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An unusual color form of a hardy, perennial, evergreen, deer-resistant South African bulb? No florid adjectives needed, just the bare bones make this appetizing enough (not to mention that garlicky odor). Soft pinkish-brown strap-like petals surrounding a burnt orange center make for a subtle and yet distinct flower. This is one society garlic whose parlor I would definitely drink an aristocratic cuppa in.

An eastern US and Canadian species, this is the white expression of the familiar Red Trillium. This easy pedicellate species has a dark ovary which is a nice bit of punctuating contrast to the white flower. It's the little things in life, isn't it? Will hybridize with species like sulcatum.

Perhaps polite society really is dead, or at least polite society garlic. This poor little fella is quite possibly extinct in the wild, or at the very least critically endangered and restricted to a tiny area of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. If that's not enough to elicit your sympathy then the sweetly fragrant soft pink flowers are sure to win over your heart, and make you forget for a blissful moment the comparatively uncouth smell of the foliage (though that provides it with deer resistance. Drought tolerant and desirous of fair drainage but otherwise easy going for a South African bulb.

Unlike the common folk of Tulbaghias this "society garlic" got the white-tie message and is rather the more fetching for it. Blushing pink buds opening to pure white or pale-pink flowers making for a picturesque plant I'd be happy to ask for a dance at the next gala, if only it wasn't for that impolite garlicky smell....well beggars for hardy South African bulbs can't be choosers I guess.

Bestowed the unflattering common name of "Least Trillium", it's charming appearance tends to disagree, though to be fair to old folkways it is indeed one of the smallest trillium species. One of the stalked trilliums featuring a trio of slightly undulate white petals sometimes tinged with pink subtended by semi-rolled sepals. Yet another case of size matters not.

This is a lovely thing we received from Ellen Hornig at the late Seneca Hills Nursery in New York where she was able to grow this thanks to deep lake-effect snow cover. Looking perfectly intermediate between Dierama and Crocosmia, this is the perfect choice if you are wanting a soft pink Crocosmia but can't find one.

Very cute dwarf with more floral punch than expected from a plant a mere 8"-12" tall. White powder-puff flowers go on for weeks and are held nicely above maidenhair foliage. This Japanese selection of a Taiwan mountain species correctly suggests growing in the rock garden but is also perfect for that small spot begging for something perfect.

Our rarely offered native west of the Cascades from the Fort Lewis/Spanaway area just south of Tacoma down into northern Oregon. These are darn nice plants we grew from seed. Small sessile white flowers atop mottled foliage.

This native Afghani is unrivalled among Thalictrum for textural achievement and presentation of foliage. A diaphanous haze of small gray-green leaflets makes this well worth growing despite the insignificant flowers. Normally we insist on nice flowers but this foliage woos one and all, lasting long after any bloom.

A newly described (2013) species found in..............wait for it.............Tennessee in just three locations. Incredibly rare and a very exciting find. These are seed grown from our plants, specimens used to describe the species and do not impact the wild population. Small yellow flowers with a maroon base. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering. These are likely not flowering size. The good news is that they increase quite well vegetatively - we were pleasantly surprised when we lifted our plants and saw how much they increased.

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.

This pale yellow Trillium is an attractive species in the sessile flowered group. Nicely mottled leaves are especially pronouced in spring becoming more muted as the season progresses. A shade garden without Trilliums is just a yawning chasm of emptiness and need.

This chance hybrid society garlic creates it's own perfect color pairing, no paint swatches necessary. The bright yellow central corolla of the flower plays ever so nicely with the classic pinkish purple outer tepals reminiscent of T. violacea. While we can't confirm its ability to grow in interplanetary conditions, or it's popularity with Carl Sagan its bright pop of color contrast, and impressive hardiness to about 23°F are worthy of at least one orbit of the mind.

Hungarian Clover.  Why should I buy a Clover? What are these yayhoos trying to pull? I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. Well, if you get this you will be in Deep Clover and that is a very good thing.  This has mondo white flowers and trashes the ballyhoo and acclaim of this week's plant darling.

The aggrandizing latinate cultivar here refers to the fact that this is the same clone as that the great Ernest Wilson collected back in the heyday of Chinese plant collecting. While such a pedigree is reason enough for its continued existence for us the fact that it has survived so much changing hands owes also to it's being an excellent clone of an already attractive species. The normal evergreen leaflets show prominent silver veining and quite a bit of variable bronzing throughout the season and especially in winter. Fragrant white summer flowers as well but it seems this clone can be a bit of a gamble when it comes to flowering.

Young plants from our seed collection in Switzerland a couple summers ago while hiking the 120 mile High Pass Route. Nothing like fresh snow in late August on the crazy narrow goat track path above a dizzying drop on the highest pass to make you wail for mama. Kelly wailed, Sue was fine. A few extra plants from planting out. Showy filamentous purplish flowers.

Collected by Hinkley from Emeishan as the species cavalieri, this Borage family member has riveting evergreen foliage washed in a gleaming silvery metallic overlay that is more than reason enough to grow this but OMG it has lovely flowers too which are white but touched in the palest blue. Gentle runners that makes a quiet patch. Ultra choice & rare, this has thrived in North Seattle for some years. Thanks to the generous and gifted Jeanette Kunnen for sharing. Full disclosure has some of these with minor slug nibbles on the leaves but we did not observe this happening in the garden - don't be dissuaded but we didn't want you surprised!

We like so totally rock. Did you ever expect a little nursery in Port Townsend to offer this choice Tigridia species from the State of Hidalgo in Mexico? The flowers are easily described as ashy gray, purplish black and burnished buff combined in a mind-twisting combo of fly-wing venation and reptilian reticulations. The flowers don't compare in size to the bigger more familiar Tigridia pavonia being at best a half dollar or less but the detailing and length of bloom makes it one of our all-time favorites. Each flower lasts but a day or two but this has numerous buds in a cluster and they open sequentially plus the flower scape is branched with the branches not as far developed as the main stem so they kick in flowering when the initial flowers are finished. It all makes for a long-lasting display. These have proven perfectly hardy here but just the same, mulch if winter turns cold.

A selection by Piping Tree Gardens Nursery of this dwarf species from Alabama where spring starts early and so does this phenotype of the species. The March flowers are delightful little imps and why not get the party started a little early, we always say. Ultra-cute rhizomatous clumping species to just a few inches high with irrepressible perky upward-facing scented white flowers.

AKA 'Beth Chatto'. This is going around in this country under the Beth's name when in fact it is simply one of her Desert Island plants - one that she simply can't be without. Finely cut as a feather silvery leaves on a low evergreen plant which thrives on dry and sun. Small yellow flowers.