A choice woodland creeper for the shade or partly shaded garden where it behaves like Anemone nemorosa - making a mat of ferny foliage but in this case, it has vibrant yellow flowers.  A patch of this is to be coveted.  Very hardy and goes mid to late summer dormant.

Very intriguing perennial with intricate light brown flower buds that appear to be spun glass art depicting the skeletal structure of some microscopic sea creature.  From the center extends the feathered pinkish petals.  While not spectacular compared to a Dahlia, we think it spectacularly interesting but then we are certifiable plant loons.

An intriguing curiosity that combines beauty with novelty.  In this selection, the flower petals have become lacy green petaloid structures that are perfectly arranged to create amusing and intricate green flowers.  A fun addition to the shade garden.

Hardy species in the Gesneriaceae or African Violet family from Greece and Bulgaria where it favors shaded rocky outcrops.  Our old mama plants fill a 3 gallon pot with a packed dome of evergreen leafy rosettes that give rise to 4"-5" stems with flowers of pale lavender faces and dark corolla base.

European Wild Ginger. Rounded, heart-shaped most excellent evergreen leaves (evergreen in mild winters or our Z8 garden) hug the ground close and dense, hiding the small flowers and their lack of ornament We have a slightly paler leaf clone that is most apparently pale when planted next to this clone.

There ain't nuthin' like this.  Early spring yellow stars followed by leathery lobed green leaves in a dense low mound.  It is the early yellow flowers that steal the show in part because they have so little competition and in part because they are so unique.

One of the larger flowered varieties of Wood Anemone, this has excellent white flowers which are more than enough to stand alone or perfect in a supporting understory role to larger shrubs and perennials.

Lily of the Valley.  A good selection of this stalwart species with a yellow margin to the leaves and said leaves are larger than average as well.  Typical scented white flowers.  There are numerous spellings of the cultivar name but since this is an American introduction, we can only assume this is correct.  Sad.

Pink 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 pink! Perfect in the woodland garden, very hardy and with impeccable provenance.

This excellent clone of the Wood Anemone has larger than usual white flowers held nicely above the foliage with better than usual substance and poise.  Hard to describe precisely but like some things that are elusive in definition, you know it when you see it.

These were shared with us by Kelly's mentor and fair to say, hero, Steve Doonan of Grand Ridge Nursery.  A superb selection with petaloid stamens giving this a robust doubled appearance.  Always hard to come by and much sought after, this will in time make a nice carpet of ostentation.

Tough as all get out circumpolar herbaceous species of the subarctic which is found in Alaska and the Yukon and skips along the mountain tops as far south as Wyoming. This is a tap-rooted species and will not run but settles for making a nice low clump of soft as a mouse-ear silver haired leaves which are great with the sizable yellow flowers. Our plants are descended from our dear departed friend Steve Doonan of Grande Ridge Nursery.

Rock Soapwort.  This is a lovely and tough rock garden or crevice plant from the Pyrenees where it grows in exposed sheer rock faces.  Dense cushions of close-packed rosettes with narrow short green leaves.  Pink-purple flowers are held on short 2" stems in groups of one to three.  One becomes a group when hanging with the Threes.  Full sun, good drainage, zones 3-8.

To our knowledge, not available in this country and very scarce elsewhere.  An early bloomer, in fact, it is flowering now this late December in its pots sitting outside unprotected as we have had a relatively mild winter so far. Huge flowers, increases well and a good performer in the garden.

Tough plant from Russia and Romania with blue two-lipped flowers from June into September. This will get 2' to 3' tall and likes good drainage in sandy, gravelly situations where it can get occasional water although it is pretty drought tolerant. Being a Salvia, the Port Townsend gardening soul-crushing deer won't eat it.........yet. Once our Uptown PT herd exceeds 100, all bets are off. Thanks to Panayoti Kelaidis for sharing seed.

A close relative to Gentiana acaulis and regarded as being in the acaulis group. This is one of the forms found in the nursery trade here in the PNW which means it is a good grower.  Maybe a little mongrel vigor from G. acaulis to pump up the volume on those big blue trumpet flowers above an evergreen spreading mat.

We presume this is simply a good form of Dactylorhiza maculata as the leaves are broader and the purple-pink flowers held in fatter heads than many of the forms we see around.  A good plant and one we have slowly increased by division and now have a scant few to offer.  Leaves are nicely spotted.

Excellent selection of this species in the acaulis group which has large flowers of a particularly good dark blue on long stems well, long for this species anyway.  Evergreen mats in rich moist soil in full sun with main bloom in spring and some rebloom in late summer.  Endangered species in its native Balkan Dinaric Alps.

Awesome little plant with fresh winter foliage which gives way to 8"-12" tall dense stems with an improbable number of pure white double flowers. Goes summer dormant so don't panic although we still do. Cool plant native to the UK and Europe and favoring vernally wet areas.

In the Solanaceae Family, this deciduous perennial gets many stems that start blooming almost upon emergence in early spring with thimble-shaped chocolate flowers that are yellowish on the inside.  Very cool.  This likes part sun and is broader than tall at 2' x 3'.

One of those spring ephemerals we totally groove on.  This tuberous Toothwort is native to the woodlands of the former Yugoslavia so current geography is from Bosnia through Croatia and into stable Austria.  This will form a little colony but is not annoying in the least and is so delightful with its sizable white flowers in March.

Wood Anemone.  This is a good blue form with flowers darker than many of the blue selections and even though the individual flowers are a little smaller than typical, we don't care as this is such a lovely thing.  Found in the Estonian woodlands by Mart Veerus and introduced we think by Janis Ruksans.

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.

Choice selection with ruffled heavily marbled leaves and light pink flowers.  You normally grow Hepatica for the early spring flowers and any foliar enhancement is pure gravy but with Cremar, flowers bow their heads to the majesty of the leaves. Quite a choice plant and does well in light shade with decent drainage.

Beautiful Primrose family member with evergreen rounded leaves and numerous upright stems from which hang fringed lavender bells in spring.  Truly a plant of elfin charm.  This is very good garden plant and easy to please.  Native to European high meadows.  Showy beyond its size.

Newer double Campanula we received from England.  This has big medium blue flowers like 2 shallow cups nested together.  These are on strong stems which don't blow over and we can testify to that living on the windswept Port Townsend Plateau.  Good clumper - a great plant.

This is a cutey that is found in our state as well as around the globe in northern latitudes and the higher reaches.  As charming as it is, one wonders why it is not more widely grown.  Easy to please in a moist site and makes a deliciously cheery patch of fresh yellow flowers in spring.  The flowers, although small, are many and play counterpoint to larger flowers.

Dog Tooth Violet.  The European representative of the genus which contains our native Avalanche Lily.  These have great mottled foliage and lovely flowers of an even violet purple highlighted by a throat touched in maroon and yellow.  Frans must have been a bit of a dandy.

Dog Tooth Violet.  There are no bad Erythroniums and this is near the top of the heap.  Dark pink flowers are infused with a blue tinge giving them a wonderful lilac color and creating an easy shortcut to naming this cultivar.  A star in the shade garden with nice mottled foliage.

I love white flowers in the shade garden.  The juxtaposition against the dark earth and the interplay and mediation with other colors makes white an excellent choice.  (Don't get me wrong, I'm voting for Obama)  These have pure white flowers with a light chartreuse throat touched faintly in red.