Focus on Hellebores
We invite you to browse Focus on Hellebores, for image galleries and information on breeding, propagating and cultivation. We specialize in breeding Helleborus. We grow virtually every Hellebore species within the genus and maintain more than 50,000 flowering size stock plants for seed production. Our Helleborus x hybridus 'Sunshine Selections' are produced using a labor-intensive process of emasculation and hand-pollination to produce the only commercially available line of true F1 hybrids. And... you can even meet the King of Helleborus.

Crocosmia is a small genus of perennial species in Iridaceae, the Iris family. They're primarily native to grasslands of the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. The name Crocosmia is derived from the Greek words krokos (saffron) and osme (smell), referring to the saffron-like scent when dried flowers are dipped in water. [More...]

Current Special

If you're looking for a native shade perennial that blooms later in the season, and I mean late and for a long time, then I absolutely have the perfect plant for you!

AKA "Eastern Featherbells", Stenanthium gramineum is a stunning member of the Melanthiaceae family, the same family as another of my faves, Veratrum viride. It's native to more than half the US and will grow well in just about any state in the US. [More...]

Previous Specials

I've really never been a big fan of "Common Names" for plants, but every once in a while, one really hits the nail on the head and "Spring Beauty" is a resoundingly perfect tribute to Claytonia virginica, the earliest of the early, ephemeral Spring wildflowers. Claytonia virginica is native to over half of the US and to several provinces in Canada - https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CLVI3 . It's one of our most beloved harbingers of Spring with its dark green, supple, almost succulent foliage and five petaled white flowers with soft pink veining. [More...]

Trautvetteria Caroliniensis

You Need This Plant In Your Garden, IF...........
# 1 - You love the rare and unusual.
# 2 - You want to grow plants that none of your friends have ever even heard of.
# 3 - You want to be the envy of all your neighbors.
# 4 - You don't have the time or desire to baby or pamper plants.
# 5 - You have a small amount of shade or dappled sunlight.
# 6 - You like BOLD foliage.
# 7 - You're passionate about growing native plants. [More...]

"Ramps"

The "Cat Is Out Of The Bag"! The "Word Is On The Street"! Well..... there are a lot of ways to say it, but you get my drift. I'm referring to the same news that I learned over 42 years ago when, as a young, naive lad, I moved to the mountains of Greenbrier County, West Virginia from the streets of Philadelphia. The local folks were enthralled with us, the "Back To The Land," "Hippie Homesteaders" influx and were very eager to teach us the ways of the wild. [More...]

Affordable Trilliums

Trilliums just have to be the most beloved wildflower of any native or non-native plants that I can think of. Many folks that I chat plants with, remember them fondly from childhood walks in the woods with their grandparents. Trilliums are very easy to grow and are a long lived perennial plant whose size can double every year when taken proper care of. Proper care means, just keeping them weeded and fed with a good perennial plant food and mulched to keep them from totally drying out during dry spells - that's all there is to it. [More...]

Uvularia grandiflora

The long lasting flowers of Uvularia grandiflora are something I really look forward to every Spring. And every Spring, my robust stand of "Large Flowered Bellwort" slowly opens their large, pendulous, bright golden yellow flowers that resemble inverted flowing candle flames. Average plant height is about 18" - 24" and the medium green foliage of the plant provides a perfect foil for the unusually shaped flowers. [More...]

Pediomelum subacaule

Let's face it, for some mysterious, pre-programmed, genetically imprinted reason, as a species, we gardeners are always on the hunt for those elusive blue flowers. Well......... whilst I can't tempt you with a blue Hellebore or a blue Daylily, I have something for you that will fill the bill in the meantime. Here's a plant that I'll wager, you don't already grow and is a plant you've never even heard of. Not only that, you shan't find it elsewhere, as I'm the only fellow on the planet, maybe even in the entire universe, that has it in production. [More...]

Trillium luteum

Luxurious Loveable Lemony Looks.... and fragrant to boot!!! With their bright yellow flowers in early to mid Spring and silvery marbled foliage, Trillium luteum is one plant whose fragrance matches its exotic looks. Their aroma can only be described as a lemony, jasmine scent that creates an intoxicating, fragrant cloud which lasts for quite a while as the flowers are very long lived. [More...]

Hymenocallis caroliniana

You'd think that a plant bearing flowers with such an exotic appearance would be temperamental, short lived and tricky to grow, but the truth is quite the contrary. Although everything about this delicate, fragile looking lady screams tropical, hot house beauty, the opposite couldn't be more true. In fact, I've shared space in my brutal zone 5 garden with her for over 30 years. [More...]

Smilacina racemosa

Yes, I had to go to the UK to be enlightened about a plant that grew in my own backyard. In my defense, I was so much younger then and much less enlightened. But here's the short of it. In 1992, my friend Dan Heims and I spent two solid weeks travelling around the UK visiting gardens, plant collections and friends. It was a plantsman's dream trip starting off with two nights as the guests of Agatha Christie's daughter, a day with Beth Chatto, a day with Elizabeth Strangman and many other legends of British gardening and culminating with a full day, sun up to sun down, of Dan and I strolling around Wisley with Graham Stuart Thomas just the three of us. [More...]

Allium stellatum

Autumn can be a very dull and boring time in the garden. You miss all the colorful plants that have delighted you spring and summer while you're busy deadheading or collecting seeds. The memories of the flowers you've enjoyed are just that, you're wishing there were perennials that would bring you color and joy this time of year and well..... your wish has come true. The "Plant Genie" wishes to acquaint you with Allium stellatum. Commonly known as "Autumn Onion", Allium stellatum is a native, fall blooming perennial that will grow happily anywhere in the US. [More...]

