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Our collection from the eastern extension of its range in Hubei, this wild provenance is a rare offering of this exceptional garden fern. It must be a given that this is in the Top Ten of Hardy Ferns as it offers incredible texture forming a small dense carpet. Clip old fronds off close just before the new growth emerges or not, beautiful either way.

A fern with a murky past, originating from a hybrid between the Southern Maidenhair and a rapscallion, vagrant, absentee, no-good, layabout jackanape second parent thought to be one of the tropical species. Fear not however, as this has all the makings of a classic bildungroman where the unsuspecting background of our title hero is overcome to great effect, with greater hardiness and vigor than it's parent(s) making it a excellent standby for that classic Adiantum look. Sterile though so it's lineage will die with it, setting up for an excellent sequel where it can play the role of aged wealthy benefactor of a talented orphan street urchin.

This is likely the first introduction to cultivation of this curious Theaceae or Tea family member from our collection just north of the Vietnam border in Guangxi Province. This is serious 99% pure Plant Crack and even we have to cut this stuff to be able to function well enough to do things like buy groceries. An evergreen shrub to 10' in the wild with long, slightly drooping olive-green leaves prominently hirsute especially along the margins. Lamentably insignificant cream flower whose petals barely exert themselves beyond the green sepals whose reduced number and size places this as var. glischroloma according to the Flora of China. Look beyond the transience that is flowers, if this had any to speak of, and be wowed by what is really good foliage on a very handsome shrub that will mark you as an irredeemable plant nut. The flowers give way to small black fruit. No idea how hardy this is but we are thinking zone 8 as this mountain endured a serious cold and ice event in 2008 and we saw no evidence of damage to these plants in 2010. We returned in 2012 and it is this collection that is being offered.

A collection by Shayne Chandler from the Five Fingers mountain range in Vietnam. This zone 8b hardy shrubby gesneriad was first introduced by Steve Hootman over 20 years ago from China and it is good to have another collection from a new area. Tubular red-orange flowers and boxwood-like leaves.

A collection from northern Vietnam of this rare gesneriad by intrepid plant hunter Steve Hootman. This has vertical branches on a small shrub clad in dark green ranked leaves evocative of boxwood but that similarity is quickly dispelled when the tubular flame red flowers appear. The flowers are followed by interesting narrow and thin almost bean pod-like seed capsules dangling from wiry pedicels. Best grown frost-free, this likes an acid, free-draining soil as it is often epiphytic on trees or rocks. Excellent container plant which can be moved inside for the winter or simply kept as a houseplant as this is the same genus as the familiar Lipstick Vine. Steve, in addition to his mandated world-class expertise in Ericaceae, has in recent years developed an unprofitable but deeply personally rewarding interest - some might say obsession - in the Gesneriaceae and we are happy beneficiaries of his collecting prowess and now the trickle down effect has trickled further to you.

Our collection from an area little visited by Westerners and part of our ongoing effort to collect and grow comparative specimens from across its range in Vietnam and China. Same genus as Lipstick Vine, this shrubby gesneriad has proven hardy in mild gardens here in western Washington. Tubular red-orange flowers. Often epiphytic or lithophytic, this requires good drainage. Great container plant which allows for moving inside during serious winter blast. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy offering.

One of our favorite species first introduced by our friend Steve Hootman and we have since pursued collecting this whenever possible to have comparative examples across its range of southern Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and northern Vietnam.  An evergreen small shrub in the Lipstick Vine family, Gesneriaceae, this has curved tubular red to red-orange flowers in fall along with glossy evergreen boxwood-like leaves.  Good drainage is key as this usually epiphytic or lithophytic, growing on rocks.  This has proved hardy outside in those enviably mild Puget Sound gardens of which ours is not.  Cue temper tantrum from a 4 year-old.

