Cuphea x ignea 'Starfire Pink'

Such whimsy! Cute little bunny faces - with tentacles!

Pardon my anthropomorphism, but you see the resemblance too, right? A shrubby perennial with oodles of flower power, 'Starfire' will grow between 1-2 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Where hardy, the plant will bloom throughout the year - heavily during the warmer months. Each flower is an inch or so long, with a pink tube and purple petals. Given part to full sun and rich soil with average water, it can bloom so much that the foliage becomes almost entirely obscured. Wow! Added bonuses: it is a mighty hummingbird attractor and great in pots!

Sun/Part shade. Reg./Avg. water. Perennial
USDA zones 8-10

Hibiscus cisplatinus
"Rosa del Rio"

Insanely gorgeous and large 5-6" blooms will enthrall you when they open in June or July. Soft, slight pink single blooms unfurl to reveal a delicious deep crimson throat from which protrude prominent and exceptionally stunning stigma at the end of the long pollen tube, looking like a small cluster of velvety crimson marbles! Bloom continues through Fall for a long season of thrills. Growing to about 6' by 6', you'll get a nice balanced form with smallish lobed leaves, the better to show off the flowers. Here at the nursery, ours is growing in well drained soil with an annual side dress of compost. That it grows well here may be an understatement. It is one of the strongest and healthiest Hibiscus species we've ever tried! We've experienced zero pest problems and hummers visit frequently. I've not seen it wilt in hot, dry weather, but it's native to streamsides so some Summer water is probably necessary. Native to Argentina and Uruguay, we've seen no damage during the Winter here in USDA zone 9B. EXCEPTIONALLY RARE, we're amazed to find that we're the only nursery in the U.S. growing this outstandingly showy Hibiscus!

Sun. Avg water. Perennial Shrub.
USDA Zones 9B-11

Helleborus 'Peppermint Ice'
"Lenten Rose"

WEB EXCLUSIVE!!

A short time ago, we had a much larger crop of these most delicious shade plants, but doggonit, retail shoppers gobbled them up! Without a sign, even! Sheesh. Such is the undeniable allure of double Hellebores. We saved some for you web-shoppers because we thought it was only fair you get access to these hotties, too! We do endeavor to be fair, even when the plants are hot enough to cause a stampede. Very large 3" across double lotus-like blooms are edged in dark pink and delightfully veined and spotted. There's some variability in shade of pink, but all are gorgeous. A bonus feature is that though the blooms are pendulous (like all Hellebores) the back sides of the petals are rose and veined as well. Tough, reliable and long-lived shade lovers, Hellebores tolerate poor soil, clay, drought and marauding deer. Highly valued for their Winter thru Spring bloom season as well. 2' tall x 2' high. 'Peppermint Ice' was created thru meticulous hand pollination over 20 years in the making by Marietta O'Byrne of Eugene, Oregon, who selected these for flower size, bloom count and superb vigor. Thanks Marieth! The only bad news? They won't last! Get one while you can.

Part sun/Bright shade. Avg/Low water. Perennial.
USDA zones 5-10

Dasylirion longissimum
"Mexican Grass Tree"

Quite a stunning plant if you have the room for it, this lovely xeric specimen forms a dome of blue-green "leaves" that have a wonderful kineticism in any slight breeze. Give it room, as it grows to 8-10' wide and wouldn't look right if its shape was marred by having to cut the leaves back. Both male and female plants have very tall (10-15') flower stalks. Female flowers will turn a lovely russet color as they mature. Blooms in late Winter and bees enjoy visiting the flowers. After 50 years or so it will start to develop a trunk - this is definitely an "heirloom" plant that your grandchildren can enjoy. Can be grown in a pot for a good while, too. Great for gardeners in fire prone areas as it is considered fire-retardant. Not hard to grow as long as you provide good drainage. Native to Mexico.

Sun/Light shade. Low/Avg. water. Succulent.
USDA Zones 8b-10

Rosa 'Gay Princess'
Floribunda, 1967

Doesn't every garden need a 'Gay Princess?' When we planted this queenly floribunda, we knew she (he?) had, shall we say, a reputation. We'd heard the rumors that she was a perfect rose for our foggy Bay locales and 'Gay Princess' has lived up to this standard in spades. Demurely shell-pink, but heavily cologne-d double flowers in clusters make perfect cut flowers on this carefree and healthy plant and did we mention we love the name? It's just so fabulous. Being a floribunda, it's an easy, floriferous creature - a medium sized rose at 3-4' high and 3' wide, so it can inhabit a myriad of garden spaces. Bred by "Papa Floribunda" Gene Boerner, 'Gay Princess' was begotten from a cross between 'Spartan' and 'The Farmer's Wife.' I'm giving this Rose two snaps up! Keep your 'Princess' company with the studly Geranium 'Bill Wallace,' the stately Aquilegia viridiflora 'Chocolate Soldier,' super flashy Dianthus 'Chomley Farran' or plant with the towering company of an Asclepias physocarpa "Family Jewels Tree" for an effect that's uniquely pretty and bold.

Sun Avg.water Perennial
USDA Zones 6-10

Salvia pulchella x involucrata

A fantastic twist on Salvia involucrata, one of our long time favorites! We're thankful to Strybing Arboretum for sharing this impressive, more modestly sized hybrid with us. This plant has the habit and color of Salvia pulchella (which grows 2' high by 5' wide with deep wine pink flowers) and the rosy features of Salvia involucrata (smoother leaves and beautiful new buds that are rounded and rose-bud like!) Blooms come in Spring and Fall, as well as periodically throughout the rest of the year. Evergreen in mild climates and can be pruned to the base annually to control size. Rich soil is best.

Part Sun/Sun. Avg.water. Perennial.
USDA zones 9-10

Fuchsia 'Fanfare'

Fuchsia 'Fanfare' does indeed trumpet its presence with a strong note of red and orange - not a Fuchsia to go unnoticed! One of our favorite MITE RESISTANT Fuchsias (we have a whole collection of them, did you know? Check them out!!) & not one we have a large crop of often. The canes can get longer than 10' & I have seen it espaliered to fill up the entire side of a house. It looks fabulous grown into a tree or a tall shrub. A mild frost will take it back to a smaller size or take it back to the roots, but it always comes back & is still an impressive Fuchsia. The very elongated flower tube (inherited from its F. denticulata parent) makes the flowers more than 3" long. The tube & sepals are red, the smaller petals orange. The hummingbirds love it, of course. Victor Reiter, the famous San Francisco horticulturist, hybridized it in 1941 & perhaps that is why it is close to being the perfect Fuchsia for the San Francisco Bay Area. Protect plants from frost until they are established.

Pt. Shade/Sun. Low/Avg. water. Perennial.
USDA zones 9-10.