Welcome to our very first Summer mini-catalog ever! Summer is always an exciting time here at the nursery. The madness of Spring has abated just enough that we can take a deep breath and the tiniest of breaks to enjoy the gardens, watch the butterflies and get ready for Fall! It’s also when so many juicy rarities come available keeping us entertained and enthralled. Speaking of Fall - stay tuned! We have a surprise for you come September! We were busy bees last Fall and this Spring video-chronicling the plantings and happenings in our own gardens. The result is a series of funny and informational how-to videos that will help you get your gardens in gear for a fabulous Springtime explosion! Keep up with all of our latest news on Facebook or on our BLOG. And if you live anywhere near us, come visit! The response to our ongoing speaker series this year has been amazing! Come listen for yourself - just check the SCHEDULE to see who’s up next! We’ve got some smashing speakers and demos next year, too, so be sure to SIGN UP for our email blasts to get all the deets! If you are new to “Annie’s” and this is the first time you’re seeing one of our catalogs, do know that this is the TIP OF THE ICEBERG, a tiny sampling of the unbelievable number of varieties we grow. Discover everything else on our website, including tasty tips and delicious garden slideshows. And if you’ve never ordered from us, we’d like you to know we grow plants the old fashioned way, mostly from seed, in the wind, rain and sun (no greenhouses), so they are hardened off, healthy and strong when they arrive at your door. Our customer care and meticulous, designed-by-us packaging is so good, we’re rated tops in the Garden Watchdog “TOP 30,” which is totally excellent!
Bizarre Botanicals We know you already love freaky plants - you’ve discovered Annie’s! Each plant is rated with an easy to understand difficulty level along with detailed instructions for success. They’ve divvied up the book into cool categories including “The Plant Zoo” (anthropomorphic plants), “Love Plants” (amorous plants), “Odd Inflorescences” (freaky flowers) & much more! #3731 $24.95
California Native Plants for the Garden The authors of this book have all dedicated their lives to growing CA native plants. Thus their knowledge comes from real experience over a long time & makes for a well-written and informative book. If you have a question about one of the more than 500 plants in this book, the answer will probably be here! Recommended! #3295 $29.95
How We Ship We offer well-established plants in fat, 4” square pots. Our plants are removed from their pots, wrapped in moist material and bagged. They are then placed back in their pots and secured by our custom
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Plants & Landscapes for Summer Dry Climates My go-to book when I need inspiration! Wonderful for anyone wanting to use less water & still have a beautiful garden, it has an extensive catalog of drought tolerant plants, including cool & unusual varieties! Many useful lists organize the plants into a fast reference. A gorgeous book to pore over again and again. #3294 $34.95
Reimagining the California Lawn Ready to ditch a high maintenance water loving lawn? Drool inducing pictures of 100s of plant options from around the world are paired with growing instructions and helpful plant lists including: Attractive to Bees, Aromatic Foliage, Bulletproof & Dry Shade. Makes finding the perfect plant a cinch! $3794 $27.95
inserts. We prefer our larger size to the long thin containers commonly used by mailorder nurseries. Those slimmer pots conserve nursery space and reduce shipping costs but may result in slower plant recovery and growth after transplanting. With a more natural, spreading root pattern, our plants will thrive and delight you with their high success rate!
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James Gaither
Deppea splendens SUPER-DUPER RARE! One of the rarest plants in cultivation, Deppea splendens has an amazing story of luck behind it. In 1981, Dennis Breedlove collected seed of this plant from the only known population in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico. He distributed the seed to several botanical gardens, including the San Francisco Botanical Garden. In 1986, Breedlove returned to Chiapas to find that the area had been cleared by local corn farmers and that no Deppeas were to be found. Now considered to be extinct in the wild, Deppea splendens only survives from the seed that was brought back in 1981. A member of the coffee family, it has clusters of long tubular yellow flowers that emerge from red sepels hanging from impossibly thin, wiry flower stems. Blooms in late Summer & Fall. Crisp green foliage is somewhat textured & tropical looking. To 6-8’ tall and 4-5’ wide, although it reached much taller proportions in its native habitat. Needs some shade & frost protection. These are clones from the population at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. A very special plant! Part shade. Avg./High water. Shrub. USDA zones 10-11 (with protection in zone 9b). #2209 $24.95
Kelly Kilpatrick
