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 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.

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.

Box Huckleberry. This now rare in the wild blueberry relative is a choice little shrub that is notable on multiple counts. Compact habit to a foot or more tall and slowly spreading by rhizomes, this has good glossy evergreen leaves turning bronzy in winter with small whitish urn-shaped flowers giving way to edible blue berries. Berried Treasure is a trademark name.

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.

Alex Duguid was the original owner we believe, of Edrom Nursery in Scotland who grew this plant as a strain of Gentiana farreri. This proved quite excellent combining the compact nature of farreri with possibly the pale sky blue flowers attributed to G. ternifolia. At least this is the speculation of Jim Jermyn who later owned Edrom Nursery.

An Asiatic hybrid Gentian which we brought in from the UK.  Dark blue, upward-facing flowers are................really nice.  Sorry - memory of this in flower last year caused the gray matter to assume the consistency of molten chocolate cake and briefly lost all the pretty words. A particularly floriferous selection as well.

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.

Beautiful sky-blue trumpets with a white throat in September on this Gentiana ornata x farreri hybrid.  Granted a Royal Horticultural Society First Class Certificate in 1936, we've righted a wrong by finally making this fine UK selection available in the US.  Slow but steady in the Colonies!

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.

A Far Reaches introduction to the US from the UK.  This uncommon selection is a worthy addition to the gentian collection.  Fairly vigorous, this has ample mid-blue trumpets emblazoned with slim white arrows in the interior.  As with all the Asiatic Gentians, rich, moist & acidic.

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.

Asiatic Hybrid with Gentiana sino-ornata in its past, this is a very fine introduction by Truls and Emma at Wild Ginger Farm.  Large white flowers with a few green flecks in the throat are improbable contrast to the dense green fine needle-like foliage in August and September.  Rich moist soil in mostly sun.  Zone 5.

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 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.

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 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.

A close relative to Gentiana acaulis and regarded as being in the acaulis group. This is one of the forms found in the nursery trade here in the PNW which means it is a good grower.  Maybe a little mongrel vigor from G. acaulis to pump up the volume on those big blue trumpet flowers above an evergreen spreading mat.

Our collection from a wet alpine meadow in Sichuan at 10,000 feet.  A tantalizing array of forms of sino-ornata, but this one's veitchiorum gestalt with its dark blue flowers and somewhat broader foliage kept resisting positive ID, so we are open as always to outside confirmation.

Rich deep blue trumpets with exterior pale striping on this collection from a 10,000' alpine moist meadow where it mingled with too many Primula, dwarf Rhododendron and a Bistorta that unexpectedly threatened to steal the show. This requires rich, moist acid soil with afternoon shade in hot sun areas.