Special Feature —
Perennial Professionals Share Their Favorites: New and Underused Nina A. Koziol
New plants, old plants, and
tried-and-true gems. That’s what attendees heard from some preeminent plant geeks at this year’s regional Perennial Plant Association symposium, moderated by Richard Hawke, the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Evaluation Manager and Associate Scientist. “We had a great line up of speakers sharing a wide range of expertise,” Hawke said. We can’t cover all the plants discussed, but here are some favorites that caught our attention.
Angela Treadwell-Palmer, founder and co-owner of Plants Nouveau, a new plant introduction and marketing company, is wild about Lisa Marie lungwort (Pulmonaria ‘Lisa Marie’). “This one was found by Hoffie Nursery in Illinois and it’s been the most amazing plant in my garden,” she said. “It’s not the typical pulmonaria — it doesn’t skip a beat and I’m growing it in full-on, hot afternoon sun. The plants can flatten out a bit but they come right back up. It has enormous leaves up to 18 inches long and it’s a wonderful dry-shade-loving perennial.”
Pulmonaria ‘Lisa Marie’ 20
The Landscape Contractor August 2021