Lobelia excelsa This fabulous & flashy, fast growing hummingbird magnet from Chile will quickly reach 6’ tall & 4’ wide. All Summer long this rare perennial bears tall spikes of large, 3” arching, tubular, scarlet-red flowers. Attractive, narrow green leaves adorn the lower spires making it a magnificent & super easyto-grow focal point! If she gets too big for ya, prune her back hard & new growth will emerge from hard wood. Rich, well-drained soil is best. Hardy to 15 ° F. Sun/Pt. Sun. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10. #1804 $8.95
Dahlia imperialis “Bell Tree Dahlia” A real traffic stopper! This magnificent species Dahlia from Central America grows very well here in California. To at least 8’ tall, it can reach 20’ when happy. The tall canes are bamboo like, with lush leaves. Spectacular lavender pink blooms can span up to 6” & the massive flowering panicles can be 3’ across - mind you that’s per stalk! Wonder! Cut back to 6” after it has finished blooming. Cold hardy & tough as nails. Full Sun (protect from big winds). Avg. water. Perennial/ Bulb USDA zones 8-10. #309 $9.95
Agapetes serpens SUPER RARE! In Greek, “Agapetes” means “beloved” & that’s exactly how we feel about this beauty from Nepal. An epiphyte - a plant that grows up in the branches of trees without soil - lucky for us it also grows well down on ground level, where we can see its amazing chevron-patterned flowers up close. Forms a thick root from which the stems grow. New stems & leaves are reddish in color. Can be grown in full sun on the coast & will retain its reddish color. Or plant in part shade for a lush, green look to the leaves. Sun on coast/Shade. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10. #1691 $12.95
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Verbena lilacina ‘De La Mina’ Love bloomiferous perennials but don’t want to water? Now you can have your cake & eat it, too! Exploding into a cloud of rich lavender-blue flower clusters in Spring, this SUPER EASY, SUPER TOUGH native blooms year around, especially with an occasional drink in Summer. Valuable for both cottagey & dry gardens or large pots, it makes a dense 3’ x 3’ mound. Butterflies & bees! Thanks to horticulturalist Carol Bornstein for discovering this selection! Deer resistant! Sun/Part sun (inland). Avg./Low water. Perennial USDA zones 7-10. #3398 $7.95
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Asclepias fascicularis “Narrow Leaved Milkweed” An elegant, easily grown CA native, this milkweed boasts soft pink & white flower clusters in Summer that span 5” & it is an important food source for Monarch butterfly larvae. Drought tolerant, & needing NO SUMMER WATER once established, water it for a month and then let it figure out the rest. Goes dormant in late Summer & emerges again in the Spring! To 4’ high, & 1’ wide. Deer resistant! Sun/ Pt.Shade. Low/Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 6-11 #2779 $7.95
James Gaither
Lewisia cotyledon ‘White Splendor’ A heavy bloomer with 1” pristine white blossoms a bit larger than average, this wonderful California native perennial bursts into bloom in May & June & continues on & off till Fall. When not in bloom, the evergreen succulent foliage makes an attractive tight low rosette of spatulate leaves. Native to rocky outcroppings & canyon walls, Lewisias love to be planted along the edge of rock gardens or tucked between stones where they make a delightful late Spring display. They do really well in clay pots, especially if you lay some gravel atop the soil. Fertilize once a year. To 5” tall & wide. Self sows. Sun/Pt. Sun. Avg./Low water. Perennial USDA zones 4-10. #2435 $7.95
Ribes sanguineum glutinosum Also known as “Winter Currant,” this CA native shrub brightens the garden on a rainy day. Blooming Feb.-April, the 2-4” pendulous pink flower clusters are an early food source for hummingbirds & bees & the black berries are enjoyed by birds. Found in woodland areas, it’s at home in moderate shade, full sun OK on the coast. Grows in a natural vase shape to 5-12’ tall & wide, but can be pruned after flowering. Great under oaks & deer resistant! Lt.Shade/ Sun (coast). Low/No water. Deciduous shrub USDA zones 8-10. #3414 $8.95
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Zauschneria californica syn. Epilobium canum Not requiring the perfect drainage of many of the named varieties, our head propagator Anni Jensen collected the seed for this handsome species from her own plants. Requiring no Summer water & highly attractive to hummingbirds, this western U.S. native will reach about 30” tall. In late Summer & Fall, when so few natives are looking their best, this prolific bloomer fires up the garden with its amazing flare of scarlet red 1.5” trumpets. Cut to the ground after bloom for best appearance each year. Will spread by roots, so do allow room or keep it contained in a parking strip or large pot. Deer resistant! Sun/Pt. Sun. Low-No Summer water. Perennial USDA zones 8-10. #2621 $8.95
Malacothamnus fremontii “Fremont’s Bush Mallow” Snow white stems & leaves & porcelain pink flowers make this CA native shrub an ethereal addition to the dry garden. Requiring no summer water once established, it can grow to 6’ x 6’. It also has the audacity to bloom from April all the way through till Autumn! Prefers good drainage, but tolerates clay soil, as well as deer & heat, too! Stays evergreen, but for best appearance prune hard in late autumn or early spring. Deer resistant! Sun. Low/Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 8-10. #2619 $7.95
