Annuals for Sun

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(A) to 7'.  Golden Vegetable Amaranth.  South Mexico, Guatemala.  Large, upright, bushy, terminal plumes of feathery, golden-brown inflorescences bloom from mid-summer to fall.  Plentiful quantities of edible seed are produced and can be harvested or left to attract birds.  The foliage is also nutritious and can be eaten like spinach.  Sun.  3 & T3 

(A) to 3'.  Atkinson’s Tickseed.  North America.  Masses of bright yellow, daisy-like flowers.  The individual ray florets have burgundy-red markings that contrast nicely with the dark purplish central disc florets.  Feathery, elegantly curving branched stems of finely-cut, bipinnate foliage.  Very choice.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T3

(A) to 5'.  A gorgeous yellow Touch-Me-Not.  Pale yellow blooms are spotted red in the throat and have a short spur.  Flowers all summer. Great for the flower border or wild garden.  Readily self-sows.  Partial shade/shade.  3 & T1

(A) to 30".  Mosquito Flower.  Central America.  A quick growing, freely branching plant producing whorls of fascinating, five-petalled, rose-pink, irregular flowers.  The four upper petals consist of two spoon-shaped petals and two thin inner petals that are held together.  The fifth petal is narrow and sits below the prominent petaloid stamens.  These unusual flowers have a somewhat “mosquito-esque” quality although they have perhaps been best described as a “giraffe poking out its tongue.”  Forms bushy mounds of dark green, deeply veined, lanceolate toothed leaves.  Blooms all summer until frost.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  Best sown in situ.  5 & T3

(A/TP).  Vine to 6'.  A native of Mexico.  Similar to a climbing Gloxinia, with medium pink, tubular flowers with yellow-flushed throats.  Olive-green, triangular, pubescent leaves.  Excellent climber-twiner.  Wonderful pot plant.  Blooms from midsummer into autumn.  Sun.  4 & T2

(A/TP) to 3'.  Four O’Clock, Marvel of Peru.  Delicate trumpets of shocking pink are accentuated by the astonishing, bright chartreuse foliage.  A show-stopper.  Sunglasses de rigueur!  Sun/partial shade. 

4 & T2

(A) to 3'.  Mexico to Peru.  An exciting new annual for us that forms bushy clumps of sticky, heart-shaped leaves topped with racemes of funnel-shaped, fuchsia-pink blooms all summer long.  As the flowers age, their papery calyces turn brown and begin to fold over the ripening seeds like little umbrellas.  Quite delightful.  Sun.  4 & T3

(A) to 2.5'.  An unusual Flowering Tobacco from Peru and Bolivia.   Large, pale green, sticky, hairy, ovate-cordate leaves.  Elongated spikes of gorgeous antique rose-pink, wide-mouthed almost bell-shaped, five-petalled flowers displaying creamy white throats.  Blooms all summer long.  Sun.  4 & T2

(A) to 4'.  Brazilian Tobacco.  One-inch-long chartreuse flared tubular flowers with striking blue stamens dangle from many branched stems.  Blends fabulously in any border.  Blooms from summer until frost.  Happily self-sows.  Sun.  4 & T2

(A) to 4'.  This Flowering Tobacco is an outstanding newer hybrid originating from Blue Meadow Farm Nursery in Massachusetts.  It shows the parentage of N. langsdorffii with its clusters of long, green narrow tubular flowers but the open, flat-faced petals show hybrid origins in the variety of colours present in the blooms, from a rich ruby red with definite “chocolate” overtones to a vibrant plumy purple.  An extremely long bloomer.  Sun.  4 & T2

(A) to 6'.  Peru.  Large, almost circular, velvety green leaves with the texture of chamois leather. Emerald green, tubular flowers are borne in panicles from the leaf axils, starting half-way up the main stem and culminating in a large, terminal panicle.  Rare.  Sun.  4 & T2

(A) to 4'.  This Flowering Tobacco is a Stonecrop hybrid.  We believe it is a cross between N. langsdorffii (for flower shape) and N. ‘Nicki Red’ (for colour).  A delicate, mauve hue blushes the notched petals.  Truly wonderful.  A long bloomer.  Sun.  4 & T2

(A) to 3.5'.  A wonderful selection, one of our favourite colour forms of the Opium Poppy; dark, velvety plum coloured petals with a maroon base.  Outstanding!  Sun.  Best sown in situ or 4 & T2, cover & keep dark.

(A) to 6'.  Castor Oil Plant.  This seed is collected from a relatively dwarf variety, still easily reaching 6'.  Often also called ‘Dwarf Purple’ or ‘New Zealand Purple’ as the huge, 1 to 3-feet long lobed leaves are uniformly a rich, deep purple-red almost black in colour, especially when young.  The 12" axillary clusters of deep red flowers are followed by rather macabre spiny pods.  Does not like to have wet feet.  Sun.  Seed is poisonous. 

2B & 3 & T3

(A) to 2.5'.  Jewels-of-Opar.  Southeast United States to Central America.  Many slender flower stalks bear panicles of shiny, red-orange, three-part buds followed by tiny, rose-red, ¼-inch flowers containing 15-20 stamens.  Jewel-like, ruby-orange, rounded berries that eventually turn black.  The bright yellow-green, fleshy leaves make this a “must-have” in the yellow border.  Sun.  4 & T3

(B) to 4'.  Moth Mullein.  A native to Eurasia. Pure silky white, five-petalled, one-inch wide flowers with woolly mauve stamens grace long spikes.  Glossy, rounded, lobed leaves are dark green and form basal rosettes.  Blooms in midsummer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T1

Perennials for Sun

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(P) to 16" (5' in bloom!).  American Aloe.  Central to Southeastern USA.  The thick, fleshy, strap-like leaves are often curiously spotted and blotched with purplish red markings.  A solitary erect flower stalk topped with up to 30 fragrant, pale yellowish-green, narrowly tubular, three-lobed flowers with prominent yellow anthers.  A great plant for attracting Hummingbirds and surprisingly hardy in Zone 5 if grown in a protected area.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 7 for 12 weeks, then T2

(P) to 20". Narrow-Leaved Bluestar. This native of open sandy woodland and prairies from North Carolina to Missouri resembles a petite, more refined version of the Arkansas Bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) with five-petalled, starry, periwinkle-blue flowers in early summer.  The narrow, almost needle-like foliage turns a brilliant golden yellow in the fall.  Dry, well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 7 for 12 weeks, then T2

(P) to 3.5'.  Central United States.  Handsome shiny, leathery, lance-shaped leaves with a terminal cluster of pale, starry blue flowers.  Foliage turns bright yellow in fall.  Sun/partial shade.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

(P) to 2'.  Stiff Bluestar.  Southern Georgia and Northern Florida.  A smaller Amsonia with a distinctive, dark reddish purple colouration to its emerging stems contrasting beautifully with the shiny, leathery, elliptical leaves.  Loose cymes of light blue, starry flowers.  The outer flower tube is flushed a darker hue giving it more pizzazz.  Surprisingly hardy given its southern origin.  Moist, well drained sandy soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

