Fritillaria messanensis ssp gracilis Perovskia Monarch butterflies

Monarch butterflies

Aucuba japonica 'Shugetsu' (translated as 'New Year') is one of the most unusual Japanese aucuba selections we've grown

Light shade helps protect the foliage during periods when the winter temperatures drop below 12 degrees F

forming a lovely colony in the rock garden

derived from a cross of Hosta 'Liberty' and a tetraploid Hosta 'Royal Standard'

Fritillaria messanensis ssp gracilis Perovskia Monarch butterfliesWe've killed more Fritillaria over the years than most folks know exist, so we are delighted to share one species that actually thrives for us. Fritillaria messanensis ssp. gracilis is a seriously cute Balkan native that we saw in situ during our 2012 expedition in Croatia. In the wild, it grew in very dry, rocky, alkaline clay soils among dense shrubs. In the garden, it has proven amazingly easy to cultivate a rarity for us and the genus fritillaria.