A few things to know about Yours Truly and my approach to gardening: 

• I have limited time (no high maintenance plants for me)

• Limited resources (thank goodness there are seasons to rein in my plant addiction)

• Limited qualifications (I was a Master Gardener in Colorado, but the PNW is a whole different ballgame)

I believe in sustainable, chemical-free approaches to garden management, which sometimes means battles are lost to insects, critters, and bad luck in my noble quest for garden happiness.  I’m also terribly impatient which, given gardening is a long game, is not only ironic but another reason why my little plot of wonder sometimes performs less than ideally.  That said, experience really is the best teacher, and the foundation for what I humbly introduce to you as the - cue the music - Blackberry Land Award Winners! They represent a hardy collection of proven, repeat performers that have inspired happiness and required minimal maintenance over the years in my PNW garden. 

One last note: As I write this on a winter’s day, I find that I don’t have many personal photos of my faves, save for the ones below. Come the growing season, I’ll capture more and better images to share.

And now, without further ado, the winners:

• For Fun, Edible Yield: Blueberries (Northern Highbush, ‘Drake,’ ‘Draper’), shown top left.

• For Summer Show: Hydrangeas, both Big leaf (macrophylla, Nikko Blue) and Oak Leaf - Oak leaf (quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’). Nikko is shown top row, 2nd from left.

• For Evening Fragrance: Honeysuckle (lonicera japonica ‘Halliana,’; lonicera sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’), top row, 3rd from left.

• For Texture: Barberry (berberis thunbergii ‘Crimson Pygmy’), shown top row right, on the right.

• For Looks, Fragrance, and Being Polinator-Friendly: Lavender (lavendula augustifolia ‘Hidcote’).

• For Reliable Spring to Fall Performance: Catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker's Low’)

• For Being My Favorite Herb: Rosemary

• For Fragrance & Show: Sweet Peas (Spencer varieties)

• For Consistent Blooms All Summer Long: Day lily (Hemerocallis ‘Stella de Oro’), yellow flower in bottom left image.

• For Ability to Grow Practically Anywhere: Weeping Sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Everest')

• For Beauty in the Rock Garden: Lithodora (diffusa ‘Grace Ward’)

• For Being My 2nd Favorite Herb: Thyme

• For Providing Fast-Growing Privacy Hedges: Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)

• For Showy Performance in Winter: Hellebore, bottom row, 2nd from left.

• For Beautiful Leaves as Beautiful as the Flowers: Heuchera

• For Evergreen + Blooms Year Around: Escalonia (‘Fradesii’)

• For Being a Terrific Flowery Performer with a Fun Name: Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’, bottom right.

Ta-da!