(P) to 6'.  China.  Exquisite, airy umbels of white flowers and attractive lobed leaves.  The flowering umbels look like a perfect firework display.  A choice plant.  Sun.  3 & 6

(P) to 2.5'.  Fully double Columbine of suffused red/pink and green arranged in perfect symmetry.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 4'.  Manchurian Spikenard.  Clump-forming, architectural perennial with arching stems of alternate, bipinnate leaves.  In midsummer, many terminal racemes of green flowers are soon followed by globose, blue-black fruit.  Partial shade.  Likes moisture.  3 & 7

(P) to 2.5'.  Dwarf False Indigo.  South Central United States.  This variant is approximately half the size of B. australis both in height and leaf size, otherwise very similar, making a more manageable addition to the smaller garden.  The blue, pea-like flowers bloom in stiff, upright racemes in midsummer.  Big black rattling seedpods remain throughout the winter.  Sun.  2A & 4 & T2

(P) to 2'.  Blue Gromwell.  Europe.  Striking gentian-blue flowers in leafy, terminal cymes on unbranched, arching to procumbent, hairy stems.  Blooms in early summer.  Excellent for a dry, shady site.  Well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil.  4, 7 for 4 weeks, then T3

(P) to 2'.  This pretty Perennial Bachelor's Button has segmented outer ray flowers of pure white, whilst the short disc flowers within are purple-violet.  It has black margins around each involucre bract, which overlap like shingles and add greatly to the beauty of the flower.  The foliage is broadly lanceolate and silvery-white when young.  A “must have” for the white garden.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 6'.  Giant Yellow Scabious.  Caucasus to Siberia.  Magnificent clumps of distinctive foliage, divided into oblong spear-shaped leaflets producing tall, wiry branching stems ending in masses of delightful primrose-yellow pincushion blooms.  Blooms July to August.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 7

(P) to 6'.  Japan.  Introduced into France in 1860.  A superb herbaceous Clematis with a scandent habit, coarsely toothed, trifoliate leaves, and downy stems.  A profusion of terminal panicles of small, pale lavender-blue, recurved, tubular flowers.  Blooms in late summer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  PC- 2 weeks & 3 & T1

(P) to 4.5'.  Southwest China.  This Bonnet Bellflower has a twining habit and is best supported by a trellis or tripod where one can see to full effect the fat, greenish white nodding bells with prominent bluish purple venation inside the cup.  Blooms midsummer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  5 & T2

(P) to 3'.  Gas Plant or Dittany.  Mediterranean.  Old-fashioned garden perennial, long lived and trouble free, although slow growing.  Spires of fragrant, star-shaped, pure white flowers held above glossy, dark green, pinnate foliage.  Easy to grow in any fertile, well-drained soil.  Early Summer.  Sun.  3 & T

(P) to 3'.  Spires of fragrant, star-shaped, pink to purple, prominently veined flowers.  Easy to grow in any fertile, well-drained soil.  Early Summer.  Sun.  3 & T

(P) to 3'.  Native of Turkey.  Wonderful pubescent spikes of quietly dramatic, hairy, pale beige, helmet-shaped flowers with maroon netting inside, tinged with mustard.  A large, exaggerated, white lower lip adds to the drama.  Partial shade.  4 & T2

(B) to 7'.  Cut-Leaved Teasel.  Europe and Asia.  Large, spear-shaped leaves with distinctive pinnately lobed edges, prominent white midribs and prickly stems.  Pale green, oval porcupine-esque heads with intermittent rings of pale pink, individual florets.  Invaluable in dried arrangements.  Loves to self-sow and is perfect for the wild garden.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 5'.  A tall, imposing new Globe Thistle from Kazakhstan and the mountains of Central Asia.  Spherical, silvery blue flowerheads atop sturdy stems mature into tennis-ball size prickly seedheads.  The bold grey-green, thistle-like foliage forms an impressive clump.  Summer blooming.  Sun.  4 & T2

(B) to 20".  Eastern Europe.  This attractive biennial has spikes of irregular dark red to crimson blooms with five paler, prominent stamens giving a bristly, bottlebrush appearance to the spike.  The basal rosette consists of narrowly elliptical, softly hairy, greyish-green leaves.  Blooms mid-summer.  Well-drained soil. Sun. 3 & T2

(P) to 7.5'.  Kamchatkan Meadowsweet.  Japan and Eastern Siberia.  A billow of numerous, minute, five-petalled white to pale pink flowers in large corymbs appears to float at the top of this robust, many-stemmed plant.  The large, palmate leaves are jaggedly divided and often measure up to one foot across.  An imposing plant that draws attention from all our visitors.  Blooms June through August.  Likes moist soil in sun. 

3 & T2 & ∆

(P) to 2.5'.  A Baby’s Breath from the Far East.  Spreading panicles carry clouds of tiny, pale pink flowers.  Attractive, narrow, grey-green, basal foliage.  Cut back after flowering to keep neat and encourage secondary bloom.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 12'.  Saw-tooth Sunflower.  A very stately sunflower that forms colonies along streams, roadsides, thickets and pastures throughout the tallgrass region.  The smooth stems often have a whitish bloom and the large, tapering, eight-inch leaves have hairy undersides with toothed margins, hence the common name.  Very floriferous with clusters of numerous, long stalked, 3½-inch, vibrant yellow daisies.  Midsummer until autumn.  Sun.  3 & T3

(P) to 4'.  Ashy Sunflower.  Tallgrass prairie, Michigan to Ohio.  The dense, soft hairs that cover the stems and clasping, broadly ovate leaves, give the whole plant an attractive, ashen grey appearance.  The large individual blooms are a rich buttercup yellow, appearing from midsummer into early autumn over open, somewhat wide and spreading clumps.  A widespread and drought tolerant native for a wild garden or an informal planting.  Sun.  3 & T3

(P) to 2.5'.  China, Korea and Japan.  Branching scapes of 8 to10 fragrant, lemon yellow, tubular blooms in July and August:  “It is a useful and refined species for garden use.” (GST**).  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T3 then it may need 40º for 2-3 months.

(P) to 2'.  Himalayan Elecampane.  Pakistan and Kashmir.  The large, shaggy-looking, warm orange-yellow daisies are held singly on stout, upright stems above clumps of broad, slightly hairy, elliptical leaves.  July to September.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 16".  Plum Scented Iris.  Europe.  A beardless dwarf iris (Spuria group) having slender, grass-like leaves with flower spikes somewhat hidden by the foliage.  Each flower spike bears two individuals flowers, with purple standards, violet falls with violet-veined, yellowish white hafts.  Flowers have a fruity aroma somewhat reminiscent of ripe plums, hence the common name.  Flowers bloom in June.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  2B, 3 & T2

(P) to 12".  Japanese Roof Iris.  A terrific species.  Bright blue flowers with a white beard and brown-purple flecking on the falls.  Light green, fan-like leaves.  It will spread nicely.  Blooms in June.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 3'.  Cattail-leaved Iris.  Northeast China, Inner Mongolia.  Very thin, slender, rush-like twisted leaves and large dark violet blooms appear much earlier than the Siberian Iris.  Flourishes in wet meadows and along streams and has a wide distribution along the Amur River Valley so it is well adapted to our cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers.  Only introduced to cultivation in the West in the last 25 years, this elegant Iris makes a choice addition to any collection.  Spring-blooming.  Moist soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T2

(B/P) to 4'.  Woad.  Asia Minor to Iran.  A lovely, short-lived perennial offering crowded sprays of large, greenish yellow, four-petalled blooms atop glabrous, blue-green, basal foliage.  Attractive blackish bronze, dangling, persistent, papery fruits to follow.  This plant was once the Ancient world’s only source of blue dye.  Late spring/early summer.  Self-sows.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 15".  Southeast native.  Short, grassy tufts of fine leaves produce many spikes of small, rosy purple florets in August and September.  The blooms make lovely cut flowers.  A great plant for dry clay soils.  Sun. 

