful perennial garden pictures. I've been re-reading something over the past few weeks, a collection called Gertrude Jekyll on Gardening, a 1985 book edited by Penelope Hobhouse. Every few years I return to Jekyll, who is considered by many to have invented the modern perennial border. Her writing is something I need to absorb in small doses (perfect bathroom reading!), allowing me to mull it over in my head a bit at a time. It's truly amazing how well her design ideas still work, over seventy years later. Penelope Hobhouse does a terrific job of "translating" Jekyll, focusing on ideas that work on both large and small properties, and suggesting modern selections to substitute for the plants Jekyll mentions that are either no longer grown or have been superceded by better ones.

Gertrude Jekyll has been widely reprinted in the past decade, so her books are likely to show up in stores near where you live, and often in the bargain bin too! Though these tend to lack the bold and glossy photos of coffee table books, all of them offer something of great value to aspiring garden designers. Happy reading!

We asked you to tell us about the best-performing perennial in your garden in 2002. A huge pile of contest entries came in, and it's amazing how many different plants were nominated by gardeners all across the continent. We've included some of the nominees this month, with more to follow in the February newsletter.

"I believe the best perennial in my garden in 2002 was the Crocosmia (Montbretia) patch I planted early in the spring. The uniquely shaped burnt-orange flowers bloomed from early summer all the way up to frost and I had many comments from passers-by about them all summer long. I couldn't stop looking at them myself either. The long-spiked dark green leaves blend well with the flowers as well." Don -- Ellensburg, Washington

"My pick in my perennial garden is this beautiful Malva (Musk Mallow) (see photo above). The reason I have so enjoyed this flower is, first of all, for the beauty it brings to your yard no matter where it is planted; the color is breath taking. It blooms for such a long season. So easy to care for is another benefit. If you like to have butterflies in your perennial gardens plant this Malva and they will come." Barbara -- Interlochen, Michigan

"The very best perennials in my garden are my Tradescantia (Spiderwort), also known as Trinity Flower and Widow's Tears. Several years ago I read a novel about an English gardener to the Royal Family, who lived and gardened in the 1600's named John Tradescant. Around the same time, I came across Tradescantia, which I realized was named after this gardener. Every time I see my Tradescantias in my garden, I think about this man who gardened almost 400 years ago! The plants have a most delicate three-petalled flower, and in my garden I have them in shades of dark violet, deep purple and rose. The foliage has strappy, daylily-like leaves and is green and lush. The flowers always brighten up the partially shady spot they are in -- like little jewels among the greenery, and they bloom constantly all summer long -- and the bees love them, too!" Michele -- Mount Hope , Ontario

"An outstanding plant I encountered in my garden centre this spring proved to be equally outstanding in my garden. What a performance from Persicaria 'Red Dragon' (Fleeceflower)! This plant attracted me because of its outstanding burgundy, silver and green foliage. The predominantly burgundy colour effect provided that much needed colour contrast in my garden that I have been trying to achieve, with little success, for so long - until now! The vigorous mound was healthy and attractive looking all summer, despite periods of drought, and was the star of its bed. The burst of dainty flowers was an unanticipated surprise and very pleasant, although it is undeniably a plant grown primarily for its beautiful foliage." Barbara -- Thornhill, Ontario

"My favorite perennial this year was Kamchatka Bugbane (Cimicifuga simplex 'White Pearl'). The reason for ranking this one high (and it's difficult to choose one favourite perennial...!) is obvious in the photo (see above). It was blooming beautifully on November 6th, when most things in the garden were already dying back. I have two clumps that are now 3 years old. They are on either side of the door to a rather ugly garden shed that came with the house. The Bugbanes are now big enough to obscure most of the front of the shed and it's wonderful to have them blooming away like mad at a time when raking leaves is the primary garden activity. They are in a shady, moist spot and do exceedingly well there. I'm planning on adding more Cimicifugas - this one and other species - to other garden areas next summer." Susan -- Oakville, Ontario

"Without a doubt, my favourite perennial has to be the purple leaved Heuchera (Coral Bells). I have several varieties and find them indispensable. They stay in a nice tidy mound, they grow in any condition - sun, shade, etc. - and do superbly in containers. The colour of the leaves is better than any flower, and in my Zone 7/8 garden they remain ever-purple. In the middle of the winter they are such a fabulous splash of colour, and in the summer they are great for playing around with colour combinations. My current favourite is 'Velvet Night'." Maria -- Langley, BC

QUESTION: My husband always blows the leaves out of the perennial beds in the fall. Should leaves be left in the beds during the winter months? Debbie, New Jersey

ANSWER: Some gardeners let the leaves remain as a source of soil-building organic material (and a moisture-holding summer mulch), while many others rake the beds clean. I've tended to do this myself and am in the transition phase now. That means I allowed the leaves to fall this past autumn and I'm going to try to force myself to let them stay on the beds once spring arrives, rather than raking the beds clean. Aesthetics are part of the problem. I reach a point in mid spring when I can't stand the beds looking untidy, but if I can manage to wait just a few weeks the foliage of the perennials should cover the leaves by mid June.

If the leaves in your garden tend to be large maple leaves (the size of your hand or bigger) then raking them up is a good idea... large leaves tend to mat down and can cause crown rot if they sit right on top of your perennial clumps, basically smothering them. If you have large leaves or any that mat down, then shredding them first is a good idea or just simply compost them instead. Don't be concerned about galls or fungus spots on the leaves spreading to your perennials. These kinds of foliage diseases are usually very specific to the host tree that is the source of your leaves.

'Becky' has sturdy, upright stems that grow 40 inches (100cm) tall, with a similar spread. Three-inch wide, single white flowers with contrasting yellow centers appear at the end of June or early July, when other Shastas are finishing. Flowering continues throughout August and September. 'Becky' grows well in hardiness Zones 4 through 9, and is worth trying in Zones 2 or 3 near a house foundation or with a winter mulch.

The saga of Leucanthemum 'Becky' starts with Jimmy and Becky Stewart of Atlanta, Georgia. They received a Shasta daisy from their neighbour, Mary Ann Gatlin, who in turn had obtained if from her mother, Ida Mae. In the 1960's Ida Mae had spotted this daisy blooming in an Atlanta-area garden and was so taken with it that she approached the owner and offered to buy a clump. The owner gladly accepted Ida Mae's proposal and quickly filled her car trunk with Shasta Daisies. Ida Mae had a successful florist/nursery business and sold 'Becky' as a garden plant and also as a cut flower.

'Becky' is a wonderful choice to be grown as a specimen or en masse in the perennial border, in naturalistic landscapes, to attract butterflies, for garden bouquets, and even in large containers. It can be one of the main stalwarts of the summer border. Plant with Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) for a long season of bloom. Place Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' in front and add Veronica 'Royal Candles' for a lovely combination of white, blue and blue-lavender. For extra zing, add Crocosmia 'Lucifer', a brilliant scarlet red summer-flowering bulb.

'Becky' grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. Deadheading encourages rebloom and extends the flowering season into autumn. Stems can be cut back to the lower foliage after flowering to tidy the plant. Many Shasta Daisies do not grow well in the hot, humid temperatures of the South and are not hardy in cold northern winters. 'Becky' is superior to other Shasta Daisies due to its robust habit and its good performance in both southern and northern climates.