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A hybrid between E. moorei and E. lucida that grew from a chance cross at Hillier's nursery, the original plant was cloned and distributed under the name 'Winton' and we preserve that name here to differentiate it from any further x hillieri selections. Retains the glossy narrow semi-evergreen foliage of its parents with pure white flowers beloved by bees and pollinators. Has shown excellent hardiness, anecdotally surviving a below 10F winter freshly planted in a nearby garden. A child which may well outexcel its parents.

An evergreen Chinese species notable for the large evergreen leaves on long stems and for the numerous yellow flowers with their curved spurs which are held above the leaves. This will steadily increase in size bringing even more oomph to the garden. Coldest portions of its zonal range might see this be deciduous.

Chatham island endemic, arborescent, Ericaceae. For those who haven't already slammed the add to cart button, these are found only on one small New Zealand coastal island group and boast extremely unique juvenile foliage comparable only to the supreme Dragon Blood Tree (Dracaena draco) from South Africa, thus the heavy metal dragon-leaf name. These spiky tufty columns of leaves eventually develop into trees with a sprawling wind-blown habit and a plethora of blade-like leaves. These are cutting-grown from wild collections made for the Pacific Connections garden project at the Washington Arb. Grows in rich peat or bog areas in habitat so something acidic, loamy and consistently moist should suit it just fine.

Extraordinary southern hemisphere heather relative and one we observed in all of its alpine glory in the mountains of Patagonia (see photo) while on the Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy plant tour January 2024.  Growing clear south to Cape Horn, this forms a low mat with insignificant flowers but very significant red fruit if you have a female plant as this is a dioecious species with plants being either male or female but both are needed for fruit. The plants we offer are cutting-grown from a single clone whose sex it has not yet shared with us  Once it does, we will work on getting the opposite sex going!  Fruit is gorgeous and edible.  This is plant for cooler climates and not for warm humidity.

Into the rabid cutthroat world of the Gesneriad convention goes the strongest soldier of rare plant reconnaissance, Steve Hootman, curator of the Rhody garden and out comes a treasured jewelbox of all but unseen Gesner hybrids. Move over Mr. Cage there's a new heist-master, and I guess that makes us the black market dealer and you the faceless, nameless, glitterati of the botanical underworld. Imagine the gasp as the auctioneer brings forth this beauty, all red-bracted and silver-veined. Let the bidding begin

A collection from China by Olsen & Floden of this well-known ornamental pink or carnation. Very nice to have a documented collection as the cultivated material can get a little diluted via unintentional hybridization in the garden. I know that is some of the most fun we have in the garden. Crazy lacy hot tomato/fuchsia-pink flowers that are scented. I'm wondering just what exactly that color is myself but know that it is very vibrant and will not be ignored.

One of our favorite species first introduced by our friend Steve Hootman and we have since pursued collecting this whenever possible to have comparative examples across its range of southern Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and northern Vietnam.  An evergreen small shrub in the Lipstick Vine family, Gesneriaceae, this has curved tubular red to red-orange flowers in fall along with glossy evergreen boxwood-like leaves.  Good drainage is key as this usually epiphytic or lithophytic, growing on rocks.  This has proved hardy outside in those enviably mild Puget Sound gardens of which ours is not.  Cue temper tantrum from a 4 year-old.

We first encountered this species in the fall of 1997 when we were on the mid to lower slopes of the Cangshan Mountains looking down to the barely discernible 3 Pagodas of Dali fronting the broad expanse of Lake Erhai. This groundcover species formed broad carpets of evergreen foliage covering the large rocks on the boulder-strewn slope so as to give the impression of a tumultuous green sea frozen in place. The day sounds much better than it was, for back in 97 there was but a rough single track road to the higher elevations and on that day our jeeps were blocked by a massively overloaded lorry whose driveline had failed under the weight of massive marble blocks quarried from the higher reaches. The truck was gradually sinking into the mud with just a few inches of clearance and a young skinny boy had been fetched from downslope to slither underneath and effect repairs, which was going to take many hours at best. This meant we were stranded at low elevation with a bunch of botanically fascinating, marginally hardy plants which was not our goal. We made the best of it and one of our new acquaintances was this Ficus.