4 & T3

(P) to 6'.  Eastern Siberia and Kamtchatka.  Large, robust clumps of deeply lobed, leathery, basal leaves sport tall, stout, purple stems with spikes of bright yellow florets.  A tough, undemanding Ligularia, recently new to cultivation.  Late summer.  Moist soil.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 2'.  Europe.  A delightful white form of Toadflax.  Slender racemes of glistening, pure white, spurred, snapdragon-like flowers.  Attractive, narrow, silver-grey foliage.  A fine cut flower and a perfect addition to the border.  Sun.  4 & T3

(P) to 2.5'.  Chinese or Red-rooted Gromwell.  East Asia.  A bristly or coarsely hairy, upright perennial with greyish green, lanceolate leaves.  Terminal clusters of numerous, small, five-petalled, white flowers in midsummer.  The dried roots produce a purple dye and the entire plant has been used since ancient times for burns, cuts, and skin conditions in Chinese herbal medicine.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade. 

3 & T2 & Δ

(P) to 12".  Desert Evening Primrose.  Western North America.  Saucer-shaped, silky, notched, four-petalled flowers of luminous white open in the evening from reddish pink buds, and fade to pale pink the following day.  Forms loose rosettes of attractive, wavy-edged, linear toothed foliage.  Enjoys a long season of bloom from late spring onwards.  Adapted to very dry western soils and dislikes winter wet, but quite at home in a gravelly, well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 2'.  Caucasus. This handsome species has distinctive, broadly-ovate, biternate, dark green leaflets with flat margins, with the leaf stalks and veins attractively flushed with red.  The flowers are a relatively small 3½-inch, bright rosy red, with a hint of magenta around a central boss of golden yellow stamens.  Blooms profusely in late spring.  Seed is from plants grown alongside the closely related P. mlokosewitschii and P. mascula subsp. triternata, so expect some exciting and unusual seedlings!  Large hairy seed capsules that split open to reveal red fleshy seeds which turn black when fertilized.  Stunning!  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 6A

(P) to 3'.  Affectionately known as ‘Molly the Witch’.  This robust, herbaceous peony from the Caucasus makes a fine garden specimen.  Our seed is from a plant growing next to Paeonia caucasica, so the cup-shaped blooms may be a shade of rosy pink instead of the usual creamy yellow.  Flowers in May.  Rare and very choice.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6A

(P) to 2'.  China, Siberia.  A most attractive shrubby perennial with glabrous, broad, dark green leaves that are purplish when young.  The flowers are single white.  Inside, the pale green ovaries have prominent red stigmas.  The stamens have red filaments with showy yellow anthers.  Magnificent.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6A

(P) to 3'. Eastern Smooth Beard-tongue.  In 1748, this Beard-tongue was the first primarily North American genus to receive formal scientific description, taking its name from its unusual fifth stamen.  All in all, a very pretty, clump-forming perennial with panicles of pale violet-lavender, narrow two-lipped, tubular blooms. Quite similar in habit to Penstemon hirsutus, but not as hairy. Flowers in early to midsummer. 

3 & 6 & T1

(P) to 12". Caucasus and Northern Iran.  Noted for its characteristic pungent scent (“Phuopsis - smells like foxes!”), this unusual perennial forms spreading patches of whorled Galium-like foliage covered with striking heads of pale pinkish, five-petalled, tubular, star-faced blooms in mid to late summer.  Definitely provides a conversation piece in the garden!  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T2

(P) to 3'.  Greater Burnet Saxifrage.  A gorgeous pink flowered form of this European native.  Airy, arching, delicate umbels of pale pink are held above a leafy basal rosette of serrated, fern-like foliage.  Summer blooming.  Sun/partial shade.  Moist, well-drained soil.  4 & T2

(P) to 3'.  North and Central Europe.  The charming white form of Jacob’s Ladder.  Basal clumps of finely divided fern-like foliage and pure white, silky flowers in an open bowl shape with contrasting orange stamens.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 4'.  Grey-headed Coneflower.  Central North America.  Tall, branched flowers stems are topped by yellow-rayed blooms resembling badminton shuttlecocks.  The short, rounded, central cone of each long-lasting flower begins a greyish green and ripens to chocolate brown.  The handsome pinnate leaves adorn only the lower half of the flower stems and form a tidy, bushy clump.  A much underused, long-blooming and carefree plant.  Sun.  Well drained soil.  4 & T2

(P) to 6'.  Sweet Black-eyed Susan.  Tallgrass Prairie.  A host of two-inch, bright yellow-petalled, dark-eyed daisies.  Bushy clumps of downy, sweet scented, grey-green leaves; the lower leaves being three cleft.  Blooms in late summer.  Moist to well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 4'.  Japan and Korea.  Forms a bushy clump of coarsely pilose, pinnate, grey-green foliage that freely produces dense, elongated racemes of four-petalled, pale yellow flowers in summer.  Good for cutting.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T3

(P) to 2.5'.  Caucasus.  One to covet.  Wavy-edged, dark green foliage and spikes of purplish pink, hooded, lipped flowers.  Excellent in the border.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T2

(P) to 5'.  Carolina Lupine.  Southeastern United States.  Tall spikes of bright-yellow, pea-like flowers over loose clumps of glaucous, softly downy foliage with three-part, clover-like elliptical leaflets.  Blooms in early summer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  1 & 2B then 3 & T2

(P) to 6'.  Wingstem.  East coast native.  Stems winged, leaves alternate, lanceolate-elliptic to 10 inches long with serrated margins.  The loose corymbs of many one-inch, yellow daisies grace the garden in late summer.  Sun.  4 & T1

(P) to 8'.  Tall Ironweed.  Eastern North America.  Loose, flattened clusters of thistle-like, purple flowers atop towering stems.  Large irregularly toothed and pointed leaves.  Not for the faint of heart!  Blooms from late summer into autumn.  Moist soil.  Sun/partial shade. 

