Ribes uva-crispa 'Black Velvet'
Black Velvet is a very disease resistant, vigorous and productive plant with sweet, dark purple berries. more->
Fern Hill Nursery and Botanical Sanctuary
Edible, medicinal, and native plants for the Pacific Northwest
We spent 13 years building an abundant fruit forest, annual veggie beds, perennial medicinal herbs, and a healthy mixed hardwood-coniferous forest and now we've sold our property to the next stewards so that we can begin a new homesteading project in Vermont closer to our best friends and their kids.
Don't worry - we plan to keep this website up and running so that our customers can reference what we've written about our plants!
We'll let you know once we re-start a farm in Vermont!
Tolerates shade
Ribes uva-crispa 'Pixwell'
Pixwell is almost thornless. Berries can be harvested when green for pie and jam or harvested when soft and pink for fresh eating. Very productive and fruit is easy to harvest clusters. Mildew... more->
Ribes uva-crispa 'Sabine'
Sabine is a variety we originally obtained from the USDA Germplasm Repository in Corvallis Oregon. This vigorous and disease resistant plant has a medium sized red berry. more->
Ribes uva-crispa 'Hinnomaki Red'
Hinnomaki Red comes from Finland. The plant bears dark red, sweet and large berries. more->
Angelica sinensis
Dong quai is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that is well known for its ability to help strengthen the heart, lung, and liver meridians. The flavor and aroma is bitter, sweet, and warming... more->
Angelica pubescens
Also known as du huo in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and shishiudo in Japanese medicine, this angelica species is native to just the eastern part of Asia in those two countries... more->
Angelica dahurica
Also known as Bai Zhi in Traditional Chinese Medicine, this angelica species is native to northeastern Asia in Russia, China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. This is the first year we've grown... more->
Aloe sinkatana
Native to Sinkat, Sudan, this aloe is similar to Aloe vera in its form and medicinal properties. The Hadendowa people use it to treat stomach and skin issues.
When it's protected... more->
Blitum (Chenopodium) bonus-henricus
Good King Henry is a perennial vegetable closely related to spinach that produces delicious green shoots in early spring and succulent leaves in late spring and summer. In a partly shady location... more->
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Ostrich fern makes the best edible spring fiddleheads of any fern around. I like to brush off the papery scales, add salt, and steam them lightly to bring out the asparagus-like flavor. Though... more->
Camellia sinensis 'Sochi'
This variety of hardy tea comes from the Sochi region of Russia near the Black Sea. more->
Camellia sinensis 'Korean'
This hardy variety of tea comes from the mountains of the Boseong region in South Korea. more->
Umbellularia californica
Native to northern California and Oregon, this hardwood shrub in the laurel family grows in sunny or shady hillside forests. I've seen it in moist coastal forests as well as in sun drenched... more->
Aronia melanocarpa
Our friend Allen reports that this particular Aronia produces plentiful berries. These shrubs readily send up new shoots from near the base of the tallest stems. more->
Juncus effusus
Soft rush is a great native wetland plant to have around a pond or swale. Its round, straight stems form a graceful fountain shape, while its rhizomes decrease soil erosion. The roots and stems... more->
Origanum vulgare ssp. gracile
This dark purple-green oregano is native to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and stands out as a very unique variety of culinary oregano. Compared to Greek or Italian oregano, the flavor is more mild... more->
Allium tuberosum
It sure is hard to beat the savory flavor of garlic chives! While most garden chives bear pink flowers in summer, garlic chives produce a more open cluster of white blooms. The bulbs and leaves... more->
Diplotaxis tenuifolia
We depend on the spicy and bright salad greens from this perennial arugula in early spring when most other salad greens are still struggling with cold and wet weather. Plus, when the majority of... more->
Plantago major
If I were stranded with only one plant to choose for my garden, broad-leaved plantain would be my top choice. The whole plant is completely edible, raw and cooked. I've used it to help heal... more->
Ribes hirtellum 'Captivator'
'Captivator' is virtually thornless and very hardy. Shrubs are productive and bear medium to large sweet red fruits which ripen midsummer.
