It's comforting to see this hasn't changed. Our all time best seller and our most favorite species. We're very excited to find a source for Primula x Juliae ‘Wanda’ as pictured. This lovely little guy is a fantastic ground cover. I've grown it in full and part shade with equal success. The foliage is just a bonus.

To see all of the Primula we grow, click here.

Again, there is a good reason for sedum as the No. 2 favorite: versatility. Some sedum are total ground covers such as Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ and others like Sedum 'Autumn Joy' (shown in our gardens) make great shrub-like appearances in the garden. Great attractions for butterflies and bees. Just have a tiny bit of water close by, perhaps in a hollowed out rock and you've created a sanctuary.

To see all of the Sedum we grow, click here.

I'm sure I've influenced a few to purchase this great extremely long-lived perennial. Not a surprise since we have thousands and thousands planted out in our fields now for the cut flower market. I've always loved this old-fashioned, romantic flower but have come to appreciate it much more recently. Often living to be well over 50 years, hardy in almost any Alaskan garden, gorgeous foliage lending itself to creeping, flowering vines for a second show and of course the blooms just can't be beat-period! For a great read, check out www.alaskapeonies.org.

To see all of the Paeonia we grow, click here.

I guess we will continue the almost 600 mile round trip over unimproved mountain roads to bring our gardeners this rare blue flower. I keep thinking after all these years offering this beauty that folk will get tired of it, but not so. Every time they start to bloom, there is a rush to add more to existing gardens or for that new gardener that just "has to have it." Remember, excellent drainage is required. No winter wet feet please.

Photo courtesy of Brenda's Garden by Design.

To see all of the Meconopsis we grow, click here.

This is one of my favorites and yours, too, it would seem. So easy to grow with no particular requirements. Trollius is one of the few plants that will actually give you a few blooms in shade. Of course full sun, dry, moist, good or bad soil, all will yield some blooms. Now with 'Alabaster' becoming somewhat available, we expect this one to stick around forever. If you only have T. europaeus, you're missing the boat. (Shown Trollius 'Alabaster' in our gardens with Aquilegia.)

To see all of the Trollius we grow, click here.

With more than 250 varieties, there is sure to be one that meets your needs. Having Campanula glomerata 'Superba' blooming its heart out by our front door I'm sure has influenced the popularity. We were pleased to find a source again for Campanula 'Labelle' with its unusual silver blue flowers for this year's line-up.

To see all of the Campanula we grow, click here.

I'm totally thrilled to see grasses start to catch on here. I think the reluctance was all the wild grasses we have but there is nothing to compare with the tall, well behaved Calamagrostis 'Overdam' rustling in the wind in our lily gardens. A little knowledge and caution and you can be assured of exactly the look you want without worrying about aggressive varieties.

Photo courtesy of Gardens by Design

To see all of the Ornamental Grasses we grow, click here.

It's easy to understand why iris are such favorites. Most of us have a fond memory of iris in our childhood. This year's line-up includes old favorites and some very new varieties. While the native iris gives us reassurance of their adaptability to our climate, the sibiricas offer a much broader variety base and more abundant blooms.

To see all of the Iris we grow, click here.

If a customer asks for flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbird, I tell them about salvia. If they want something for a cut flower, I tell them about salvia. Plants unattractive to rabbits and moose, drought-tolerant, great color, terrific for border, you guessed it, salvia. And if you are into medicinal plants, the name salvia comes from "salvere" meaning to save in deference to the many herbal and medicinal uses throughout history including recent studies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Remarkably easy to grow, full sun and well-drained soils and a little tough love and you've got it. Oh, yes, there are different varieties for height and color choices.

To see all of the Salvia we grow, click here.

I love this species so much I have a total border we refer to as our lily garden. I don't think I’ve seen a blue lily, but I do believe I've seen every other color. I love lilies with Achillea (yarrow) as they bloom at the same time and the colors seem to either match or complement perfectly. We sell them in 2 or 3 to a pot because we think they deserve prominence in your garden.

Photo courtesy of Cassie Hillstrand.

To see all of the Lilium we grow, click here.

There's nothing that can cheer me up like seeing bright orange, red, yellow and white poppies bursting out of the ground in my Tori Meadow. They are just so happy. Some of them are a bit promiscuous but there are varieties that are more well mannered and of course there are the magnificent Orientales that have blooms often as big as salad plates and in a wide variety of colors.

To see all of the Papaver we grow, click here.

Although these wonderful garden additions dropped from 2nd place to 12th, I think they deserve a great deal of respect. Of course there is the typical trellis with a vine that we are all familiar but let’s get a bit more creative and think vines blooming and meandering up a tree, through your Paeonia's lovely late summer foliage, through a shrub or even as a ground cover. Despite their reputation, vines are really quite easy to grow.

To see all of the Vines we grow, click here.

And the common name is appropriate, I can surely attest. Our greenhouse cat Neko San hangs out every year in the Nepeta display and has been known to challenge a customer when trying to purchase a Nepeta from "her stash." The fragrance of the foliage is enough reason to grow this one. I like it because it is a later bloomer giving me seasonal extension. Great for a border where you brush against the foliage.

To see all of the Nepeta we grow, click here.

Ah! The lovely versatile hosta. What you may not know is that hosta grow in full sun in Alaska. In fact they sulk when planted in shade. There are so many these days with foliage choices and sizes off the chart. Just when I was getting the hang of it, Brenda of Garden By Designs started showing me the "opposites": gold centers versus gold margins etc. Hmmm...

To see all of the Hosta we grow, click here.

I got away from these for a while but now I'm falling in love all over again. Check out our new variety 'Blue Barlow'. I haven't made a decision on spurs versus spurless. Maybe you can like them all.

To see all of the Aquilegia we grow, click here.

This is a first time on the line-up for these wonderful garden accents. Sizes? Yep we have them. Of course, they come in all sizes and some variations of greens and reds but my all time favorite is still our native ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) with its ghost white fall color and unusuall vase like appearance during the summer.

Anytime you have a cultivar of a native, you can be pretty confident that it will do well for us here in our cold gardens. That's really true with all the varieties of Jacobs ladder. I love the purple foliage of 'Bressingham Purple' but the green with white edged foliage of 'Stairway to Heaven' and Terra Nova's 'Snow and Saphires' is totally outstanding in containers and at the edge of shade gardens.

To see all of the Polemonium we grow, click here.

Recently we've added 3 gallon pots, extremely mature ligularia for immediate satisfaction to our 1 and 2 gallon inventory. I think this has spurred more interest in this very special plant. We have so few plants that will grow in our cold soils in the shade but this is one of them. The new 'Little Rocket' is somewhat more manageable than the 7 foot regular 'The Rocket'. Some of the purple leaved dentatas are totally stunning

To see all of the Ligularia we grow, click here.

Again, I think our recent discovery of purchasing in 3-gallon pots for that instant complete look in your gardens has caught the eye of gardeners. There is nothing like the sweet fragrance and dark ruby red, lacy foliage to compare to this almost shrub-like selection.

To see all of the Actaea we grow, click here.

Romantic, old fashioned, easy to grow and beautiful. Can't go wrong with this one and forget the tag when it says shade. In fact, bleeding heart does better in sun here in our great land. If you only know about the standard, spring blooming, big white and pink Dicentra spectabilis, you're in for a surprise. New varieties now available are smaller in size and bloom all season with more blossoms.

To see all of the Dicentra we grow, click here.

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