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Our wild collection of this Chilean endemic equivalent of the more commonly cultivated New Zealand Kowhai (Sophora microphylla). Possessed of the same elegant double rows of rounded leaves and lush yellow bell flowers held in clusters. Sophoras are very common street trees in Chilean towns which is a habit I would love to see copied here, and suggests that they are quite tough in regards to soil. Cautiously optimistic about the hardiness of these in WA.

A Chilean collection of this narrow-endemic shrub of the pea family locally known as mayo, though with none of the plainness of its homonymic counterpart. This boasts the lovely elongated golden bells one loves the genus for but adds in evergreen foliage, and of a richly lustrous dark green no less. This of course comes with the caveat of less-than-hardiness, with those plants grown in the UK favoring mild coastal spots, though the genetics of this batch have yet to be winter tested there are plants growing at the Miller garden in Seattle. A lovely bit of exotica for the adventurous type or beneficiary of a kind clime.

These are seedlings from our much-coveted tree on our border which is a superior selection introduced by the Univeristy of British Columbia. The tree is apomictic which means the seeds are gentically identical to the parent. Blue-green leaves, white flowers and stunning pink fruit in summer.

As a plant hunter and explorer, it doesn’t get any better than being part of a team that finds and introduces a species new to science and we were tasked with growing this from very limited seed.  It is even better when that species is not new because it is obscure with minor taxonomic differences from other known Asian species but instead, waves those richly ornamental characteristics like a flag.  The main feature that jumps right out at you on this entire-leafed tree is the tawny amber indumentum on the underside of the leaves which tantalizes spring into fall, the latter time enhanced by the orange-red fruit. This has also been collected by a French nursery from a different area but likely the same mountain range.  This very limited offering is from one clone propagated by cuttings. 

An uncommon New World subtropical blueberry relative native to the Andes. Can be epiphytic and has hanging thin branches up to 5' long but usually shorter with rounded pale green leaves. Just looks like it wants to be on a dripping cliff by a waterfall. Egg-shaped flowers that are white-pink with darker tips followed by translucent violet-tinged edible berries much like Agapetes. No frost. Way nifty.

Fantastic little gem from the high mountains of Taiwan collected by our friend Philip MacDougall. Our mama plant from him is several years old and is a compact dome 2' tall and wide. Early summer has this adorned in small heads of dark pink buds which open to dense heads of clustered flowers which have a pink throat with a corolla edge of pale pink to near white. Will gently self-seed but not overly so and who could begrudge a few extras.

An adorable little dwarf Stachys we salvaged out of maniac plant collector Marian Raitz's garden.  Lilac-plum 10" flower spikes in midsummer are perfect arising from the soft cottony foliage.  Low small-scale groundcover for full to half sun.

This species is known as the "Silky Camellia" and while not a camellia it is as valuable and coveted as silk and in many ways as finicky to produce. A fine trader indeed is the one willing to travel the route by which seed can be procured, and our botanical Marco Polo in this case is the Stewartia king of Georgia, Jack Johnston. You'll need a bit of woodland shade in your Xanadu and careful handling as these don't like root disturbance but when the large white blossoms embossed with a center of deep purple blue-anthered stamens gets going your garden will become stately pleasure dome the envy of which will spread across continents.

Thanks to Will Johnson for sharing pictures from the parent plants in Jack's garden!