3 & T2 & ∆

(P) to 2'.  Caucasus.  Tufted basal rosettes of glossy, green foliage.  Many spikes of translucent, white flowers edged with a hint of blue and extruding stamens.  Looks wonderful en masse.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 6'.  Bowman’s Root.  Northeast America.  A beautiful plant adorned with eight-inch long spikes of tiny, soft pink, tubular flowers.  At the base of each central spike exists a second whorl of smaller flower spikes.  This plant makes an exotic and very architectural statement in the garden.  Midsummer.  Sun.  4 & T2

Woodland

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(P) to 6'.  Siberia & East Asia.  Once thought to be the only yellow flowering Bugbane, and certainly still the only one often seen in cultivation, the late blooming Stinking Bugbane is easily identified by distinctive nodding stems topped with dense, curving racemes of greenish yellow sepals enclosing tufts of creamy white stamens.  The handsome clumps of basal foliage are a deeply veined, finely toothed, dark green.  The floral fragrance of this treasure is not so much “fetid” as some, but we find it pleasantly powerful.  Blooms August into September.  Partial shade.  3 & 6A

(P) to 3'.  A Japanese native with handsome maple-like foliage that has long, pointed lobes.  Slender branched spikes of white, tufted flowers bloom in September and October.  Moist soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6A

(P) to 4'.  Southern Japan.  Another welcome late bloomer.  The tufted, pure white bottlebrush flowers emerge in arching racemes from green spherical buds atop stiff, wand-like stems only in mid to late September.  Extremely fragrant.  Seed was collected from a planting of the very choice cultivar ‘White Pearl’.  Partial shade.  3 & 6A

(P) to 2'.  Red Baneberry.  Similar to A. alba except the white bottle brush spikes are replaced in late summer by spikes of glistening scarlet berries.  3 & 7 & Δ

(P) to 9'.  Elk Clover.  Graceful, ternate foliage combines with 16" panicles of starry, creamy white flowers followed by rich, purple-black berries.  An impressive member of our Woodland.  Partial shade.  3 &7

(P) to 18".  Northeast China to Korea and Siberia.  A hardy Asian species smaller than our native Jack in the Pulpit.  One or two sets of five ovate, veined, wavy-edged leaflets stand above the inflorescence on purplish green stems.  The spathe is white with green to dull purple stripes which surrounds a three-inch central spadix of speckled greenish white.  Later, cylindrical clusters of orange-red berries stand out.  Partial shade/shade.

3 & T1

(P) to 2'.  China and Japan.  White flowering form of the Hardy Begonia with pendant cymes of one-inch, four-petalled, white blooms held over attractive, olive green foliage in late summer.  The flower stems are tinged pinkish red and the undersides of the slightly “lop-sided” leaves have a noticeable red venation.  Moist, leafy soil.  Partial shade.  4 & T3

(P) to 2'.  Korea.  An outstanding white variety of the beautiful Campanula takesimana.  Leaves large in basal rosettes.  Branched inflorescence of large, pendant bells on nodding stalks.  Flowers are pure white with purple spotting within.  Blooms July to September.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 12".  Mountains of Central Europe.  Small, nodding, starry bells of pure white on slender stalked stems over clumps of hairy, lobed, deeply incised leaves.  For a cool, shady wooded garden.  Blooms reliably in late spring.  Rich, moist soil.  Partial shade/shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 18".  Yellow Lady’s Slipper.  Native to the Northeast.  Easily recognizable flowers formed by a clear yellow, inflated pouch, framed with four long, slightly twisted, reddish brown sepals.  Each stem is clasped by three to four alternate, softly hairy, mid-green leaves ribbed with deep parallel veins.  A treasure in our Woodland.  Moist, slightly acidic soil.  Partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 2'.  Japan.  Leaves crinkly, coarse-textured, glossy, and deeply lobed at apex.  Nodding flowers in terminal clusters.  Buds pale mauve opening to five-petalled, waxen, white flowers with yellow stamens.  This handsome plant is happy in moist woodland soil and light shade.  Summer.  4 & T2

(P) to 18".  Primrose yellow spikes of one-inch bells.  The fresh green elliptic ribbed leaves are attractive, too.  A petite Foxglove, perfect to tuck in the garden.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 12".  Willow Gentian.  A native of Europe and Asia Minor.  Clusters of two to three sapphire blue trumpets appear in the axils of the prominent veined, willow-leaved foliage.   These arching sprays of blue are wonderful cascading over a rock or dripping down from a ledge above.  Blooms late summer.  Partial shade.  3 & 6

(P) to 2'.  Europe.  Suited to the woodland, this geranium is an easy going plant and is happy to form spreading patches of bright, glossy foliage.  Blooms in variations of pale pink with dark purple stripes, blue anthers and a red stigma.  Partial shade.  3 & T1

(P) to 4".  Northern Europe.  One of the smallest of the Apiaceae family and one of the earliest to bloom in the Woodland.  The individual flowers are tiny, bright yellow in simple umbels and sit atop glossy green bracts.  The blooms appear before the foliage emerges and form a striking, greenish, tight-mounded rosette.  Dark green, three-lobed leaves spread slowly to form a low, creeping mat.  An unusual and most desirable plant for the woodland.  March to May.  Moist soil.  Partial shade/shade. 

3 & T1

(P) to 2.5'.  A choice selection of Helleborus foetidus that comes true from seed.  This beauty has lustrous, deeply-cut, leathery, dark green foliage suffused with maroon.  The flower stalks and stems are also tinged a rich wine red.  Pendulous clusters of cup-shaped, pale green flowers are edged with reddish purple.  A handsome and striking plant that flourishes at the entrance to our Gravel Garden.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 72º for 6 weeks, followed by 25-39º for 6-8 weeks.

(P) to 12".  Open woods and meadows, Northern Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.  This is seed from the pink flowering form of Christmas Rose whose nodding, cup-shaped flowers emerge a shade of rosy pink, tinged green at the centre and clustered with yellow stamens, fading to creamy white as they age.  These large, three to four inch blossoms open wide as they mature.  Leathery, blue-green, toothed leaves with broadly lanceolate segments are a definite bonus.  Incredibly beautiful.  Partial shade.  3 & 72° for 6 weeks, followed by 25-39° for 6-8 weeks.

(P) to 4'.  August Lily, Fragrant Plantain Lily.  China.  In cultivation since c.1780.  Bright green, glossy, heart-shaped leaves are followed in late summer by sturdy spikes of incredibly fragrant, milky white flowers that fill the evening woodland with their sweet gardenia-like perfume.  Always draws admirers.  3 & T3, then it may need 40º for 2-3 months.

(P) to 2.5'. “…most sumptuous of all the Hostas.” (GST**).  Huge, broad, glaucous, heavily textured, bluish green leaves form magnificent, stately clumps that add accent and poise to the woodland garden.  The pale lilac-white flowers appear in early to midsummer, though they barely emerge from beneath the foliage.  3 & T3, then it may need 40º for 2-3 months.

