How does one begin an article that is really page two of what you wrote last week? Now that I have answered that question I will continue with my list and brief description of plants named Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.

1998: Echinacea 'Magnus'. Despite the recent explosion of new coneflowers, Magnus remains the standard with good vigor and bright purple flowers.

1997: Salvia 'Mainacht'. That one was 'May Night' before the plant namers decided that the official name was the one assigned in the country of origination, which in this case is Germany. It gives a slightly different look in perennial salvias with compact habit and deep purple flowers.

1996: Penstemon 'Husker Red'. A knee-high plant with excellent deep red foliage and small white or pink flowers. I've seen both depending on the origin of the plant. It is more hardy and will tolerate more moisture than most penstemons which are native prairie plants.

1995: Perovskia atriplicifolia. That's Russian sage. It has fine gray leaves topped with an airy blue-purple flower during the summer. Will reach several feet tall. I would not cut this one back until spring. That is the only iffy I've seen. This is one of my daughter's favorites. She thinks it looks great with purple coneflowers planted in front or as a stand-alone.

1994: Astilbe 'Sprite'. This is a short, late blooming light pink one. I don't have any idea why they singled out this cultivar, but they did. There are lots of good astilbe in a wide range of color and bloom times. This is one of the few perennials I might (emphasis on might) drag a water hose to during a drought.

1993: Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'. A taller veronica with deep green leaves and near blue flowers. I have seen it occasionally get rather tall and gangly but it is a very good plant. In my yard now, it is stunning.

1992: Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'. In my mind, it is still the standard in the fine-leaf coreopsis. It has plentiful yellow flowers and one of the longest bloom periods of any perennial I know.

1991: Heuchera 'Purple Palace' There has been a great number of coral-bells introduced over the years, but Purple Palace is still hard to beat. It is grown for it's purple foliage rather than the flower. It has exceptional site versatility and garden durability. It also should be priced at a fraction of the fancy new ones.

1990: Phlox stolonifera. There are a number of cultivars of this groundcover phlox, which is recommended for shade or part shade. Colors generally are pink and blue-purple. I haven't had the success with it that I've seen at Longwood Gardens mixed with tiarella.