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Here is one of the results of the North Caucasus Expedition in September of 2011. This was a joint venture involving the botanical gardens of St. Petersburg, Stavropol, Hamburg, Shanghai and Gothenburg. We were fortunate to obtain seed from one of the participating botanic gardens and quickly raised this to flowering size. This Campanula was collected in Russia at Karachayevo-Cherkessiya, Terbeda, Gonachkir Valley at 1800 meters so next time you are there, keep an eye peeled for it. But in case you are not planning to travel there soon, here is a chance to get a wild collection of a workhorse garden species.

We've noticed some of these have a faint lavender shading to the white flowers especially in bud and just open. Typical C. lactiflora can reach 3'-5' with big showy heads of flowers in late summer. The fact that these are flowering in small band pots at 10" tall might speak to a more compact form as they do come from some elevation. Time in the garden will tell the final tale but one thing is for sure - these should be winter hardy enough for anyone we're ever going to ship to!

From Wendy Perry of Bosvigo Plants in S. England comes this unfortunately scarce and choice Campanula. Gently and very controllably spreading to make an impressive clump with spires of pure white flowers. Pairs impeccably with Hosta 'Patriot'.

Exceptional double Campanula we received via Bob Brown's Cotswold Garden Flowers in England. This has big medium blue flowers like 2 shallow cups nested together. These are on strong stems which don't blow over and we can testify to that living on the windswept Port Townsend Steppe. This is a good performer and one that has the panache to mingle in the trendy garden as well as carrying a classic look that works in the cottage or Victorian garden. Or in our case it shines in our looking-for-a-genre sunny border.

Gawen Bellflower. A fine choice for cottage gardens or your basic flower bed, this very hardy perennal will provide a refreshing and cooling display of large cup and saucer double white flowers in early to mid summer. This is a mat-forming plant so in a few years you will have an enviable stand of flower stems you can cut for dinner parties.

This little beaut seems so architectural that I always imagine it to be a cathedral for the fairy folk. Rigid, vertical spires (non denominational - it's not Catholic) are robed in dark green leaves and blessed with soft lavender flowers of an open-faced innocence. Uncommon of course.

Lovely species in the group formerly placed in the genus Dentaria referring to their crinkled molar-like rhizomes. We do enjoy the the color of the purple-pink flowers in early spring but there is a quality of texture and sheen to the leaves that makes us consistently murmur 'I like that plant" whenever we pass by it.

Collected by Crûg Farm of Wales under collection number BSWJ2165a on Singalila Ridge in the northern Indian Himalaya. We are excited to introduce this to our side of the pond. Slow spreading perennial with bronze tinted leaves and large showy pink flowers on 2'-3' stems.

Try to get past the uncanny steroidal resemblance to the cursed shotweed which infests every bit of cultivated soil in the temperate zones - same genus, but much better manners! Double white flowers like tiny roses from soft pinkish buds. This sets no seed but roots at the leaf tips.

A no-fuss restrained yet refined evergreen Cardamine which is nearly faultless. We haven't found a fault yet but most overachievers are hiding something deep under that charm and industry. Rest assured, this will never go postal in your garden. Dark green dense leaves set off flowers of of purest white in early summer.

One of those spring ephemerals we totally groove on. This tuberous Toothwort is native to the woodlands of the former Yugoslavia so current geography is from Bosnia through Croatia and into stable Austria. This will form a little colony but is not annoying in the least and is so delightful with its sizable white flowers in March. This will go summer dormant so no need to call when that happens.

The correctly named true species as what is generally seen in gardens are forms of Cardiocrinum giganteum. The only deviation from the key of 3-5 flowers are some with up to 9 flowers which we attribute to easy living in our garden and variation within the species. This is most closely allied to C. cordatum from Japan, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands and has similarities in height at 4'-7' tall along with the distinctive grouping of leaves in the middle part of the flowering stem. New growth in spring is a brilliant copper-red and non-flowering bulbs go dormant quite early in June. White tepals are greenish-white at base with interior first touched in soft yellow-green and then deep within, purple. And fragrant late in the day. These are small bulbs perhaps 3 years from flowering. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering,

Grown from seed collected in the Yoro Mts in Japan, this compensates for being shorter than its cousins by being hardier to Zone 6. Personally, I subscribe to the fishing theory that it is not the size of the worm you use but how you wiggle it. Rich moist soil and creamy trumpets in 2-3 years.