(P) to 16".  Maple-leaved Waterleaf.  Native to Northeast US.  Loose cymes of delicate, white to palest violet, campanulate flowers with protruding stamens are held just above the distinctive, jaggedly lobed, maple-like leaves.  Blooms May to July.  Moist, woodsy soil.  Partial shade.  3 & 7 for 3 months, then T1

(P) to 3'.  A Korean dignitary.  Waxy, soft yellow flowers in late summer, leaves of clear green “…placed oppositely up the arching ebony stem.” (GST**).  A “must-have.”  Prefers partial shade.  5 & T2

(P) to 12". Spring Pea. Europe. Pretty, pale pink, pea-like flowers bloom in profusion on this low-growing perennial pea. Foliage is pinnate, providing an almost ferny effect. Simply lovely. Partial shade. 2B & 3 & T2

(P) to 2'.  Snowy Woodrush.  Central Europe, Alps.  Open tussocks of glossy, grass-like leaves topped with loose, arching panicles with up to 20 clusters of spiky, off-white, bracteolate flowers.  June and July.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T2

(P) to 18".  Water Forget-me-not.  Native to moist meadows and stream banks from Europe to Siberia.  A rhizomatous marginal aquatic plant with sky blue, five-petalled flowers with yellow centres, blooming on branched cymes resembling a coiled scorpion’s tail (particularly when in bud and early bloom) that uncoil as the flowers open.  The bright green leaves are shiny, oblong to lance-shaped, and slightly hairy.  A surprisingly long bloom period from spring through summer, especially in cooler weather.  Prefers wet areas where it will naturalize to form an attractive groundcover.  4 & T2, cover and keep dark

(P) to 4'.  Japan.  White flowers in corymbose panicles form fluffy domes atop tall stems with pinnately lobed, crenate leaves.  This plant makes a lovely addition to the woodland garden.  Partial shade/shade.  3 & T2 & ∆

(P) to 3'.  A Chinese native plant with palmate leaves and five to nine leaflets that are crinkled and resemble the leaves of the Horse Chestnut.  Forms handsome and bold colonies.  Foamy, cream-coloured blossoms on compressed panicles bloom in summer.  Moist soil.  Partial shade.  5 & T2

(P) to 16".  False Columbine.  A native of eastern Asia with exquisite mauve-purple, bell-shaped, nodding flowers resembling spurless Columbines.  A delicate addition to the woodland.  Blooms in late spring.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

(P) to 4'.  Korea.  A Barry Yinger introduction.  The distinctive foliage of this Meadow Rue resembles that of Actaea.  The mauve-lavender flowers froth on branched stems all summer long.  A beauty.  Partial shade. 

3 & T1 & ∆

(P) to 8''.  Korea.  Chinese Meadow Rue.  This dwarf species forms a dainty clump of slender stems with unique coin-shaped leaves.  Loose, pink-mauve corymbs of flowers with club-shaped stamens.  Attractive groundcover.  Partial shade.  3 & T1 & ∆

(P) to 18".  False Bugbane.  North America.  Delicate corymbs of fluffy white Thalictrum-like flowers with numerous stamens arise out of beautiful, palmately divided, basal leaves.  This native makes itself quite comfortable in our Woodland.  A welcome sight in July.  Partial shade. 3 & T1

(P) to 3.  Japanese Toad Lily, Yama-hototogisu.  Japan.  Shining, deeply veined, dark, heart-shaped leaves on erect, arching stems that branch into loose terminal and axillary clusters of upward pointing, orchid-like buds and flowers.  Flowers are creamy white with sparse dark mauve and purple spots with stamens and stigma that protrude far above the six splayed petals.  Blooms a good few weeks earlier than Tricyrtis formosana, in late August.  Moist soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6

(P) to 18".  Large Merrybells.  Eastern North America.  Emerging in early spring, this woodland native is prized for its pendulous, terminal, bell-shaped, bright yellow flowers with distinctive twisted tepal tips.  Apple-green, perfoliate leaves on arching upright stems form attractive clumps once the ephemeral flowers are spent.  Combines well with other woodland plants such as, Epimediums, Hostas and smaller ferns.  Blooms April into May.  Well-drained, moist, woodsy soil.  Shade/partial shade. Germination can be extended - best sown 3 & 7 for 3months, then T2.  Repeat cycle, or sow and leave in a shaded cold frame.

Hardy shrub to 18".  Yellowroot.  Appalachians.  A much underused native plant for the woodland.  In early summer, sprays of starry, five-petalled, brownish purple flowers in slender, drooping panicles emerge atop stems of rich green, irregularly toothed, pinnate leaves.  Over time the plants form dense, lush green colonies with the foliage turning a burnished coppery-gold in the autumn.  Partial shade/shade.  PC - 4 weeks, 3 & T1

Alpine and Rock Garden

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(P) to 12". Mountains of Central Italy to Southern France.  The great Reginald Farrer’s description of this alpine Columbine is perhaps all we need: “but the flowers…are magnificent and numerous on the graceful foot-high stems, and of a quite peculiar and entrancing soft clear refulgence, like a jewel, which at twilight, as the blossoms dance in the gathering dusk against the obscurity of the rough grass, seems to glow and burn with a cold electric flame of blue.”  Well-drained soil.  Sun. 4 & 7 for 4 weeks, then T2.

(P) to 8".  Japanese rock garden treasure with pale pink flowers and grey-green leaves.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) foliage to 3", flowers to 6".  Alaska to Oregon.  Bright green, mossy mat of fine, needle-like foliage.  Five-petalled, starry, white flowers with green veining cover the mat.  Tough and attractive rock garden plant.  Sun.  4 & T1

(P) to 6".  Alpine Thrift.  South-central France.  Tufts of attractive needle-like basal foliage producing beautiful, pale pink-lavender, globe-shaped, five-petalled flowers with papery bracts.  Easy to grow, but not fully hardy; needs the shelter of an alpine house against winter damp.  Adorable.  Blooms in early spring.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 6".  Colorado Tansy Aster.   This mat-forming miniature Aster makes its home in the high alpine meadows and outcrops of Colorado and Wyoming.  The solitary, short-stalked, rayed flowers are a rosy pink and appear in early summer above spreading tufts of coarsely toothed and densely hairy foliage.  Fertile, very well-drained soil.  Sun/Partial shade.  3 & T2

(P) to 6''.  Caucasus.  Glossy and pointed foliage and upturned, deep violet-purple bells, reminiscent of fairy-caps.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 12".  Alpine Knapweed.  Attractive greenish grey, lobed foliage.  Large thistle-like buds followed by a ring of starry, rosy pink petals in midsummer.  Used as a foil for our early spring bulbs.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 5".  Found in only a handful of locations in North-western Turkey, a diminutive gem of a species described by Christopher Grey-Wilson as “a must” for every collection.  Flowers are very pale pink to white and marked with a subtle yet distinctive grey on the petals.  Leaves are probably only hardy to Zone 6-7.  Blooms Sept. to early Nov.  Gritty soil.  Part shade.  3 & T1, cover and keep dark.

