I've been in no rush to get it taken care of, but finally got around to making some calls. In all, I called three different tree service people, all listed in the local yellow pages. None of them know me, and I don't know them, so nobody offered me a deal. I asked all three for the same thing: how much will it cost to cut this thing up and take it away?

Quote #1 was for $800, and I almost choked! This tree is down on the ground... no careful pruning or scaling of the upper limps is required. No cranes, no ropes. Then — and herein lies the lesson — Quote #2 came in at $375. Less than half! Almost predictably, Quote #3 was a bit more, at $450. This last person was able to tell me the tree fell over because it had root rot, and while he was there he noticed and pointed out work required on other trees in the yard.

The tree is still there, but not for much longer. Even we perennial gardeners need an arborist from time-to-time. My two tips for you: for live trees (not dead ones like mine necessarily) make sure you hire a Certified Arborist, one who has been properly trained in tree health and care. And, just as important, make sure that they are fully insured, something your chainsaw-wielding third cousin is not likely to be! Sometimes we take trees for granted until they're gone, and I know it will be a long time before anything I replace mine with comes remotely close to the same effect. I guess that shade garden at the back is a sun border now.

• Delphinium 'New Millennium Pagan Purples'
• Dianthus Firewitch ('Feuerhexe') (also the Perennial Plant of the Year)
• Echinacea Big Sky™ 'Sunset'
• Echinacea purpurea 'Razzmatazz'
• Heuchera 'Marmalade'
• Hosta 'Sagae'
• Ligularia dentata 'Britt-Marie Crawford'
• Lupinus Woodfield Hybrids (pictured above)
• Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens Plena'
• Molinia caerulea 'Variegata'

We've also added several hundred new plants to our online database and to the New Perennial Club. Here's how you can find them:

Gardeners in the West (including BC, AB, SK, MB, WA, OR, ID, UT, NV, CA), just click here or head to our homepage and type 2006BC into the #2 Search box on the left.

Gardeners in the East (including ON, NS, NY, OH, MI, PA, NJ, MD, DE, CT, VA, WV, IL) just click here or head to our homepage and type 2006ON into the #2 Search box on the left.

The entire listing of New Perennial Club plants can be viewed by clicking here or by typing NPC into the #2 Search box.

This time we did a draw from the many entries. Congratulations go out to the three winners, who will each receive a copy of our Perennial Gardening Guide. WINNERS: Nancy — Winnipeg, Manitoba; Cathy — White Rock, British Columbia; Lita — Enid, Oklahoma.

Here is a small sampling of comments that came in. Further below, I've made some lists sorted by region to help gardeners in different climate areas to benefit from the experience of others with similar conditions.

"My absolute must-have is the fabulous Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' (pictured above). Jack has been living in my garden for the past year and I can't say enough good things about him — let's start with the heart-shaped face, silver hair with green highlights and hairy leaves. The exquisite foliage is highlighted by small blue flowers (resembling forget-me-nots) which bloom for months. Jack looks tropical but is tough enough to tolerate dry shade. This plant asks for little and gives so much. And... deer don't like it. Bugs don't eat it. It doesn't spread by underground rhizomes. What a plant!!"
Carol — Victoria, British Columbia

"Although a relatively new introduction, Geranium 'Rozanne' is already on my tried-and-true list. She has the pretty lacy leaves of all the cranesbill geraniums and blooms for months on end, and her sprawling habit provides a beautiful cushion to cover spent spring bulb foliage and a gorgeous cloud for lilies to emerge from."
Janet — Ottawa, Ontario

"The first perennial that jumped into my head was Salvia! It grows great here in our weird climate — sometimes it's hot and dry, sometimes cold and wet, and always windy. We've been in a drought for several months now, but my salvia is taking it very well. 'Caradonna' is my current favorite. May Night is the best-seller at the nursery where I'm the perennial salesperson. The Salvia greggii types are favorites too, the best hummingbird magnets around here! I grow them in pots too."
Lita — Enid, Oklahoma

"Must-have perennial: Hosta. Why? Many varieties to choose from that can thrive in full sun to full shade, beautiful foliage to add interest and color to the garden and flower arrangements. Recommended Classic: 'Frances Williams'." [NOTE: except in cool-summer regions , we generally don't recommend trying most Hosta in full sun. On the Prairies you can sometimes get away with it! — JV]
Colleen — Edmonton, Alberta

