Heritage Perennials are grown by Valleybrook Gardens, an innovative and leading producer of over 1500 varieties of perennials, hardy ferns and ornamental grasses. Our distinctive blue pots of HERITAGE PERENNIALS™ are available from independent retailers and dealers in many parts of Canada and the USA. We're passionate about perennials! We hope this newsletter helps you to enjoy your perennial gardening even more.

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Our best-selling book, the Perennial Gardening Guide is a handy reference used by gardeners across North America — written by our own Horticulturist John Valleau.

On the plus side, berry producing shrubs of all kinds seem especially spectacular this autumn. I've really got to get more of these into my garden, things like Firethorn (Pyracantha), Bearberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri), Blue Holly (Ilex meserveae), or those amazing purple Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri 'Profusion') that grow down the street. Every tourist to our little village wants to know what these are!

This time of year can be a showy and colourful one in the perennial garden. Berried shrubs are only one of the options available for creating a dynamic "mixed border" with extended interest. Gardeners can also make great use of shrubs or small trees with showy bark, like the familiar Red-twigged Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera or C. sericea), and of course dwarf conifers and broad-leaved evergreens of any kind. On sunny autumn days the ornamental grasses are absolutely spectacular. Or on frosty mornings, all covered in ice crystals.

Last year we tried something new in our back yard, and it worked really well. We used coloured spotlights on some of the ornamental grasses, positioning the lights at the base of the clumps, shining up and into the plumes. It was a simple way to get some Holiday interest happening and, to be frank, it was a welcome change from those white mini-lights that have been nearly done to death! Feel free to borrow this decorating idea red and green lights seemed to work the best.

Looking ahead to the Holidays, I thought this issue it would be timely to mention some gift ideas for addicted perennial gardeners. Maybe some of these will be perfect to give to gardening friends, or to add to your own personal "wish list".

"The Gardener for the Prairies" is a quartely magazine published by a non-profit collective that includes the Extension Division at the University of Saskatchewan and three other Saskatchewan horticultural associations. At $15 for a year, this is a great resource for new and experienced gardeners alike.

QUESTION: Do you know how to prune a Tree Mallow (Lavatera) in fall? I went on a great web-site about them but it didn't give specific instructions on how to prune them. I want to know if I can just cut it all the way to the ground or not? Don, in Washington State

ANSWER: Most of my reference books simply refer to "pruning hard" with Lavatera. Essentially, this means whacking everything back to around 8 to 12 inches. The job is best done in the spring, since additional dieback can occur after fall pruning. If the thing is really ugly right now (or in the way) maybe the best thing to do is cut the stems all back to a height of around 3 feet, then plan to cut it back even further in late March or so.

If you want your plant to get really large, a lighter pruning would be the way to go. Wait until spring if you can, then reduce the height of each stem by about 1/3 to 1/2. Remove any dead or damaged stems right to the base or to the next healthy support branch.

Christopher Lloyd has been gardening and writing about it for over sixty years. Any of his books are worth more than a second glance and nearly all of what he has to say translates well to North American gardens, plants and regional styles.

TO ENTER: tell us all about the gadget, what you use it for and why you like it. Eligible entries should include a description, brand name and model number if you know it, and a website link to a photo or supplier, if available. If it's an invention of your own, just e-mail a jpg photo. Please put Garden Gadget Contest in the subject line and send contest entries to: John Valleau. Entries must include a full name and postal address to be valid. Contact information will not be used for any other purpose other than this contest, so your privacy is assured.