Harold Pellett is perhaps the northern gardener's best friend, having dedicated his nearly 40-year career to breeding landscape plants capable of surviving harsh winters, sandy soils and a number of other challenging growing conditions common north of the 45th parallel.

Since retiring from the University of Minnesota horticulture department in 2002, Pellett has continued his work as executive director of the non-profit Landscape Plant Development Center. Three years ago, an unassuming 6.75-acre plot on the eastern edge of Lake Elmo became the LPDC's first and only Minnesota research station.

There, near the intersection of Highway 5 and Little Blue Stem Trail, dozens of new hybrids that were developed at the center's Oregon research station receive their annual trial by ice. Those that survive and thrive will be further developed in the hopes their progeny will one day make their way to yards and gardens throughout the northern United States.

"We're developing new landscape plants to give people a broader selection of plants that are well adapted, so they can choose plants with different qualities to develop a better landscape using plants that have a decent chance of survival without needing a lot of input," Pellett said.

"We grow our first generation in Oregon and then produce a second generation that we then bring to Minnesota, to our station in Lake Elmo, and out of those we select the ones that tolerate our winter. Hopefully some of those have the attractive qualities of the other parent, as well," he said. "We let the winters do a lot of our selection for us, and then out of those we can select the ones that are not only hardy, but that also possess the other qualities that we want."

Though commercialization of new plants is the ultimate goal, Pellett said there's not much money to be made from hardier trees and shrubs, and the LPDC is funded exclusively by grants and private donations.

One of the center's donors is developer Bob Engstrom, who also donated the land for the Lake Elmo research station, which is located next to his Fields of St. Croix development.

"I got to know Harold about 10 years ago, when we worked together on some plantings at Cloverdale Farm, and subsequently at the Fields of St. Croix. We were looking to plant some new varieties, and he was a great source for that," he recalled. "I joined the Plant Development Center, and a few years ago I saw a little notice in the newsletter that they were looking for a Minnesota growing range, so I gave them a call."

Engstrom said the research center has been a great addition to the neighborhood.

"Obviously, the residents are interested in the Plant Development Center, and it adds a unique feature to their neighborhood," he said. "And the Fields of St. Croix has gotten a lot of national exposure, so we have visitors from colleges and universities and other cities here all the time, so they get to see it, too. It's a win-win, and the research station adds a little extra interest to the neighborhood."