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Sunflowers are one of those iconic flowers that always seem to captivate and this Western US native bundles that bundle of symbology into a delightful little package of only about 2 ft tall that comes back every year. For those in the east this is like a Silphium in miniature. The all-edible composition also means that it was a useful food and medicine source for the local Salish peoples as well as other First Nations of the West Coast. It’s large range is evidence of its ease and adaptability so no need to be too fussy just pop this baby front and center and sit back to enjoy the sun.

Proteaceae is a family of plant royalty with a loyal following, and for good reason the flowers of the group are often some of the most spectacularly otherworldly and botanically intricate of any in the plant kingdom. Unfortunately we here in the PNW are limited to a few choice species in an even choicer few genera. Generally this isn't thought to include the radical "cone"-bearing Aussie group Banksia though if ever there was a species to be tried here this is the one. We have heard rumors of successful specimens in Seattle and some of the coastal-est climes of the region. For those in the Bay just buy it and revel in the stamen-loaded goodness while we weep with envy. A sheltered sunny spot with as much heat as you can muster, with decent drainage and no phosphorous will give you the best chances.

Fricking taxonomists - we were so happy with Scilla scillioides. Choice and seldom offered Chinese/Japan/Korean bulb that flowers in late summer with 10"-15" stems of Scilla-like pinkish-lavender flowers without the distraction of its grassy leaves. Pretty cool and easy naturalizer that we can finally offer.

One of the very best woodland plants from China. This Ranunculaceae Family member has evergreen rounded glossy leaves evoking some exotic wild ginger. The plant forms a tidy dense clump with lots of comparatively tall stems bristling with puffs of white flowers. Moist soil is best.

A Mexican collection of this tropical begonia by FRBC board member Cody Hinchliff from the exceptionally biodiverse mountains of Oaxaca Mexico. This Begonia will not be hardy to hard freezes but will make a great pot plant for a shadier, more humid area. Found growing in the jungle understory along the roadside, nice big plants up to about 3 feet tall with mature leaves the size of appetizer plates and inflorescences of many small white flowers rising above them.

Begonias like the world of high fashion can boggle your mind when it comes to the myriad expressions of color, form, and pattern. Yet at the end of the day you can still feel reasonably safe in the knowledge that a dress is a dress and a Begonia is a Begonia, confident in your ability to recognize them as such. Then comes a paradigm-shifting renegade that rewires your brain and flips up with down, Lady Gaga strutting in the meat dress, Bjork encircled by a swan, or a Begonia that looks like an Elatostemma crossed with a Fuchsia. Love em or hate em they are sure to strike up a conversation. This arching red-stemmed Begonia with its small leaves and pendulous flowers is one of the most talked about and coveted plants in our warm greenhouse, and the shock that accompanies the revelation of its taxonomic nature always satisfies. Won't tolerate frost but makes a great conservatory or houseplant and does well in mobile containers too.