Mimulus ‘Pamela’ I’m so excited about this CA native monkey flower that has all the resilience of its wild cousins but kicks it up a notch with a snazzy color & larger flower. Lemony yellow 1.5” blooms with bright white edges appear over many months – mostly in Spring, but almost year-round. Prefers Summer dry once established but with a little extra water it’ll stay green. A magnet for hummingbirds & butterflies, great UNDER OAKS, CLAY TOLERANT & DEER RESISTANT. Good drainage is key. To 2-3’ high & wide.Sun/Filtered shade. Avg./Low water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10. #3691 $8.95
Eriogonum latifolium “Seaside Buckwheat” You could sell tickets to the Summer pollination show that occurs on this durable native Buckwheat! Mobbed by butterflies, bees & pollinators too numerous to name, it’s an important larval food plant for the Acmon Blue & Hairstreak butterflies whose numbers are dwindling due to habitat loss. Attractive 1’ x 2’ compact mound of softly felted blue-grey leaves are topped with lovely 1” clusters of delicate pink & white flowers lasting till Fall. An excellent choice for edging, containers & useful for erosion control. Salt & wind tolerant. Deer resistant. Give good drainage & a bit of Summer water in hotter areas. Sun. Avg./No Summer water. Perennial USDA zones 8-11. #2622 $8.95
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Cuphea cyanea Cutest. Cuphea. Ever. Sherbet colored blooms with tiny black “ears” grace this eensie shrublet from Mexico for most of the year & though it is no taller or wider than a foot, it does beg to be noticed by both human-types & discerning hummingbirds. Easy in rich, well drained soil, it prefers shade during the hottest part of the day & is perfect at the front of the garden border or in medium sized pots. Deadhead to prolong bloom & otherwise cut back by half annually to maintain growth. Annual in colder zones. Pt.Sun/Shade. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #3062 $10.95
Callirhoe digitata “Standing Winecup” Behold! After five years of fiending we’re able to go public with this astounding Midwest wildflower. Its shiny magenta flowers evoke the poppy & tall, elegant habit is reminiscent of the Dierama, but this pretty treasure is from the Mallow family. Prefers poor, dry, rocky soil, so don’t be tempted to mollycoddle it with compost & water or you’ll have to resort to staking. Blooms in Summer, with each tall, willowy stem bearing many showy blooms. 1’ wide & 2-4’ tall. Winter dormant. Sun. Low-Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 4-10. #3486 $8.95
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Cuphea oreophila Compact, free-flowering and scarcely found in the trade, long blooming Cuphea oreophila boasts large 1” tabasco red flowers with delightfully fuzzy “mouse ears.” Its natural inclination is toward bushiness, and occasional pruning will both reinvigorate it and encourage an attractively dense, bushy form. Can even be used as an informal hedge! To 3’ x 3,’ give it rich, loamy soil and some Summer water for best show. Many thanks to Strybing Arboretum for sharing this very fine Cuphea with us! Sun/ Pt.Shade. Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10. #3271 $7.95
Michauxia tchihatcheffii “Catherine Wheel Flower” EXCLUSIVE & NEW!
Gesundheit! Thank goodness there’s a common name for this stunning Campanula cousin, because I don’t want to attempt it in Latin. CLAY SOIL? No prob. SUN? DROUGHT? Fine. It’s native to Turkey, so our Mediterranean climate is just perfect! Forms a low rosette of rough green leaves before rising into bloom in Summer – the habit is tall and narrow, like a lily – 3-4’ high & 1’ wide, topped with numerous 3-4” blooms with 10 or more reflexed petals. Hubba hubba. Sun. Low/Avg. Water. Biennial/Monocarp. USDA zones 8b-11. #3760 $7.95
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Geranium x procurrens ‘Ann Folkard’ Boy, have I come to love this multi-asseted, super strong, everblooming Geranium with its colorful flowers, showy 4” across, golden-chartreuse leaves & zig-zaggy inter twining habit that brings the garden together. Blooming late Spring thru Fall, 1” rich magenta blooms “pop” above the foliage. To about 1-2’ tall & 2-3’ wide, the trailing stems intertwine nicely with other plants. Prefers cool Summer regions & rich soil for best show. Cut back whenever you feel the need. Deciduous. Makes a beautiful groundcover! Sun-Pt. Sun. Avg./Low water. Perennial USDA zones 5-10. #2998 $7.95
Euphorbia lambii “Tree Euphorbia” Straight outta Dr. Seuss, this native of the Canary Islands (land of weird & wonderful plants) grows 6’-10’ tall or shorter if potted, by 6’ wide. The thick, woody, upright main trunk branches out, bearing at branch ends an attractive rosette of narrow lance-shaped leaves. In Spring, large, lime-green flowering heads are profusely borne creating an exceptional display. “Tree Euphorbia” grows in average to good garden soil & is drought tolerant, though it looks better with average water. Hardy down to 25° F. Deer resistant! Sun/Pt. Sun. Avg./Low water. Shrub/Tree USDA zones 9b-11. #1734 $8.95