Bulbs of this exquisitely choice red-flowered variant of this shorter species. Saturated red interior with a white and red exterior - dang! This normally flowers 5-6 years from seed and these are a good age to get established for maximum oomph when flowering. You will be forgiven for any horticultural braggadocio!

Giant Himalayan Lily. Outrageous Lily family member which can reach 14' high in flower with huge 10" long Easter Lily white flowers flushed purple in the throat. This has an intoxicating fragrance which rides on the breeze throughout the garden especially in the evening. Large green heart-shaped leaves evocative of a Hosta ever increasing in size until it is old enough to bloom which is usually around 7 years of age. Once it is old enough, it sends up this amazing flower stalk in spring culminating in flowers in the latter part of June. This requires so much energy that the main bulb dies but it usually makes several offsets to carry on in subsequent years. As a bonus, the dried flower stalk with its decorative seed pods makes for an arresting bit of indoor decor. Considering the time involved, the sheer magnificence coupled with the poetic finality, flowering is an event that demands a party with plenty of sparkling wine. It's a great excuse for a little justifiable bragging. Plant shallow in rich and moist soil.

Our collection of this triumphant Asian species which occurs in the Sino-Himalaya and is such a delight in the garden. This collection is from an adjacent area to the CGG14112 collection also listed and we expect these to be of similar high caliber when they reach flowering size. Rich, moist soil and plant shallow.

Cardiocrinum is exciting enough but variety yunnanense with its burnished copper new growth causes pulses to elevate along with dilated pupils and flaring nostrils. When this is blooming it is almost as good as sex. It takes a few years but purple flushed white flowers on 12' stalks - oh yes!

An extraordinary variant from Linda Cochran's (of course) old garden which she allowed us to salvage when moving. Distinctly mocha foliage in early spring, with various plant parts retaining dark tones. Notably, the flower stem is very dark as are the bracts enclosing the flower bud. The flowers are lovely, white and richly colored in dark maroon. These are bulbs from isolated, hand-pollinated seed. It will be 3-4 years before these flower but lengthy establishment will result in maximum size.

Excellent form of the species from our 2010 Asian collection. Nicely packed flowers more horizontal than pendulous with more purple in the throat than typical. The new growth is pleasingly bronze which then greens up as the leaves mature. Don't be afraid to feed and water this - it will just get bigger and taller!

Seedlings from our Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense 'Big & Pink' which is one of two pink Cardiocrinums known to exist. We have the other one as well. These are hand-pollinated seedlings of this amazing and extremely rare plant and we expect them to be pink as well. They are probably a few years from flowering. One nursery person we know of was quite incensed that we would be selling these as pink saying "How do you know that they won't be white?" to which we replied "We don't but we don't know that they won't be red either." It is the first color break in the genus and there is no precedent to make assumptions other than best guesses and this is our best guess. We had two bulbs flower from this crop this summer and they were pretty darned pink. One came very close to the parent and the other was a notch behind but still way better than anything else out there so we are greatly encouraged. We can't wait seven years for these to flower to see what degree of pink - or not - they will be because the main bulb dies and we start over with offsets and seed. These do produce offsets so even though the bulb dies after blooming, you end up with more bulbs than you started with. This is a plant of temperate climates in China and the Himalayas and likes a lightly shaded, cool and moist situation. These are not planted deep like typical lilies but shallow and will often have their noses above ground as they get mature. We mulch these in winter with a blanket of dairy manure as they are a bit piggy. Oh, and that nursery person who was concerned about our ethics? She ordered one. Plant so the tip of the bulb is exposed and mulch well to keep winter freeze away from the bulb.

Three year old bulbs of this grand show-stealer. From near the eastern edge of this species described range, this was growing above a stream in the bright dappled light that filtered through the leaves of a panoply of deciduous and broadleaf evergreen trees and large shrubs. This collection has very rounded leaves.