Search results

A rare Myrtle relative from Tierra del Fuego which is quite hardy here and is just the sweetest thing. Evergreen, aromatic leaves and small white flowers in summer which are followed by pink/white, pearly, edible berries that taste like some some exotic perfume. A perfect little plant. Good moist soil in some light shade although it will probably take sun nicely but we just happen to grow ours in shade where it has been a flawless performer.

Not one you will easily find, this tough rarity hails from China's Xinjiang Province and neighboring Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan. High moist meadows are home sweet home for this blue-lavender drumstick Primula dusted in farina. Sue brought this west from VT over 20 years ago. Said it was tough!

Chinese version of our East Coast Diphylleia cymosa. If you are into herbaceous Berberidaceae, right - that is all of you so of course this is a must-have! White flowers and blue fruit on red pedicels about rounded scalloped foliage. Some have this merged into Podophyllum. We don't. Divisions from our own plants.

Surely one of the best Omphalodes with electric blue flowers nearly twice the size of the species. This was shared with us by our plant guru John Flintoff who has given us so many treasures over the years. A vigorous and not fussy coarse foliaged groundcover perfect under Rhododendrons and one that is easy to keep in bounds. Those blue Forget-me-not flowers somehow just seems to feel like an integral part of spring for us.

One of our favorites, this came to us years ago from Washfield Nursery in England as Polygonatum geminiflorum but according to Polygonatum expert Aaron Floden, this does not match recent collections of Polygonatum geminiflorum by Ron McBeath and our plant and is actually P. singalilense. This species hails from the Singalila Ridge area which runs from Nepal west and north to the Darjeeling area and up into Sikkim. This slowly but steadily makes a nice clump with the leaves arranged in whorls which are wider than typical for the more familiar whorled species. The subtle bit of elegance that sends us is the small maroon shading at the leaf axil. It sounds silly but style is so often in the accessories.

We are so close to being able to grow this outside that we literally can see the 2 miles to downtown PT where this would thrive but no, we're the nursery on the hill in the cold pocket. Yes, a little touchy about it. Flashy variegated leaves in pinks-creams-yellows-whites and greens go with the pink flowers and tasty fruit on this Chilean Guava. Gorgeous evergreen for gardens above 15F which are annoyingly prevalent in our area.

Papillion' possesses excellent foliage looking very clover-like with flattened tri-lobed leaflets in triplicate and is no great leap to imagine butterflies. These seedlings from the Ashwood nursery breeding program, have the characteristics of the parent and the flower color can be either white, pink or blue.

Someone was doing that odd thing where you name a kid the opposite of what you want it to be to ward off evil or some such when they described this one. Despite the humorously offputting nomenclature this is actually a surprisingly cute and fairy-like little ginger relative with stalks of tiny golden flowers in a shape almost akin to a paper crane. Almost unheard of in cultivation, especially outside of botanic gardens so cultural information is scarce to say the least but given the Sichuanese origins and Zingiberaceae nature it likely wants a moist rich soil and to be kept protected from strong frosts.

Agapetes is an epiphytic Blueberry relative which lives in trees and develops a woody bulbous base called a lignotuber. This is a cross between A. serpens and A. rugosa which has beautiful pendant light pink flowers with darker pink chevrons. Tender here, easy inside over winter.

Another gorgeous introduction from Hugh Nunn whose nursery is in the village of Harvington. This has obvious Roscoea humeana in its parentage which contributes large flowers well-displayed on a stout plant. A light cream is the flower color and ours were initially but these same plants have become more yellow. Which is not a bad thing but curious. Even though this in the Ginger Family, it is not suitable for the Southeast as it likes cool nights.

We grow an unreasonable amount of different Ophiopogon or mondo grass species and varieties. Unreasonable because they mostly just fuse together into one globular grassy ball in the mind due to their lack of distinguishing characters. The forbidden blue jelly beans of this particular collection are vivid as ever. Wild collected umbraticola is good enough already but if that's what this is then it is a particularly fine form with a large profusion of both flowers and fruits, with the latter being on the larger side of those we have encountered. Being called "dwarf" must have given these a Napoleon complex that led them to excel in other areas...

This epiphytic Vaccinium relative - indeed some have merged the two genera - is a stunner. Growing on trees in the cloud forests of the Himalaya, this forms woody lignotubers from which arise the branches clad in evergreen leaves which hold the narrow pendant yellow flowers in late winter and spring. This is an especially good form with red calyces. Tolerant of light frost and needs very good drainage. Our overwintering hummingbirds love this in our greenhouse.

Pretty awesome new hybrid that came up at Suncrest Nurseries in CA thanks to some inspired work by the bees. This outshines its parents with gray-blue leaves and branched erect stems to 3' holding lots of lavender-blue flowers for many weeks. This can take drier conditions and the vermin deer don't like it.

This diminutive Felt Fern is widely distributed in China and Taiwan and differs quite markedly from the increasingly ubiquitous Pyrrosia lingua with 6" strappy leaves soft as the ears on our friends' new kittens, Oliver and Stanley. This would be found as an epiphyte in trees or shaded rock outcrops or cliffs that are moist, where it grows nearly horizontal. Would make an excellent stumpery groundcover element.

White flowered version of the typically blue-flowered European species. Thanks to our friend and Hepatica guru John Massey of Ashwood Nurseries for sharing seed. We have flowered these plants and they are indeed white! Perfect in the woodland garden, very hardy and with impeccable provenance.

A very good and stable selection from Japan of this little woodland creeper. Dark green leaves are well-marked with feathered yellow tips and in spring this has pendant white starry flowers. This will increase to create a definite bit of visual velcro in the garden because as your eye roams the plants, it will stop abruptly on this one.

This is a vastly superior form from Elizabeth Strangman which we received from John Flintoff. It is regarded as the best pink flowered selection and and puts on a grand show once it becomes a nice patch. Evergreen and easy in light shade and reasonably moist.

A decidedly unBaby's Breath Baby's Breath. This is a delightful deciduous creeper that absolutely covers itself in lavender tinged white flowers with darker pencilings. Very nice in the rock garden or rockery. Appreciates good drainage but some moisture in the soil.

Choice small tree-like shrub to 10' with large clusters of pearl pink flowers in winter. Lightly furry blue-gray leaves combined with twisted smooth bark of a rich chestnut brown makes this one of the finest cultivars. Full sun and good drainage and happy with no summer water when established.

A Far Reaches introduction to the US from the UK. This uncommon selection is a worthy addition to the gentian collection. Fairly vigorous, this has ample mid-blue trumpets emblazoned with slim white arrows in the interior. As with all the Asiatic Gentians, rich, moist & acidic.