A expert grower friend in Scotland gave us seed of "proper" 'Lingholm' after he could no longer bear seeing the dark blue verging tinged purple flowers of the US 'Lingholm'.  We told him that gardeners here are near brought to tears by our domestic blue poppy and he said just wait.  Large flowers of the most piercing, unsullied sky blue.

Oyster Leaf. The leaves are edible and taste - and feel - exactly like raw oysters. This likes ample nutrition and can be used in containers where the stems will drape down the sides. Perennial and dormant in winter.

Originally introduced by Cistus Nursery from a seed collection at 8000' in La Siberica, Mexico. These have been undamaged in brief nighttime drops to 10F and have formed new crowns after flowering so the show will continue. It is mandatory to have a series of parties when these bloom, btw.

Our collection of this distinctive vining Monkshood 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.

Staggeringly impressive recent introduction of this Solomon Seal species from - wait for it -  Vietnam. Large red flowers snug the whorled leaves on stems which reached 15' tall this year in the garden, and which remain green for us until temps drop below 20F.

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 has consistently been a head-turner here when it is in flower. Rich pink flowers of good size and a large fringed lip or slipper pouch which is decked out in orange-pink spots with the interior all orange ruffles and flourishes. A good increaser and best suited for pot culture where it can be brought in, unless you garden in a mild area. Pleione orchids require excellent drainage.

This is a surprisingly hardy terrestrial Orchid that is quite easy to grow given a couple of rules.  Loose crumbly organic/gritty well-drained soil and fairly dry in the winter.  We've friends who grow these easily in Port Ludlow unprotected in rotting logs, stumps and deep moss on rocks.

Pure class.  A perennial of the first rank and a true aristocrat which is seldom available especially in this size.  Expensive?  You bet and worth it.  One of the true pains to produce commercially.  This has broad pleated leaves and a tall flower stalk with lots of black maroon flowers.  Deer proof.

This is a beloved shrub to small tree species notable for flowering young with nodding white flowers which are best viewed when you can look up into them such as ours on a raised bed. Original introductions likely from Japan have red stamens but this collection of ours differs with yellow stamens.

We love seeing this False Hellebore when we are hiking up to Marmot Pass or Mt Townsend in the Olympics.  Always growing in dappled light or partly sunny spts where there is ample moisture, the big wide pleated leaves are perfect with the drooping plume-like green flowers.  Deer proof.

An extraordinary variant from Linda Cochran's (of course) old garden which she allowed us to salvage when moving.  Distinctly mocha foliage in early spring, with various plant parts retaining dark tones.  Notably, the flower stem is very dark as are the bracts enclosing the flower bud.  The flowers are lovely, white and richly colored in dark maroon.  These are bulbs from isolated, hand-pollinated seed.

This is indeed the king. This beauty can reach 12' tall with subtle hooks on the leaf tips to help it hang onto neighboring plants.  The best thing is the ORANGE flowers in abundance in the leaf axils.  Swoon City.

Beautiful flowers on this selection from the Versailles grex of the cross between P. limprichtii and P. formosana. Large rich pink-lavender flowers with an expressive fringed lip invites you to explore the voluptuous inner hollows colored sensuously in orange and yellow. Why silk pajamas, candles and Bolero just popped into mind is curious........and not a bad idea.

No ignoring this Primrose in flower! Some Primula are wee subtle things with no greater effect than the sound of a distant flute teasing the edge of hearing. This Primula is a full triumphant symphony with you sitting in the orchestra pit. Big heads of many nodding orange/yellow fragrant flowers. Rich and moist.

Unique Viburnum with cute rounded evergreen leaves which are unmatched elsewhere in the genus.  Clusters of small white flowers are in keeping as is the resultant black fruit.  There is something universally appealing about this plant which must be the cute factor and somehow it manages to retain this even as a larger shrub to 8' tall.

This is the Japanese version of our native False Hellebore. Wonderful broad pleated leaves and when old enough, nice spikes of white starry flowers to 3' or more. This likes a rich moist soil, emerges early in spring and goes dormant by mid to late summer. Deer resistant and very hardy.  Young plants.

Very garden worthy little Lily descended from a Crug Farm collection in Taiwan.  This is a fairly compact species with grassy foliage and carnival hat flowers - big white trumpets with maroon stripes on the outside.  Increases well from offsets and blooms when young.  It's all good.

A robust selection of this good garden species.  Large white flowers with a prominent broad and full upside down horseshoe of green on the inners.  The bold gray-green leaves of the species and this is a good increaser on its own without you having to learn how to do bulb chipping.

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.

White Asphodel.  From Spain to North Africa and over to the Balkans, this has done very well for us in our garden.  Narrow leaves in small clumps with flower stems 2'-3' tall and perhaps with greater maturity, to 4', and which bear showy starry white flowers.  We also enjoy the darker round seed capsules which extends the interest.  This will go summer dormant

F2 plants from the original wild collection of this rare species. This is a very handsome thing with superb glossy textured leaves and showy displays of red fruit. Just looking at it, we thought - bummer, can't possibly be hardy but heard from one of the collectors that it handled zero Fahrenheit so woohoo!  We later saw for ourselves the reason why as we climbed on Mt Fansipan, "The Roof of Indochina' and saw this growing near the summit.  A portion of the proceeds goes to support the mission of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy.

A hardy Ginger relative from our seed collection near eastern Bhutan.  This is a rare offering of this collection.  Narrow petals of white and peach are floral whimsy and always amuse us.  Unscented flowers which compensate by having the showiest seed display in the genus.  Mulch in winter.

A comparatively graceful species of Veratrum with broadly narrow leaves, if that makes any sense and sadly, it does to us.  The 4'-5' flower stem has numerous lateral branchlets clad in lots of red-maroon flowers. To compare to the better-known V. nigrum, narrower leaves, flower stems much more open with flowers more red than purple-black.  Excellent long-lived plant of outstanding hardiness best suited for the cool to cold zones.  Young plants.

This Central American epiphytic blueberry relative calls the cloud forests home and enjoys cool conditions with no frost. Brilliant red new growth, tubular soft red flowers with red calyces followed by darkly intriguing fruit. Will develop a caudiform lignotuber in time. This is a visual feast for months on end.

An excellent introduction if you are into the Araliaceae family and fortunately, there are lots of Araliaddicts out there!  This came from the high point in its range with occasional cold exposure and has proven hardy outside here in full sun and wind exposure.  Not ideal but that's what we got!

Opulently colored new growth which marries perfectly to the large purplish flowers. A deciduous species from Japan and an excellent garden plant that has no faults as far as we can tell.

A unique evergreen member of the Myrtaceae family native to moist, rocky areas within alpine and subalpine regions of Australia. This forms a dense mound with arching branches, 3ft by 4ft with early summer small white flowers en masse. Diminutive leaves become coppery in winter, smelling lovely when crushed.

One gold leafed seedling among thousands from seed sown of our Blue Poppies. Fortunately fertile, we are at last able to offer a few of this first gold-leafed form of this type of Meconopsis. The leaves are most intense in spring and the flowers are a lovely amethyst. Like most, some are perennial and some are not.  Save seed!

This is a dynamite cultivar also called 'Florida' but names aside, the flowers totally rock.  White and dark red fragrant flowers marry nicely with the rich purple-tinted foliage.  We keep ours trimmed to an informal shrub but it can be a vigorous vine.  Nice orange fruit.