This is from our seed collection on the Chongqing-Guangxi-Guizhou expedition in 2010.  We found this on the summit of the previously unbotanized highest peak in the Wumingshan where it was clambering about on the top of the short scrub.  We were struck by the large seed pods.  Light blue flowers on this vining Monkshood.

Our collection of this most impressive vining Monkshood.  Sumptuous flowers of a good blue with a white interior  This one is a real cracker and these will easily grow 8'-12' or even 15' tall provided they have something to twine onto.  An immense treat in August and September.

Bugbane.  A dusky, dark-leafed plant that appeared as a seedling in our shade garden a few years ago.  We are windy here and which seed from which black-leafed, named form blew in from our sales tables, we cannot say.  We let it be where it landed until it got too large and now it is divisions in pots.  To 4' with late season wands of whitish fragrant flowers.

Doll's Eyes Baneberry.  Striking woodland plant in fruit - the white puffs of flowers in late spring are ok but the fruit is serious business.  An elongated fruiting spike holds with red stems, round white berries each with a small black pupil.  The common name is immediately obvious and is either clever or creepy depending on how many "Chucky" movies you have watched.  We think it is clever.  All parts poisonous which means deer proof.

A subtle woodlander for most of spring and summer until late summer and fall when it suddenly busts a move and starts strutting its stuff.  Fern-like foliage backs small white puffs of flowers in May which become showy clusters of bright white fruit in late summer & fall.  The white version of our red fruited native.

Himalayan Maidenhair Fern.  Evergreen to semi-evergreen creeping fern making the the most textural groundcover imaginable.   Salmon pink new growth goes to light olive and finally green leaflets on black wiry stems just 8"-12" high.  Likes a loose moist soil but will tolerate dry when established.

A lovely cultivar introduced to this area by the enigmatic Pete Ray of Vashon and no relation to our local Kingston.  Tastefully narrow deciduous leaves with medium small flower heads of a good clear mid-blue.  Hardy and a good performer in the garden.  Sun and deer resistant.

Named by plant guru John Flintoff who found this as an interesting seedling growing in plantswoman Loie Benedict's garden. Light green leaves with a spreading habit and flowers of a soft muted lavender which happily goes with most everything. As long as the soil is reasonably moist, this will be good in sun to light shade and is resistant to deer and rabbits.

Frosted Jade Ajuga.  Hard to believe that this is an Ajuga but it is true.  This choice selection has fantastic foliage and very good dark cobalt flowers.  Not a spreader - this makes a clump with 16" tall stems.  Challenges all of your comfy notions about Ajuga but in a good way.  Great in our shade garden.

Rare plant found only in limited areas in central Honshu, Japan where it likes the forest fringes in the subalpine areas and is known as hiiragi-sou or holly tree-leafed weed.  Hiiragi-sou sounds better than the translation.  This selection has dark blue flowers and is a deciduous clumper to 16" tall - very nice!

One of my favorite Alliums from Mark McDonough with cool gray green foliage and sugar pink 2" balls of flowers in midsummer.  This is a rhizomatous type making nice clumps without being invasive.  The foliage looks good during bloom and the bees & butterflies have a rugby scrum over the nectar.

From Sichuan where this was growing in an open position in a lightly shaded glade at about 10000' in elevation.  This has small leaves shaped much like a pointed canoe paddle with flower stems to 10"-15" tall bearing small round heads of white flowers sometimes with a diffused pink keel to the outer petals as many in this collection do.

Dwarf Scandanavian selection of Chives which is way more ornamental than usefully edible.  Lots of pinkish lavender flowers on a very compact plant.  Quite useful in the rock garden or detailed planting site such as edge of a stepping stone or against a rock.

Here is a little Japanese bulbous plant that will add some late summer glitz to the rock garden or special foreground planting niche.  Not shy about blooming, this will strut its stuff with round purplish flowerheads on 10" stems which sends our friends the Butterflies and Bees into quiet delirium.

A Dan Hinkley collection from Japan of this fine mid to late summer blooming Allium species.  Good richly colored purple flowers are freely produced on this densely clumping little dude.  Good in containers and great in the rock garden or special little niche.

