Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Verbascum chaixii Mix

Family: Scrophulariaceae

(P) to 4′.  Europe and Russia.  A delightful blend of yellow and white Nettle-leaved Mullein. Grey-green, felted, and corrugated leaves form basal rosettes from which rise spire-like, unbranched stems with terminal racemes of five-lobed, flattish, one-inch, yellow or white flowers with violet stamens.  Very versatile.  Mid-summer. Sun.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Akebia quinata

Family: (Lardizabalaceae)

Hardy vine to 20′.  Chocolate Vine.  China, Korea and Japan.  Fast growing, deciduous, and ideal for covering trellises, pergolas or other structures.  The compound leaves are tinged purplish when new and mature to a handsome blue-green.  Rather showy, pendant racemes of vanilla-scented flowers with wide, purple to dark chocolate maroon sepals.  The intriguing fruits are like fat, purple sausages, opening to reveal a white, pulpy interior with black seeds.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Saxifraga stolonifera

Family: Saxifragaceae

(TP) to 6″.  Strawberry Saxifrage.  This sweet Asian native has attractive white blossoms with distinctive pointed petals and bright yellow ovaries. The plant spreads via threadlike stolons, with plantlets taking root in the vicinity of the mother plant. When grown in a pot, the interesting grey-green, mottled foliage quickly crowds the surface and drapes beautifully down the sides.  Easy to grow in average light.  Allow the soil to dry between waterings.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aristolochia clematitis

Family: Aristolochiaceae

(P) to 30″.  This non-climbing herbaceous Dutchman’s Pipe has small apetalous, tubular, greenish yellow flowers that bloom from late spring to early summer in clusters from the leaf axils. Each flower has a straight funnel-shaped tube with pointed, curved upper lips (considerably different in appearance from the curved Dutchman’s smoking pipe-type blooms found on some other species in the genus).  Full sun to part shade.  4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Dianthus japonicus

Family: (Caryophyllaceae)

(B/P) to 2′.  Hama-nadeshiko, Japanese Dianthus.  Japan and East Asia.  From lush rosettes of thick, glossy, narrowly ovate basal leaves emerge leafy stalks topped with dense clusters of vivid rosy-purple, five-petalled, toothed blooms.  Extremely floriferous the second year from seed and may be somewhat biennial.  Persistent winter foliage develops attractive, rich burgundy overtones.  Not your typical “Pink.”  Blooms midsummer till fall.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Saponaria ocymoides

Family: Caryophyllaceae

(P) to 6”.  Rock Soapwort.  Native to Europe and SW Asia found in meadows and rocky areas.  A nice sprawling plant that forms an attractive carpet of semi-evergreen foliage.  Grows nicely over rock walls, in crevices, or between stepping stones.  Sprays of ½-inch, pink flowers appear in early summer.  Readily seeds and a vigorous grower.  Cut back after flowering to maintain compact form.  Prefers full sun to part shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Corydalis ophiocarpa

Family: Papaveraceae

(P) to 18″.  Serpent-Pod Fumitory.  Eastern Himalayas.  This treasure forms clumps of bronzy, blue-green, fern-like foliage from which emerge racemes of tubular, cream-coloured flowers with reddish purple tips.  Dangling seed pods follow; they resemble little green eels or serpents, hence the common name.  A vigorous and attractive architectural plant, which self-sows gently when happy.  Blooms May onward.  Sun to partial shade.  4 and T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache foeniculum 'Alba'

Family: Lamiaceae

Short-lived perennial to 3.5′.  White Anise Hyssop.  A white cultivar of the above. Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Mirabilis jalapa Salmon

Family: (Nyctaginaceae)

(A/TP) to 3′.  Four o’Clock, Marvel of Peru.  A lovely selection that is perfect in our Peach Bed of the Flower Garden.  Bright green foliage and delightful salmon flowers with a pink centre.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Salvia sclarea

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(B) to 3′.  Clary Sage.  Europe to C Asia.  First year rosettes are comprised of substantial, grey-green, rough-textured, ovate to oblong leaves to nine inches.  The following summer brings many upright, pink-tinged flower stems clothed with large, showy, white tinged-rosy-purple bracts which hold the small, blue and white hooded flowers.  Self-sows to keep an ongoing biennial balance with simultaneous first year rosettes and flowering plants.  A very architectural, aromatic and showy plant that needs little care.  Full sun, average garden soil.  4 & T2