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1721 products
A collection from Asia from an area rarely visited by westerners. This rhizomatous species has leaves variably marked in pale patterns topside and varying shades of red beneath. Upright stems to 10"-18" with pink flowers. Hardiness unknown yet but the mantra of "grow until you can split it then try outside mulching like heck for winter" applies. Thinking maybe mellower Zone 8b.
Large green leaves stippled in evenly spaced pale hairs and small flowers pink in bud and on the reverse, opening to nearly white with the gentlest of pink touching the face. A rhizomatous species that has been hardy in mild PNW gardens especially if mulched in winter with something airy yet insulating. A Hinkley collection from China.
A collection of this rhizomatous species from Hunan by Dan Hinkley which has proven hardy thus far in mild PNW gardens when mulched during the short arctic blasts that keeps Seattle from growing the same plants as San Francisco. But for that one cold week we could be growing this Begonia under flowering Puya. Good leaves flowers not seen or perhaps more truthfully, not remembered but will go out on a limb and say pink or white.
Rhizomatous species from southern China with excellent foliage colored light red on the underside and olive-buff green on top with a ring of silver-white spots just in from the margin. This makes a fine clump to 20" tall in a container, more than holding its own with just foliage but the late season white flowers are welcome frosting on this particular Begonia cake. This has been hardy here in the zone 8 Puget Sound with winter mulch. One of our better collections for sure.
Our collection from Asia from a mountain range little explored by westerners. One of the rhizomatous types allied to palmata which we expect will have hardiness down into zone 8 especially if mulched. Flowers are either pink or white - memory has failed but can say definitively they are not blue.
Our collection from southern China in an area little botanized by westerners. Green palmata-type leaves are admittedly unremarkable but the leggy red stems which bear these leaves and pink flowers aloft, lissome limbs gleaming like Chihuly glass. This has handled a hard Seattle winter with a bit of bark mulch.
An eyecatcher as evidenced by our friend Brian, with exquisite taste in all things beautiful, when he made the hopeful inquiry "These probably aren't ready to sell yet" From a Malaysian botanic garden, this has sumptuous burnished metal leaves on the uppers with rich red undersides. White/pink flowers are not needed.
Impressive hardy begonia collected by Ozzie Johnson on Emei Shan in Sichuan. This rhizomatous species looks tender as all get out but has overwintered in a number of Zone 7b gardens - admittedly not 7b for weeks at a time but still - heck yeah! Brilliant red undersides and a burnished upper surface to the leaves are meant to go with the white flowers. Some speculation that this is a natural hybrid with pedatifida but we know for sure it is a dandy. Mulch in winter.
A gorgeous begonia growing near small cardamom plantings along the trail in the forest heading to higher elevations. Fantastic foliage with dark and sultry clouding and with undersides a vivid red and held by similarly colored stems furred in pale hairs. The white flowers contrast perfectly.
This proved hardy in the beastly 2021-2022 winter with a bit of bark mulch in the Lehman-Russell garden in Seattle. Members of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy we might add. When we saw new growth appearing there the following spring, we were briefly but enthusiastically afflicted with Steve Martin Happy Feet. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering.
This proved hardy in the beastly 2021-2022 winter with a bit of bark mulch in the Lehman-Russell garden in Seattle. Members of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy we might add. When we saw new growth appearing there the following spring, we were briefly but enthusiastically afflicted with Steve Martin Happy Feet. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering.
A very handsome hardy tuberous Begonia with orange flowers of which it is obviously very proud of as it is not shy about displaying them. This makes a nice clump and can be left in the garden over winter. Good in containers although I wouldn't let the pots freeze solid. Increases well.
Mark Weathington of the Raulston Arboretum at NCSU introduced this goody from Taiwan. Narrow blade leaves are maculated in white and the upright stems bear small pink flowers in mid to late summer. A very interesting new addition to the hardy Begonia palette as this has a different look than what one usually sees. Mulch if winter is wicked.
The only plant we grow in the Berberidopsidaceae and after typing this, thank god. One of the choicest woodland plants and a connoisseur climber for mild sheltered gardens. A well-grown Berberidopsis in your garden makes you a Garden Queen (regardless of gender). Evergreen, late summer deep coral flowers.
Evening Glow'. Sturdy German hybrid which excels in all areas of foliage, flower and garden worthiness. Good rich glossy green foliage colors up very well in winter especially given exposure to sun. The March and April flowers are a strong pink with an infusion of magenta which glam rocks Spring's murmuring pastels.
Large green leaves in summer becoming muted somber puce in winter. This either heightens or lessens Seasonal Affective Disorder depending on how much you like puce. We do, so when we struggle emotionally with the unrelenting gray, a stroll by Ballawley keeps us briefly but firmly tethered. Tall rich pink flowers.
A hybrid Bergenia from the breeding work of Rosemarie Eskuche in Germany. 'David' has smallish leaves which stand quite upright taking on good color in the winter. Being smaller and upright lends itself to containers or the rock garden. Intense pink flowers on stems to 16" in spring are impossible to ignore unless of course you decorate with plastic flamingos.
Long my favorite Bergenia with large upright broad paddles of leaves which turn the best maroon in the winter of any in the genus. Oh sure, the dark pink flowers are good in spring but this plant is one of the few reasons I look forward to winter. Galanthus for contrast - oh my.
Featured in Fine Gardening
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A unique Bergenia collected in Kashmir and later named by Beth Chatto after a close friend. It forms a neat rosette of highly unusual, bright green leaves that have a strongly tapered, or cuneate, base with a coarse ciliate margin, typical of B. stracheyi. In autumn, the leaves turn a brilliant shade of crimson, plum red. Heads of small white, drooping flowers appear in spring in tight clusters. An interesting foliage plant that may not be to everyone’s taste but is well worth growing for its winter colour and white flowers.
Thanks to our pal Scott Galloway curator of the best Bergenia collection around and creator of the incomparable info source the Bergenlist for the description and photos!
Nice hairy-leafed species from the Himalaya ranging from Nepal to Pakistan. This is semi-deciduous in our area and will go totally deciduous in colder zones. Like most Bergenia, this can take full sun, but late spring frosts can ding the new leaves and pink flowers. Rounded hairy mid-green leaves with reddish petioles. This clone a gift from a serious collector's garden.
Named for the stringently impeccable plantswoman and designer, this large-leafed deciduous Bergenia with pink-white flowers is a worthy namesake. She had a deserved reputation of not brooking fools gladly but strangely was always pleased to see us - perhaps a case of the exception proving the rule. Light green leaves with crenulate dentation on the scalloped leaves.
A very distinct form of this species which was collected in Nepal by Tony Schilling and shared with us by David Mason of Hedgerows Nursery. A good spreader rather than a clumper, the rounded ping-pong paddle leaves offer much as a small-scale groundcover. White to tinged pink flowers in early summer. Deciduous to semi-deciduous, we are inordinately fond of this collection and have it planted at the entrance to our shade garden. This particular collection is quite rare in the trade. Tony used to be the director at Wakehurst and David was deputy director so the chain of provenance custody is just how we like it.