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.

This is a dandy spreading evergreen Chinese wild ginger with delectable silver splashed bold leaves and beefy flowers of purple-brown tempered by a little cream. This came through 9F here with nary a whimper. Great in containers or the moist woodland/shade garden.  This is not a clumper but will ramble splendidly.

Very uncommon Japanese selection that came out of Asiatica Nursery at the end of its run.  This is a pretty stellar foliage plant whose new growth is richly colored in yellow which greens up as the leaves mature.  It is an unexpected and exciting eruption of color when growth commences and the muted colors of winter are in keeping with the season. Tough evergreen tolerant of dry shade but with water, it will grow faster.

Palm Leaf Begonia. Thanks to Nancy Heckler who annually logs her robust plant late in the year to aid in overwintering and shows up at our door with an armload of stems several feet long for cuttings. It's all in who you know. Serious container plant for the summer and fall and should be brought in prior to frost.

From Wendy Perry of Bosvigo Plants in S. England comes this unfortunately scarce and choice Campanula.  Gently and very controllably spreading to make an impressive clump with spires of pure white flowers.  Pairs impeccably with Hosta 'Patriot'.

Excellent form of the species from our 2010 seed collection on the slopes of Leigongshan in Guizhou, China at 5600'. Nicely packed flowers more horizontal than pendulous with more purple in the throat than typical and frankly more attractive than typical.  We were dancing in the woods when we saw the tall seed stalks marching up the slope and can only imagine what we will do when we see them flower!

Seedlings from our Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense 'Big & Pink' which is one of two pink Cardiocrinums known to exist.  We have the other one as well.  These are hand-pollinated seedlings of this amazing and extremely rare plant  and we expect them to be pink as well.  "It's so big and pink!"

A plant of refinement to be sure.  One that is appreciated and admired by the higher echelons of gardening.  A collector's plant.  Different ways of saying that this is not a flamboyant show-stopper but a tasteful blend of delicate texture and airy soft pink flowers that helps make it all work.

Japanese Turtlehead.  This light shade loving perennial has late season pink flowers shaped like a foxglove but for us, it is most evocative of an erect Nothochelone nemerosa which is a familiar native wildflower if you are a hiker in the Olympic or Cascade Mts.  This makes a nice clump giving a valuable late show.

Heal-All, Stone Root.  Tuberous form of this widespread East Coast species which we received from Aaron Floden.  Widely used ethnobotanically and homeopathically, this is an interesting shade ornamental in its own right.  Broad soft leaves and curious late season small creamy yellow flowers smelling of Lemon Pledge.

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.

Evergreen Solomon Seal relative from Taiwan via plantsman Ozzie Johnson. Loves moist shade in zones 7-9 where the rounded leaves on stems up to a foot shelter the hanging white bell flowers.  Combines well with all of those shade garden plants that any self respecting plant collector loves so rest assured that garden harmony will remain intact.

This is a clone from a wild collection in China which came to us from a friend and we have finally a few to offer.  Evergreen leaves in our climate looking a lot like a Solomon Seal with similar white bells in spring.  The lavender fruits offer a subtle attraction in the shade garden later in the season.  We clip the old stems off in spring as the new starts to grow.

Evergreen Solomon's Seal.  This is a darn good plant from Sichuan China that really performs here in the Northwest.  This makes dense clumps of upright stems clad in glossy evergreen leaves below which dangle white bells in spring.   We typically cut back last years growth in spring.   Easy.

A collection from China by the folks at Quarry Hill Botanic Garden, home to one of the finest collections of Asian plants in North America.  A nice addition to the 3 or 4 forms of this species in cultivation with rounder, broader and glossy foliage with flowers a trifle showier being whiter.  Evergreen in mild winters.

2 Gallon Size. Robust Buckler Fern. Tough and big fern that brings hybrid vigor to the shade garden bringing excellent attributes from it's parents, Dryopteris affinis and D. filix-mas. These were spore-grown here and thanks to Fern Madam, Judith Jones, for identifying these along with info that they tolerate dry shade and in better conditions, can have 5' fronds.

