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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. 

Extremely rare offering of this NW Argentina-SE Bolivia version of the Chilean Crinodendron patagua. This large shrub to small 20'-30' multi-trunked tree has evergreen leaves and small white bell flowers. Quite fast growing and is one of the primary species in the Podocarpus parlatorei forests. Time will tell on hardiness but thus far it has done well in our garden, handling the harsh temps of the 2023 winter with aplomb. These are second generation seedlings from our Argentine wild collection. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

A native of the wild east of Washington state, this is one outlaw that couldn't escape the long arm of taxonomical law and its free-wheeling life as the impossible to spell Synthyris has ended in emasculation at the hands of all consuming Veronica. Cormac would weep. Nonetheless it's evergreen discs of boot-spur margined foliage and vivid purple gun-barrel flowers spikes will live on in garden legend.

Collected in Ecuador at nearly 12000', this bromeliad will certainly tease with possibilities of hardiness.  The stiff evergreen sword-like leaves are well-protected by evenly spaced sharp teeth which are the pinnacle of personal protection against herbivory.  Critically, they guard against unwanted advances upon the infrequently produced stiff flower stem whose stoutly erect bearing is regarded either as a triumph of botanical engineering or the epitome of salacious horticultural projecting. The many stemless flowers were not seen but are arranged in stimulating tight spirals up the upper half of the thick vertical shaft. Growing on slopes in the humid páramo zone of mixed grass-forb-shrub communities with wide temperature swings and ample water from rain, clouds, fog and frost.   

Our long-ago (1997) collection of this widespread in nature but poorly represented in cultivation Rhododendron species. This has little to do with its appearance as the petite indumented evergreen leaves and delicate blushing white flowers create quite a handsome overall appearance on a manageably sized plant to boot. Their quickness to bloom and adaptability to various light regimes only add to its garden-worthiness. Unfortunately the hardiness leaves something to be desired, may be doable in a low zone 8 but 8b and up to be safe.

Fantastic little gem from the high mountains of Taiwan collected by our friend Philip MacDougall. Our mama plant from him is several years old and is a compact dome 2' tall and wide. Early summer has this adorned in small heads of dark pink buds which open to dense heads of clustered flowers which have a pink throat with a corolla edge of pale pink to near white. Will gently self-seed but not overly so and who could begrudge a few extras.