Gift Certificates What makes a better present for your gardening pals than a guilt-free shopping blowout in any amount you choose?! Valid online, thru catalog and in nursery. Lots of styles to choose from! #1909 $Your Choice
Silene asterias RARE & EXCLUSIVE “Cherry Drumsticks” I am so impressed that this hardy & unusual Bulgarian “Catchfly” performs so well in our temperate climate. It’s my favorite kind of faithful perennial – increasing in width & bloom each year! Strong upright “drumsticks” begin flowering in late Spring, revealing truly fascinating, spherical clusters, 2.5” across made up of small, rich carmine blooms held in dark wine bracts sporting bright blue anthers – striking! Pretty even when not in bloom with its rosette of fresh looking, Spring green oblong leaves. Wonderful cut flowers! Deciduous. Deer resistant! Sun. Avg./ High water. Perennial USDA zones 5a -10. #2290 $7.95
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Iochroma coccinea Totally tropical, covered in clusters of glowing, 4” tubular orangeyred flowers that woo the neighborhood hummers Spring thru Fall, this fast growing evergreen small tree/shrub makes a fabulously lush screen. Native to Peru, it’s closely related to Brugmansias & would look fab near one of its trumpet flowered cousins. Flowers occur on new growth, which means it’s totally pruneable. Growing to 8’ x 8’, prune it to whatever size your heart desires. Sun by the coast, but for those of you in warmer parts, give it a shadier spot & protect from hot afternoon sun. ALL PARTS POISONOUS. Sun(coast)/Pt. Shade Avg. water. Small Tree/Shrub USDA zones 9-11. #1998 $9.95
Passiflora loefgrenii RARE & EXCLUSIVE! One of the most exquisite Passifloras in cultivation & an excellent balance between easy to grow but not TOO easy to grow (i.e. it won’t eat your house!). Each beauteous 5” bloom bears flashy purple-blue filaments against a rich, magenta-purple array of petals & is artfully held at the end of long (up to 8”) swooping peduncles, which make a U-turn at the end to gaze upward. Grows 10’ or more, but is easily pruned to size. Top dress with compost in Spring for best appearance & performance. The edible fruit smells like garlic, so maybe not one you’d choose to eat! From Brazil. Pt.sun-Pt.shade. RegAvg. water. Perennial vine USDA zones 9b-10. #3618 $12.95
James Gaither
Eucomis pallidiflora ssp. poleevansii “Giant Pineapple Lily” The biggest Pineapple Lily around town! Easy to grow, it reaches spectacular sizes with up 6’ tall flower spikes & 3’ succulent green, wavy edged leaves. To top it off, a mop of green bracts sits atop the bloom, resembling a wacky pineapple. A spectacle for a large container, it blooms in Summer with creamy white flowers aging in to chartreuse seedpods. Prefers full sun, but can deal with a little shade and well drained, mulched soil. Likes to be dry in Winter. Sun-Lt. Shade. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 8a-10b. #3679 $10.95
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Solanum pyracanthum Deliciously wicked! Fuzzy bluish-green, attractively lobed leaves held on furry orange stems display festive orangey-red midribs & fabulously fiendish upright thorns. Summer brings bright purple 1” blooms & a golden glow to up the contrast even more! Here in our climate it grows to a branching 3’ x 3’ making a trippy conversation starter you’ll love to show off. Best in a container (5 gal & up). Well drained soil with a bit of compost added. Protect from frost. Deer resistant! Sun. Avg.-Low water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #992 $7.95
Marigold ‘Day of the Dead Yellow’ “Cempazuchitl” Used lavishly to decorate graves & altars during “Dia de los Muertos” celebrations in Mexico and Central America, these are the enormous old-fashioned Marigolds that have become impossible to find! Super double 5” rich yellow blooms are well displayed on a bushy plant 3’ tall & 3’ across. Long stemmed & superb for cutting, they’re profuse & long blooming – from Summer through Fall! Rich soil is best of course. Full Sun. Avg. water. Annual. All zones. #2342 $4.95
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Salvia ‘Phyllis’ Fancy’ Big, bold & beautiful, Salvia ‘Phyllis Fancy’ was first discovered at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & named for Phyllis Norris. Thought to be a hybrid of S. leucantha & maybe S. chiapensis, she’s a vigorous grower. Blooms begin in Fall & keep going until the first frost, making it choice for late season color. Stunning, 1’ long flower spikes are covered with fuzzy, soft lavender white flowers, sheathed in inky blue bracts that bees, butterflies & hummingbirds can’t resist! Not fussy about soil as long as drainage is good. Prune to 2’ after flowering to shape & control size. To 4’ x 4’. Deer resistant! Sun-Lt. Shade. Avg. water. Perennial shrub USDA zones 7b-10. #3694 $7.95
James Gaither
