A collection from China of this surpirisingly hardy gesneriad whose identity remains a mystery.  This was growing on a mountain summit in a shaded area with hard limestone outcrops coated in thick moss which proved ideal conditions for this little gem.  Tubular yellow flowers are a delight and has handled 10F in our garden growing in a stump.

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.

A choice Snowdrop with very large single flowers and one of the earliest to bloom. Increases moderately well and seems to be a survivor with a good constitution as it is going strong here while more effete selections have dwindled.

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.

A fine and vigorous form of Galanthus plicatus with inner segments bearing a distinct and delineated green mark.  This older selection was found in a garden in the village of Warham and has proved itself as a durable garden plant.  Thanks to galanthophile Carole Jennings for sharing her collection with us awhile back.

A southeastern native in one of our favorite families, the Diapensiaceae, this has unapologetic beautiful evergreen foliage and wands of white flowers which evoke our native Vanilla Leaf, Achlys triphylla. This form, we assume from Watnong Nursery in Morris Plains, NJ, is notable for very good vigor and garden adaptability. Spreads not fast enough by runners and appreciates looser forest-type soil.

'James Roof' is a man among boys when you are talking West Coast Silktassels. This male cultivar is gloriously well-hung with flowering catkins that dangle nearly a foot in length resulting in catkin-envy among other Garrya cultivars and the occasional insecure gardener.  Or so we are told. Tough evergreen doing it's thing in early spring.

One of the best of the hybrids, this Silk Tassle bush is a cross between Garrya elliptica and G. fremontii. It has nice rounded evergreen leaves with catkins 8"-10" long in shades of green and purple in the winter. Just when SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder - ratchets up, Carl talks us down from the ledge. Tough plant and tolerant of some dry.

Exceptional selection of this cross between Garrya elliptica and G. fremontii from Glasnevin in Ireland.  What is notable about this is the long late winter catkins have conspicuous wine-colored bands.  We're talking Pinot Noir here not Pinot Grigio.  As a bonus, the stems are dark colored as well.  Winter interest, anyone?

Fine South American evergreen shrub to 20" or more when grown richly or half that grown rock garden lean. Wiry red stems bristle with small stiff leaves that pair well to the plentiful small white bells and reddish fruit later. From Simon Bond in England who had some obscure treasures when we visited his Thuja Alpine Nursery.

A rare relative of our local Salal (Gaultheria shallon) collected by Jeanette Kunnen in the mountains above Oaxaca in Mexico. We were given cuttings by the late Ericaceous collector Art Dome who grew this to perfection at his Seward Park garden in Seattle. Scrumptious new growth and lots of pink bells followed by blue-black berries. Art grew his against a terraced wall on a slope where it got morning sun and it was a happy camper.

This rugged South African is sun, wind and drought tolerant and absolutely hardy in the PNW.  One of the most admired plants in our border for its profuse display of large yellow to orange daisies on low stems.  Good drainage.

Winged Broom.  Superb shrublet from the Balkans down in to Greece that has distinctive flanged leaves and stems.  This is a low growing very dense small scale groundcover and takes full sun and poor soil while being tolerant of drier conditions.  In late spring, smothered in yellow flowers.  We have a dandy one under our palms by the gate.

This has good, white megaphone-shaped flowers which are liberally, if subtly, spritzed with pale blue spots.  Makes a dense small mat of green needle leaves which dies back in winter.  Moist, acidic and sunny.

Excellent introduction from the breeding work of Keith lever at Aberconwy Nursery in Wales.  A compact grower with dark blue upward facing trumpets lined with white in the interior.  This requires full sun to do its best and requires a rich, acidic soil that stays moist.  Your reward is one heckuva show in late August clear into October.

Very uncommon selection from the UK which we are pleased to introduce to these shores.  An Asiatic Gentian whose parents include such species as Gentiana sino-ornata, G. veitchiorum, G, farreri etc.  These revel in cool climates, moist acid soil and reward with late summer-fall bloom.  This is a good dark blue with purple tones.

