Japan

An unusual Asian hydrangea relative that has quietly won us over by growing larger each year and consistently flowering under a regime which could only be generously described as one of benign neglect. This makes a small broadly rounded twiggy deciduous shrub to 2'-3' in the garden although older specimens in the wild are said to get to 5'. Narrow willow-like green leaves with small teeth along the margins combine well with the late summer-fall small white flowers. The 4-petaled fertile flowers have a prominent yellow button of stamens which the infertile flowers lack. We have seen accounts of this growing well in North Carolina and southern Indiana. This will be happiest in light shade or part eastern sun. Platycrater hails from southeastern China in provinces near to Shanghai and also from Shikoku in Japan. These two geographical populations are separated by some authorities based on hairs on the leaf underside and we are making a note to self to take the hand lens to a leaf as soon as we can. Why not now you ask? How can you leave us hanging in such suspense? It is winter as we type this and there are no leaves but we will get to it asap!

Oxalis griffithii is an uncommon woodland clumper from Japan with single white flowers typically. Rarely can you find the double white form which is quite choice. Scarcer than hen's teeth is the double flowered pink form which marks you as a collector of the highest caliber. This is one of those botanical treasures where feeling smug is justified.

Crazy piece of work but in the best possible way. This is a sport of this Japanese azalea species which would typically have the usual thumb-shaped leaves and wide flower petals but in this selection, the leaves and pink flower petals have become very long and thin like decorative sushi garnish. Nothing like it and a universal must-have.

A robust form of the species collected by Dr. Peter Zale. We have long been enamored by this genus and this fine form simply fans the flames of our ardor. Here in March, the exotic pink flowers stand proud over the evergreen rosettes of leaves. We view the recent merging into Helonias with skepticism.

Fragrant Princess False Holly or so the translation goes. You cannot help but like this diminutive version with its deep green miniature hollyesque leaves and its scented typical Osmanthus-sized white flowers. This grows ridiculously slow and should you live long enough, plan on having a garden party when your aged Fragrant Princess reaches 3 feet tall. On second thought, better plan on that party when she reaches 2 feet.

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.

Japanese Turtlehead. This light shade loving perennial has late season pink flowers shaped like a foxglove but for us, it is most evocative of an erect Nothochelone nemerosa which is a familiar native wildflower if you are a hiker in the Olympic or Cascade Mts. This makes a nice clump giving a valuable late show.

An intricate floral array on this selection with broad snowflake flowers softly imbued with a frosted lavender pink. The center of each flower is a white starry eye and the fine edge of the petals sparkle with touches of icy nibs. An aptly named selection and our thanks to Jan and Marty for upgrading our sieboldii offering with this and others.

Heloniopsis is a genus we would be loathe to garden without and we are always ln acquisition mode for new ones. This is a Japanese selection which has flowers of a deeper pink-lavender versus the typical lavender-pink - a distinction apparent when grown side by side. We notice as well in our cool greenhouse, the foliage coloring in red tones in winter. A charming bit of exotica for the shade garden.

Monkshood. This is a fine wildflower from Japan making attractive clumps with cowled dusky lavender flowers. This has been an easy doer increasing easily and the clumps are a snap to divide if you want more. And we always do. This not one for the sunny garden but best in morning sun or light shade. This doesn't get tall staying under 3' and isn't anything to worry about staking. Just a quietly lovely plant except for the unfortunate derisive comments it hurls at passing deer as it is completely unpalatable. Fortunately this commentary lies outside the range of human hearing so there is little chance of offending invited guests.

Mioga Ginger. A treasured food crop in Japan where the new shoots are prized as a vegetable and the flower buds are considered a delicacy when diced and added to soup. This is a true ginger although it lacks the big rhizome of the culinary variety. What it does have over the gingerbread ginger is hardiness. This is the hardiest of the Zingibers and our friend Aaron Floden tells us he grew this in Kansas without any special protection and temperatures regularly got to -15F and it did not suffer. This clumps up quickly in rich moist soil in shade with 3' green leafy stems and produces exotic small orchid-like creamy yellow flowers at ground level in late summer and fall. It's a no-brainer for fall cleanup because the leaf stalks turn yellow and fall over breaking off cleanly from the crown so all you have to do is pick them up. Or not if you are into self-mulching plants.

Black Mondo Grass. One of the classiest ornamentals and maybe the best for providing color and textural contrast, this can find a home in any garden. Fairly drought tolerant but thriving in more moist situations, this has evergreen (or everblack) leaves with pink flowers and shiny black pearl seeds. The cultivar names 'Nigrescens', 'Niger', and 'Black Dragon' have been very recently subsumed into 'Kokuryu'.