"Peonies are at the top of my list. They come in such a large assortment of colours. I was first introduced to them in my Grandma's garden. Their foliage emerges reddish in spring and by June, who can resist those big blooms that make a spectacular display!! They are an easy plant to maintain and live for years!!"
Wendy — Lyndhurst, Ontario

"One of my main requirements for a perennial to be a favorite in my garden is a long-lasting bloom period. I love any perennial that works overtime to give me flowers throughout the summer. I recommend Scabiosa columbaria, either 'Butterfly Blue' or 'Pink Mist'. These great performers are one of the first to show in bloom in the spring and the last survivors in my fall garden, with blooms looking good even after our first few frosts. And the fact they perform so well even in my heavy clay soil is an added bonus."
Sue — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"I suggest grey foliage plants, such as Artemisia, Stachys (Lamb's-ears), Lavender, Achillea 'Moonshine' and many, many more. Be it sun, shade, well-drained or moist soils, there are silvers and greys for every part of your garden. They help other colours to blend cohesively together, and they tend to last long in the garden. They are great for those who like night gardening, as the light (moon or artificial) bounces off them nicely."
Faye — Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

• Southern Ontario & Midwestern States (very similar climates and zones): Hosta, Columbine (Aquilegia), Fancy-leaf Coral Bells (Heuchera) , Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Geranium 'Rozanne', Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), 'Goldsturm' Rudbeckia, Turtlehead (Chelone), Blanket Flower (Gaillardia), Michaelmas Daisy (Aster)
• Eastern Ontario: Peony, Hosta, Geranium 'Rozanne', Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria), Bearded Iris, Rudbeckia, Scabiosa columbaria
• Pacific Northwest: Peony, Hellebore, Hosta, Lavender, Bearded Iris, Brunnera 'Jack Frost', Miscanthus 'Morning Light', Japanese Tassle Fern (Polystichum polyblepharum)
• Interior BC: Bugbane (Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty'), Heuchera 'Obsidian', Hosta 'Fire and Ice'
• Canadian Prairies & Northern BC: Daylilies (Hemerocallis), Hosta, Bearded Iris, Peonies, Cranesbill Geranium, Bleedingheart (Dicentra spectabilis), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis), Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster')
• Canadian Maritimes: Summer Phlox (Phlox paniculata), Lamb's-ears (Stachys), Lavender, Achillea 'Moonshine'.
• Southern States: Echinacea purpurea and newer hybrids, Salvia, Blanket Flower (Gaillardia), False Sunflower (Heliopsis), Rudbeckia, Dianthus.
• Mid-Atlantic States: Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), Japanese Anemone, Echinacea.

QUESTION: I heard something on the news about mulch coming from Louisiana that is contaminated with termites. I don't want termites! Have you heard anything about this?" Helen — Buffalo, New York

ANSWER: E-mail warnings and news alerts on termite-infested mulch have been making the rounds for a couple of months now, and it is apparently an internet hoax, according to several excellent sources.

Two places you can check for detailed information include:

• A news release from the Mulch and Soil Council entitled Mulch & Soil Council Touts Certified Mulch: Formosan Termite Infestation Unlikely
• The FAQ area on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.

To quote the CFIA:
"The CFIA has received a large number of enquiries regarding a rumour that Formosan termites are being shipped out of southern hurricane-impacted areas, such as Louisiana, through mulch and other wood products.

This information is false. The rumour has been circulated via a widely-distributed email that warns home gardeners not to buy mulch made from trees destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The email indicates that the "termite-infested mulch" is being sold at cheap prices by gardening retailers across North America.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry put in place strict quarantines in October 2005 which forbid hurricane-impacted areas in Louisiana to transport mulch, wood, or any other kind of wood waste outside their area. The material is being put into landfills.

The CFIA has determined that Formosan termites would not present a risk in Canada. Formosan termites are a tropical pest that would not survive in Canada if they were to enter the country. Secondly, the mulching process would likely exterminate a termite colony. Finally, U.S. mulch is subjected to an extensive treatment process to further mitigate the risk of pest spread."

This month we will pick the THREE BEST entries. Winners will each will receive a signed copy of the Perennial Gardening Guide. Winners will be announced in the May newsletter, along with a sampling of your suggestions.

Our best-selling book, the Perennial Gardening Guide (4th edition, March 2003) is a handy reference used by gardeners across North America — written by John Valleau, horticulturist for Heritage Perennials®. Available at your local Heritage Perennials® Dealer.