This Asiatic Gentian has fully double dark blue flowers lasting for weeks in late August into Fall and will cause visitors to perform a potentially dangerous pivot in midstep as they are strolling by when they realize they are seeing double so have your waivers all signed. Sun and moist acidic soil.

Really good German hybrid with Gentiana veitchorum as a major genetic contributor.  We're obsessed by the Asiatic Gentians ( this is one) and we well remember G. veitchorum blooming in the alpine fields on the Zhongdian Plateau.  Big dark blue trumpets in September.  Rich moist soil in mostly sun.

Exceptional white-flowered Asiatic Gentian from the Berrybank Hybrids bred by Ian McNaughton in Scotland.  We never met Ian but were fortunate to meet his plantswoman wife Beryl which is a lasting fond memory.  'Oban' fulfills Ian's breeding goals of compact habit and upward-facing flowers in clusters.  For cool climates.

One of the good ones raised by Keith Lever at Aberconwy Nursery in Wales.  Large trumpets of dark royal blue tempered with violet and lit by white exterior stripes and throat. This is a compact grower which makes for a concentrated display of these flowers and would be a suitable subject for a pot.  Full sun and moist.

A hybrid selection of the Asiatic Gentians.  I've always envied the Strathmore's in their big Manor House and the huge estate with impeccable gardens and all just so and in perfect taste with impeccable timing.  And all seemingly effortless.  Rich moist soil results in decadent sky-blue trumpets.

A classy selection we brought in from the UK as the pure white clone 'Serenity,' but turns out to be a dead-ringer for this Scottish selection with alternate petals dusted in light turquoise.  At first we were a wee put off and aye, felt a bit of an eejit, but now we ken this a bonny lass and we not be haverin'.

A large-flowered and very dark blue selection bred by Scotsman Ian McNaughton.  The October trumpets are so dark that a distinct wash of purple plays in the outer throat of the corolla as I look at it on this October 8.  This wee bairn of Ian's breeding meets his goals of bigger and more flowers - a bonny Gentian!

A strong-growing form favored among some of the remaining specialty nurseries in Oregon.  Dense evergreen mats of tight foliage erupt in spring and sporadically thereafter, with improbably large and impossibly saturated deep blue trumpets.  This mountain species is no effete alpine, moist rich soil is its cup of tea.

Selection out of Germany of this darned fine species.  Evergreen tight mats of small green leaves with impossible azure blue trumpets standing at attention looking very superior and perfect.  Well, it is a German selection after all and this shows a certain adherance to standards which the lesser gentians can only dream about attaining.

Evergreen mat-former with very large cobalt blue trumpets spring to early summer.  This might ruin your other blue flowers for you as they will look embarassingly insipid in comparison.   A rich moist soil in full to mostly sun is best.  Despite popular opinion, these are pigs and thrive on a good manure mulch!

A selection of this outstanding European alpine species notable for having large flowers and being quite a good bloomer. Not all acaulis flower freely but 'Krebs' brings it with large upward-facing trumpets of impossible blue in mid spring.  Now you don't have to be embarrased you have Krebs.  Rich moist soil in sun.  Hardy to zone 5.

One of the largest flowered selections of Gentiana acaulis, this is truly a showstopper with its big, deep blue trumpets in spring and lighter reblooms after.  It may owe its vigor to hybridity but whatever the reason, we are down with it!  Moist, rich soil in sun and stand back and enjoy. Gentiana acaulis 'Maxima Enzian' is likely the same as Enzian is German for Gentian.

A few think is a hybrid or perhaps the closely related G. angustifolia but it makes no difference in the garden however as this is riveting with freely produced large trumpets that scream BLUE!!!!  Really quite impossible to assess this taxon objectively when you are totally gobsmacked by the flowers. A selection we brought home from Scotland.

A fine selection with seasonally variable light blue trumpet flowers. Most folks instantly gravitate towards the impossibly dark blue selections and while these are critical to have, consider how much darker they will look with this growing alongside.  Just sayin'.  Evergreen mats in rich soil.