Richie Steffen

Bevis’ soft shield fern is a treat any maritime garden with light, open or dappled shade. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Polystichum setiferum ‘Bevis’ aka Bevis’ soft shield fern

This dark green fern with a feathery texture is a treat any maritime garden with light, open or dappled shade.

Bevis’ soft shield fern is a treat any maritime garden with light, open or dappled shade. (Richie Steffen)
Stern’s hellebore’s flower buds are flushed with deep red and open in late winter to reveal chartreuse interiors. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Helleborus x sternii aka Stern’s hellebore

This hybrid’s flower buds are flushed with deep red and open in late winter to reveal chartreuse interiors.

Stern’s hellebore’s flower buds are flushed with deep red and open in late winter to reveal chartreuse interiors. (Richie Steffen)
Fragrant sweetbox's tiny white flowers open to release a delightful perfume of sweet vanilla in winter. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Sarcococca ruscifolia aka fragrant sweetbox

Sweetbox’s tiny white flowers open to release a delightful perfume of sweet vanilla in winter.

Fragrant sweetbox's tiny white flowers open to release a delightful perfume of sweet vanilla in winter. (Richie Steffen)
Camellia × williamsii “Brigadoon’” blooms during the darkest days of February. (Great Plant Picks)

Great Plant Pick: Camellia x williamsii “Brigadoon”

Here’s a shrub that blooms profusely during the dark days of February.

Camellia × williamsii “Brigadoon’” blooms during the darkest days of February. (Great Plant Picks)
“Kramer’s Rote” is admired for its outstanding habit, evergreen foliage and vibrant flowers. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Erica x darleyensis ‘Kramer’s Rote,’ darley heath

This hybrid heath is admired for its outstanding habit, evergreen foliage and vibrant flowers.

“Kramer’s Rote” is admired for its outstanding habit, evergreen foliage and vibrant flowers. (Richie Steffen)
Common snowdrops are long lived and lend themselves to dividing and naturalizing in the landscape. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Galanthus nivalis aka common snowdrops

Once established, the bulbs are long lived and lend themselves to dividing and naturalizing in the landscape.

Common snowdrops are long lived and lend themselves to dividing and naturalizing in the landscape. (Richie Steffen)
"Diane" witch hazel produces dark copper-red flowers in winter, providing quite a show against its bare branches. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane,’ Diane witch hazel

“Diane” witch hazel produces dark copper-red flowers in winter, providing quite a show against its bare branches.

"Diane" witch hazel produces dark copper-red flowers in winter, providing quite a show against its bare branches. (Richie Steffen)
Persian violets feature white to pink to magenta flowers. All have purple markings at the base of the petals.(Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Cyclamen coum aka Persian violet

This winter bloomer features white to pink to magenta flowers. All have purple markings at the base of the petals.

Persian violets feature white to pink to magenta flowers. All have purple markings at the base of the petals.(Richie Steffen)
This dwarf Japanese cedar's evergreen foliage can take on a bronzy tone in winter if grown in full sun. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Cryptomeria japonica ‘Tansu,’ dwarf Japanese cedar

This compact conifer’s evergreen foliage can take on a bronzy tone in winter if grown in full sun.

This dwarf Japanese cedar's evergreen foliage can take on a bronzy tone in winter if grown in full sun. (Richie Steffen)
With its stately form and upright needles, the Bosnian pine adds an aristocratic air to the garden. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Pinus heldreichii aka Bosnian pine

With its stately form and upright needles, this conifer adds an aristocratic air to the garden.

With its stately form and upright needles, the Bosnian pine adds an aristocratic air to the garden. (Richie Steffen)
“Porter’s Red” heath — with hundreds of small, urn-shaped, magenta flowers — adds winter interest to the garden. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Erica carnea ‘Porter’s Red,’ winter heath

The shrub — with hundreds of small, urn-shaped, magenta flowers — adds winter interest to the garden.

“Porter’s Red” heath — with hundreds of small, urn-shaped, magenta flowers — adds winter interest to the garden. (Richie Steffen)
You can’t walk by a paperbark maple in the colder seasons without noticing its peeling bark. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Acer griseum aka paperbark maple

You can’t walk by this tree in the colder seasons without noticing its chestnut-brown peeling bark.

You can’t walk by a paperbark maple in the colder seasons without noticing its peeling bark. (Richie Steffen)
Mexican sedum is an excellent groundcover plant, forming a dense carpet of glossy chartreuse leaves. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Sedum kimnachii aka Mexican sedum

An excellent groundcover plant, this variety forms a flat, dense carpet of glossy chartreuse leaves.

Mexican sedum is an excellent groundcover plant, forming a dense carpet of glossy chartreuse leaves. (Richie Steffen)
Prostrate Canadian hemlock is a year-round evergreen with bright green new growth in the spring. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Tsuga canadensis “Cole’s Prostrate,” prostrate Canadian hemlock

This dwarf prostrate conifer is a year-round evergreen with bright green new growth in the spring.

Prostrate Canadian hemlock is a year-round evergreen with bright green new growth in the spring. (Richie Steffen)
Western wild ginger keeps rust-brown flowers hidden under its foliage in the wintertime. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Asarum caudatum aka western wild ginger

This wild ginger keeps rust-brown flowers hidden under its foilage in the wintertime.

Western wild ginger keeps rust-brown flowers hidden under its foliage in the wintertime. (Richie Steffen)
The native licorice fern grows just as well in a garden bed as it does on a dead tree trunk or log. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Polypodium glycyrrhiza aka licorice fern

This native plant grows just as well in a garden bed as it does on a dead tree trunk or log.

The native licorice fern grows just as well in a garden bed as it does on a dead tree trunk or log. (Richie Steffen)
The GPP for this Friday is Sedum spurium 'Ruby Mantle', commonly called Ruby Mantle stonecrop. Image credit to Richie Steffen.

Great Plant Pick: Sedum spurium “Ruby Mantle”

What: Sedum spurium “Ruby Mantle” has small, scalloped red-flushed green leaves that form a durable, evergreen, succulent, weed-smothering groundcover that is just 4 inches tall.… Continue reading

The GPP for this Friday is Sedum spurium 'Ruby Mantle', commonly called Ruby Mantle stonecrop. Image credit to Richie Steffen.
Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea’
PURPLE-LEAF GRAPE VINE

Great Plant Pick: Vitis vinifera “Purpurea”

It’s a common wine grape, but in the Puget Sound region, it’s grown for its beauty — the fruit won’t ripen in our climate.

Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea’
PURPLE-LEAF GRAPE VINE
Wintergreen barberry's bright red leaves in the fall will deepen in tone to burgundy as winter approaches. (Richie Steffen)

Great Plant Pick: Berberis julianae aka wintergreen barberry

The round shrub’s bright red leaves in the fall will deepen in tone to burgundy as winter approaches.

Wintergreen barberry's bright red leaves in the fall will deepen in tone to burgundy as winter approaches. (Richie Steffen)
This red laceleaf Japanese maple is a striking specimen, holding its burgundy-red foliage color though the summer. (Great Plant Pick)

Great Plant Pick: Acer palmatum ‘Tamuke yama,’ red laceleaf Japanese maple

This weeping tree is a striking specimen, holding its burgundy-red foliage color though the summer.

This red laceleaf Japanese maple is a striking specimen, holding its burgundy-red foliage color though the summer. (Great Plant Pick)