Perennial Plant of the Year: 2012

The Perennial Plant Association recently named Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' as their 2012 "Perennial Plant of the Year." If you pay attention to this annual plant choice, you will no doubt have noticed that the chosen plant is always something that has been on the market for a number of years, already well-loved and well-used. Once this was the must-have plant, but the group of gardeners who are always looking for what's new (that includes me) has moved on. So  Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' can recive this accolade because the early adopters proved it will grow well for a wide audience. And that, I believe, is what really qualifies award status. 

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' / PPA photo

That said, I will definitely admit that I wouldn't be without  Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' in my garden. I grow five Brunnera varieties. The straight species was growing here when we bought the house and I fell in love with its heart-shaped leaves and intense blue forget-me-not type flowers. First I added 'Langtrees' which has light speckles on the leaves. The following year I added 'Jack Frost'. Then I planted 'Looking Glass' in 2005 and 'Hadspen Cream' in 2006. 

This picture of Brunnera 'Langtrees" gives you a sense of the flowers and also shows the white speckle pattern on this variety.

The straight species and 'Langtrees' are workhorses; groundcoveres in dry shade that only draw the eye when in flower. 'Looking Glass' and 'Hadspen Cream' want more moisture than they get in my garden, so never look very good once summer commences. 'Jack Frost', on the the other hand, always looks good and performs well. It also self-seeds fairly generously. However, even the tiniest seedling are instantly recognizable by the leaf coloration so they are easily removed. More often than not, I leave them in place and ignore them and then one day notice a huge beautiful clump has developed.

This picture of 'Jack Frost' shows what I mean about how recognizable the leaves are no matter the size.

This is a plant that lights up dark corners of the shade garden and seems to work well with any number of other foliage plants. If you don't already grow Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' this is the year to add it to your garden.

The leaves of Brunnera 'Looking Glass' are almost entirely frosted white except for the veining.

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Isn't it odd that Jack is the only brunnera that I have been able to get to live in my garden. I can't imagine why that would be. Jack has taken up residence right next to the patio which makesme happy because I don't miss those lovely little blue flowers.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

P.S. Is that a maidenhair fern in that last photo? I love the small leaves. A nice combo.

[Barbara H.]

I think my Jack Frost may have disappeared. It got smaller and smaller and was being crowded out by a shrub last year. I'll have to look for it tomorrow.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

'Jack Frost' is well deserving of its title as perennial of the year. I like the look of 'Looking Glass' a bit more, but Jack outperforms it in my garden too. I have to say my absolute favorite thing about brunneras and 'Jack Frost' in particular is the flowers. You can't even see them unless you're right on top of them, but they are the most amazingly brilliant blue I've ever seen in a flower (save for possibly some delphiniums) and I just think they are the sweetest little things. I wonder how they'd do in a mini bouquet in the house? Maybe I'll try it this year.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

It is fascinating that Erin and I find Jack a workhorse and LIsa and Barbara are having problems with it!

Erin — If you pick leaves you will discover they are hairy and prickly. Can't remember how the flowers hold up in a bouquet.

And yes, Lisa, that is a maidenhair. It does look great with variegated leaved plants.