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The Perennial Plant Association's "2005 Perennial Plant of the Year" title was awarded this year to a plant little known to most gardeners. Its Latin name is Helleborus Xhybridus, which includes hybrids of the plant more commonly known as the Lenten Rose.

For the past 16 years, the PPA has been giving out this award to one plant each year having the following attributes: suitable for a wide range of climate types, low maintenance, easily propagated, easily comes true from seed or vegetative propagation, and exhibits multiple seasonal interest.

Whenever a perennial is given this prestigious award, it soon becomes widely available at garden centers. Gardeners all over the U.S. buy them, plant them in their own gardens and discover for themselves what great plants they are, although in many cases they were relatively unknown before being given this award!

Previous perennial plants of the year have been:

2004 Athyrium niponicum (Painted Fern) 'Pictum'

2003 Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy) 'Becky'

2002 Phlox 'David'

2001 Calamagrostis x acutiflora (Ornamental Grass) 'Karl Foerster'

2000 Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'

1999 Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'

1998 Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) 'Magnus'

1997 Salvia 'Mainacht' (May Night)

1996 Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

1995 Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

1994 Astilbe 'Sprite'

1993 Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'

1992 Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'

1991 Heuchera micrantha (Coral Bell) 'Palace Purple'

1990 Phlox stolonifera

Look for the Lenten Rose this spring in local nurseries and garden centers. It is hardy to USDA hardiness zone 4, so should reliably make it through the winters in our area. It requires partial to full shade and tolerates dry conditions. There are not many plants that grow well in dry, shady conditions, especially ones that flower as beautifully as this one. It likes soil rich in organic matter with good drainage.

The Lenten Rose foliage is somewhat evergreen, although the leaves may be beaten down considerably by springtime. In that case, damaged foliage can be cut back before new growth begins in spring. The flowers of the Lenten Rose, which appear in very early spring, are long-lasting and come in many colors, both single and double forms.

The flower color ranges from pure white to plum, almost black, and can be any shade of red, pink or yellow, many of them speckled. They are free flowering, with mature plants having 50 or more flowers per plant. This is a medium sized plant in the garden, from 18 to 24 inches tall and 24 to 30 inches wide.

Once established, the Lenten Rose is a tough plant, requiring only occasional watering, when rainfall is insufficient. It is interesting to note that a chemical in the leaves may cause mild, temporary dermatitis in sensitive people, but that this chemical also prevents deer from eating it. This is a very desirable attribute in our area! Those who may get a reaction with long-term exposure to the leaves should wear gloves when working near the plant in the garden.

Thursday, June 9, I will be giving a slide presentation on "Perennials, A Garden's Backbone," at the Fairview Lakes Regional Health Care Center in Wyoming, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. We will discuss garden design concepts (such as choosing pleasing plant combinations using texture, color, relative bloom times and heights), selecting the best perennials for your garden environment, planting and general care.

My presentation June 9 is the first in a series of six classes on flower gardening to be presented on the second and fourth Thursday evenings of June, July and August. The cost is $4 per session or $15 for the entire series. For more information on the "Summer 2005 Flowering Gardening Series" and how to buy tickets, call 651-674-4417, stop by the Chisago County Extension Office, 38780 8th Ave., North Branch, or visit our website to download a ticket order form: www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago.

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Ways to access information

Master Gardeners will be offering free plant clinics every Monday night from 4:30-8:00 at the Extension office in North Branch. Stop by 38780 Eighth Ave. (the Anderson Chiropractic Building) or call 651-674-4417 to speak with a Master Gardener.

www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago Check out the 'Hot Topics' box in the middle of the page for current Chisago County Master Gardener news and events.

You can also click on 'Ask a Master Gardener' next to the cute little flower on the right hand side of the page. Here you can search 1000's of answers from Master Gardeners around the state. If you don't find your answer you can submit a question online or search for University publications.

Bell Museum of Natural History

For information about snakes, skunks, raccoons or other wildlife around your yard, call the wildlife information line at (612) 624-1374 or www.bellmuseum.org

To see the latest Yard and Garden newsletter, go to: http://www.exten sion.umn.edu/yardandgarden/YGLNews/YGLNews.html.

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