January 29, 2012 Brunnera Jack Frost; Does it Really Need a Perennial of the Year Award?
Photo by Walters Gardens, Inc.
Recently, the Perennial Plant Association selected Brunnera Jack Frost as Perennial of 2012. Many of my garden writing colleagues reported this news as the innocuous, recurring, marketing strategy that it is; except for one who was unhappy. This garden writer argued that such awards are responsible for taking exquisite, unusual, and beautiful perennials and turning them into common, over used ones. I disagree.
I believe that how a plant is used, that is, where it is placed and how it is combined with other plants, is more important than its exclusiveness. There are flowerbeds around the world that have been designed effectively with the most common perennials, and yet they capture our attention with their artistry.
For example, a wild Rudbeckia perennial self-seeded in one of my most successful flowerbeds. I used to dislike this plant; I was never a fan of its gold and black coloration, and it is seen in almost everyone's garden on the street. Nevertheless, combined with the taupe-brown tone of the home’s façade, the yellow Rudbeckia’flowers looked amazing; they took my garden design to a level higher than I could ever have imagined possible.
I do not feel that my professionalism is compromised when an exquisite, rare, unusual plant earns award-winning status and becomes ubiquitous. I am unmoved when these gifted plants are used in every parking lot across the country. What I do care about is that they will be used. I, for one, will continue to design with them.
From a business perspective, it is effective marketing to designate one perennial as special. At the nursery or in a mail order catalogue, when a plant is flagged to be out of the ordinary, it draws consumers’ attention. That may determine which plants the customer will buy.
While this tactic may be of no value to seasoned, knowledgeable gardeners, I’ll bet it comes in handy for the less-than-omniscient gardener, overwhelmed by the vast number of plant options. Believe it or not, some are delighted to have choices made for them in the guise of an award winning perennial. It makes the selection of plants easier.
So thanks, but no thanks, for the Perennial of the Year awards. I don’t need them, neither do any of my colleagues. However, I know many gardeners who do. Anything that helps a homeowner create a more beautiful garden is an asset to our industry.
Photo by Walters Gardens, Inc.
With this year’s selection of Brunnera Jack Frost our secret is revealed. Now, EVERYONE will know about the sublimely beautiful shade plant that turned all my clients’ sunless gardens into sculptural collages. The texture of its foliage is a work of art and the white highlights on the green leaves capture daylight to make this plant glow in the shade.
Brunnera Jack Frost will illuminate a dark spot in the garden, from early spring until late fall. In spring, mature clumps of this no-care perennial will produce frothy bouquets of light-blue flowers to touch the hearts of all.
Oh! I forget to mention its elegance. Holy Cow, what elegance! In every garden, no matter how messy or haphazard the flower composition, this plant exudes serenity and good taste.
If this perennial becomes over used, as it surely will by the end of the 2012 season, some designers will feel uncomfortable using it to create a flowerbed with an original, exclusive vision. That is exactly what lies at the heart of the disdain for the Perennial of the Year award. It may be good for retail business, but as designers, it’s not good for ours. Few, if any, should sympathize with us. Instead, rejoice that another great plant has been "found".
Reader Comments (8)
You have put it so succinctly. I am in total agreement with everything you have written in this post. At our perennial nursery, Brunnera “Jack Frost” has never required a special award to draw the consumer’s attention to buy. It has always been a winner for shade and it didn’t need an award to tell me that or for me to recommend it to my customers.
I believe the Perennial of the Year Award is only a marketing tool designed to sell more plants, starting at the bottom – the grower. As a grower and a retailer, the hype surrounding any industry plant award can be overwhelming. It can make you question the quantity of stock you have allotted towards the purchase of that product. If you fall for that…it starts to become a catch twenty-two dilemma.
I hate cliches as much as the next person. Voting a plant of the year is pretty ridiculous. However, as a newbie to gardening I appreciate plants being brought to the forefront that I might not have known about otherwise. Its a balance, but it can be helpful and boring and obvious.
Jack Frost is a wonderful plant whether or not it is named a plant of the year. Some of these winners are worth while and some are not - this one is a winner!
Eileen
Congratulations on your blog, I like the perspective with which to address the issue, I look forward to enjoying more information like this. Keep it up, again congratulations!
I agree (I think). 'Jack Frost' is a fabulous plant and certainly stands out from other brunneras and other shade perennials. I like awards like Perennial Plant of the Year and Hosta of the Year and the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Although I don't always agree with the choice, they generally highlight plants that stand head and shoulders above the rest. With the tens of thousands of plants out there, it helps to have a little guidance.
It really is a great plant, but you're probably right in that the award will be a double-edged sword. On one hand, many people will get introduced to a plant that is seriously GREAT! On the other hand, it will probably become too-familiar and end up being labeled "common" by many. Oh well...I'm going to enjoy mine...and anyone who chooses not to plant it because it's too "common" now is missing out :-)
To enter into the quagmire of award winning plants is always a hotly contested topic! When I read that B.m 'Jack Frost' was this year's selection I had to laugh! For years it has been touted as the best within the genus, and seems to be the other selection available at most nurseries, making it readily available to the masses. You are so right! Ten years from now it will be as ubiquitous as Berberis in those nightmare parking strips from hell.
Problem is there are so many 'awards' out there. I do admit to checking to see if a plant I am interested in has the coveted AGM behind its name, but for the most part I need not worry as I tend to steer well clear of the more common plants [making me a hoiti hort or snob? Probably!] that are usually chosen for these awards. I am somewhat curious to see what the response will be to next year's selection - Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' This is one of my most favourite genera and yet it is widely under represented in horticultural retail. If an award can help to shine a light on a truly garden worthy plant...... you see the quicksand I am stepping into do you not? A great article Allan, as always, one that causes we gardeners to set down our trowels and ponder a little deeper! Great reading for an absurd winter thus far!
The only thing this plant will be known for is dying when the heat gets above 85. It is being sold in the south as some great perennial but it can't tolerate the heat. I have seen the keaves turn black and the entire plant collapse as soon as June comes. It doesn't matter if it's in shade or not, this plant likes cool weather. It's not a perennial...at least in Tennessee. Maybe it should be perennial plant of the year for northern gardens.