China

These are seed-grown bulbs from our original plants which we grew from seed we collected in the Cangshan in 1997. We were midway up the flank of the mountain and the weather cleared just enough to allow a glimpse far down to the plain below where the famed 3 Pagodas of Dali stood as faint pencil strokes fronting the wide expanse of Lake Erhai. A sight we will never forget. This a truly fabulous Lily relative with wide-open flowers dotted in maroon which open pink but age to white. When I go to the great compost pile in the hereafter, it is understood that Nomocharis pardanthina are to be strewn liberally on my casket. Rare and very choice. These are naturally small bulbs but they may well flower this spring. This will appreciate a cool site in light shade to morning sun. We know the related Nomocharis aperta can take a tough zone 5 winter and hopefully these can as well but we tend to be conservative so are sticking to zone 6 until we know different.

Dan Hinkley collection of this incredible member of the Witch Hazel family. Glossy evergreen leaves emerge as flattened paddles and unfold into a shape best described as a rounded duck's foot held on yellow-green petioles all making for an extremely unique silhouette. The Vietnamese collections of this species tend not to be hardy in Zone 8 but this collection of Hubei provenance is growing well at Windcliff, so here's to hoping!

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.

Cannot ship to DE, MA, ME, NH, RI, WV. An uncommon species collected by Steve Hootman, one of the best plant hunters of the modern era. Steve is the Director at the Rhodendron Species Botanic Garden and he found this in the Chinese Himalaya. Smaller and more prostrate than R. laurifolium. Greenish flowers.

From Sichuan where this was growing in an open position in a lightly shaded glade at about 10000' in elevation. This has small leaves shaped much like a pointed canoe paddle with flower stems to 10"-15" tall bearing small round heads of white flowers sometimes with a diffused pink keel to the outer petals as many in this collection do. We always like finding this species as they do vary and finding an Allium that is at home in the shade garden is not a bad thing. This will continue to gain stature with maturity and do a bit of clumping.

A perennial mainstay in Europe and a key player in the Dutch and German Waves of garden design is this nearly perfect Fleece Flower and for darn good reason. This behaves itself and doesn't run or seed, just clumps and blooms all summer until frost. The white flowers provide critical contrast and a cooling point for the hot colors of the summer border - a visual iceberg for your fevered eye to stretch out belly flat like your hiking dog buddy does on that lingering snowbank high in the mountains in late summer. Very hardy, very easy, this works with nearly everything and will make you look like you have realized your potential.

Diminutive member of the true Ginger family, this little tuberous jewel makes up in volume what it lacks in size. Exotic small orchid-like flowers of soft pink. These increase by offsets and self sow making a grand little patch time with loads of the intricate little flowers.

Our collection from Asia of this Solomon Seal where it grew at 5500' in a mixed old growth forest of broadleaf evergreen and deciduous trees along with massive Rhododendrons. This was handsome in fruit with black fruit hanging under the leaves on the 18" tall arching stems. Two to six small white flowers in the leaf axils.

One of the class acts of the winter blooming shrub world. This lemon yellow-flowered selection of the Paper Bush is an affirmation of spring with its late winter flowers on bare stems. The common name comes from the high quality paper once made from its bark. Sun to part sun for best bloom.

We have just a handful of young plants of this uncommon cultivar from Japan. Nioi means "scent" in Japanese and while we do appreciate that, it is the larger than usual heads of yellow flowers that we appreciate and is the largest of the clones we grow.

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.

One of the cutest Mondo Grasses around! This little Chinese species has very fine leaves making a tight little mound which is decorated with white flowers in spring. The flowers are not what grabs us though as they give way to rounded oval shiny blue fruits that beg to be admired. Easy in part shade.

Lilium rosthornii is an uncommonly interesting lily from China whose flowers reflect a design concept taken to its ultimate expression by an inveterate tinkerer. Three foot stems carry large, vivid orange flowers whose narrow petals are recurved into an impossible backbend with a twist thrown in for good measure. The exposed faces of the petals fairly bristle with polyp-like papillose projections while the revealed open throat displays a dark green star from which unashamedly project the very long stamens and pistils. Having traveled in India, the outlandish floral corollary that popped into our minds was of a sadhu performing in Cirque du Soleil. Google images for sadhu and all will be clear. Lilium rosthornii is similar to L. henryi but flowers a bit later with peak bloom in September for us and has narrow vertical seed capsules as opposed to more globose and pendant in L. henryi.

Sweet little gesneriad (African Violet family) from our collection in Asia in an area not botanized by westerners. This was common in soil pockets on rock faces where it formed rosettes of evergreen leaves with scapes (flower stems) to 10" tall. Up to 9 tubular light purple flowers on each reddish stem and we've had 6 stems in a 4" pot so we're talking some serious floral output here. Given its collection location, we expect this to be at least zone 8b hardy. Proceeds from this offering go to support the mission of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy.

Stunning introduction by the equally stunning Steve Hootman from the rich forests of the Myanmar border area. This epiphytic blueberry cousin has luscious pink, tubular, ribbed flowers accented by red squiggly chevrons with provocatively inviting, recurved yellow tips ringing the corolla mouth. Likely tolerates light brief frosts.

Lives up to it's common name of Felt Fern. Felty-soft, three to five-lobed fronds stay evergreen and have coppery undersides. Growing as an epiphyte in its native range, this prefers good drainage and a partly shady spot.  Spreads very slowly, but definitely worth the wait. What we are selling here is a predominantly 3-lobed form that is going around incorrectly as P. hastata.

A vigorous shrub outstanding for the wild edge or "natural" garden. A mass of thin kitty-wampus stems but with a general arching cascade effect. Delightful cigarillo shaped pink flowers. Good screening plant for creating a wall of a garden room. Deciduous and easy.

Superb small tree from an area not botanized by westerners. This will have showy panicles of white flowers in late spring - early summer and is notable for having slightly bronzy new growth which adds to the allure. It has done superbly in full exposure here for several years - mute testament to its tolerance of adversity!

This clone came from a knowledgeable plantsman in Vietnam and no data as to whether it was from a wild collection or a cultivated plant originating from China. Evergreen Solomon Seal relative with white bells under upright and slightly arching stems clad in alternate green leaves. Hardy in Kansas.

First US offering of this mind-melting mega must-have plant zombie drenched sheets fever lying about the price without a second thought to husband-wife-partner-mother forget to feed the dog dream Araliad. BIG leaves and sprays of snowball flowers. Go ahead, google it but don't say we didn't warn you. Young plants but will grow quickly. Tender but when has that stopped you?