Carex elata 'Aurea' (Bowles' Golden Sedge)

Bowles' Golden Sedge, Carex Stricta 'Aurea', Carex elata 'Bowles' Golden', Carex Acuta 'Aurea', Carex Flava 'Aurea', Japanese Sedge Grass, Variegated Tufted Sedge

One of the most striking golden Sedge, award-winning Carex elata 'Aurea' or Bowles' Golden Sedge is a very distinctive ornamental grass with shimmering yellow blades and with fine green edges that curl gracefully towards the ground, delicately softening any landscape. Valuable for its stunning appeal, this highly decorative grass is one of the most beautiful ornamental grasses for the garden, where it provides a lovely contrast with other plants, mulch or gravel.

• Forming attractive upright tufts of evergreen, slender, hairlike, iridescent foliage that shimmers in slight breezes, it mixes beautifully with almost any flowering bulbs or perennial plants to create spectacular and elegantly mobile combinations.
• This is a graceful accent plant for rain gardens, bog gardens, beds and borders near ponds and streams where its foliage can be reflected for double the pleasure. Excellent choice to brighten shady areas. Does well in containers too where it adds wonderful character and texture to your plant combinations.
• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society (1993)
• Growing easily in a dense fountain-like clump about 12-18 in. tall (30-45 cm) and 24-36 in. wide (60-90 cm), it enjoys full sun or part shade and thrives in moist, acid, fertile soils. It will even grow in shallow water 2-3 in. deep (5-7 cm).
• Deer and wet soil tolerant, it requires very little care and provides almost all year around interest.

Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Northern Lights’

This colorful selection of Hair Grass forms a well-behaved clump of narrow leaves, strongly striped with creamy white and green, blushed with pink in the spring. Plants fit well into borders as an edging, in the rock garden, or in mixed containers. Rarely flowers. In warm summer regions, this grows best in partial shade. Clumps may be easily divided in spring or early autumn. Remove any all-green portions of the plants as soon as noticed, since these are more vigorous and will eventually take over the entire clump. Evergreen.

Cornus sericea 'Kelseyi' (Redtwig Dogwood)

Redtwig Dogwood Kelseyi, Kelseyi Redosier Dogwood, Cornus 'Kelsey Dwarf', Cornus sericea 'Kelsey's Dwarf', Cornus stolonifera 'Kelseyi'

Perfect for small gardens, Cornus sericea 'Kelseyi' (Redtwig Dogwood) is a dwarf, rounded, suckering, deciduous shrub of great ornamental value in the landscape. Fast-growing, adaptable to most soils including wet soils, it bears a dense foliage of ovate green leaves in spring and summer, creating a nice contrast with the reddish stems. The foliage turns attractive shades of burgundy-red in the fall, before falling to the ground, revealing the vibrant, glistening, red stems. Small clusters of tiny white flowers are rarely produced in late spring. An invaluable addition to the winter garden. Cornus sericea 'Kelseyi' can be used as a coarse groundcover or in a shrub border.

• Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall and wide (60-90 cm).
• Performs best in full sun to part shade, in organically rich, medium to wet soils. It is not fussy about soils provided they are kept evenly moist and well-drained.
• Cornus sericea looks spectacular when massed to emphasize and accentuate the cold season stem color. Great choice for shrub borders, along ponds and streams, or planted in naturalistic plantings where it can freely spread and form thickets.
• Generally disease and pest free.  This plant is more vulnerable to diseases in hot summer climates (south of Zone 7).  Deer resistant.
• While pruning is not required, it should be noted that the best winter stem color appears on new growth. For the best display, cut the stems flush to the ground every 2-3 years in early spring, just as the leaf buds start to swell. This radical pruning, however, means that you will have a bare spot in the garden for a few weeks and miss the creamy-white flowers or attractive berries since they only form on second-year growth. Alternatively, if severe pruning seems to onerous, one quarter or one third of the oldest stems could be pruned in early spring of each year, to stimulate the growth of new stems.
• Propagate by hardwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, or layering. Promptly remove root suckers if colonial spread is undesired
• Cornus sericea is a species of dogwood native to much of North America (excluding the lower Midwest and deep South). It is widely grown as an ornamental plant, whose available cultivars have been selected for their winter glowing colors.

Spiraea douglasii (Western Spirea)

Western Spirea, Steeple Bush, Hardhack, Pink Spiraea, Rose Spiraea

Noted for its vigor, Spiraea douglasii (Western Spirea) is a clump-forming, suckering shrub with narrowly oblong leaves that are dark green above, velvety white underneath and turn yellow in fall. In early summer, long plumes of fragrant, rose-pink flowers, up to 8 in. long (20 cm), are on display at the tips of the branches. Perfect for wild plantings near streams and moist areas.

• Grows up to 4-6 ft. tall (120-180 cm) and 3-6 ft. wide (90-180 cm). A rampant shrub that in time can form a dense thicket. Remove suckers promptly to prevent plants from spreading.
• A full sun to part shade lover, this plant is easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils. Needs consistent moisture. Soils should not be allowed to dry out.
• Perfect choice for borders, banks and slopes, hedges, cottage gardens, rain gardens, and neard ponds and streams.
• Attracts butterflies but is ignored by deer.
• Virtually pest and disease free.
• Prune as needed immediately after flowering.
• Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer or by division in autumn or spring
• Native to Western North America

Philadelphus lewisii

Philadelphus lewisii is the state flower of Idaho. It makes a great background shrub or specimen plant. Plant it close to paths, windows, or entryways to enjoy the fragrant blossoms!

• Grows up to 5-12 ft. tall (150-360 cm) and 6-12 ft. wide (180-360 cm).
• A full sun to partial shade lover, this plant is tolerant of a wide variety of conditions, from moist to dry soils. Drought tolerant, though sometimes a little additional water can help it to thrive and flower more vigorously
• Great for shrub borders, foundation plantings, and informal flowering hedges.
• Generally pest and disease free. Keep an eye out for leaf spots, canker, powdery mildew, and rust.
• Blooms on previous year’s wood, so prune immediately after flowering. Old plants can be rejuvenated after flowering by cutting old wood back to the ground.
• Native to western North America, from northwestern California in the Sierra Nevada, north to southern British Columbia, and east to Idaho and Montana.

Gaultheria shallon (Shallon)

Oregon Wintergreen, Salal, Shallon, Shallon Bush

Native to western North America, Gaultheria shallon (Shallon) is a dense, robust, evergreen shrub with erect or spreading, intricately branched stems. They are covered with heart-shaped, nearly round, leathery, glossy green leaves that turn reddish-purple with winter cold. The evergreen foliage is so attractive that it is often used by florists in flower arrangements. In spring to mid summer, small, urn-shaped, white or light pink flowers dangle along reddish bristly stems in the upper leaf axils. They are followed by edible dark-blue berries that ripen in late summer.  The berries can be eaten fresh, cooked and dried. They are also a source of food for birds and mammals. Spreading by underground stems, Shallon will spread over time to form an attractive ground cover. Perfect for shady areas.

• Grows up to 4-10 ft. tall and wide (120-300 cm). Will spread to form thickets in the landscape.
• A part shade to full shade lover, this plant is best grown in moist or dry, acidic, well-drained soils.
• Perfect for beds and borders, banks and slopes, city gardens, cottage gardens, rock gardens, containers or as a groundcover. Great shrub for shade or woodland gardens.
• Excellent resistance to pests and diseases.
• Prune immediately after flowering.
• Propagate by seed or by division of plants. Pot up with soil attached for best results.
• Native to western North America from California to British Columbia.