Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Tellima grandiflora

Family: (Saxifragaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Fringe Cups.  Western North America.  Racemes of lime-green, bell-shaped, filigreed, fragrant flowers turning delicate pink with age.  Basal leaves are softly hairy.  Partial shade.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Phyteuma cordatum (syn. Phyteuma balbisii)

Family: (Campanulaceae)

(P) to 4″.  An Italian native.  Palest blue, globular flowers with a five-part corolla made up of petals that appear to open in the middle and unite again at the tip.  They suspend on wiry stems above broadly ovate, heart-shaped leaves.  Summer bloomer.  Interesting and fun.  Well-drained soil. Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Dicentra cucullaria

Family: (Papaveraceae)

Native perennial to 12″.  Dutchman’s Breeches.  This easily recognized spring ephemeral typically occurs on forest floors, slopes, ledges, valleys and along stream banks, emerging in March and flowering in early April.  Foliage is greyish green and deeply-cut with a fern-like appearance.   Racemes of waxy, white (infrequently tinged with pink), yellow-tipped flowers have two inflated spurs that suggest the legs of tiny pantaloons with the ankles facing upward.  Flowers are borne in pairs, drooping from leafless stems arching above the foliage.  Self-sows when happy and enjoys part to full shade in humus-rich, woodland soil.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cneorum tricoccon

Family: (Rutaceae)

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 fruits that age to black.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Staphylea pinnata

Family: (Staphyleaceae)

Hardy Tree to 15′.  European Bladdernut.  An erect, branching, shrub-like tree with shiny, dark green, finely toothed, 5 to 7 pinnately compound, opposite leaves.  Drooping panicles of fragrant, white, bell-shaped flowers are comprised of five red-tipped sepals and five separate petals that form a tube.  The pale green, two to three lobed, membranous, three-inch seedpods are inflated, bladder-like and persist into fall.  Very attention-grabbing.  A good understory tree that blooms from late spring to early summer.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Shade/partial shade.  3, 6A & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Gymnaster savatieri

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3′.  Eastern Asia.  A choice and uncommon perennial with powdery blue, Aster-like flowers with small yellow centres.  Lively, angular foliage that always looks perfect.  Covered in an exuberance of bloom from September onwards.  Simply a “must” for the fall garden.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Teucrium scorodonia

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(P) 18″.  Wood Germander.  A tough, shrubby perennial native to dry, open, pine woods, scrub, heaths and sandy acidic soils throughout Western Europe.  Aromatic, notched and puckered, sage-like, wrinkled green leaves adorn dense clumps of stiff, branching, woody stems.  Masses of tiny, greenish yellow lipped blooms cover, short, loose spikes in mid to late summer.  Dry, lime free soil.  Sun. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Saponaria officinalis 'Nana'

Family: (Caryophyllaceae)

(P) to 15″.  A darling, dwarf Soapwort or Bouncing Bet.  European native.  This stoutly branched perennial has pale green, ovate leaves with parallel veins.  The large, pink, five-petalled flowers in small terminal clusters appear in July and last until September.  The genus name is from the Latin saponis meaning ‘soap’ and aria, meaning ‘pertaining to’, together referring to the juice of the leaves and root that can make a soap. Why not try your hand at soap-making?  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Digitalis lanata (syn. Digitalis lamarckii)

Family: (Plantaginaceae)

(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

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aquilegia vulgaris Mix

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 3′. Columbine. Europe. The common name Columbine is derived from the Latin word for “dove” in reference to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together – a most descriptive image indeed. The intricate flowers can be nodding or horizontal and consist of five sepals and five petals to 1-½ inches long and come in a wide variety of colours, often developing dorsal hooked spurs. Interesting five, fused seed follicles follow. Each follicle has a long thin beak and holds many small, shiny, black seeds and persists until fall. The bushy, clump-forming plants have branched, thinly hairy stems and pinnate leaves, with the basal leaflets trifoliate. One of the most beloved plants appearing in an array of colours, sizes and forms, thanks to natural hybridization in the garden.  In 2025 we collected seed from the colours below.  Sun to part shade.  4 & T2

– Single Pink         – Single Purple