Symphytum x uplandicum
This perennial has slimy roots and leaves that are used externally for bruises, sprains, and dry, irritated skin. Russian comfrey has deep roots to draw nutrients to the surface, and makes great... more->
Lilium pardalinum
Leopard lily is a stunning wildflower native to parts of Oregon and California. It is an herbaceous perennial growing up to 6 feet tall with multiple stalks of multiple bright red and orange... more->
Myrica californica
Pacific waxmyrtle is an evergeen shrub/small tree native to the west coast of North America. It can grow 5-30 feet tall and has sticky leaves and a waxy wrinkled purple berry. It is a great... more->
Calycanthus floridus
Also known as Carolina allspice, this fragrant deciduous shrub, native to the Southeastern U.S., grows 3 to 8 feet tall and up to ten feet wide. Essentail oil is distilled from the flowers, and... more->
Akebia quinata
Akebia is a twining deciduous woody fruiting vine. Unlike many fruiting vines, it is shade tolerant. Leaves are somewhat evergreen and young leaves may have a purplish hue. Vines can grow 20 to... more->
Rubus leucodermis var. leucodermis
Blackcap raspberry is one of the most delicious native fruits in our area. It is also not well know because it is not as common as the wild blackberries. The blackcap is a cane fruit that grows... more->
Calycanthus occidentalis
A wonderfully fragrant native shrub, western spicebush is an open, deciduous shrub that tolerates part shade and is deer resistant. Burgunday flowers bloom late spring to early summer and smell... more->
Origanum vulgare 'Aureum'
This low-growing oregano has beautiful golden leaves and a nice aromatic flavor for cooking. It prefers full sun, and loses its color in part shade. more->
Alchemilla mollis
A lower growing clumping herbaceous perennial from Europe, lady’s mantle has attractive gray-green foliage and delicate yellow flower stalks that can be cut fresh and dried. This plant prefers... more->
Rubus parviflorus
Native to the Pacific Northwest, thimbleberries produce delicate, thimble shaped raspberry-like fruit atop canes up to 5 feet tall. The pretty white flowers in spring brighten up shady corners of... more->
Chamaemelum nobile
We relish the soft, living, green carpets made of this fragrant and healing herb. This perennial chamomile stitches together into a mat a few inches tall that emits the sweetest apple scent when... more->
Oxalis oregana 'Klamath Red'
A beautiful shade-tolerant ground cover, the native Oregon wood sorrel spreads happily on the forest floor, or a shady garden floor. It likes lots of organic matter and shade. If it does not... more->
Allium tricoccum
Ramps are a wild onion native to the eastern US and Canada. They grow in the thick duff of the dappled shade in the understory of somehat open forest canopies. Ramps appreciate the moist summers... more->
Rumex acetosa
We rely on garden sorrel greens in January and February. Before any other outdoor crop is ready to harvest, garden sorrel is up and abundant! You'll be glad you put some sorrel in the ground... more->
Cynoglossum grande
With beautiful blue flowers clustered atop two foot tall stalks, hound's tongue is named for the shape and texture of the leaves that form a rosette at the base of the plant. It's native to the... more->
Aquilegia formosa
A beautiful wildflower, our native columbine blooms yellow and red. In garden soil and part shade, columbine may grow up to 3 feet tall and wide. Delicate flowers bloom in late spring. Great... more->
Satureja douglasii
A native perennial in the mint family, yerba buena likes dappled shade and handles a wide variety of soil from deep rich organic matter to nutrient poor clay. Once established, it can handle... more->
Dioscorea batatas
A perennial vine with elegant glossy leaves, Chinese mountain yam can grow up to 15 feet tall each season. It blooms in late summer and produces underground potato-flavored edible tubers which... more->
Aralia californica
Although some know it as California ginseng, elk clover, or spikenard, I think Oregon ginseng is quite fitting for a plant that inhabits shady, moist seasonal creeks in deep coniferous forests as... more->
Sidalcea virgata
We love this late spring blooming native wildflower that we often find on the edges of meadows. In the hollyhock family, this perennial grows only about a foot to two feet tall at most. It sends... more->
Ribes laxiflorum
This currant is native to the Northwest, growing along streams in partial shade. The delicate pink flowers bloom in spring and the delicious purple fruit ripens in early summer. It does not have... more->
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
A broad leaf evergreen ground cover, kinnikinnick is very hardy. It thrives in partial shade and will spread along the ground or grow along a slope, providing some erosion control. Drought... more->
Tolmiea menziesii
Pig-a-back plant is a trailing perennial ground cover native west of the Cascades that prefers moist forests and shady stream sides where soil is moist throughout the year. It blooms in late... more->
Gaultheria shallon
Salal is an evergreen shrub in the heath family with glossy leaves, white urn-shaped flowers, and edible purple berries. Salal prefers moist shade, but it often bears the most fruit in sunny... more->
Ribes odoratum 'Crandell'
This currant has smooth, lobed leaves and berries that have spicy and gingery tones that ride on top of the sweet and sour currant flavor. It's yellow flowers brighten the garden in late spring... more->
Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking'
Viking has been selected for delicious flavor raw and cooked. Some seedlings can be extremely astringent but this one will just give you a little pucker. more->
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