Rojasianthe superba “Giant White Sunflower Tree” EXCLUSIVE! Astonishing in bloom! From the highlands of Guatemala & S. Mexico comes this extremely rare evergreen Sunflower tree. In its native habitat it grows to 20’ tall, though here in the Bay Area we’ve not seen it reach more than 10’. Handsome 6” tropicalesque leaves are held on strong upright bamboo-like branching stems but the real show comes Feb. - May when the flowers appear – 2” across, clear white with a gorgeous raised black center encircled by a lime green ring. Lightly fragrant! Best grown in cool coastal areas where temps don’t rise much above 80°F. Provide rich soil & regular water. Can be grown indoors in a container. Thanks goes to Don Mahoney & Strybing Arboretum for sharing this rare gem with us! Brt.shade-A.M. Sun. Avg. water-Moist. Perennial USDA zones 9b-10. #3616 $9.95
Echinops ritro ruthenicus Impressive deepest blue golf ball sized globes are accented by standout silvery white stems and foliage. A real star in the dry garden, flower clusters are displayed on multi-branching stems well above the lacy foliar mound 18” across. Adored by butterflies, it blooms mid-Summer thru Fall – longer than any other “Globe Thistle.” Heat, drought & deer resistant, it makes great cut flowers, fresh or dried. Sort of deciduous. 3’ x 2’. Sun. Avg. water/Dry. Perennial USDA zones 3-10. #1677 $8.95
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Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Oranges & Lemons’ We were won over by this “Blanketflower” during our visit to The Melissa Garden, a honeybee sanctuary in Healdsburg, CA. Super-floriferous & a hub for butterflies & bees, it’s also heat & drought tolerant & deer resistant! Citrusy 2” blooms appear above a hearty plant 2’ tall x 18” wide. Easy to grow even in poor soil, just give it good drainage. Sun. Avg./Dry. Perennial. USDA zones 5a-10. #3619 $6.95
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Teucrium betonicum EXCLUSIVE! Totally lovely & way, way rare! From the island of Madeira comes this astounding evergreen, drought tolerant and deer resistant shrub that will certainly be the highlight of your Summer garden! Exploding into a mass display from late May thru July, I love how the upright 5” violet rose, sage like spikes display from the base all the way to the top of the plant. Attractive with its dense, soft sage green, scalloped foliage even when not in bloom. Easy and carefree! Well drained soil and an annual 2” layer of compost for best show. Sun. Avg/Low water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #3231 $7.95
Helichrysum bracteatum ‘Monster Rose’ Large flowered, bold & skyscraping, this “Everlasting” is brought to you courtesy of the florist industry, where they understand the goodness of TALL plants. Very double clusters of 2” glossy, deep rose “petals” (technically bracts) on strong stems grow to 4’ tall x 2-3’ wide. Blooms late Spring thru Fall if you deadhead. GREAT as a cut flower, fresh or dried! Sun. Low-Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10, annual elsewhere #3473 $4.95
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Brugmansia x arborea Hey all you folks who adore “Angel’s Trumpets!” This is one of the WILD SPECIES of Brugmansia native to high elevation Andes & almost impossible to find in the nursery trade. Fast & vigorous, it quickly grows into a small tree 6’-10’ with a strongly multibranching habit. Blooms most of the year here, it’s adorned with fragrant, pendulous, flaring 6” trumpets. Wonderful velvety tropical evergreen foliage. Best in rich soil. All parts poisonous. Deer resistant! Sun-Pt. Shade. Avg. water. Shrub/Tree USDA zones 8b -11 #3235 $9.95
Phormium ‘Black Adder’ This tall, dark & handsome new introduction was discovered as a spontaneous sport of Phormium ‘Platt’s Black.’ Darker & more vigorous, this “New Zealand Flax” grows to 3’ x 3’ with long, sword-like leaves that are pendulous at the tips. Tolerant of many soil types, including heat & clay, plus it’s great in coastal gardens & containers. Big ups to Irish breeder Pat Fitzgerald for discovering and sharing this beauty! Thanks Pat! Deer resistant! Part sun-Full sun. Low/Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 8a-10. #3546 $12.95
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Passiflora membranacea EXCLUSIVE! Plant-a-holics close your eyes!!! To see this exquisite Passion Vine is to NEEEEED IT! You’ll lust so much, your eyes will ache, your heart will pitter-pat! What’s worse, it’s robust, fast & easy to grow. Here are the juicy details: it blooms from late Spring to Fall with the most delectable flowers displaying fabulous 2” ruby-purple bracts from which emerge perfectly contrasting chartreuse bell shaped blooms. Oh my! OK, it gets even worse, the flowers hang from slender stems in horizontal rows like ornaments against large round leaves, dark olive above & purple beneath. Aaarghh!! We’ve seen this paragon of passion reach 30’ in the Bay Area, so you know you’ll have to give it some room or possibly some pruning. Rich well-drained soil. Please note: For best results, grow on for an extra season in a 5 gallon pot before planting in the ground and keep the plant consistently moist, but not soggy! Sun-Brt. Shade. Avg. water/Moist. Vine USDA zones 9-11. #2226 $16.95
Uli Lorimer
Jelitto Staudensamen
Agastache pallida x rugosa ‘Globetrotter’ In a group known for blue or white flowers, ‘Globetrotter’ introduces carmine-red or pink-purple bottlebrush-shaped blooms. The flowers cut well for arrangements & they are popular with bees & butterflies. Strongly scented of peppermint, it has a strongly vertical growth habit with stems up to 30” yet only spreading to 18”. Grows best in poor soil with little nitrogen. Deer resistant! Sun. Low-No Water. Perennial USDA zones 7-10. #3532 $6.95