(P).  Turkey.  We grow this Draba in our Alpine House.  A very woolly mound of pale, grey-green rosettes.  Clear yellow flowers with elongated stamens on one-inch stems.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 2".  Caucasus.  Tight, fluffy buns of hairy, grey-green foliage producing many short, wiry stalks, topped with clusters of tiny, canary yellow blooms.  An alpine house gem that needs protection from winter moisture.  Early spring.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 2".  Caucasus.  A real treasure forming the tightest of neat, mounded cushions from tiny, pointed, dark green leaves.  Bright, golden yellow blooms appear atop short, slender stems in April.  Thrives in our Alpine House but will also withstand a Zone 5 winter.  Worth trying in a trough or raised bed.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T1

(P) to 8".  Northern Hemisphere.  A continuous display of white blossoms garnishes this dense dwarf form of Mountain Avens, forming a trailing shrublet with deep green, oak-esque leaves.  Fluffy seedheads decorate the plant for the rest of the season.  Enchanting.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 8".  A vigorous hybrid between D. drummondii and D. octopetala.  Favouring the later parent in general appearance, however yellowish in bud, somewhat nodding flowers that open creamy yellow.  Fluffy seedheads follow.  Comes true from seed.  Sun.  3 & 7

(P) to 18".  Tibet.  Himalayas.  This beauty is adorned with terminal clusters of one-inch, purple-blue, tubular flowers with a dark purple, spathe-like calyx.  Leathery, lanceolate, narrowly-pointed leaves form a dense basal rosette.  Blooms mid to late summer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 6

(P) to 8".  Siberian Baby’s Breath.  Tight cushions of narrow, bright green foliage produce slender stalks with ½-inch, five-petalled, white flowers with pink venation.  Blooms in early summer.  Well-drained, limey soil.  Sun.  4 & T2

Dwarf shrub to 6".  Blue Ridge St. John’s Wort from the mountains of North Carolina and Georgia.  Small, golden yellow flowers with five reflexed petals and a central tuft of prominent stamens adorn the branch tips of this low, spreading alpine shrublet.  Small bluish green, elliptical leaves have paler undersides and turn a nice reddish colour in the autumn.  Summer blooming.  Moist, well-drained soil.  4 & 7 for 4 weeks then T2

(P) to 18".  Swordleaf Inula.  Eastern Europe.  A sturdy little plant with narrow, stalkless 4" leaves on erect branching stems carrying terminal, solitary golden yellow daisies.  Very likable.  Blooms mid-summer onwards.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 12".  Mulleinleaf Inula.  Southeastern Europe.  A sturdy little plant forming clumps of woolly, ovate-lanceolate, silvery white leaves.  Erect branching stems carry terminal, sparsely clustered golden yellow daisies.  Very likable.  Blooms mid-summer onwards.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 8".  Europe. “Edelweiss, Edelweiss, every morning you greet me.  Small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me…”  The large, distinctive, star-like flowerheads are formed from tight terminal clusters of small, whitish yellow, dense florets surrounded by white, petal-like, woolly bracts.  They are held on short, erect stems above a small, tufted clump of linear basal leaves.  Grows well for us outside in an alpine trough.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T3

(P) to 18".  Balkan’s Catchfly.  Reddish purple marked leaves, purplish stems, and 10-inch panicles of deep purple flowers.  Late spring.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 8". Swiss Golden Drop.  Central Europe.  Delicate, nodding cymes with clusters of one-inch, pale yellow, tubular blooms appearing from bristly, tufted rosettes of narrow, spoon-shaped  leaves.  Blooms mid-summer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & 7 for 12 weeks, then T1

(P) to 18".  Siberia.  Grown from seed originally collected on an island near Vladivostok, this delightful, short-lived Poppy has large cupped, white flowers with slightly ruffled or scalloped margins.  A central boss of yellow anthers provides a striking contrast.  The lobed basal leaves are grey-green and softly hairy.  Blooms in June.  Self-sows.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T2, cover and keep dark

(P) to 4".  Rocky Mountains.  Rosettes of blue-green, spathulate, densely downy leaves.  Racemes of white, five-petalled flowers with up to 20 stamens give a fluffy appearance.  Mat-forming, growing to 10 inches across in about 10 years.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 6".  Found in the Olympic Mountains on cliffs and steep, rocky slopes.  A choice alpine with racemes of creamy white, tiny, five-petalled flowers with 35 to 40 stamens.

  Rosettes of oblanceolate leaves, bluish-green above, pinkish lavender tinted, and sometimes silky beneath.  We have a fine specimen in our Alpine House, but also hardy outside.  Early summer.  Sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 4".  White Maritime Rampion.  Northern Italy.  A chance seedling in one of our alpine troughs turned out to be something very special! The white, globular heads of many individual flowers on wiry stems are held above broadly ovate, heart-shaped leaves.  The calyx has five, green, hairy sepals.  The corolla consists of five petals which in bud are closed and tubular, resembling fingers of a rubber glove.  As flowering commences, the tube splits open at the bottom into five, ribbon-like strands but remains united at the tip, revealing the white stamens and the long, white, trifid stigma that pokes out beyond the tip of the tube.  Eventually the tube totally splits open and the petals are free, and the prominent stigma stands alone.  An intriguing beauty.  Summer bloomer.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 12".  Siberia.  Finely cut feathery foliage.  Conspicuous, silvery, downy buds that open out into large, six-petalled, velvety, iridescent blue-violet flowers.  Central boss of bright yellow stamens surrounded by a ring of staminodes contrast beautifully with the petals.  Attractive and persistent feathery seedheads to follow.  Sun.  3 & T2 & ∆

(P) to 12".  Pasque Flower.  A captivating red variant of the British native.  Ferny, finely dissected foliage.  Six petal-like sepals are velvety deep red and reminiscent of Clematis with a dense central boss of dense, bright yellow stamens surrounding a prominent stigma.  Attractive and persistent feathery seedheads.  Sun. 3 & T2 & ∆

(P) to 6".  Shade lover from the Pyrenees.  The classic R. myconi boasts flowers in shades of lilac while this form is pure pink.  Deep green, broad, rough, very crinkled leaves form a flat rosette that persists year round.  Likes to grow on north-facing vertical cliffs or in a cool crevice.  4 & T1

(P) to 6''.  Pyrenees.  Densely tufted, dark green foliage forms a mat, bursting forth with a blanket of pink, five-petalled flowers in late summer.  Great for the rock garden.  Tough.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 4''.  The earliest plant to bloom outside at Stonecrop and a welcome sight it is, too!  Tight cushions of bright green, closely packed, narrow leaves are studded with an abundance of snow-white flowers.  Sun.  4 & 7

(TP) to 7".  Rare species found only in Cevennes region of southern France, where it adorns the steep limestone gorges with large, domed, dark green, “mossy” cushions.  Tight rosettes of curiously notched leaves smell distinctly of toast and jam.  Completely covered in May with rounded, pure white flowers on one-inch stems.  Easy to grow, but not fully hardy, needs the shelter of an alpine house against winter damp.  Sun.  4 & 7

(P) to 5".  The Balkans and Turkey.  This encrusted Saxifraga forms tight domes of spiny-leaved, silver-grey rosettes.  Flowering stems are dark red with fine glandular hairs with many attractive pink-tipped green stem leaves. Nodding spikes of numerous, cup-shaped, pink to maroon flowers complete the show.  Blooms in late spring.  Plant in a moist, yet well-drained spot, with some relief from the afternoon sun.  3 & T2

