China

A tuberous species allied to Begonia taliense and differing mainly in the shallow lobes of the leaves. This is native to SW Sichuan and the Zhongdian Plateau in Yunnan. This has reasonable hardiness as it grows up to 2600 meters and is excellent in zone 8 gardens especially if you winter mulch. A low and densely clumping species with bright pink flowers late in summer.

Codonopsis are curious things. These are herbaceous vining relatives of Campanula or Bellflowers and seem an unlikely expression of such. From an almost bulbous root arises several tendril shoots which love to twine into surrounding shrubs from which to display their 2" dusky lavender star shaped flowers. Usually the foliage carries a musky scent but true confessions, we can't remember if this species does writing this as we are in the middle of winter. An unlikely armature for such improbable and lovely flowers. Many species of Codonopsis are dug in the wild as their roots are eaten although we wouldn't encourage you to try it. There's carrots in the market after all. These are young plants but should flower this year.

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.

Keying Ophiopogon requires a keener taxonomic mind than we possess plus a bottle of sippin' whiskey within easy reach as it is a frustrating endeavor. This is a little gem forming loose open tussocks of fine bladed grassy green leaves which provides excellent viewing of the comparatively large brilliant blue fruit. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering. Proceeds from this offering go to support the mission of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy.

This purple-flowered groundcover Skullcap is from our friends at Free Spirit Nursery in British Columbia where they only grow hardy plants - zone 5 or lower. We've come to regard them as brilliant. Low growing to 8" tall and spreading by rhizomes. Looked great in the Free Spirit garden.

Climbing Monkshood. This is from our seed collection on the Chongqing-Guangxi-Guizhou expedition in 2010. We found this on the summit of the previously unbotanized highest peak in the Wumingshan where it was clambering about on the top of the short scrub. We were struck by the large seed pods. Light to mid-blue flowers on stems that can reach 10'-15' on this vining Monkshood. This a widespread and variable species in China one we find most appealing.

Seedlings from this very good named form of the very variable Anemone obtusiloba which ranges at higher altitudes across the Himalaya into western China. Our mama plant came home with us from Scotland and is notable for larger blue flowers with 3-4 extra petals beyond the usual 5. We expect these youngsters to carry on the family tradition. Starts flowering early in spring with main flush in late spring but sporadic bloom during summer. A small species suited to a larger trough, rock garden or special spot in light shade.

A Hinkley collection of this very collectible Trillium relative from China. The 7-12 narrow leaves are arranged like spokes on a wheel and have short deep purple petioles. The flowers are the typical Paris expression of atypical nonconformity with lots of green and spidery filaments. We have not keyed this yet to verify the name but it is quite rhizomatous and is not of the widespread polyphylla clan. Divisions.

What madness possessed us to make this esoteric cross between the usual maroon flowered species and the white flowered form? Consequences of a very liberal drug and alcohol policy is perhaps the best guess. Unflowered seedlings which will be either typical maroon pleianthum, typical white pleianthum f. alba or shades in between. We can definitively say the flowers will not be blue.

Our collection from Asia from a mountain range little explored by westerners. One of the rhizomatous types allied to palmata which we expect will have hardiness down into zone 8 especially if mulched. Flowers are either pink or white - memory has failed but can say definitively they are not blue.

These are second generation plants from our original seed collection in Yunnan in 1997. Beautiful open airy deciduous shrubs with fabulous hanging racemes of lavender pea flowers like a miniature wisteria blossom. Good drainage and let it get dry late summer to promote hardiness.

Our collection from the Gang Ho Ba in Yunnan at around 10000' back in '97 during our first plant hunting trip to China. This was growing in open woodland up against a massive rock the size of a dump truck with Arisaema consanguineum, Paeonia delavayi, Primula forrestii and Dipelta yunnanensis as companions. The big pinnate leaves were impossible not to notice. This has tall stems 36"- 44" with nice layers of white flowers.

A simply stunning sport found in a patch of Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' by plantsman and all-around good guy Roy Herold. Wide margins of cream and white on the green leaves bring some serious chutzpah to the shade garden and carry the show on long after the white flowers in late spring are but a memory.

Quite an uncommon evergreen species in cultivation from Shaanxi and Sichuan in China possessing an impish charm to which few others in the genus can lay claim. A smaller species with cute rounded leaflets which subtend stems bearing rounded simple flowers which are a soft yellow and quite distinct as they lack the familiar spurs found in many Epimediums. This has an innocence of beauty that taps into that same well of emotion which comes into play when you see a line of newly-hatched ducklings swimming behind their mother. Perhaps the lack of spurs on the flower indicates that this is a more primitive species in the evolutionary development of the genus and as a result, our reptilian "third brain' initiates a deep limbic nurturing response. These are the things we think about at 3 in the morning as we lay awake trying to go back to sleep. Good drought tolerance hardy to zone 5b.

We have just a handful of this choice form of the species in which the pinnae are distinctly undulated adding yet another layer of tasteful complexity to a species already awash in attributes. It really isn't fair to be born with gorgeous 6'-7' fronds but do you have to flaunt undulation too? Well, yes.

A Shayne Chandler collection from China of this most attractive species which has proven hardy in his garden as well as the equally mild garden at Heronswood both which are zone 8b. Lovely deeply lobed leaves liberally spotted in white and the late season pink flowers play well with the foliage. Mulch in winter zones 8a-7b and in colder areas, deeper mulch and using your microclimate siting to the max is advised until the hardiness limits of this species are better understood.

From a Chinese source as Anemone subpinnata, this is likely obtusiloba although there are other similar species. This has proved very floriferous and durable over the years making a good robust clump with lots of white flowers opening from rose-colored buds. These are nice plants from divisions.

Our collection of a good dark violet-pink version of this widespread Asian Allium. A very easy plant in the garden getting up to 20" tall and having the added bonus of being edible should emergency rations be needed. We had originally described this as being light pink based on some pale October flowers lingering in the cold mists clinging to the mountain but fortunately these turned out different in a very positive way.

Curious and uncommon walnut relative from our Asian seed collection where we found this as part of the rich mixture of trees and shrubs on steep mountain flanks. Pinnate leaves harkening to the family Juglandaceae but instead of nuts in a hard shell, this has nutlets in vertical ornamental cones which persist all winter. Too cool for school! The small cones have very small and insignificant yellowish flowers in June and July but the value comes from the long winter interest.

A medium sized tree in the wild, this is from the same remote mountain which yielded the first introductions of Schefflera fengii and Rhododendron sinofalconeri some 25 years ago and has not been revisited since. Vigorous tree with copious white flowers we presume followed by nutlets. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering