• 2006 Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Feuerhexe’
• 2005 Helleborus x hybridus
• 2004 Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
• 2003 Leucanthemum 'Becky'
• 2002 Phlox 'David'
• 2001 Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
• 2000 Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'
• 1999 Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'
• 1998 Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'
• 1997 Salvia 'Mainacht' (May Night)
• 1996 Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'
• 1995 Perovskia atriplicifolia
• 1994 Astilbe 'Sprite'
• 1993 Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'
• 1992 Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'
• 1991 Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple'
• 1990 Phlox stolonifera

By Phil Adikes

Hydrangeas are flowering shrubs that are easy to grow and can provide color in the garden from mid-summer through fall. They are used as specimen plants and in shrub borders. The flowers of some species can be dried and used in flower arranging and crafts.

The name comes from the Greek "hydra," meaning "water" and "angeon," meaning "vessel," referring to the plant's preference for moisture and to the shape of the seed capsule.

Hydrangeas were first introduced by Sir Joseph Banks from a Chinese garden in 1739. The birth flower of June, they're almost always blooming then.

Bigleaf Hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla ) is the most commonly planted kind, and the one with the largest and most show-stopping blooms.

Bigleaf Hydrangeas prefer partial shade. Morning sun and afternoon shade is perfect in inland areas. Give them moist, well-drained soil. Avoid planting hydrangeas on hot, dry, exposed sites.

Pruning Hydrangeas
Bigleaf hydrangeas form their flower buds in late summer for the following year, so pruning in late summer, fall and winter will remove potential flowers.

Prune bigleaf hydrangeas when the flower heads begin to fade. Prune off the flower heads and snip back other shoots to encourage branching and fullness. For a dwarfing effect, prune hard back to the double buds forming on either side of the stem near the base of the plant.

Choosing Hydrangeas
There are many great varieties of hydrangea that will thrive in the midwestern garden. A nice medium-sized shrub, at about 4' high and wide, hydrangeas are right at home in a mixed border, hedge, or as a single specimen. Choose any of the following varieties for months of beautiful blooms.

Grow your own produce or buy locally. Grocery store produce travels nearly 1500 miles before it gets to store shelves. This shipping results in high levels of carbon emissions. Growing your own fruits and veggies or buying from farmers markets cuts down on pollution and assures you of the freshest produce.

For information on local farmers visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.ams.usda.