Pycnostachys urticifolia “Blue Witches’ Hats” Everyone needs Fall & Winter excitement in their garden & this outrageous South African shrub is just the guy to do it! Strong & sturdily multi-branching to a quick 5’ x 5’, this easy to grow wonder bears hundreds of upright cobalt blue “Witches’ Hats” from Fall to Spring! Prominently displayed at branch tips, the 4” densely packed spikes open from the bottom, creating the fanciful brim. Evergreen with pleasing glossy heart-shaped leaves, it’s truly an outrageous sight to behold in bloom. Prune back to 3’ in Spring to maintain a nice bushy shape. Flowers its first year! Pt. sun. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #885 $8.95
Muhlenbergia capillaris “Pink Muhly Grass” Such a great grass, let me count the ways: drought tolerant, deer resistant, tough, easy & so beautiful! It should be called “Cotton Candy Grass” because that’s just what it looks like when it goes into bloom in late Summer to Fall. To 3’ tall & 4’ wide, it adds a shot of color & interest at a time when most gardens are slowing down. The fine-textured foliage is a nice blueish-green color. Great planted as a contrast to coarse-textured plants like Agaves & Aeoniums or planted in mass for a super-showy effect. Plant it where it will be back-lit by the sun for an extra treat. Native to Texas & Florida. Sun-Pt.Sun. Low-High water. Perennial Grass USDA zones 5-11. #3195 $7.95
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Celosia argentea cristata ‘Cramer’s Burgundy’ If you’ve never grown these TALL, huge-flowered florist’s Celosias, you have been completely missing out! I’m not kidding! To 30” tall, “Cramer’s” is my favorite variety & bears rich burgundy, very large, fantastically crested, velvety flower heads to 6” across. Very long blooming Summer to Fall & out-freakin’-rageous cut flowers. Pair it in a bouquet with the outrageous inflated seed pods of Asclepias physocarpa for a visual treat! Lovely foliage, too! Rich soil is the way to go. Full Sun. Avg. water. Annual. All zones. #1664 $4.95
Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Raven’s Wing’ Rarely showcased, as it’s usually available in small batches, this is one of my favorite LONG-LIVED, tough as nails, always handsome contrasty foliage perennials! Rich purply-black, densely held, feathery foliage creates a compact mound to 15” tall by 2’ across. Great for creating textural interest & making surrounding plants stand out. Easily lives 5+ years. Adaptable & versatile, it can also be used for dressing up the base of roses and taller shrubs. Cut back to 5” tall in Winter. Best in rich, well drained soil. Sun (by the coast)-Pt. shade. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 7-10. #52 $9.95
Fragaria vesca ‘White Delight’ “White Strawberry” Bird proof strawberries! Outsmart your neighborhood feathered friends with pretty little yellow alpine strawberries. Fragrant & delicious, alpine strawberries bear fruit all year round & don’t spread by runners, so they can be planted right in front of the flower bed. Darling in containers, too! Strawberries love rich soil & a feeding once or twice a year! To 9” tall & 12” wide. Sun. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 5-10. #1450 $6.95
“Wow – am I ever impressed! I am jumping up and down with joy over my new garden arrivals. I received 2 big boxes of plants and they were WONDERFUL. – Pam N. Temecula, CA
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Cantua ‘Hot Pants’ EXCLUSIVE! A beautifully bi-colored form of one of our hottest rarities! A softer stemmed clone with a more lax habit, ‘Hot Pants’ sports gorgeous glowing orange tubes that flare into a magenta skirt. In ideal conditions, it can become a 7’ shrub (tall & wide) but pruning will keep it a more manageable size. Blooms heaviest in Spring with sporadic blooms for a few months after. Best in cooler areas, or in shade where hot. Rich, loamy soil is best! Sun/ Shade. Reg./Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #3155 $9.95
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Euphorbia ‘Blue Haze’ An easy going, look-good-all-yeararound, compact & colorful edger plant for just about any garden. Deserving far more recognition for its adaptability & usefulness as well as its good looks, this fairly recent hybrid of Euphorbia nicaeensis displays delectable powder-blue linear foliage topped from mid-Summer on with beautifully contrasting greeny-chartruese “flowers” (bracts). How pretty! Held on reddish stems, the leaves remain ever-blue in temperate climates like ours. Cut back old stems when they eventually fade for reliable fresh new growth. Gorgeous planted with Anagallis monellii as pictured. Not fussy about soil but welldrained is best. To 18” tall & 2-3’ wide. Deer resistant! Sun-Pt. sun. Low-Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 5-10. #3050 #8.95
Kelly Kilpatrick