Excellent little Asian Allium that is very nice with small heads of white flowers. Perfect for the rock garden or does great in regular garden beds as it does appreciate some moisture during the summer. Sun and decent drainage and thrives in one customers garden in Michigan. Tidy and of good disposition and certainly not a garden thug.

A good dark violet- pink version of this widespread Allium from our collection in southern Sichuan.  A very easy plant in the garden getting up to 20" tall and having the added bonus of being edible which might become increasingly critical the longer Trump is in office.

Our collection at 9000'  from the summit of highest peak in the Wuming Shan in SW China.  This Allium was prevalent in the grazed grass and scrub summit with tall 12"-20" scapes and nice 2"+ half dome pink flowers.  The local minority people harvest the bulbs for food.  This was the first Western botanical foray to this mountain.

A good dark flowered form of Allium wallichii from China.  Although the individual florets are fewer in number in the flower heads, the rich purple color more than compensates.  This species is eaten by the local indigenous peoples although that wild crafting is becoming less frequent as grocery stores are awfully easy.  Not difficult..

Bog Rosemary.  A lower growing form with bronzy-green leaves but with rose-pink flowers which is a pleasant surprise.  Got an acidic moist spot with a lot of organic matter in soil?  If you do, here you go.  Basically thrives in blueberry culture.  This should be deer proof as it has some nice toxins that will discourage them.

The darkest foliage on any Angelica.  I googled it and got an interesting hit on an escort in London with ebony skin named Angelica.  The plant may actually be darker, costs quite a lot less and I'm sure easier to keep happy.  Biennial so plant the seeds that form after the lovely pink flowers.

A silver-patterned selection of this durable garden species of Jack in the Pulpit.  A silver wash plays along the midrib of each leaflet spoke in the radial foliar wheel which makes this exotic leaf even more exotic.  Green flowers with a long drip tip on the spathe limb cap turn into fruit like an orange ear of corn and you are on your way to lots more.

Excellent Chinese species which has grown and multiplied in our garden for 15 years.  Broad trifoliate leaves with flowers sporting a swollen yellow spadix held below the foliage. Once pollinated, the stem bearing the fruiting head elongates until the red fruit is held well above the leaves.  In Sichuan, we saw this flowering amidst carpets of Corydalis flexuosa in bloom - no wonder their spadices were dilated!

This are extra large bulbs of this durable Japanese and Korean species.  Broad glossy trifoliate leaves wing out above the green and white striped cowled flower with distinctive mahogany rimming to the spathe tube of the flower.  Shade to some sun.

This is a heralded Japanese Jack in the Pulpit whose species name sikokianum I believe translates into English as 'divine whup-ass' because this truly and gloriously kicks some tail in the garden.  A mysterious yet provocative regal beauty.  A classic for the shade garden.

A collection from Guizhou of this species in the Sinarisaema section and which is likely part of the variable Arisaema consanguineum complex. This has up to 8 radially arranged leaflets with attractive green flowers with pale white stripes held beneath. The long, attenuated drip-tip of the spathe-limb is softly chocolate colored and adds considerably to the allure.

Tall Jack in the Pulpit.  These grow into big boys with a big green flower and distinctive vertical spadix held well above the foliage.  This merits that overused word of awesome especially when it gets 5' tall and you are eye-to-eye with that intriguing flower.  Showy seed cluster too!

Andalusian Dutchman's Pipe.  Native to Portugal, Spain and hopping across Gibraltar to North Africa, this curious vine with its heart-shaped leaves always gives pause with its small mahogany-purple flowers shaped like trippy little saxophones.  We find it nigh unto impossible to walk by without stopping to admire the pixie quirkiness.  Comparatively large seed pods follow the flowers.

Marvelous little Thrift  that is the lazy gardener's cushion plant.  The English alpine gardeners in particular pride themselves in growing these difficult plants that forms cushions or 'buns'.  Well this makes a perfect tight round dome on its own with pink flowers right in the foliage.  Easy.

We have Ellen Hornig of Seneca Hills Nursery to thank for sharing this with us.  Likely of hybrid origin, this has large leaves wonderfully patterned, which are up and glorious all winter and spring before withering away for the summer.  The pale sail-like flower spathes turn a brilliant orange in late summer and fall.  This is a very easy bulb which does well in the shade or woodland garden.