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Consistent and attractive yellow/cream streaked leaves on this Solomon's Seal adds a splash of color and collectible panache to the shade garden although this will take a bit of sun as well to no detriment. The usual white hanging bells on slightly curved 18"-24" stems. Tough, easy, good increaser, hardy and very cool - looks like all of the key boxes just got checked!

These Japanese versions of the European nobilis are ones we have grown from seed and have been hoarding for a few years but since there is no room left in the Hepatica house, we must send a few of our kids out into the world. Each plant varies a bit but all are good pinks and we get to pick. These good-sized plants are home-grown by us - not imported from Japan. Also note that these are not as hardy as the European Hepatica but good for sure in zones 8-9a.

As they begin to emerge and unfurl, the huge trifoliate leaves catch the 30"-40" threadlike spadix appendage dangling from the white-striped, maroon-purple hooded flowers and carry it aloft in a decidedly wanton display. The horizontal rhizomes will increase over time leading to several flowering stems, becoming something about which one has no recourse but to brag shamelessly. This Jack in the Pulpit has proven itself over many years to be a stellar performer in our shade garden. There are some Jacks that languish or don't persist but this simply gets bigger and better every year. The rhizomes can push up near the surface so check in the Fall and mulch if necessary - most prudent in the event of severe winter cold. Seed-grown, some of these bulbs will flower but if not, of all the things you have waited for in your life, this surely must rate among the most worthy.

One of the classic alpines for rock gardens and one that should be on the "Easy Alpines for Beginners" list if it isn't already. Low tight mats of small evergreen leaves topped by fuzzy spherical violet-blue flowers in early summer, this looks good all the time. This particular one is from a Hinkley collection in Turkey.

Shayne Chandler's collection from Vietnam of this assuredly tender but most enchanting Begonia. Long stems gloriously hirsute in red hairs hold broadly rounded palmate leaves whose upper surface is studded with carefully spaced green hairs and the underside veins bristle darkly. Pendulous white flowers are small but wow with calyces bearded thickly in Viking red. We easily overwinter this in a cool greenhouse.

This Lady has a lot to offer and the image of a Madam in a high-end Victorian brothel keeps intruding when attempting to describe those offerings. Courting disaster on the precipice of good taste, exuding confidence without apology, this selection invites anthropomorphism like few others. The rich pink of passion on the reverse, a chaste white on the front with pink-tinged petal margins awakening.

Seldom available central Oregon to northern California sessile species that is just dynamite. Big white flowers with petals standing straight up from the lightly mottled leaves and producing to varying degrees, a sweet lemon scent. Seed-grown plants by us which have previously flowered so quite safe to say these are flowering size.

A distinct form of this dwarf species collected near the former Tibetan town of Kangding in Sichuan. With a huge Chinese influx, Kangding has grown to well over 20X it's orignial size in the the last 20 years. This petite species is often found in close-cropped alpine grasslands and this pure white form with its small orchid-like flowers is delectable.

Heal-All, Stone Root. Tuberous form of this widespread East Coast species which we received from Aaron Floden. Widely used in ethnobotany and homeopathy, this is an interesting shade ornamental in its own right. Broad soft leaves and curious late-season, creamy yellow flowers whose strong Lemon Pledge scent will put a shine on your garden.

We got this little gem as cuttings from the nursery manager at Stephen F. Austin Botanic Garden a few years ago and have been quite taken by its small glossy evergreen foliage and dense shrubby habit. Finally bloomed for us and we missed it but could tell from the fallen petals it was a lovely small white flower flushed gently in pink. This came to us as laevifolia x figo x crassifolia but its small habit suggests it is probably laevifolia x figo var. crassipes.

A hardier form of this species than is currently found in the trade, this is one of the many notable wild collections at the former Peckerwood Garden, now the John Fairey Garden. Awesome blue-green foliage to 3' with hairy surface rhizomes. This will work as a houseplant but if you can grow it outside, why not? Grow in airy well-drained soil and mulch in cold winters.

This erect, flirting with fastigiate, species comes via a collection by Canadian plantsman and author/auteur, Grahame Ware, from the turgid waters of the Minyong Glacier at 13000' on Kawagarbo Mountain, in the Meili Snow Mountains of Yunnan, as part of a Kunming Botanic garden expedition. Small leaves and white flowers followed by reddish fruit on a narrow and distinctively upright shrub to 7'+ so far.

One of the showiest in this genus of vining Bellflowers. Large purple-blue flowers with a dark ring - sometimes pure white - quickens our pulses in either expression. Recently reduced from species status, grey-wilsonii has been retained as a geographic race of the species convolvulacea based on larger leaves and flowers.

Small winter-flowering species collected by Kettle and Wynn-Jones on Mt Fansipan in northern Vietnam. This is nice little ginger given varietal status due to its larger flowers and much larger sagittate anthers. Sagittate anther envy - it happens even in the plant world. Stems to 28" with very nice spidery white lightly scented flowers with reddish bracts. One of the evergreen species and best suited to frost-free conditions but does great in containers and easy to bring in during cold snaps - we keep ours just above freezing in the winter during the cold dips. Collectable rarity and worth trying indoors if you don't live in the Bay Area.

Our collection of what we presume to be the species psilophyllus although the immature seed capsules match corymbosus. Time will tell and either way, a fine deciduous shade tree with panicles of white flowers in May and June. Flora of China does not list either species as growing at the collection location which is cool.

Endemic to the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, this dons prickly, Acanthus type leaves (hence the species name) and pinkish purple toothbrush type flowers. Evergreen and tough, this can tolerate more shade than other Grevilleas. The flowers are known for their sweet nectar and the birds will thank you for this one!

Rad new introduction to cultivation of this tremendously adorable Vireya section Rhododendron collected on a shaded rocky cliff face not far from the Vietnam border. Small glossy green leaves colored in bronze when in new growth. This is essentially a creeper as it was truly hugging the rock growing in little humus pockets. Nice and cheery small open-faced yellow flowers are borne over a long span. Cute quotient is pretty much pegged right at the max. Hardiness is unknown as there is no track record on this species but the mainland Vireyas have surprised with some species like R. rushforthii being quite good in the Seattle area. To be safe, lets start at a warm zone 8b and hopefully work down with experience. Easy in a pot and can be overwintered in a cool sunroom until more is known and probably the best thing to do its first winter with you anyway.

This clone of this fabulous Iris introduced by Darrell Probst is one of our favorite plants of all time. Very fine grassy foliage making a large lax dense mound that is festooned with small white jewels of flowers. It won't happen overnight, but give this a few years and you will have some serious bragging rights. Not that we ever concern ourselves with things like that...

Grown from wild collected seed sent by a friend in South Africa, this species has lavender to light pink slightly flared bell-shaped flowers of good size. These are held on wiry stems to 3 or 4 feet tall and pair well with many of the ornamental grasses being rather grass-like in foliage itself. Evergreen.

Red Panda' was an O'Byrne hybrid seed strain of somewhat variable copper-leafed beauties and we sell the best we have seen of this strain as 'Red Panda'. We've duplicated the cross with similar results and are calling the progeny 'Red Panda Group'. These are good plants and approach the 'Red Panda' clone.