Roy Diblik

Roy Diblik and I initially connected through our shared enthusiasm for the work of the Dutch designer, Piet Oudolf. In fact, long before Oudolf had won Gold medals at the Chelsea Flower show, been chosen to design Battery park in NYC, and designed the perennial plantings for Millennium Park in Chicago, we were what you could call “Piet Groupies.” [To read my review of Oudolf's "Designing With Plants" click on glasses icon ]

These days, Roy has been busy growing many of the perennials to be installed at the Chicago site in addition to supplying Northwind’s retail perennial yards. Before Roy and I met, I had heard him lecture enthusiastically and visited his outstanding retail nursery, Northwind Perennial Farm. If you haven’t visited this gem of a plant Mecca, it’s time. As the grower, Roy has made available many cutting-edge plants rarely available in the Midwest. He also supplies some of the larger wholesale nurseries in the area and is responsible for a cultivar of switch grass, Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind.’ The nursery has some exceptional demonstration beds, including one under a grove of black walnut trees. [Black walnut roots inject a toxic substance into the soil that gives them a competitive edge over other plants. This allopathic trait makes them difficult to plant under: Roy and the Northwind staff have done their homework beautifully.] The staff is very customer-friendly and if you manage to locate him, Roy is always generous with information. From the pastoral setting to the great plant selection, wonderful staff and everything in-between, this day-visit to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is well worth the trip. Don’t miss this summer’s Northwind programs by Piet (6/25/2004) and Julie & Sarah (7/21/2004).