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Seedlings from our Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense 'Big & Pink' which is one of two pink Cardiocrinums known to exist. We have the other one as well. These are hand-pollinated seedlings of this amazing and extremely rare plant and we expect them to be pink as well. They are probably a few years from flowering. One nursery person we know of was quite incensed that we would be selling these as pink saying "How do you know that they won't be white?" to which we replied "We don't but we don't know that they won't be red either." It is the first color break in the genus and there is no precedent to make assumptions other than best guesses and this is our best guess. We had two bulbs flower from this crop this summer and they were pretty darned pink. One came very close to the parent and the other was a notch behind but still way better than anything else out there so we are greatly encouraged. We can't wait seven years for these to flower to see what degree of pink - or not - they will be because the main bulb dies and we start over with offsets and seed. These do produce offsets so even though the bulb dies after blooming, you end up with more bulbs than you started with. This is a plant of temperate climates in China and the Himalayas and likes a lightly shaded, cool and moist situation. These are not planted deep like typical lilies but shallow and will often have their noses above ground as they get mature. We mulch these in winter with a blanket of dairy manure as they are a bit piggy. Oh, and that nursery person who was concerned about our ethics? She ordered one. Plant so the tip of the bulb is exposed and mulch well to keep winter freeze away from the bulb.

These is one of those elfin whimsies that always elevates my mood whenever I see it blooming. A South African bulb once known as Laperousia this is just a delight, usually red flowered but this selection flowers white with a central red blotch providing a lovely pop of contrast. This survived for years at C. Leo Hitchcocks' garden in Seattle with no care. Will seed a bit if happy and fine with dry soils. 

For those uninitiated in 19th century French lingo or types of Carnation hybrids picotee basically means this is an edgy plant. Not in the sense that it skulks in alleys with its black-dyed hair swept blindingly over one eye but in the sense that it has a colored edge. Sulcatum is a particularly variable species when it comes to color with the bulk of variations often falling into a muddy mix of reds, pinks, and whites but this ones surprisingly clear with broadly white petals bordered in a wine red. While letting go of any of these may send Kelly over the edge, you can be assured that it will certainly give your little Trillium collection a unique edge over the competition. 

Our crevice garden excites a lot of visitors into experimenting with alpines and crevice planters, if you find yourself with a similar urge we highly recommend this as one of your gateway plants. Offering what's best about alpines, diminutively cute little plants with outsize floral firepower, but without a lot of the hassle and strife that cultivating them can bring. While they still want excellent drainage and fairly goldilocks temperatures they are much more forgiving than many others. When happy they will spread to form a nice mat, and a sea of pink pom-pom flowerheads.