On hikes in recent days on Mount Rainier and in the Olympic Mountains, Barbara and I have marveled at our fortunate timing to see both dogtooth violets (locally called Glacier and Avalanche lilies, both Erythronium species) and Western bunchberries (Cornus unalaschkensis, below) flowering as they have recently emerged from melting snow. She was not familiar, but is now enthralled by the creeping dogwood (bunchberry).

Unfortunately, I am certain our garden is too warm for it (or the Eastern bunchberry, Cornus canadensis). It’s possible I’ve already tried bunchberry in the past and failed, though there are far too many losses to recall a fraction of the garden’s unsuccessful trials. But, there’s hope, not with this creeping dogwood, but another.

On a tour of Far Reaches Farm in Port Townsend, I immediately was attracted to a low growing, white flower as we entered a lath house shade garden. This was Cornus wardiana (above), a creeping dogwood from Myanmar that should adapt well to our warm, humid summers. We’ll find out if it will survive our winters, but of course, I had to have two that will be carried home on the plane next week. I will report back to Far Reaches to confirm their winter survival.

To round the purchase up to the nearest hundred, I added an unusual Peruvian lily (Alstromeria isabellana, photo above from Far Reaches) that is possibly cold hardy. Both dogwoods and lily will be planted in the most protected spots I can find near the house to feature them.

Undoubtedly, this was an impulse purchase, and Barbara kidded that if I added more I’d have to cancel my flight and drive them back to Virginia. But, I couldn’t wait until autumn to order, and as I researched the website, I was pleased that with limited quantities they were now listed as sold out. If I waited for late summer to mailorder, I would have missed them. So there, another reason to justify the purchase.