I'll wrap up my look at 2010 plant awards with shrubs and roses. This year's Pennsylvania Horticultural Society gold medal winners are five woody plants. Let's meet them all. Let's start with Florida Anise, Illicium floridanum 'Halleys Comet' and Red Beauty Holly, Ilex 'Rutzan.' Both are hardy from zones 6 through 8. Beautiful plants, they are well worth considering if you live in a place that does not have a severe winter. For more information about them, log onto http://goldmedalplants.org/gmpwinners.aspx. Then there's Clethra anifolia 'Compacta,' or Dwarf Summersweet for short. Years back, the variety 'Hummingbird' was introduced. One look, and I was sold. Compacta is guaranteed to outperform even Hummingbird. If you are familiar with the Clethra family, you know its foliage is a huge asset. This variety kicks that up a notch with darker, more glossy leaves that turn an even more brilliant yellow come fall. Like its cousins, it blooms in late summer with 3- to 4-inch spires lined with tiny, white, incredibly fragrant flowers. Since it blooms late, any pruning should be done by early spring to encourage side branching, which in turn encourages more branch tips for buds to form. Hardy from zones 4 to 9, it has a height and width that won't exceed 48 inches. It's best planted in moisture-retentive soil in light shade or morning sun; full or afternoon sun tends to be too hot. As with other Clethra, few if any insects or diseases annoy it. It's also deer-resistant, low-maintenance and one of the most fragrant shrubs, so be sure to locate it near a patio, walkway or window so you can fully enjoy it. What more can I say? Oh, it makes a great cut flower! Juniperus conferta 'Silver Mist,' or Shore Juniper for short, has been around for a number of years, but only now has it gotten the recognition it deserves. This juniper grows about 10 inches tall and a good 30 inches in diameter. It does best in full sun and soil that provides excellent drainage. Unlike any other juniper you may know, this one has soft, fluffy, spiky needles that border on a silvery blue-green hue. It's stunning and very different for a juniper. It's low-maintenance, deer-resistant, drought-tolerant and perfect for use as a ground cover. This one will stand out at the nursery. It's hardy from zones 5 to 8. Styrax japonicus 'Sohuksan' is easier to refer to as Emerald Pagoda Snowbell. This one is rated for zones 5 to 8. A small, ornamental tree, it can reach 25 to 30 feet in height and 15 feet or so in width. Its outline has a vase-shape appearance and its branching has a horizontal habit, providing a nice winter characteristic when snow lies on branches. The Snowbells have been around for years, but this particular cultivar has received incredible accolades for its superior characteristics. Five large and fragrant, five-petalled white blossoms that droop downward make their appearance by May. They're followed by grayish-white, rather large, cherry-like fruit in late summer. Glossy, rich, dark green leaves turn a stunning red-purple and are accented by the fissuring and orange tint of its bark. It prefers morning sun, but it is tolerant of full sun when not mixed with a hot, dry soil. Plant it in a well-drained, organically rich soil with a pH around 6.6. It's a perfect-size tree for the spaces along a deck or edge of a patio. It's showy when in bloom. This year's All America Rose Selection award goes to a floribunda by the name of 'Easy Does It.' Maybe there is a hidden message for all of us in its name this year. I have not seen this one in person yet, but it looks like one incredible rose. Think of the most beautiful sunset you have ever been witness to, with its apricots, peaches and soft wafts of orange mixed together in a double-petal rose, and with 25 to 30 petals, and you'll begin to envision this rose. It's disease-resistant, an avid grower with a fruity fragrance, and full of blooms. The AARS awarded only one rose its coveted honor this year. That in itself speaks volumes. (Nancy O'Donnell owns Perennial Graphics Nursery in Schaghticoke, N.Y. Contact her by e-mail at dodonnell@nycap.rr.com. Gardener's Notebook can be found online at http://timesunion.com/life.) 