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Seed-grown plants of this relatively newly introduced Rhododendron species originally collected by Jens Nilsen. Everything we get indirectly from Jens is exquisite and this is no exception. Large glossy leaves covered in thick hair set it apart from its brethren, and the large white flowers in mid-spring want nothing to do with averages either. Growing beautifully in a local Poulsbo garden, and likely to form a 6-10ft plant in time.
A collection by FRBC board member Cody Hinchliff of this very rarely seen species of Azara, notable for its broad leaves which at maturity are usually entire-margined rather than toothed like most other Chilean species. Will in time form a luscious large evergreen shrub whose supreme gloss is garden-worthy enough. In summer though is when it truly flourishes blossoming into a riot of green and gold when its flowers that are actually composed of primarily large clusters of bright yellow stamens break out along the stems. Given its rather rounded form we like to think that the common name of "goldspire" has more to do with it being inspirational than towering.
For once the embarrassingly long succession of names appended to this plant before arriving on what we now believe to be the correct one happened before we broadcast them online. Unfortunately that means you all have been kept waiting for far too long! All the time we were haunted by Flora of China keys for Lysimachia, Pseudolysimachion, and Veronicastrum these were gracefully waving their long tails of lavender-blue flowers out in the garden tantalizing. Very similar in appearance to our North American Veronicastrums but with longer and slightly larger flowers in the aforementioned blue-to-purple tones. Seemingly new to cultivation outside of China!
Add some spice to your food with this Japanese allium! Oh wait that would be Allium togarashi....
I guess that makes sense this is way more sweet than spicy. Ultra kawaii miniature allium with starry pink pom-pom flowers in late summer and early fall, only found on one small island off the coast of Shikoku (one of Japan's major islands) its rarity is only rivalled by its desirability. Likes a sandy soil.
Our wild collection of this Chilean endemic equivalent of the more commonly cultivated New Zealand Kowhai (Sophora microphylla). Possessed of the same elegant double rows of rounded leaves and lush yellow bell flowers held in clusters. Sophoras are very common street trees in Chilean towns which is a habit I would love to see copied here, and suggests that they are quite tough in regards to soil. Cautiously optimistic about the hardiness of these in WA.
A royal fern whose lineage through fern royalty was unspoilt until it graced our worn proletariat hands. The original plant of this form with tripinnate leaves, meaning one extra degree of division resulting in a feathery look, was found in Kerry, Ireland but subsequently lost to cultivation. 90 years later British pterido-maniac Martin Rickard chanced upon another in a ditch in that same county. From there it passed to local fern celebrity Sue Olsen and through her Hardy Fern Foundation to the Elisabeth Miller garden where its current caretaker Richie Steffen graciously bestowed upon me one single frond from which come all of these spore-grown plants. Don't worry if the fronds are not yet fully feathered, its a trait that develops and strengthens with age.
More like Agapetes viridobracteata, this is the green bracted form of this species we also grow from a Vietnamese collection that possesses the namesake red bracts. While not as flashy this has a charm of its own, the varying shades and textures of light green have a cool, refreshing quality like a chilled glass of mint tea on a hot day taken while lounging on an exotic veranda. These would prefer to be draped over their own veranda, preferably one made of rock or stump-age, given their epiphytic past. This grows outside at the Rhododendron Species Garden so definitely on the hardier side of the genus.
A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering
We grow an unreasonable amount of different Ophiopogon or mondo grass species and varieties. Unreasonable because they mostly just fuse together into one globular grassy ball in the mind due to their lack of distinguishing characters. The forbidden blue jelly beans of this particular collection are vivid as ever. Wild collected umbraticola is good enough already but if that's what this is then it is a particularly fine form with a large profusion of both flowers and fruits, with the latter being on the larger side of those we have encountered. Being called "dwarf" must have given these a Napoleon complex that led them to excel in other areas...
Potentially the first offering of this Taiwanese endemic fairy bells, collected by Pascal Bruggeman. Spindly green stems and narrow bladed leaves serve as the perfect garnish to the large, zesty, lemon-colored, waxen bells that rival even Kirengeshoma and set themselves apart from the more common Disporum uniflorum in their flared open mouth. That final pop of acid necessary for the balanced shade garden so coveted in fine gardening.
You know that friend who despite their nice but nothing-out-of-the-ordinary looks seems to inspire an inexplicable frenzy of devoted suitors? You know the one with the flirty charismatic air that you just can't place because you seem to be the only one not susceptible to their romantic magnetism? Well this is probably that friend to those of you on the other half of the country. Which is fine by us cause we don't need the competition in the DMs that are already chock full of a large diversity of nectar-hungry pollinators. What can we say, the tall elegance and up-for-anything attitude that sees V in both woodland edges and prairie meadows just has us hooked. Wild provenance plants from the Western edges (Iowa) of this Eastern U.S. native's range, these particular plants are hairy leaved and have flowers that start as bright pink buds that open to white. our friend Aaron made a mistake in introducing us to this one.
For me this tree always resides in a particular memory from my time at Yew Dell Gardens in Kentucky. In the middle of the workday, executive director Paul Cappiello came screaming by in one of the golf carts and said "hop in we're gonna go look at a tree". So I did and off we went, ripping through the arboretum at top speed until WHAM we were smacked in the face by a thick, heavenly floral scent. The source of which revealed itself when we turned the corner and entered a sun-flooded clearing where white petals danced in the air as they fell from a majestic beast of this species drenched in flowers. "I think this is the best snowbell species", Paul said and it was certainly hard to disagree in that moment, its hard to disagree now for that matter. You need this.
Perseus had to best a sea monster to get his Andromeda, and Sue had to cart hers all the way from Vermont for us to offer them. Meanwhile all you have to do is shell out a few measly shekels to get yours, modern-folk and their convenience economy I guess... Anyway it's easy to see why Sue was so attached and why this sole member of the genus was bestowed the name of a legendary Greek beauty. Slender glaucous leaves that lend it the more mundane name of bog rosemary form an elegant evergreen mound worthy of a spot even without flowers. Flushed pink lantern flowers which mark the plant as Ericaceae (and at their best can almost entirely cover the plant) are deserving of a detour on your winged flight aboard Pegasus. Likes moist to wet feet and needs a cool summer climate to thrive but will tough out even the coldest winters.
Ahh just another native Saxifragaceae you say, and shove it under the table where you don't have to look at it too often. That is until, one day you see emerging from the Marianas trench of the greenhouse, the yellow bristling maws from a pack of some benthic sea monsters. On second glance these resolve into the intricately grotesque little spires of flowers from this unassuming creeping herb. "We gotta propagate this" quickly follows in your internal monologue and you note this moment for future sales purposes. A stoloniferous lover of moist shade.
I would probably doubt the desirability of mauve if I didn't have a friend who claims that apricots, of all things, are her favorite fruit. To that end I know for a fact someone is absolutely frothing at the mouth for this botanical monument to mauve. The fleshy-pinky-purple flowers of this hardy ginger relative defy characterization but they will certainly mauve you, whether to joy or uncertain regard however, is in the eye of the beholder. An introduction from the Roscoe-royalty at Hartside nursery in the UK.
Stephanie Bloom is a bit of a mythical figure, both the plant and the namesake have origins which could be said to be murky at best. What is known is that this is an excellent form of Roscoea humeana. So excellent in fact that it was awarded the RHS' Award of Garden merit, only obtained through rigorous trials or the vouching of industry experts, an especially impressive feat considering that it was earmarked "Subject to Availability", a rare exception to the usual criteria. Well we are doing our best to aid in ameliorating that asterisk. Large dark flowers of an open appearance set ol' Steph apart.