China

Mondo Grass. Our collection from Asia. This was shorter-growing than the other species we observed in the area and the leaves were comparatively glossier. The autumn blue fruit was oval shaped and we could only hope the flowers would be good. Our hopes were not misplaced as the white flowers are large for an Ophiopogon and different than our other collections. This is a dense carpeter rather than a clumper.

Holly-leafed Sweetspire. Awesome evergreen shrub not unlike an effete Garrya in habit and flower but that is perhaps an unfair portrayal. This has grown for decades in the Arboretum in Seattle as a fine free-standing shrub. It really shines as a wall plant with a natural lax habit and the 10"-12" green-white scented flower tapers are fantastic in summer.

A collection from Japan by the Wynn-Jones from the higher elevations in the mountains of the Kinki Peninsula in central Honshu. This is very similar to the clone 'Maroon Beauty' which is no diminishment. Good purplish leaves with paler highlights and impressive flowers for a Sax with tall stems bearing flocks of white blooms. Moist and shade.

We first encountered this species in the fall of 1997 when we were on the mid to lower slopes of the Cangshan Mountains looking down to the barely discernible 3 Pagodas of Dali fronting the broad expanse of Lake Erhai. This groundcover species formed broad carpets of evergreen foliage covering the large rocks on the boulder-strewn slope so as to give the impression of a tumultuous green sea frozen in place. The day sounds much better than it was, for back in 97 there was but a rough single track road to the higher elevations and on that day our jeeps were blocked by a massively overloaded lorry whose driveline had failed under the weight of massive marble blocks quarried from the higher reaches. The truck was gradually sinking into the mud with just a few inches of clearance and a young skinny boy had been fetched from downslope to slither underneath and effect repairs, which was going to take many hours at best. This meant we were stranded at low elevation with a bunch of botanically fascinating, marginally hardy plants which was not our goal. We made the best of it and one of our new acquaintances was this Ficus.

We were pleased as punch when our friend Jim Fox gifted us with cuttings he took from Roy Lancaster's garden where it is growing as a foundation plant against his home. It was not a stretch to think that this plant was from the same population we had seen as Roy had traveled this same road years earlier as part of the Sino-British Expedition to Cangshan. Sadly we can't grow this outside here in our gardens but if you are lucky enough to have only very light frosts or none at all, then this would be a fine groundcover. This does have small reddish figs but stick to the ones you get at the store.

A mouthful we'll grant you, for this Epimedium from Guizhou, China. Vigorous evergreen species with long leaves in 3's in stems to 18" tall. This can get to 4' or more wide and will provide a mass of inspired texture. The mist of up to 150 tiny white and yellow flower motes per stem are curious contrast to the substantial foliage. Does well at Chicago Botanic Garden.

Second-generation plants from our original collection of this large shrub to small tree in southern China. Glossy evergreen leaves and large fried egg flowers - white petals with a yolk of yellow stamens - in October-November. A gorgeous plant for mild gardens where frost won't turn the white blooms Camellia brown.

Cutting-grown plants of this evergreen Dogwood from our collection in Asia. Quite a handsome plant in both the wild and our garden which sports soft yellow flowers in June and July. Later, the round red fruit go from being attractive ornament on the tree to tasty snacks on the trail. Which is how we got ours. Our tree in the garden has handled low teens in the winter surprisingly well.

A choice little woodland groundcover from our collection in a high elevation coniferous forest in Yunnan where it grew not far from Primula sonchifola and Megacodon stylophorus. Slow carpeter with white flowers and small pale orange fruit nestled in the nicely textured leaves.. Choice and not invasive by a long shot.

Our collection of this most impressive vining Monkshood. Sumptuous flowers of a good blue with a white interior This one is a real cracker and these will easily grow 8'-12' or even 15' tall provided they have something to twine onto. An immense treat in August and September. And deer resistant!

This was quite a pleasing sight as we slogged up the muddy trail of an obscure mountain in Guizhou with the rain coming down and the slopes wreathed in thick fog and the contemplation of setting up a very wet camp later was weighing down our normally plant-happy attitudes which are the norm when out in the field and we were just starting to grumble when we came around a corner and saw looming out of the mist and overhanging the trail, branches of this fine Malus laden with small cheery lemon-yellow crab apples each bejeweled in glittering raindrops and it was like gazing upon a constellation of anti-depressants. What rain? What mud? All is forgotten with a good dose of plant hunter's little helpers. Small trees to 15' with broad, irregular crowns and likely white flowers.

Mountain Ash. Our collection from Dragon's Elbow Mt in Sichuan from 4300 meters where this was a graceful small tree to 25' with pendulous clusters of small pink-flushed fruit. The bipinnate leaves are dainty in appearance with each leaflet quite small and taking on good scarlet-red coloration in fall. Clustered small white flowers in late spring.

Three year old bulbs of this incomparably garden-worthy species. This is from a slightly more eastern extension to its range than currently recognized and was found just as drier Pinus forest changed to wetter, mixed deciduous forest. Fragrant white flowers with some purple coloration in the interior on stems 8'-12' tall is 3-4 years. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

These are cutting-grown from a plant Steve Hootman found growing in a garden in Philadelphia where it was defying conventional wisdom as to its hardiness. Being a savvy sort of fellow, he snagged a few cuttings thinking this might prove to be very useful. We think so too although we have not yet trialed it out in our garden. So many plants, so little space. This does seem promising and if your are looking for a small-leafed evergreen creeper that will cling to rocks or a wall, then this might be just the ticket.

This is from seed collected in 2010 at 3500' from cliffs on the lower slopes of Fanjingshan in Guizhou. What fun it was to see this gesneriad in the wild! Purplish flowers are held on short 4" stems and this is a must-have if you fancy Afican Violets and Streptocarpus. Frost-free and good drainage.

Our collection at 9000' from the summit of highest peak in the Wuming Shan in SW China. This Allium was prevalent in the grazed grass and scrub summit with tall 12"-20" scapes and nice 2"+ half dome pink flowers. The local minority people harvest the bulbs for food. This was the first Western botanical foray to this mountain.

No shipping to the State of: OR A nice dwarf evergreen Blueberry from Yunnan and Sichuan where it is found growing epiphytically in large trees of evergreen oak and hemlock. This is a very good garden plant needing an airy organic soil. The foliage has salmon to red colors depending on the season. Fall small fruit.

Distinctive Chinese species with this variety being especially so with its narrow evergreen leaves well-measeled in creamy yellow spots. Clustered small red-purple flowers give way to large red fruit in fall which is just another bit of ornament for this tough plant which can tolerant dark shade and neglect. This brings a full helping of textural necessity to the shade garden.

Our first thought after acquiring this and temporarily satisfying the plant lust monkey on our back, was "Why would anyone want a white-flowered pleianthum?" The flowers are surprising good, that's why. Large for the species and well-formed, with the petals fully expanded and not crepe-paper crumpled- which we enjoy - as is often the case. These are young plants.

A pinnate-leafed Mountain Ash with long narrow leaflets. This was a sizeable tree to 30'-40' where it joined the canopy of other trees such as a nearby Gamblea. The tree itself had a muscular grace in its open and clean lines of trunk and branch, large red terminal bud and red and yellow fall color. From an area infrequently visited by western botanists. Few available.

It would be a shame not to grow this rose at least once in your gardening life. Gorgeous single flowers of an entrancing terracotta red which stirs an ancient response from deep within the limbic, the same subliminal urges provoked by lipstick. Beautiful large orange-red hips decorate this big-time shrub.