Penstemon digitalis ‘Mystica’ We’re delighted this stunningly foliaged, super hardy new Penstemon is EASY, reliably perennial & almost ever-blooming here in our mild climate. Stand-out, well shaped, luscious & glossy ruby-black leaves form a clumping rosette 1’ tall & 2’ across that looks great year around here along the coast. Spring thru Fall, it’s topped with lots of lovely 2” flaring lavender blooms on showy black and strongly upright (no staking) 3’ stems. Gorgeous partnered with 3’ tall black Phormium ‘Black Adder’ or for a more cottagey look, with the silvery-blue leaves & pink bloom explosion of Dianthus ‘Rose de Mai’. Plant in good garden soil with compost added. Nice in a large container, too! Hummers! Deer resistant! Sun/Half-day sun. Avg./Low water. Perennial USDA zones 2-9. #3725 $7.95
Drosanthemum micans EXCLUSIVE! I’m tres crazy about this EASY TO GROW bringer of sunshine. EVERBLOOMING here along the coasteven in Winter, its form is tight & compact with small, dense, bright-green foliage 2.5’ tall & about 3’ across. Smothering itself in golden centered, red-tipped sunniest-yellow, many-rayed blooms 2” across, it’s one of those big-bang-for-the-buck fellows. Native to South Africa & highly drought tolerant, it does look best with at least occasional water & a bit of compost. Super for edging a rock garden, in a container (at least 2’ wide) or anywhere you need a carefree wonder plant. Cut back once a year for best show. Deer resistant! Sun. Low-Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 8-11. #3014 $8.95
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ EVERBLOOMING from late Spring through frost with huge 2” plus flowers in bold blue-violet, ‘Rozanne’ hardly needs an introduction! There’s even a website – www.geraniumrozanne.com! With a sprawling habit that weaves through taller plants without overwhelming them, this non-invasive, heat tolerant & hardy Cranesbill is great as a groundcover or in hanging baskets. Bonus: the leaves turn bronze in the Fall before the plant goes deciduous! Spreads to 3’ wide and mounds to 18” or so & can be cut back to 3” when you need to rejuvenate growth. Rich loamy soil is best, with a little bit of shade in super hot locales. Deer resistant! Sun. Low-Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 5-11. #3024 $8.95
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Calceolaria integrifolia ‘Kentish Hero’ It’s so hard to find a good Calceolaria in these modern times, as so many have been bred into weak, boinky oblivion. Thankfully, this beauty is strong, tall, & garden worthy! Hooray! Rich red & orange “pocketbook” flowers are TOO CUTE & bring warmth & color to the garden all Summer long (& sometimes longer). Given rich soil & semi-regular water, this plant should easily thrive & overwinter where hardy. Growing less than 2’ wide, & up to 4’ tall, it’s suitable in containers & in semishady borders. Pt. sun/Pt. shade. Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 8b-11. #2969 $7.95
Scleranthus biflorus “Australian Astroturf” Wish you could grow moss in your garden IN FULL SUN!?! Well, ladies & gents, now you can! Scleranthus biflorus is here to help you. Looking just like a cute little tuffet of soft green moss, this groundcover forms a mound about 3” high & 1’ wide. And this guy keeps his green even when it’s dry, sunny & hot. Native to Australia, it has practically invisible little white flowers but that’s okay since this plant is all about the foliage. Looks great clinging to stones in the garden, its form hugs the hard edges nicely. Create your own Japanese moss garden without the high water bill! Deer resistant! Sun-Pt. shade. Low-Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #2994 $7.95
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Greenovia diplocycla var. gigantea EXCLUSIVE & RARE! So delectably rare and as cute as can be! Almost too pretty to be real, G. diplocycla var. gigantea forms spiraling rosettes of soft bluish-green rounded leaves about 18” across – huge in the world of Greenovias. Under drought conditions, the leaves close into a tight, cool looking ball. It can take years to bloom (when it’s topped by a large inflorescence of yellow flowers) & it does die afterward, but that’s no problem as it will have already created offsets for your future enjoyment. Native to lava cliffs, it loves well-drained soil, a bit of compost & afternoon shade. Nice in containers too! Deer resistant! Sun-Brt. Shade. Low-Avg. water. Succulent. USDA zone 9b-10. #2925 $10.95
Sideritis dasygnaphala EXCLUSIVE! Yes indeedy - I am a fan of this wonderful genus of plants that grows so well here in coastal California. Native only to the Canary Island of Gran Canaria, this wooly-bear of a drought tolerant perennial grows 2.5-3’ tall & as much across. Sensual, very wooly, small oval leaves are super densely held, forming a small shrub. In May & June, the tall upright flower spikes appear – also densely wooly white! A wonderful plant for a temperate, dryish, well-drained garden or container. Deer resistant! Sun. Avg./Low water. Perennial USDA zones 9-11. #2399 $7.95
