Europe

This was a purchase by the Miller Botanic Garden in the late 90's from the RHS store at Wisley and to our knowledge, is not available in this country and very scarce elsewhere. An early bloomer, in fact, it is flowering now this late December in its pots sitting outside unprotected as we have had a relatively mild winter so far. Huge flowers resembling an elwesii Whittall Group but it isn't according to Galanthophiles we know. Increases well and a good performer in the garden. Yes, it is one bulb.

Choice Romanian species with evergreen leaves and blue flowers. This spreads by creeping rhizomes and in time, you can divide and spread about the garden or dangle as elite trade bait among your gardening friends. Grown from seed given us by our friend and Hepatica King, John Massey.

Spring Vetchling. One of the stars of the early spring garden, this perennial bush Pea makes a soft-textured clump with scads of lavender-pink Pea flowers. Combines well with Hellebores and Narcissus and is virtually pest-free. Low-maintenance - just cut back in fall.

Maidenhair Spleenwort. We love common names. We must dig out our 15th century Herbal and read up on how to properly decoct this sweet little fern for afflicting humors of the spleen. Or we can just grow it in a gritty well-drained shaded rock garden and enjoy its evergreen delicate appearance which belies its rugged constitution. This little fern grows throughout the northern part of the northern hemisphere and just has a small foothold in our North Cascades. One of our favorite sights of this fern was when we did the Coast to Coast walk in northern England in the epic rainy summer of 2012 and we walked close to 200 miles through the Lakes District and Yorkshire Dales and Moors. We saw this growing everywhere naturalized on old stone walls, stone bridges and stone buildings. Very attractive and a clue to its drainage preferences.

Awesome Sweet William selected by John Grimshaw from seedlings at Monksilver Nursery and is notable for the foliage which turns maroon-black providing the perfect foil for the velvety maroon clustered flowers which smells of chocolate in warm weather - damn! Cut back after flowering for another go around. John personally gave us a piece from his garden so we have a fond attachment. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering. Proceeds from this offering go to support the mission of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy.

Lovely species in the group formerly placed in the genus Dentaria referring to their crinkled molar-like rhizomes. We do enjoy the the color of the purple-pink flowers in early spring but there is a quality of texture and sheen to the leaves that makes us consistently murmur 'I like that plant" whenever we pass by it.

A very small white-flowered version of the typical European species generously shared with us by our friend John Massey of Ashwood Nurseries in England. This is very petite - just an inch or two high in leaf and ideal for that special spot just waiting for the keen-eyed visitor to spot and covet while you go "Oh, that old thing." Best under deciduous shrubs or trees to get full light through flowering and new leaf expansion.

A sport of 'Jenny' found at Bressingham Gardens in England. This is a compact and dwarf double pink flowered perennial mound of delight. The main display is May-June but there is some rebloom clear into Fall. The double flowers are sterile so there is none of that pesky reseeding which can be an issue with Lychnis. Zone 6b and sun.

Willow Gentian. One of the truly excellent late summer/early fall blooming plants which jazzes up the shade garden with lots of stems in a circular arching vase shape with ranks of blue to lavender blue to sky blue flowers ranked along the stems. Just what you need when you are sick of Hostas. *These are seedlings and flower color will vary*

Hardy species in the Gesneriaceae or African Violet family from Greece and Bulgaria where it favors shaded rocky outcrops. Our old mama plants fill a 3 gallon pot with a packed dome of evergreen leafy rosettes that give rise to 4"-5" stems with flowers of pale lavender faces and dark corolla base. Great starter plant for newbies to hardy gesneriads and it is so rewarding that even the long-time collectors have to confess to feeling that familiar thrill when it flowers. Good drainage, excellent in north-facing crevice of rock wall.

This little European Woods Anemone is aptly named as an established patch of this in full flower is indeed purity and chastity personified although I have enough miles on me that experiences with either purity or chastity have been relegated to the dustbin of uncertain memory. The white flowers with a central button of doubleness makes this selection the most oft requested Anemone nemorosa in our shade garden. Carol Klein once described this as "the bell of the ball" when comparing it to other Anemone nemorosa cultivars and we find nothing in that statement to dispute.

There really isn't anything like this - a plant with no comparables. Early spring yellow stars followed by leathery lobed green leaves in a dense low mound. It is the early yellow flowers that steal the show in part because they have so little competition and in part because they are so unique. As the season progresses, the yellow bracts turn to green and look like perfect green flowers well into summer. We did a little plant profile on this for Fine Gardening spring of 2011.

A no-fuss restrained yet refined evergreen Cardamine which is nearly faultless. We haven't found a fault yet but most overachievers are hiding something deep under that charm and industry. Rest assured, this will never go postal in your garden. Dark green dense leaves set off flowers of of purest white in early summer.

One of the good rock garden plants that is actually pretty easy to grow. Related closely to our Douglasia of the Olympics, this little jewel from the Pyrennees and Dolomites has yellow flowers nearly covering the foliage in late spring. Good drainage and not terribly dry.

This is what we have offered previously as Soldanella species. It looks to be a match to the Bulgarian Soldanella rhodopaea and the seedlings come true so we are reasonably confident of the identification. Soldanella is a Primrose relative native to the high meadows in the mountains of Europe. This is one we received from Collector's Nursery with dark violet flowers - very choice! Evergreen and clumping, this takes the same conditions as Primroses.

No shipping to Maryland. Highly regarded in the Uk and Europe but not well known on this side of the pond but we are trying to correct that. Beautifully grown in Linda McDonald's garden which should be reason enough for anyone to grow it. Coarse and hirsute foliage to 2' with reddish flowers on 4; stems.

To find fault with this bit of botanical jewelry would be to put on display character defects so profound that your friends would desert you in droves while making plans for your involuntary institutional incarceration. Perfect marbled leaves subtend appleblossom pink-white flowers of larger size than typical. Shade garden pizzazz.

From Wendy Perry of Bosvigo Plants in S. England comes this unfortunately scarce and choice Campanula. Gently and very controllably spreading to make an impressive clump with spires of pure white flowers. Pairs impeccably with Hosta 'Patriot'.

A less commonly encountered species which calls the Rhodopi and Pirin Mts of Bulgaria home. This has lavender-blue flowers finely fringed in very narrow petals on a flower that is more widely open than related species. Small rounded evergreen leaves are a pleasure all year but it’s the flowers that makes your toes tingle in spring.

Awesome little plant with fresh winter foliage which gives way to 8"-12" tall dense stems with an improbable number of pure white double flowers. Goes summer dormant so don't panic although we still do. Cool plant native to the UK and Europe and favoring vernally wet areas.