(P) to 15''.  Blue Buttons.  Caucasus.  A rosette of long, lanceolate, deep green leaves with many beautiful, pale blue-purple, pincushion flowers.  Sun.  3 & 6

(P) to 1'.  Crete and Aegean Islands.  Small clumps of attractive, bright green, jagged and crimpled foliage.  The dark, slender, wiry stems bear arching racemes of one-inch, pale blue, bell-shaped flowers with up-turned lobes reminiscent of fairy caps.  Inside the cap, each lobe is marked with a single, darker, central stripe.  Blooms throughout the summer   Not totally hardy but re-seeds where happy.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T2

(P) to 10". Himalayan Dwarf Globeflower.  Eastern Tibet to southwest China.  This dainty treasure is one of the smallest of Globeflowers, producing flat, rather than cupped, blooms of rich, golden yellow in mid-summer.  Buttercup-like, strongly dissected basal foliage is a dark, glossy green.  Makes an eye-catching addition planted near a stream or water feature in your rock garden.  Damp or moisture-retentive soil.  Sun/Partial shade.  3 & 7 for 12 weeks, then T1

Pots/Garden (overwinter indoors)

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Tender Bulb to 8".  South Africa.  A treasure from the Drakensberg Mountains of Lesotho and the eastern Cape.  Loose racemes of white flowers composed of six tepals emerge in late spring.  The stiff outer tepals are striped and tipped green and the upright, closed, inner tepals are tipped bright yellow.  Very reliable pot plant.  3 & T2

(TP) to 6".  South Africa.  A dwarf succulent with prostrate stems covered with small, cordate to sharply pointed, fleshy leaves.  Tiny, purple-red, many petalled, daisy-like flowers.  Blooms sporadically throughout the year.  Cheery addition to the warmer part of our Conservatory.  A choice and easy houseplant for a sunny window.  Sun.  4 & T2, cover and keep dark

Tender bulb to 2'.  South Africa.  Beautiful star-shaped flowers of a deep, pure blue on tall branching stems that appear from June onward.  Evergreen, sword-shaped foliage.  Choice and unusual, a star attraction that summers on our Deck.  Moist, rich soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T2

(TP) to 3.5'.  Chinese Silk Plant.  An interesting plant that catches the eye.  The leaves are very textured, oval, long-acuminate, with serrated margins and white-tomentose beneath.  The dense, tiny flowers resemble greenish catkins which turn cream and persist.  Easy and tough - try it.  Sun/shade.  3 & T2

(TP) to 2'.  Martinique Bachelor’s Buttons.  Long-lasting, purple-tufted, one-inch, button-like flowers with darker centres.  A shrubby plant with attractive, deeply veined, serrated foliage.  Blooms late summer until frost.  Sun.  3 & T3

(TP) to 4'.  Chinese Plumbago.  West China to Tibet.  Deciduous shrub.  Leaves lanceolate to obovate.  Slender angled stems are tinged purple and bristly.  Dense terminal heads of five-lobed, pale blue flowers, white centres, and red-purple corolla tubes.  Foliage turns a beautiful tinted red in autumn.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T2

Tender shrub to 2'.  Spurge Olive.  This attractive and rare evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green leaves blooms in early summer.  Clusters of deep, four-petalled, yellow flowers are followed by red fruit.  Sun.  4 & 6 & 7

(TP) to 12".  Variegated Leopard Plant.  Japan.  This attractive Ligularia relative has wavy edged, kidney-shaped, glossy greyish green leaves decorated with striking ivory white sectional markings around the leaf margins. A stunning plant for shade where the winters are warmer (Zone 7a with winter protection). Loose corymbs of one-inch yellow daisies in October and November. For us it makes a lovely foliage accent plant for the warm conservatory.  Partial shade.  4 & T2

Tender vine to 13'.  Zabala Fruit.  Chile.  A twining climber with biternate, dark green, glossy, evergreen, leathery leaves.  In winter drooping clusters of very striking and fascinating, dark chocolaty purple flowers appear.  On closer inspection, the flowers are unisexual, either pistillate or staminate.  The females are solitary in the leaf axil with six staminodes.  The male flowers are in hanging racemes and have six fleshy segments that are green with purple edges and have six petaloid nectaries.  The dark purple fruits are two to three inch, sausage-shaped, edible pods that are sweet and pulpy.  Will thrive in a cool greenhouse or conservatory.  2B & 7

(TP) to 2'.  Mint-leaved Lion’s Ear.  South Africa.  Vibrant, warm orange, tubular flowers are held in whorls.  Small, serrated leaves have a pungent, spicy fragrance, reminiscent of Agastache.  A long blooming, compact Lion’s Ear perfect for containers.  Overwinter in a frost-free conservatory.  Summer through to fall.  Sun.  4 & T2

(TP) to 18".  This rare native of Chile produces spikes of six-petalled, clustered flowers of an unusual pale china blue.  The bright yellow anthers sit above the prominent three-branched stigma.  Upright, evergreen, strap-like leaves are similar to that of an Iris.  A great one to try in pots.  Well-drained soil.  Sun. 3 & T2

(TP) to 5'.  Argentina and Bolivia.  Silvery-brown, finely toothed leaves.  Delicate, three petalled, chartreuse-green flowers with golden anthers appear intermittently on stalks up to five feet tall.  A very distinct looking Puya.  Choice.  Sun.  4 & T2, keep moist

(TP) to 6'.  Powdery Alligator Flag.  A native of swampy woodlands from South Carolina to Mexico.  Evergreen clumps of long-stalked, erect, paddle- shaped, Canna-like narrowly ovate leaves, dusted with white powder.  Slender upright stems held well above the foliage bear crowded panicles of tight, mealy buds which provides great contrast to the purple blooms.   Flowers are two ranked, purple, with three petals joined into a tube at base and open from the bottom up.  The last blooms dangle on the ends of flexuous, noded branchlets.  Blooms late summer.  Can be grown in containers and sunk in up to two feet of water, or any wet, boggy area.  Overwinter in a well-lit, cool glasshouse or sun room.  2B, 3 & T3

Tender bulb to 2'.  Cape Lily.  This South African native has shiny strap-like leaves with crisp, undulating margins.  Purplish stems support spikes of pale green, upright buds which open to pendulous, pale pink, tubular flowers.  Flower spikes resemble those of the Red Hot Poker.  These regal bulbs add a presence to our Conservatory in March.  Sun.  3 & T3, then they may need 40º for 2-3 months.

