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123 products
One of the better selections of Aucuba and very rare in the nursery trade. This was brought to the US by the now defunct Asiatica Nursery and shared with us by Lance Reiners. Narrow leaves consistently freckled in gold presents as major pizzazz with unmistakable elegance. A tough evergreen tolerant of dry shade once established. Zones 7-9.
Interesting and showy Japanese species that makes tidy little evergreen clumps. This is a just too darned slow to ever make it a viable plant for mainstream nurseries but it so worth the wait. So of course we love it! Unusual lavender-pink flowers held well above the foliage. These will slowly increase to make one sweet little grouping. Good moist soil in shade. The whole clan appeals to us beyond reason - Helonias and Ypsilandra are stellar relatives. We have a few very chunky plants we've kept for propagation but now that we have enough in the pipeline, these stalwarts are expendable. It's tough love here at The Farm but we know you'll do right by them.
Lespedeza bicolor can be an invasive pest but this dwarf version from Japan is a non-invasive pixie. Small blue green leaflets in 3's on a many-stemmed 12" tall deciduous bush to twice as wide or a bit more. Cute reddish purple pea-like flowers are perfectly in keeping with the tidy presentation. From a friend on Cape Cod.
This tasteful perennial from Japan bides its time in the shade garden as the floral hoi polloi scrabble for attention during spring and summer. Once the fracas has died down, this takes center stage in September and October with its intricately constructed buds like little pieces of sculpture which open to fuzzy light lavender flowers.
A scarce selection from Japan with white feathering at the ends of the leaves. Typical habit for the species which is great because you will want a nice clump of this! White flowers as well at the tips of the 4"-6' stems and all in all, a sophisticated addition to the shade garden.
This is a heralded Japanese Jack in the Pulpit whose species name sikokianum I believe translates into English as 'divine whup-ass' because this truly and gloriously kicks some tail in the garden. A mysterious yet provocative regal beauty. A classic for the shade garden. Small plants grown from seed shared by our pal Jacques, thanks JT!
Uncommon Toad Lily that is is uncommonly hard to find as well as uncommonly beautiful. Bold broad leaves clasp sturdy stems which support big yellow flowers at their terminus. Less vigorous than its brethren it is nonetheless plenty stout of heart and a true jewel in the garden.
Chunky well-established pots of this uncommon selection. A robust taller species whose leaves sport a moonlit sliver of variegation on the upper leaf margin. This is more than enough for the variegated-obsessed despite it benefiting from the magnifier function on your phone. Well-displayed large white bells.
AKA 'Silver Stripe', 'Silver Lining'. This Japanese selection is totally Japanese. Presented in exquisite understatement are the elements of design, function and harmony plus all of those other mysterious criteria which our video-deadened occidental minds cannot begin to grasp but can still appreciate the inclusion. Silver stripes on the leaves puts this at another level.
Tongue Ferns are widespread in China and Japan where they can be epiphytic as well as lithophytic on rocks. Fantastic variants are being selected by the cult followers of Pyrrosia in Japan and "Tachiba Koryu' is one with evergreen blade-like leaves sporting rounded lobes along the margins. Does fantastic at Peckerwood Gardens near Houston. We have seen the species making impressive colonies on rock faces or in mossy rubble during various China forays and it is always like coming across an old friend in the forest. This is best grown in loose, well drained soil and would be happy in a rotting stump or lightly shaded scree bed.
Another excellent selection shared with us by Jan and Marty, this has flowers with a reverse of rich purplish-pink and faces of lavender pink that are washed in white. Each petal is gently heart-shaped which is very fortunate when one considers the possibilities offered by other organs. And we will stop right there.
Luscious variegated selection out of Japan of this small evergreen shrub. The leaves are heavily frothed and patterned in creamy whites which can take on some pink depending on the season and exposure. No two leaves are alike on this new wave plant canvas. Small white flowers under the branches. Small but nice plants.
A very good evergreen fern native to Taiwan, China and Japan which we imported from a specialist in the UK. Tidy and attractive species reaching 30" wide with fronds to 20" tall, this requires shade to part shade. And brace yourself - it is tolerant of dry shade! Happier of course with some water, Spore-grown by us.
A rare Toad Lily restricted to a small area of moist cliffs in Kyushu, Japan where its long 2'-3' arching stems can hang in excellent presentation of its upward-facing yellow flowers. This would look pretty fantastic in a container or planted in a Fern stumpery if flowers were allowed. Cool summers and moist - not for hot interior gardens so great here.
A fine selection of this deciduous Japanese species which was introduced by We-Du Nursery. Sizable flowers of rich purple are the hallmark of this plant and it more than holds it own against more recent hybrids. All Epimediums can't be painted with the same drought tolerant brush and this one appreciates more water than the real drought tolerant species.
Light pink starry flowers grace this covetous form of this wee Japanese species. A gentle peregrinator spreading by short stolons and making a fine little clump which manages to evoke a warm fuzzy feeling in both the jaded collector as well as your average "dirt" gardener. We live in both worlds and we like it. A lot.
Bulbs of this exquisitely choice red-flowered variant of this shorter species. Saturated red interior with a white and red exterior - dang! This normally flowers 5-6 years from seed and these are a good age to get established for maximum oomph when flowering. You will be forgiven for any horticultural braggadocio!
Oyster Leaf. The leaves are edible and taste - and feel - exactly like raw oysters. If raw oysters are your thing, this is an OMG veg alternative. The now closed El Bulli in Catalonia, regarded as one of the greatest restaurants ever, ran with Oyster Leaf innovative ways. Loved to have tried the leaves striped in golden caviar and splashed with Grey Goose. Beautiful glaucous blue-green leaves on sprawling stems tipped in small sky blue flowers. This likes ample nutrition. Perennial and dormant in winter. This is a plant of just above high tide line on cold northern hemisphere beaches from Maine to Greenland and Japan to Alaska so if you have a cool to cold garden, here you go.
Choice selection from Japan that is necessary. This small species gets to just 12" tall and has superb soft yellow variegated foliage in spring and early summer which matures to a light green. If it kept the preponderance of yellow then this would be a skinny and underfed selection but the summer chlorophyll kicks in just in time to give this vigor.
Frosted Jade Ajuga. A rare Ajuga the likes of which you may have never seen. We all are familiar with the utilitarian carpeting-with-abandon slug magnet ubiquitous in gardens everywhere. This is a different critter altogether and resembles Bugleweed about as much as a Bichon Frise does a Junkyard Dawg. Stays put in a clump with erect stems to 16" with showy leaves of white, green and cream and intense violet blue flowers. This has been one of the most asked about plants in our shade garden and when we say what it is, the answer usually is "That's an Ajuga? Do you have it?" It is completely deciduous as well which is another mind boggler. And for slugs - they do like this one too, but really it is mainly the new shoots in early spring. We just keep an eye on the growth and if they are getting nibbled then we go out one or two evenings and inflict bodily harm and don't worry much about the plant afterwards.