Roy Diblik pioneered the production of native plants in containers before he cofounded Northwind Perennial Farm, a nursery and design business serving private and public gardens. A master of creating exciting and resilient combinations of native and nonnative plants, he's refined a series of modular plant formulas and presents them in his book The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden.

A garden center sells plants. Northwind Perennial Farm sells plants. Ergo, Northwind Perenni­al Farm is a garden center. In this case, the logic doesn't work. It would be more accurate to say Northwind is a botan­ical garden that promotes the idea of living more peace­fully with your gardening duties.

Gently rolling hills, woodland, fields and red-painted barns - this is the green and fertile land of southern Wisconsin, in America's Midwest. Once it was a land of small dairy farms, but many of the farmers have now sold up, abandoning their barns and sheds to the elements. Recognizing the value and possibilities of a vernacular architecture that we now see as romantic rather than severely functional, a trio of friends bought one of these old farms in 1991 and brought it gently into the modern world.

Northwind Perennial Farm: This dynamic nursery promotes contemporary garden communities. As co-owner of Northwind Perennial Farm in Burlington, Wisconsin, Roy-who's been growing plants for more than 25 years-specializes in growing perennials, native plants, and ornamental grasses. But he's also on a personal mission to persuade gardeners to turn their home landscapes into sustainable environments using plants grouped in communities based on cost and time it takes to maintain.

New Perennial Movement in garden design? Think Lurie Garden in Chicago. Think the High Line in New York City. Think Roy Diblik, A midwestern plantsman and GCA honorary member, Diblik has lovingly developed his gardens and nursery at Northwind Perennial Farm in Burlington, Wisconsin. When Piet Oudolf designed his newest garden on Belle Isle he called on Diblik to supply perennials.

Ask Roy Diblik who taught him so much about growing plants, and he'll tell you this: "The plants did. If you can be patient and observant, they'll teach you what you need to know."

It's this unique relationship with plants that led Diblik from a career in outdoor education to a career in horticulture 30 years ago. "I've always grown a lot of plants, and as I watched other people plant them, kill them, and replace them year after year, I began to feel sorry for the plants. So here I am.”

Northwind Perennial Farm, or "the farm" as it's fondly called by co-owner Colleen Garrigan is a respite from the hustle and bustle that often envelopes us during the holidays. Its grounds and Christmas shop are a popular destination, reminiscent of yuletides past when decorating for the season meant gathering branches, greens and berries to fashion into that perfect wreath, swag or garland.

“One of the important elements to which the owners of Northwind are dedicated is educating people about plants, especially perennials. Another is assuring everyone that gardening is fun. And to hear Dibliktalk about it, gardening is great fun”

“Concepts are fine, but proof is something you can take to the bank. And Diblik's got plenty of examples to prove his concept works beautifully.”