P

A very elegant species combining refinement of foliage and flower. Rounded leaflets softly tinted in flesh tones back the single pink goblet shaped flowers. Exquisite is a word not used lightly here. A denizen of the Japanese woodlands, this performs beautifully in full to part shade. The flowers, while small, are not to be discounted as the presentation is very good. What is better are the flamboyant starfish seed pods which open in fall to reveal a jewel box of glistening seeds like blue-black pearls nestled in the carnelian of infertile seeds. Fair to say this is the queen of our shade garden in the fall and all who view her display become instant loyal subjects. These are seedlings that are a few years from blooming size.

This diminutive Felt Fern is widely distributed in China and Taiwan and differs quite markedly from the increasingly ubiquitous Pyrrosia lingua with 6" strappy leaves soft as the ears on our friends' new kittens, Oliver and Stanley. This would be found as an epiphyte in trees or shaded rock outcrops or cliffs that are moist, where it grows nearly horizontal. Would make an excellent stumpery groundcover element.

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.

This is the Award of Garden Merit form of the species which has a superior presentation in its fronds which are blessed with a long terminal pinnae. And really, who doesn't want a long terminal pinnae? The typical species is a familiar sight growing on the trunks of our native Bigleaf Maples here in western Washington but this form is rare.