This is a silver-blue foliaged species from South America we received from Jerry Flintoff which makes a 3' diameter broundcover of ferny foliage which is topped in summer by friendly little reddish brown burs like a forest of miniature Tootsie Roll Pops.  Good drainage is key.

An intricate departure from the common, coarser Acanthus, this is far more diminutive with low, finely cut, thistle-like foliage less than a foot tall and short 16" flower spikes with pink flowers. Very easily managed spreader. Ours has been in the ground for several years and last year we finally were able to divide off a few pieces to pot up. Full sun and good drainage.

Wicked New Zealander with defensively formidable stilleto yelloowish leaves in a low dense mound.  This is not only deer resistant but wild boar, komodo dragon and grizzly bear reisistant as well.  This well armored Kiwi has dioecious white flowers in a showy yellow plume.  Good deep drainage.

The largest of the Spaniard Grasses, this is native to sub-alpine montane grasslands on the South Island of New Zealand where it does experience snow.  The plant forms large tussocks whose needle sharp blue-green leaves can reach 3' long.   Perhaps best of all, it has a spike of soft yellow flowers up to 9' tall.  Not a true grass but in the carrot family.

One of the sweetest little bulbs imaginable!  Summer dormant with dainty white flowers on 6"  stems appearing in Aug into Sept.  This grows in Portugal, Gibralter and Morocco and is just as happy growing with Madrona in the PNW as it is Olives back home.  Grassy foliage up in fall and winter.

Our collection of this distinctive viningMonkshood from the wooded slopes of Longshou in Sichuan.   We think this is quite superior to other color forms of this rare species and have given it the name 'Monk Gone Wild' because it is a pretty crazy color for a Monkshood plus this monk managed to remain technically celibate yet still have lots of children via stem bulbils.

Rollicking twining Monkshood from China that delights in scrambling up into shrubs or onto thin trellage.  Although a fine and aristocratic perennial, it remains devoid of snobbery embracing chainlink as if it were ornate wrought iron at an Antebellum mansion.  Dusky lavender flowers.

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.

An interesting Monkshood species from a Philip MacDougall collection in Taiwan.  This has large dusky blue-purple flowers on 2'-3' stems in mid summer and is not so tall so as to require support.  This does well for us in full sun but might be even better in half sun. It has been a reliable performer and a nice change from the typical Dutch and Euro selections.

Silver Broom.  Uncommon xeric shrub endemic to the Sierra Nevada Mts of Spain.  This member of the Fabaceae family is fab indeed with pale flaking bark, silver-green needle-like leaves and sprays of soft yellow flowers.  Pretty awesome and locally grown to perfection at the Heg and Barca gardens on Whidbey Island.

This is likely the first introduction of this curious Tea family member from our collection in Guangxi Province. An evergreen shrub to 10' in the wild with long slightly drooping olive-green leaves prominently hirsute especially along the margins. Flowers are small and white and give way to small black fruit. We are thinking hardy to zone 8.

Choice little alpine from the heights of Syria, Lebanon and Turkey which is remarkably hardy.  Sue brought this out west with her from her garden in northern Vermont in case you think we're making stuff up.  Which we do but we're not this time.  Perfect low mats of small rounded gray leaves and white spring flowers.

This is a fine selection quite comparable to "Back in Black" but a bit more compact in stature aspiring to attain 3' in height.  This makes it much more workable for the front of the bed or as a container element.  Dark stems holding dark blue-purple flowers in late summer.  Mulch if very cold but has been fine here in the Puget Sound area.

A compact little guy carrying very nice white flowers which benefit from extra petals giving it a little more floral punch.  If you can and no one complains, then why not?  Mulch in winter and decent drainage and feel free to plant it in a very sunny hot spot.

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.

One of the top hybrids bred by Steve Hickman of Hoyland's and is well-regarded among those in the know for its large powder-blue flowers on 30" stems.  We have just a few of these and owe thanks to plantsman Jim Fox's courier efforts from the UK and for sharing with us.

A hybrid out of New Zealand that is widely regarded as one of the best. A hardier deciduous species with big heads of purple-violet flowers with each petal boasting a darker central stripe. This is a performer which will not disappoint. This can be grown in zone 7 if deeply mulched for the winter. We typically mulch all of our Agapanthus just to be on the safe side as we can get cold here.

One of the very best of the white variegated Agapanthus.  This has superb clean white variegation which coupled with the abundant blue flowers in mid to late summer is frankly dazzling.  A dwarf selection that lends itself well to containers - just don't let the pots freeze in winter!

A cracking plant originally collected in the Lydenburg District of Mpumalanga of South Africa and grown for years in the treasure house of Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden. Upright gray-green leaves lead the eye up and up to over 40" where the pale sky blue flower heads with large drooping individual florets are captivating.

Small yet floriferous Hyssop native to northern Mexico but hardy to below zero.  The tangerine peach flowers go on and on in the summer and the aromatic foliage causes the dratted deer to leave it alone.  Best in a lean soil and tolerant of drier conditions - this would be perfect in that gravel garden or hell strip.

A vigorous evergreen vine with trifoliate leaves collected by Dan Hinkley in Sichuan which has purplish flowers and bears fairly enormous purplish or yellowish fruit, that look like fat bananas. Quite the fantastical garden element when these ripen in late summer and fall!  This is vigorous so a stout trellis or strong supporting tree is required.

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.

Tapertip Onion.  Western US and BC native growing in open rocky areas, stabilized screes, subalpine meadows.  One of the best colored natives with nice heads of magenta rose flowers on stems from 5-12 inches tall depending on how happy and mature it is.  The leaves wither before flowering leaving the stage to the star.  Ideal for rock gardens.

An uncommon and attractive Allium introduced to the Northwest by Diana Reeck of Collector's Nursery who was given seed of this while visiting Kunming Botanic Garden.  A clumping Chinese species with small heads of soft yellow flowers.  Adapts to sun or bright shade in reasonably moist soil.  Well behaved, this won't become a Yellow Peril.

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.

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..