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Frosted Jade Ajuga. A rare Ajuga the likes of which you may have never seen. We all are familiar with the utilitarian carpeting-with-abandon slug magnet ubiquitous in gardens everywhere. This is a different critter altogether and resembles Bugleweed about as much as a Bichon Frise does a Junkyard Dawg. Stays put in a clump with erect stems to 16" with showy leaves of white, green and cream and intense violet blue flowers. This has been one of the most asked about plants in our shade garden and when we say what it is, the answer usually is "That's an Ajuga? Do you have it?" It is completely deciduous as well which is another mind boggler. And for slugs - they do like this one too, but really it is mainly the new shoots in early spring. We just keep an eye on the growth and if they are getting nibbled then we go out one or two evenings and inflict bodily harm and don't worry much about the plant afterwards.

We received this extraordinary selection from and equally extraordinary plantsman, David Mason of the vaunted former Hedgerows Nursery. Few members of the genus approach this for impact which is only heightened by flowering before other large-flowered forms. The emerging spring growth is enclosed in soft salmon sheaths and the hot damn lavender-pink flowers stand proud before the leaves develop. This is a cool climate genus.

Wood Anemone. This selection has funny heads of flowers where the petals have become dense clusters of dissected white leafy bracts or did the bracts become dense bunches of filigreed snowflake petals? Either way, quite a piece of floral artwork that garners ample attention. Great for shade.

Tiny-leafed hybrid of Soldanella carpatica and S. pusilla . This very small scale little creeper with tiny evergreen leaves surprises in spring with over-achieving light lavender fringed bells. Similar to 'Spring Symphony' but flowering a bit earlier. One of the easiest Soldanella to grow. This is one we picked up in the UK a few years back.

A fine variegated selection originating at Cally Gardens in Scotland and given to us by the late Michael Wickenden who named it. Michael was a plantsman of the keenest sort and he is sorely missed. Good clean cream margins on the young leaves which turns white as the foliage matures. The variegation plays well with the red flowers atop the two foot stems. We reckon this is the first introduction of this choice plant to the US.

Licorice Fern. 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.

One of those captivating Chinese species. This has a neat stoloniferous habit sending out runners and making new bulbs so you soon have a grove of Lilies. Flowers white with dark spots with recurved petals in the classic "Turk's Cap" style. We love it.

Beautiful clumping species that may well be the queen of the genus. Or are we granting royalty because it is new on the scene? Maybe, but it is awfully good. This makes a stout small clump of evergreen, fern-like leaves from which emerge in spring the peculiarly Coptis greenish-yellow flowers. From China.

A very good evergreen fern native to Taiwan, China and Japan which we imported from a specialist in the UK. Tidy and attractive species reaching 30" wide with fronds to 20" tall, this requires shade to part shade. And brace yourself - it is tolerant of dry shade! Happier of course with some water, Spore-grown by us.

A superb smaller evergreen Solomon Seal from China which we have grown for many years and have come to regard as an indispensable part of the collection - one of the first plants we would grab when the greenhouse catches on fire, perish the thought! Milder gardens, glossy leaves, clustered white flowers and bright red fruit. Often an epiphyte.

The original introduction of this species by friend and mentor Steve Doonan from Taiwan in the late 60's or early 70's. This is the typical species and differs from ones seen with twisted leaves which were from tissue culture. Divisions of the plant given to us by Steve. Steve told us this survived in a pot outside one extreme winter for him at 0F.

An Allium of allure, an Onion objet d' art, indeed, a bulb most buxom. This are not epithets tossed around lightly as I for one, look askance upon horticultural banter. Broad sculptural leaves subtend a golf ball flower of pale lilac to silvery white. Exceptionally meritorious in rock gardens and containers and will take summer dry.

Staggeringly impressive recent introduction of this Solomon Seal species from - wait for it - Vietnam. This is similar to our favorite Polygonatum huanum (formerly as kingianum) but is just more of everything that is good. Large red flowers snug the whorled leaves on stems which reached 15' tall this year in the garden, and which remain green for us until temps drop below 20F. These are young plants but worth the wait!

Excellent member of the Crassulaceae which means it is a succulent basically, but one that eschews the arid sunny spot in favor of lusher environs like our shade garden with dairy manure mulch. Makes a thick clump of fleshy green leaves with taller stems of pendulous strings of bead-like yellow flowers that are nothing less than captivating. This is one of those plants we have had for a long time but one that surprises us each year when it blooms because we don't expect something so familiar to float our boat quite so high. Very easy to please and a plant people want when they see it in flower.

Very hardy winter blooming shrub from Tasmania which Seattle's gardening guru Ciscoe Morris proclaims as his favorite plant of all time or at least until he talks about the next plant. We agree though - this plant totally rules. No problems whatsoever but little or no fertilizer as it dislikes phosphorous. Buff orange flowers in late winter into spring. This is a shorter and broader selection with larger flowers than typical. There is gorgeous 5' tall by 8' wide plant on F Street here in town which grows outside the fence above a rock wall and gets no water or attention plus get the full brunt of winter winds and looks fabulous all the time.

This hybrid of I. wattii and I. japonica originates from California plantsman Jimmy Giridlian and comes to us via Russell Graham Purveyor of Plants. Forms a slowly spreading clump of 2' arching evergreen leaves that lift aloft the pale flowers that perhaps provided inspiration for the name, white banners with golden throats and pale purple central petaloids give an air of royalty and purity that suggest a monthly income far above nada. A highly choice Iris that we are glad to have more than nada of, and are happy that you too will be able to remedy any nada quantities of 'Nada' currently listed in your surely well curated garden inventory.

Steve Hootman, Curator and Director of the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, often pats himself on the back for collecting this exceptional species in China and each spring as our plants flower, we murmur attaboys and give him virtual high fives while virtually raising our glass in salute. Loves some shade, great foliage and spring pink flowers. Steve has bagged a host of amazing Rhodos on his collecting trips and this Peony is just as exceptional. Narrow leaflets with a distinct sheen provide backing for the fat dark pink flower buds which often emerge in the early to mid spring before the leaves. This gives an extended period of tantalization before the impressive pink flowers open. An added bonus are the lovely shiny black seeds arrayed in the starfish-shaped seed pods. All in all, a very choice introduction. Huzzah, Hootman and well done Laddie! Just cover the 'noses' an inch or two as too deep is worse than too shallow when planting peonies. This species is best in light shade although part sun such as morning sun is perfectly ok. These are seedlings that are a couple years from blooming size.

We received this as the Pioneer Mountain form of Erythronium revolutum and indeed, there is revolutum in them as well as californicum. These are obviously natural hybrids which do occur and perusing "Erythroniums in Cultivation" by Ian Young, these fit his description nicely especially with the parallel, narrow filaments.

Safe to say this is rare. From the higher elevations in Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet comes this collector's primrose. This has proven very easy in our shade garden where the rounded sort of palmate leaves form a very dense canopy over the short creeping rhizomes. Purple rose flowers are just what we wanted to see.

One of the larger flowered varieties of Wood Anemone, this has excellent white flowers which are more than enough to stand alone or perfect in a supporting understory role to larger shrubs and perennials.