Carex laxiculmis

I'm sooooo very tired of seeing acres of that ubiquitous Liriope used by landscape architects with no imagination at all. While I'll admit that there are a few attractive, variegated forms of this Asian native that have come to be known commonly as "Lily Turf", their hardiness is questionable and they don't do very well in the shade. Like an answer to a prayer, in comes our native sedge, Carex laxiculmis! Carex laxiculmis is native to almost every state east of the Mississippi and most of eastern Canada. [More...]

Allium senescens subsp. Glaucum

What a family Alliaceae is!!! Not only has it provided us with delicious and healthful plants such as Allium cepa (Onions) and Allium sativum (Garlic), but it's also home to a plethora of ornamental species. One of my faves, and for a multitude of reasons, is Allium senescens subsp. Glaucum. This clump forming Asian/European native perennial bulb is lovely from head to toe. Known also by the common name of "German Garlic", this especially attractive form of the species sports very subtle, bluish, linear foliage all Spring, Summer & Autumn. [More...]

Disporopsis Pernyi

I LOVE the graceful arching stems of Disporopsis pernyi even when they're not in flower. The waxy, supple, glossy foliage they sport is almost succulent in appearance. Some folks errantly refer to this genus as a "Solomons Seal", but if you look at the word Disporopsis and break it down in botanical nomenclature, the suffix "Opsis", from the Greek word for appearance, means "similar to", or "resembling". Consequently, I would take that to mean when the plant was named, it was thought to resemble Disporum, not Polygonatum (the genus of "Solomons Seal"). [More...]

Spigelia Marilandica

Do you love your hummingbirds as much as I do mine, but loathe mixing sugar and water, getting all sticky while attracting every ant in the neighborhood? Do you want your hummingbird population to be healthy, imbibing REAL nectar? Then here's the plant for you! Often referred to by the non "Plant Geek" types as "Indian Pink", this very rare and unusual member of the Loganiaceae family couldn't be easier to grow. Spigelia marilandica is a long flowering perennial for sun or shade that has the most unique flowers I've ever experienced. [More...]

Hexastylis Virginica

Here's an extraordinarily exciting, exquisite example of an extremely beautiful, exceedingly rare, extra nice, exceptionally easy to grow exotic plant that you will not find offered for sale anywhere else in the universe. I'm very excited to be able to share this exclusive treasure with you.Let me explain.Hexastylis virginica is a native, evergreen "Wild Ginger" with the most beautiful, thick, supple, glossy, silvery marbled foliage you've ever seen. [More...]

Bergenia Ciliata

A hardy african violet on steroids??? Not quite, but when I'm waltzing visitors around the gardens here, I always pose the same question, "Would you like to see a hardy African Violet on steroids?"They invariably bite as we hurriedly stroll over to a shade bed under a 60 foot tall Betula pendula and I gleamingly point to a particular drift of ground hugging plants. Their jaws drop. The comments usually range from "I had no idea that there was a hardy African Violet" to "I've never imagined an African Violet with foliage that huge." [More...]

Geum Georgenberg

Commonly known as "Avens", the genus Geum is in the Rosaceae (Rose) family. I grow them in full sun and full shade. They seem to prefer the sun and this particular cultivar is very generous in producing an abundance of offspring in its tight, compact, round clump. Plant height is 3" to 6" and in a couple of years, they'll form an almost perfectly round 12" plant with dozens of divisions that you can share with your friends. [More...]

Polypodium virginianum

Polypodium virginianum aka the "Rock Polypody" is native to just about every state east of the Mississippi, Alaska, almost every province in Canada and all the way north up to Greenland and Iceland. The name for the genus comes from the Greek, polus, "many" and podos, "foot", "many footed".[More...]

Allium cernuum

The Genus Allium is home to hundreds of species including the gastronomically popular Allium cepa (Onions) and Allium sativum (Garlic), not to mention all of the ornamental varieties, and there are an abundance. There isn't a moment during the gardening season that one or more species of Allium isn't abloom in my garden. Such a plethora of colors, textures, shapes, forms and sizes! What a useful family of plants! And speaking of families, the genus Allium once found itself at home in the family Liliaceae, but now has a family of its own, Alliaceae. [More...]

Digitalis lutea

"Foxgloves" are a wonderful bunch of plants for brilliant color in the garden. The problem is, most of them are biennials or very short lived perennials at best. Here's a "Foxglove" that's not only perennial, but self sows itself into a colossal colony of continual color. I've been growing Digitalis lutea for many years now and it's never disappointed me. The long lasting, bright yellow blooms open from the bottom up over a long period of time in early Summer and make great cut flowers. Almost overnight, from a rosette of soft, velvety leaves, multiple 12" - 24" stems arise with dark green foliage and dozens of flower buds. [More...]

Galtonia candicans

I don't know why this extremely hardy, bulbous perennial from South Africa isn't in everyone's garden. A lovely, deer-proof member of the Hyacinth family and formerly a member of the Lily family, Galtonia candicans has been at home in my gardens for over 20 years and seems to uncannily coordinate the commencement of its long bloom period with the Summer Solstice, almost to the day. I have it growing in full shade and in full sun, in average soil, in dry soil and in moist soil. It seems to do equally well in all of the aforementioned locations and conditions although it grows noticeably taller in full sun.
[More...]

Clintonia umbellulata

Even if Clintonia umbellulata didn't have pure white globular umbels of long lasting flowers with the cutest little green dots at the tip of each petal, the lush, thick, supple, tropical looking, orchid like foliage would be enough to satisfy the desires of even the most demanding of gardeners. [More...]

More Specials of the Week.

Many are still available.