Big dude with leaves up to 5' across.  Bizarre flower cones evocative of times distantly primordial and the whole package begs to be the centerpiece of the Jurassic Garden.  I can see it - Tree Ferns, Cardiocrinums, Big Leaf Rhododendrons and Podophyllums playing off the Gunnera.  Rich moist soil and mulch in winter.

An exciting introduction of this evergreen species from Gaolingongshan of NW Yunnan.    Why is this so good? Bright yellow flowers on 5'-6' stems on a 6"-8" floral cone.  Each bract on the floral cone contains 3-5 flowers as opposed to one typically, so each flowering spike can last a good 5 weeks. And a pleasant light scent to boot. It's best kept in a container and overwintered inside.

Fabulous big blue hosta as seen in our shade garden.  Grand white flowers.  Even though it is an old favorite, it still teaches the new upstarts a thing or two about beauty, durability and garden worthiness.

Chinese Bleeding Heart.  This is a departure from the ferny foliaged Dicentras we are used to by sporting broad leaflets looking more Astilbe than Dicentra.  Another departure is the cream to soft yellow flowers.  Vigorous in moist rich soil, this makes an impressive patch quickly.

Neat selection from Japan of this fall-blooming woodlander.  Golden yellow are its hallmark in spring to mid summer after which they become a light yellow-green but still an element of light brightness in the shade.  Late in Oct/Nov, this defies conventional wisdom by producing  yellow bottlebrush flowers.  Hardy to zone 4.

Extremely rare lily native to just a few sites in the southeastern US and discovered by Mary Henry in 1940, known as the Panhandle or Pot of Gold Lily.  This is found growing along streams and  pitcher plant bogs.  It is unusual in that it is adapted to warm winters and high humidity. It is a Turk's Cap type and will be 3'-6' at maturity. The bulbs will make a nice little colony when happy.

Martagon lily hybrids are fantastic additions to the garden. The foliage itself is very attractive in whorls of leaves and the flower display of a mature clump will leave you weak-kneed. Maroon King has soft, maroon Turk's cap flowers with a paler wash to the face. Super hardy and a good increaser in the ground. We find half sun is pretty ideal.

Superb form collected by perhaps the preeminent current plant hunter, Jens Nilsen.  The list of 'firsts' in Jens' history of collections is astounding.  This collection is not a first but is notable for being an exceptional form.  Larger in all parts than previous introductions with gold flowers in midsummer.

One of the finest False Solomon Seal's around and rarely obtainable. These are spirit-breakingly slow to grow from seed and the time required to grow plants to flowering size which these should be calls into question our business acumen. However, these are of such perfection when mature with stout 24"-30" stems arching gracefully and each bearing a terminal plume of flashy white flowers.

False Solomon Seal. This Chinese species is one of our favorites in the shade garden and we delight in its ribbed leaves with elegantly understated small violet daubing at the base of each leaflet followed by the precise detail in the small greenish flowers. In the late summer into fall, it has strut-your-stuff full heads of bright orange fruit.

This Chinese woodland Peony is one of the few species blooming and thriving in full shade although part sun suits it as well.  Nicely dissected ferny foliage and slightly nodding single pink flowers 2-3 per stem makes this distinctively beautiful.  Decent drainage.  Easy.

Chinese May Apple.  This is an impressive plant - truly one to give the shade garden some visual impact.  Big leaves get up to 18" across with bizarre clusters of red flowers held beneath which are followed by red "tomatoes" if you are lucky.  Rich moist soil in shade.

The classic Solomon's Seal that we all know and one of the best.  Hybrid vigor produces waist high strong stems with lots of hanging white flowers.  Surprisingly good cut flower and also surprisingly drought tolerant.  Tolerance and thriving are different matters of course.  Great clumps in average conditions.

2 Gallon Size.  Western Sword Fern.  These were spore-grown here so about as Port Townsend local as you can get!  One of the truly great ferns and a memorable sight in Northwest forests where old-growth ferns easily reach 4' or more tall.  Evergreen with a broadly vase-shaped habit, the fronds are used extensively in the floral industry.  Tolerant of sun, rocks in light shade.