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Phytolacca acinosa “Himalayan Pokeberry” EXCLUSIVE! I first saw this “Himalayan Pokeberry” at the wonderful botanical garden in Limoge, France. Unlike our native American Pokeberry, this species is not invasive & holds its flowers & berry clusters upright. Growing 4’ x 4’ with attractive dense, bold foliage, it bears spikes of ornamental waxy white flowers in early Summer & striking clusters of purple berries which turn black and look like shiny black pearls, much loved by birds. Tolerant of ANY SOIL, even clay (though best in rich soil), it makes an excellent specimen plant, even in difficult areas. May reseed. Sun/Pt. shade. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 8-10. #839 $7.95
Drosanthemum speciosum ‘Pele’ EXCLUSIVE! I’ve got just one word to describe this plant: HOT. It has pretty much replaced all other Drosanthemums in my mind as THE fiery flowered super-shrub for the dry garden. When we first noticed this chance seedling, it was for its fluffy double blooms, in red, yellow & magenta. Long lived, long flowering (heavily in Spring, then off & on through the rest of the year) drought & heat tolerant, deer resistant & LOW MAINTENANCE. Don’t overfeed, overwater, or over-prune & ‘Pele’ will be happy & healthy for a long, long time. This South African hottie will grow 2-3’ tall & 3-4’ wide with time. Sun. Low-Avg.water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10 #3509 $10.95
Albuca shawii Sweetly striped yellow & green, almond (some say pineapple) scented nodding blooms dangle en masse like wee lanterns in Summer on this South African gem of a bulb. Native to the Drakensberg Mountains, its elegantly wispy yet succulent green foliage emits an eau de sweet anise fragrance when stroked. Yumminess! Growing to 18” tall & 12” wide, Albuca shawii requires excellent drainage & Summer irrigation for ultimate happiness. Perfect for a pot, or a rock star spot in front in a warm & sunny border, it goes dormant in Winter. Hardy to 0°F. Sun. Avg. water. South African Bulb. USDA zones 7-11. #2157 $7.95
Agave colorata The perfect Agave for those who don’t have room for those huge Agave americana monsters. Staying a manageable 2-3’ wide, they’re cute but not cuddly! Beautiful silver-blue leaves sport spines along the undulating margins. Taking up to 15 years to bloom, the flower stalk is spectacular, rising to 10’ tall with yellowgreen flowers. The blooming rosette will die afterward but the plant lives on through the offsets that grow around it. Native to coastal northwestern Mexico, it tolerates heat & little water. Needs good drainage, great in a pot! Sun-Light shade. Low-Avg. water. Succulent USDA zones 8-11. #1892 $8.95
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Campanula vidalii Tolerant of neglect & thriving in shade, this is one highly unusual & charismatic member of the Campanula family & so easy to grow! First, it forms a semi-succulent little sub-shrub with somewhat woody stems. Next it bears dense whorls of surprisingly thick & glossy deep green leaves. Then come the fireworks! Branching spikes to 18” tall burst into a stunning mass of thick waxy pink 1.5 – 2” “church bells” that last quite a while. It doesn’t usually bloom till it’s a year old, but amazing things come to those who wait. After its incredible performance, it may go to Campanula heaven, but not before generously self-sowing for future thrills. Rich, well-drained soil is best. Shade. Low to Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10. #201 $7.95
Alcea ficifolia ‘Black’ “Black Fig-leaved Hollyhock” EXCLUSIVE! Dream plant alert! We searched high & low for this coveted & elusive perennial Hollyhock but in the end, we had to make it ourselves. We isolated it so we could maintain a pure seed source. Many spires of jet black flowers emerge from the base of this almost bushy Hollyhock. Ooh la la! Bloom time lasts from Summer thru Fall, after which you should cut the stalks to the base & side dress with compost. We promise we’ve kept our mother stock more or less a block away from other less reputable Hollyhocks, but there’s a teeny chance you could get a stray red or magenta. After all, bees do fly great distances. Sun. LowAvg.water. Perennial USDA zones 2-10. #3488 $7.95
Asarina scandens ‘Joan Lorraine’ You would think this beautiful Mexican vine with its velvety purple trumpets and lush delicate foliage might be fragile or finicky in the garden, but you’ll be in for a big surprise when you discover it’s easy, fast growing and long lived! Creating a solid “wall” of emerald green heart shaped leaves to 5’ across and 8-10’ tall, it’s wonderful on a fence, trellis or arch and long-blooming too, from July till September. Quite a heavy bloomer, too, with loads of 2” richest purple, flaring blooms. Best in part shade to morning sun and rich soil. Can be cut back in Fall. Hummers! Full sun (by the coast) /Pt. shade. Avg. water. Perennial USDA zones 9-10, annual elsewhere. #115 $6.95
Dianthus plumarius ‘Purpleton’ TOTALLY EXCLUSIVE! Discovered from a chance seedling, we are thrilled to introduce another totally bloom-azing Dianthus this year! Hundreds – if not zillions – of beautiful, deliciously fragrant, double purple-pink blooms almost smother the dense blue-green weed suppressing foliar mat to 30” across. To 15” tall, the stems are just the right size for cutting and you’ll never have to worry about stealing too many for your bouquets! Besides, deadheading keeps them in bloom for months. Long lived. Sun. Avg.-Low water. Perennial USDA zones 3-10. #3678 $7.95
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