We were pleased as punch when our friend Jim Fox gifted us with cuttings he took from Roy Lancaster's garden where it is growing as a foundation plant against his home. It was not a stretch to think that this plant was from the same population we had seen as Roy had traveled this same road years earlier as part of the Sino-British Expedition to Cangshan. Sadly we can't grow this outside here in our gardens but if you are lucky enough to have only very light frosts or none at all, then this would be a fine groundcover. This does have small reddish figs but stick to the ones you get at the store.

Epling's Oak. Hybrid of Quercus douglasii and Q. garryana, known from only a very few locations in California. This forms a deciduous, multi-stemmed large shrub to small tree, 20'-30' tall with time. Beautiful blue-green leaves color in fall. Deciduous. Grown from acorns collected by Ian Barclay of The Desert Northwest.

Classic name for what must be an English selection with amber tawny yellow flowers - in the US with our bright yellow squeeze bottle mustard, it would have to be an old forgotten bottle of mustard indeed. Easy doer we got from that consummate English plantsman David Mason and he didn't steer us wrong. Wide leaves backing stems with umbels of pub mustard flowers with a white eye.

A great Dianthus which was like pulling teeth to get Sue to part with a couple. Makes a fine blue mat of foliage which is covered in eyes-a-popping single magenta pink flowers which have an intoxicating fragrance. First class rockery plant - killer with that black quarry rock.

A Primula species endemic to isolated pockets along 45km at the crest of the Northern Apennines between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. A distinct species with magenta-pink flowers set off by a white eye. This has been a good plant for us and quite hardy. Not one likely to be found at Home Despot.

Rich purple flowers of a color more suited to the dreams of the Pope than the Devil, unless of course the Devil is dreaming of someday wearing those rich purple Pope-robes, in which case it is appropriately named. Just speculation. Great color anyway.

Gonads and Phlegm, all I can think of when I see the vomitous new Latin name. I swear sometimes it feels like the taxonomists really have it out for us poor laborers. Luckily the associations stop there (other than the phlegmatic coloration perhaps). This neat little epiphytic fern picked up on a brief stint in Taiwan resembles the more commonly grown Polypodium formosanum (so much so that we originally collected it as such) in its thick vivid green rhizomes that provide a wholly unexpected dimension of appeal. The fronds however differ with the pinnules in unbelievably precise rows undiminished in length until nearly the tip, reminds me of those brain-becalming social media videos of things so perfectly arranged it just triggers something primal in the mind. Likely happy with similar treatment to more common Polypodiums just with an extra dose of warmth and humidity preferred, as of yet untrialed outdoors here but we are guessing not very hardy. We're thinkin' first intro to cultivation in the U.S.

A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

An Asian Sour Gum or Tupelo related to our own eastern Nyssa sylvatica. This deciduous tree does flower, not that you would notice, but it does produce small bluish fruits in Fall. Fast-growing with largish leaves often carrying bronzy-purple tones when young. A moist acidic soil and sheltered from hot or freezing winds. Loves a woodland edge for example. From the borderlands of SE Yunnan and Vietnam and could easily be a species other than sinensis. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

An interesting Asian Lysimachia which we have not yet identified. These genus is widespread and varied in Asia with over 170 species and varieties in China alone. It is so much easier to key out monotypic genera where there is but a single species. This is from lower elevations and we have not trialed it outside yet but looks frost sensitive. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

Keying Ophiopogon requires a keener taxonomic mind than we possess plus a bottle of sippin' whiskey within easy reach as it is a frustrating endeavor. This is a little gem forming loose open tussocks of fine bladed grassy green leaves which provides excellent viewing of the comparatively large brilliant blue fruit. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering. Proceeds from this offering go to support the mission of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy.

This rarity was collected by Crug Farm near Hualien in eastern Taiwan and has the largest flowers of all the Crug Farm Tricyrtis at over 2" across and so they Asian-named it for its whopping big flowers. Pale flowers heavily spotted in maroon with a slight yellow throat. Layers of flowers on lax stems from Jul-Nov.

A very drought tolerant Manzanita and one of the best pink flowered densiflora types. This was selected out of a hybrid swarm for its sheer floriferousness if that is a word. Taller than wide and a fast grower. These have done fine in Portland and Seattle and the leaner the soil and the sharper the drainage, the better.

An uncommon member of the Olive Family which is hardy in our area and makes a lovely evergreen alternative shrub or small tree. A small tree takes time and one English writer suggested it would be an act of kindness for future generations to plant one now. Small fragrant creamy flowers.