This excellent hardy orchid is one we received many years ago from our late Plant Guru, Jerry John Flintoff as Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. africana.  Well, that has been merged into D. elata and it looks right to us but we are not orchid botanists.  Vigorous, with green leaves and richly colored flowers.

We are mad about Dactylorhiza which are the coolest hardy terrestrial (grows in the ground) orchids and very easy to grow.  These are rare mondo big seed-grown plants from Dactylorhiza fuchsii 'Bressingham Bonus' grown for us by plantswoman extraordinaire Claire Cockroft.  Pink.

A selection from Bressingham of this hardy terrestrial orchid chosen for its rapidity of multiplication.  This does a lovely doubling at least each year when happy so a robust clump is not long in the offing.  Good soil and moist but can take some late summer dry.  Rare now and choice.

These hardy orchids seed around the nursery which is a very good thing as we have never got one to come up from seed we have intentionally planted. This will be pink to purple but sometimes a white one sneaks in. This is basically a bulb that goes summer dormant but appreciates ample moisture when growing.  Likely some species like fuchsii may also be an option here in this Lucky Dip.

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.

Panache oozes from the phylloclades of this haute shade shrub.  Before you get nervous, phylloclades are leaf-like organs of modified stem tissue as this nonpareil evergreen is so far beyond the cutting edge that true leaves are just so yesterday.  Small green flowers to delight a microscopist, showy red berries in fall.

A Hinkley collection of this species often parading about as the similar D. longilobata.  These are second-generation seed-grown plants of this very amenable, easy in the garden species.  Small white flowers with a light purplish calyx and showy fruit that is always produced in abundance. Sort of semi-deciduous most winters here.

This uncommon Daphne calls the Caucasus Mountains home and we find even its glossy green leaves an ornamental asset but really, one grows Daphne for the flowers.  This has terminal clusters of narrow yellow flowers which are very pleasant and the fun continues after blooming with good display of showy red fruit.  Which is where these came from.  Best in part sun and does great at woodland edge.

Uncommon species which has proven durable in containers and in the garden where it handled a nasty 12F winter with equanimity. Pink-backed white flowers followed by red fruit on stiffly upright stems.  From Erlangshan in Sichuan growing with the rare Epimedium flavum on a slope with Cardiocrinum in the wet thicket behind.

The best seedling from a cross Robin White made between Daphne acutiloba and Daphne sericea 'Collina' with acutiloba as the seed parent although the pollen parent dominates the characteristics.  Robin authored a monograph on Daphne and is a genius breeder and nurseryman with impossibly high standards.  Goodson is his mothers maiden name so quality is a given in the low, open domed plant with fragrant, dusky pink flowers.

Young plants of this extremely rare species which we speculate will have only light frost tolerance so perhaps good for zones 9-10.  Evergreen bold leaves bringing to mind an unholy union between a laurel and a rhododendron.  Insignificant flowers at a relatively young age.

Uncommon herbaceous Chinese Hydrangea relative named for the distinctive cleft or bifid leaves.  Pale green foliage with terminal clusters of white flowers showing their affinity to Hydrangeas.  Dies to ground in winter.  Shade or morning sun and not too dry.

We've always regarded this herbaceous Hydrangea relative from Asia as one of the preeminent collector's plants for the shade garden.  From a woody rootstock each spring arises multiple stems holding textured rounded leaves tinged in soft purple edges with midsummer terminal clusters of lavender flowers possessing the most exquisite detail.

From manic hybridizer Darrell Probst comes this herbaceous Hydrangea relative.  Softer blue than D. caerulea but with leaves showing a distinct Camel Toe cleft attesting to D. bifida affinity.  (Had a friend who was Wardrobe Mstress for PNW Ballet and Camel Toes were her bane)

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!

This has grown into one of our favorite small deciduous shrubs which we grow near our bog garden.  Collected in China on the Sino-British Expedition to Cangshan in 1981 which was one of the first western botanic expeditions to China in modern times.  Copious pink-white flowers on a 4'-6' tall shrub.  Zone 6 at least.

Uncommon evergreen Deutzia with glossy, dark green leaves with a white underside. Early summer brings subtle clusters of small, star shaped white flowers with pronounced golden anthers. From a Peter Cox collection in the Cangshan.

A great Dianthus which was like pulling teeth to get Sue to part with a couple.  Makes a fine blue mat of foliage which is covered in eyes-a-popping single magenta pink flowers which have an intoxicating fragrance.  First class rockery plant - killer with that black quarry rock.

A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering.  Awesome Sweet William selected by John Grimshaw from seedlings at Monksilver Nursery and is notable for the foliage which turns maroon-black providing the perfect foil for the velvety maroon clustered flowers which smells of chocolate in warm weather - damn!  Cut back after flowering for another go around.  John personally gave us a piece from his garden so we have a fond attachment.

A seldom-encountered Dianthus from the mountains in South Africa.  Apparently the local indigenous use this in magic - we can attest we are transported briefly to another realm when this flowers.  Nice pink flowers on slowly spreading mats which is best suited for the rock garden.  Good drainage in full sun and hardy to zone 7 and possibly lower.

A collection from China by Olsen & Floden of this well-known ornamental pink or carnation.  Very nice to have a documented collection as the cultivated material can get a little diluted via unintentional hybridization in the garden.  I know that is some of the most fun we have in the garden.  Good lacy hot tomato/fuchsia-pink flowers that are scented.

Classic spring epehemeral of the eastern woodlands with ferny foliage in early spring and white flowers in March.  This will go dormant by late spring and is an excellent little plant to grow on top of later growing shade loving lily species or Arisaemas so that you get double duty out of the same planting spot.

Bleeding Heart.  Given the Award of Garden Merit in the UK, this is truly a winner with icy blue ferny foliage subtending the dangling white heart shaped flowers.  A superb form of our western native and deserving of a place in any garden.  Can you tell we like it?

Best form of the species with good green leaves and clustered ok to unremarkable pale pink flowers which transmorgrifies into totally remarkably awesome bunches of impossible blue fruit which seems crazy out of place in the woodland but now you can't imagine shade without.

An impressive Fairy Wand Flower or Angel's Fishing Rod. This is a good species with a narrow presentation and nice flowers of good rich pink held 4'-5' tall on wiry stems. This is not a big robust clumper but tends towards a narrower verticality quite in keeping with modern design trends.

This is a compact Angel's Fishing Rod but it is a lunker in flower power.  This makes a dense evergreen grassy clump which has lots of flower stems bearing pendulous fared pink bells in mid summer.  We have this out in our sunny border and it has been great.  Deer resistant.

A less-common Fairy Wandflower we grew from seed from the late Rod and Rachel Saunders of South Africa.  This is a smaller species to 3' and later flowering than most species with its small pink-purple flowers occurring in July and early August.  It is useful as weaning species for the hummingbirds so they don't have to go cold turkey when the others are finished.

Angel's Fishing Rod.  As the specific epithet infers, this does have grand flowers!  Widely flared big medium pink flowers dangle in mad abandon on 4'-5 stems.

Chunky seed-grown plants from the fair and white-flowered 'Guinevere'.  We presume that some at least will resemble the desirable parent (Guinevere 2.0?) while the rest will explore floral realms yet unknown.  A 1 in 36 roll of the Fairy Wandflower dice that could come up boxcars, or at worst, a solid garden performer.

Seedlings from a floriferous red-flowered selection from Russell Graham. The parent plant is a short, dense clumper with small red flowers that rule by their majority.  This has pride of place in our garden, widely separated from our other Dierama, so hope is for similarity on these children.