(Aleutian Maidenhair)

Deceptively delicate in appearance but tough in constitution, this enchanting deciduous fern is found over a wide area of western North America and eastern Asia, with scattered populations in the eastern United States. Several long narrow "branches" (pinnae) with triangular leaf-like segments arise from a curving "stem" (rachis), the whole forming a lacy fan-like frond that nearly parallels the ground. The rachis is often deep black-purple, in striking contrast to the foliage. Young fronds are often...

(Aleutian Maidenhair)

Deceptively delicate in appearance but tough in constitution, Aleutian maidenhair is a deciduous fern found over a wide area of western North America and eastern Asia, with scattered populations in the eastern United States. The cultivar 'Imbricatum' is a dwarf selection with ruffled feathery blue-green "branches" (pinnae). Several pinnae with triangular wavy-edged leaf-like segments arise from a curving "stem" (rachis), the whole forming a lacy fan-like frond that nearly parallels the ground. The...

(Common Maidenhair Fern, Southern Maidenhair Fer)

Delicate and shade-loving, southern maidenhair fern is a beautiful plant native to tropical and temperate regions throughout the world. This species is evergreen in tropical and subtropical areas and deciduous in temperate regions.

It's most admired for its small, fine fronds comprised of dainty, fan-shaped leaflets of light green that move in the slightest breeze. These are supported by glossy black stems that arise from short creeping rhizomes.

Southern maidenhair fern grows best in moist,...

(Maidenhair Fern)

Northern maidenhair fern is an herbaceous perennial native to much if the northern and western United States and Canada. In the spring it bears delicate bright green branching fronds that unfurl from tall graceful dark stems. These remain attractive until the mid-summer when plants often begin to look weathered from the summer heat. Northern maidenhair fern is an excellent accent plant for shady grottoes or woodland gardens. They do best in damp, shady gardens with evenly moist, highly organic soil.

(Maidenhair Fern, Northern Maidenhair Fern)

Maidenhair fern is an herbaceous perennial native to North America and eastern Asia. The compact cultivar 'Imbricatum' bears delicate, cascading, bright bluish green fronds with overlapping segments and dark purple stems. In hot dry weather the fronds may develop brown tips.

This exquisite woodland plant makes an excellent accent for shady grottoes or gardens. It does best in damp, shady sites with evenly moist, highly organic soil.

(Chinese Buttonbush)

Pretty, glossy, dark-green leaves and scores of small, planet-like flowers in summer highlight the beauty of Chinese buttonbush. A deciduous shrub with a rather open, spreading and arching habit, it is a native of China. The reddish brown twigs bear matching pairs of perfectly-shaped elliptical leaves that are shiny green. By summertime, small flower clusters in the shape of balls appear that on close inspection display tiny white flowers with burgundy tips and a long white floral tube. They are...

(Bishop's Goutweed)

Bishop's Goutweed is a fast-spreading Eurasian groundcover that has become naturalized across the whole of North America. It spreads via rhizomes (rooting underground stems) and has green compound leaves with three to nine leaflets. The equally weedy garden variety, 'Variegatum', is the most common form in cultivation and has leaves mottled with ivory.

In mid-spring to summer, goutweed produces umbels of tiny white flowers that are insect-pollinated and produce lots of brown seeds that spread...

(Bishop's Goutweed, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Variegated Bishop's Goutweed)

Snow-on-the-Mountain is a rapidly spreading groundcover that is native to Europe and western Asia and has rampantly naturalized in North America. 'Variegatum' has three to nine widely divided, white and light green aromatic leaves that travel by way of fibrous roots and rhizomes. In mid spring to summer it produces umbels of tiny white flowers that turn to seed that will eagerly broadcast itself and freely germinate. (Removing seed heads when possible curtails unwanted volunteers from germinating)....

(California Buckeye)

Beautiful and fragrant white flowers, decorative nuts, and glossy leaves make the California buckeye one of the more interesting and pretty buckeyes for the garden. Native to the canyon hills and ranges of central California, this dry-season deciduous large shrub also boasts smooth silver-gray bark that arguably makes the plant look more stunning when no leaves are present.

The warmth of spring finds the new, light green foliage emerging, with hand-like (palmate) leaves with five to seven leaflets...

(Yellow Buckeye)

Yellow buckeye boasts pretty yellow and pink flowers, attractive fruit and nuts, and glossy, hand-like foliage that turns yellow and orange in fall. This tall deciduous tree is native to deep, rich, moist soils of the east central United States. Its bark is relatively smooth, with platy splotches of tan among drifts of light gray.

The leaves are palmate (hand-shaped) with five to seven lobes of glossy, dark green, long oval leaflets. On the tip branches in late spring are found clusters of rosy,...