Shrubs and Vines

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Hardy tree to 30'.  A natural occurring hybrid between C. bignonioides and C. ovata.  Emerging shoots are black-purple, the broad, lobed foliage gradually changing to dark green with the petiole retaining the purple colouration.  Pyramidal panicles of numerous, five-petalled, campanulate, white flowers have yellow markings and minutely purple spots in the throat.  Blooms mid-summer.  The fruits are the traditional long, bean-like capsules.  Young saplings can be pruned for shape and size to encourage the more colourful juvenile growth.  Sun/partial shade.  Moist, well-drained soil.  3 & T2

Shrub to 12'.  Cinnamon Clethra.  Appalachia.  A rarely seen but choice native shrub or small tree, grown for its striking exfoliating bark of rich cinnamon-brown, with accents of tan, grey and purple.  Terminal racemes of white flowers with a musky-sweet fragrance appear in July and August.  Foliage turns yellow in fall.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T1

Hardy Shrub to 10'.  Maruba-no-ki.  An exquisite deciduous shrub native to Japan and Southwest China grown for the magnificent fall colour of its heart-shaped orbicular, bluish-green Cercis-like foliage which turns wine red suffused with shades of purple and orange.  Maroon, star-shaped, five-petalled, paired back-to-back, axillary blooms appear in late autumn with the ensuing seed capsules ripening the following year.  A “must have” for fall drama.  Requires a moist, fertile, acidic soil and protection from wind.  Shade/partial shade.  3 & T1

Hardy tree to 40'.  Carolina Silverbell.  Wooded slopes along stream banks, West Virginia to Oklahoma.  Pendulous clusters of four-petalled, silvery white bells appear in early May before the leaves fully emerge.  The leaves are alternate, simple, ovate-oblong and shallowly toothed.  The fruit is an attractive, green, 4-winged, oblong drupe which turns brown and persists.   Makes a choice understory tree/shrub where there is rich, well-drained, acidic soil.  Well worth the wait.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & 6A.  Germination may be slow and erratic - leaving outside in a cold frame may be beneficial.

Hardy Tree to 20'.  Seven-Son Flower of Zhejiang.  China.  The flowers are fragrant, five petalled, creamy white and begin to appear in late August and last until the final days of September; borne in terminal clusters of seven - hence the genus name, hepta (seven) and codium (head).  A second show begins in October when the flowers fade away to display small fruits which are crowned with five green calyces which elongate after bloom and turn a rich rose-red colour. These large coloured calyces are as showy as the blooms. Leaves are opposite, ovate-oblong, and curved, with three strong veins from the base, 3 to 4 inches long, 1-½ to 2 inches wide, and a dark green, glossy colour.  Exfoliating bark - another plus to this already tough and exciting tree.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/Partial shade.  3 & T1

Hardy Shrub to 12'.  Eastern China.  A rare and choice deciduous shrub closely related to Carolina Allspice.  Large, waxy, white flowers with yellow stamens adorn the branches in early summer.  Broad leaves are glossy green and sharply pointed.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Partial shade. PC- 4 weeks, 3 & 7

Hardy vine to 30'.  Regel’s Threewingnut.  China, Manchuria and Korea.  A sprawling, scandent, shrubby plant with small, white, green tinged flowers in large terminal panicles up to eight inches long.  Produces green, three winged fruits that dry like the samaras of elm trees.  Dark green, broadly rounded, alternate leaves.  Notable as Beatrix Farrand’s favourite vine.  Sun.  PC- 4 weeks, 3 & T1

Hardy shrub to 10'.  East Asia.  Cut-Leaf Chaste Tree.  This choice shrub has a loosely branched, open airy habit with palmately compound, finely dissected, greyish green foliage.  Small, 5 lobed, lavender, fragrant flowers in terminal panicles appear in July and August.  Creates a good architectural backdrop for the dry, sunny border.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  PC- 4 weeks, 3 & T1

Hardy shrub to 15'.  Prickly Ash.  China.  Small, greenish-yellow flower panicles in July are followed by reddish fruits.  Elegant, pinnately compound, lustrous, dark green leaves with a prickly midrib.  Spreading branches form a gracefully arching shrub or small tree.  Stems have distinctive, broad, flat spines along their length.  A lovely and unusual specimen tree.  Sun.  3 & 6

Bulbs

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Hardy bulb to 2'.  Middle East.  This is the most impressive of the ornamental onions.  Large, 12-inch, spherical flowerheads on strong, erect stems produce an explosive fireworks-like display of tiny, pale lilac-pink, star-like florets on pedicels of differing lengths.  Wow-wee!  Blooms in mid-summer.  Makes a stunning dried flower.  Sun.  3 & 6

(P) to 2'.  Japanese Onion.  Japan.  The last Allium to bloom making a welcome appearance in September and October.  Dense clumps of foliage give rise to thin scapes of numerous nodding umbels of rose-purple flowers with elongated orange anthers.  The entire ensemble looks like a collection of mop heads, at attention, ready to clean!  Foliage turns a tawny orange in fall.  Sun.  3 & 6

Hardy bulb to 6".  Shikoku Island, Japan.  A delightful alpine or rock garden plant sporting small, spherical heads of the very palest pink over neat tufts of thin, grass-like foliage.  Blooms August/ September.  Well-drained, sandy soil.  Sun.  3 & 6

Bulb to 16".  Central Asia, Northwest China and Siberia.  Large, pale greenish yellow, squarish-shaped bells lightly chequered on the inside with a speckling of reddish brown spots.  Foliage is an attractive glaucous green.  Blooms in late spring.  Requires a location with rich moist soil when blooming and dry when dormant in summer.  3 and 40º for 2-3 months, then T1

Bulb to 24".  Sword Lily.  Spain, Italy and North Africa.  Fans of sword-shaped, Iris-like leaves with spikes of funnel-shaped, almost orchid-like blooms of deep reddish purple with narrow, paler interior markings.  Blooms in late spring.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 and 40º for 2-3 months, then T1

Hardy bulb to 5'.  A beautiful white form of the fabulous Turk’s Cap Lily.  White, silky turbans hang from numerous branches arranged in a chandelier fashion.  Long, cool green filaments display rust-coloured anthers.  Clusters of whorled leaves appear along the stems.  Stunning against a dark background.  An early summer bloomer.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T3, then 40º for 2-3 months.

Hardy bulb to 5'.  Balkans.  A striking burgundy flowered form of the Turk’s Cap Lily.  Unspotted maroon blooms hang from numerous branches arranged in a chandelier fashion.  Long, cool green filaments display rust-coloured anthers.  Clusters of whorled leaves appear along the stems.  An early summer bloomer.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T3, then 40º for 2-3 months.

Hardy Bulb to 3'.  Coral Lily.  China.  Scented, pendulous, Turk’s-Cap flowers.  Reflexed, orange-scarlet, blooms have flared, protruding stamens.  Often the base of the petal is dotted black.  Best viewed from below; perfect for a high spot.  We love it growing with Allium moly in the Gravel Garden.  Sun.  3 & T3

Bulb to 6'.  Japanese Lily, Kanoko-Yuri.  East Asia.  Sturdy stems produce racemes of many fragrant, pendulous, four to six-inch, pure white, trumpet-shaped blooms with recurved petals.  The long, curved stamens with their prominent, purple-brown, suede-like pollen covering the anthers adds contrast.  A choice heirloom species in cultivation in the west since 1830 and longer in Japan.  3 & T3, then 40º for 2-3 months