A lovely shrubby epiphytic Indochina gesneriad in the same genus as lipstick vine. That comparison made, this should be an excellent houseplant although we speculate that it ought to take a brief light frost. A lot of the exposed limestone ridges radiate heat away at night making them colder. Red tubular flowers. Airy crumbly soil. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Plant

Our collection from the lower slopes of Mt Japfu in Nagaland at around 7000'. (NAPE= Nagaland/Arunachal Pradesh Expedition 2203) This is an epiphyte growing below the frost zone with showy red flowers and narrow petals. Best cool in loose, airy, mossy soil, treated like an indoor fern. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

Staggeringly good introduction by Jens Nilsen from the China-Myanmar border region. This incomparable Lipstick Vine species is comment-provoking even out of flower with abruptly pendulous branches holding thick, long leaves. The red tubular flowers are the cherry on the Aeschynanthus sundae. Young plants, best in airy well-drained soil for epiphytes.

Choice little alpine from the heights of Syria, Lebanon and Turkey which is remarkably hardy. Sue brought this out west with her from her garden in northern Vermont in case you think we're making stuff up. Which we do but we're not this time. Perfect low mats of small rounded gray leaves and white spring flowers. Its former name of Eunomia was most apt referring to the Greek goddess of lawful conduct and order as well as being the spring goddess of green pastures. This is indeed a well-mannered plant who has not once caused ripple of horticultural discord here..

A UK selection of this smaller, deciduous Agapanthus shared with us by plantsman Jim Fox.  Short foliage is appropriate for the 20"-24" tall flower stems holding baseball-sized heads of deep dark blue flowers that are right on the edge of having some purple influence.  The size works well in containers - just don't leave out over winter to freeze - and would be excellent near the front of garden beds paired with other sun-lovers like Blood Grass, Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' or the groundcover Cotula 'Tiffindell Gold'.  We mulch our Agapanthus prior to arctic blasts and this selection might be good to zone 7a with enough mulch and if the freezes are not prolonged.

 

This is a fine selection quite comparable to "Back in Black" but a bit more compact in stature aspiring to attain 3' in height. This makes it much more workable for the front of the bed or as a container element. Dark stems holding dark blue-purple flowers in late summer. Mulch if very cold but has been fine here in the Puget Sound area.

This was selected at Bressingham Gardens by the legendary Alan Bloom and is derivative from the garden-proven Headsbourne hybrids that are noted for hardiness and excellent flowers. This pick of the litter has 2-1/2' stems with baseball-sized flower-heads of a good dark blue. This will be good down to zone 7 with a nice deep mulch.

A compact little guy carrying very nice white flowers which benefit from extra petals giving it a little more floral punch. If you can manage extra petals and no one complains, then why not? We all need an edge. Mulch in winter and decent drainage and feel free to plant it in a very sunny hot spot.

"How tall does this get in flower? Five to six feet!?! Damn!" Yes, we're mind readers. Hot new Agapanthus from the UK with refined clusters of Icy pale blue with long pendulous individual flowers held at eye level. This shows the strong influence of the species inapertus with its drooping flowers which we do so love. Ice Cascade will make you shiver in delight.

A lovely cultivar introduced to this area by the enigmatic Pete Ray of Vashon and no relation to our local Kingston. Tastefully narrow deciduous leaves with medium small flower heads of a good clear mid-blue. Hardy and a good performer in the garden. Sun and deer resistant.

Lily of the Nile. One of the top hybrids bred by Steve Hickman of Hoyland's and is well-regarded among those in the know for its large powder-blue flowers on 30" stems. We have just a few of these and owe thanks to plantsman Jim Fox's courier efforts from the UK and for sharing with us. Jim knows good plants. And tools. And garden supplies. In fact, he wrote a book about just these things which was published by Timber Press in 2013. 'Margaret' is so good that a book plug is the least we can do.

A sterling selection of a smaller Agapanthus which has lots of small heads of dark blue flowers, We dug this from the personal garden of our friends from Hedgerows Nursery upon their retirement and moving away. A very choice selection and not to be confused with the clone 'Midknight Blue'.

This is one hell of a plant. Flower stalks to 5 feet tall with admittedly small heads of flowers but the individual florets are large and quite long. These drooping pendants are the color you dream about in Agapanthus - a deep and dark smoking blue-black that you can look at eye to eye. Awesome is so overused but if you put effin' in front, it works with this plant.