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.

Our collection from Asia of this fine medium sized tree.  The usually 3-lobed (sometimes 5) leaves are handsome indeed with the new growth often flushed with a light copper overlay.  Excellent at the woodland edge or partly shaded garden sheltered from the worst of the drying sun and wind which plagues us here.

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.

These are from wild collected seed in the Russian Far East.  Light green foliage and spires of white flowers.  A good tough plant and quite attractive.

A fine evergreen Maidenhair Fern from a naturally occurring hybrid between Adiantum aleuticum and A. jordanii.  These are a different clone than the "original clone" and no less desireable with the same fine and wholesome attributes.  Maidenhairs have always been one of the quintessential ferns in our estimation and this is a choice one.

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.

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.

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.

From Sichuan where this was growing in an open position in a lightly shaded glade at about 10000' in elevation.  This has small leaves shaped much like a pointed canoe paddle with flower stems to 10"-15" tall bearing small round heads of white flowers sometimes with a diffused pink keel to the outer petals as many in this collection do.

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.

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..

Saskatoon Berry.  Selected for flavorful fruit, Smokey doubles as both an edible and an ornamental plus it is a native.  A fine small tree to just 12' or so with spring white flowers, dark raisiny fruit and good fall color.  Sure the deer eat it and of course the birds like the fruit so enjoy the wildlife and go buy a mango.

Leadplant.  A native to the upland plains of the Midwest, this leguminous shrub has  excellent textural foliage of small gray-green pea leaflets and quite nice terminal "antlers" of purplish flower spikes.  The flowers are tiny but are clustered in multitudes.  Good drainage, drought tolerant.

Threadleaf Bluestar. Native to the Midwest, this tough perennial must seem like a transplant from California with its liberal threadlike foliage which becomes a cloud of flamboyant rich gold and bronzes in the fall echoing the tans of celebrity. Light blue flowers in clusters at the tips in early summer.

Bog Rosemary. This is a compact selection to just 6" tall and spreading with the gray-green needle-like leaves often taking on a red edge.  The short stems are hung with small pink bells in late spring which are enjoyed by bees.  Related to Rhododendrons and Heather, this likes a moist acidic spot in part sun.  Very hardy to zone 3.

A necessary part of the woodland garden are the small European Anemones and this is one of the good ones.  Fine foliage and nice white flowers in spring on a slowly spreading rhizomatous little bulbous plant.  As you may have surmised, this is at home in the Apennines in Italy and into Croatia.

A lovely form we brought home from Scotland a few years back.  This varies from the norm of mid-blue flowers by embracing the blending nature.of Impressionist pastels with its goes-with-anything non-confrontational light lavender-blue flowers in April and May.  Not surprisingly, this form is a Libra.

Choice selection of the Wood Anemone with flowers densely packed with numerous small white petals which appear all white at first but as the flowers mature or awaken, a central blue eye is revealed which is quite delightful.  I go through a similar slow process every morning and tell myself that it is the same delightful end result.

Wood Anemone.  This selection has funny heads of flowers where the petals have become dense clusters dissected white leafy bracts or did the bracts become dense bunches of filigreed snowflake petals?  Either way, quite a piece of floral artwork that garners ample attention.  Great for shade.

This is regarded as the largest of the Anemone nemorosa cultivars and is a star in our shade garden. It is the perfect underplanting to many other plants as the Anemone is but 10" high or less and creeps on twiggy rhizomes to make a fine, dense patch.

Wood Anemone.  This is a good blue form with flowers darker than many of the blue selections and even though the individual flowers are a little smaller than typical, we don't care as this is such a lovely thing.  Found in the Estonian woodlands by Mart Veerus and introduced we think by Janis Ruksans.

Large lavender blue flowers with a darker reverse grants this little slowly creeping Wood Anemone its own small fiefdom in the shade garden while it is in bloom.  Very pretty indeed.  Of course by mid summer the peasants and serfs rise up with scythes and cudgels to reclaim their land but next year the glorious cycle of rule and revolution is repeated.

This is an exquisite little bit of spring pleasure that was introduced by our friend Urs Baltensberger.  Urs found this dark-leafed form growing wild in the forest on Stammerberg in Switzerland and we are all benefiting from his keen eye.  Purplish new growth is perfect backing for the white spring flowers in mid to late spring.  A key smaller element for shade.