paghat wrote:

I did get the patented "Snow & Sapphire"
Jacob's Ladder which is already half the price it was last year when the
Oregon grower either willfully or by accident produced too few for the
market's degree of interest. It's supposed to be the first variegated form
that makes it clear through summer without dying back.

Polemonium 'Brise D'Anjou' is a variegated Jacob's ladder that has been on the
market for about a dozen years. It has a very stable variegation, produces a
lot of flowers and is reliably evergreen here in the PNW. Summer dormancy of
polemoniums is typically related to climate and location - too much summer
heat will quickly push them into dormancy as a defense, but a good cool, shady
location (not essential in our climate) should keep them chugging along.

Speaking from the nurseryman's point of view, there is sometimes a lot of
money invested in those dormant "pots of soil" - specialy hostas, ariseamas
and certain other shade plants are not inexpensive plants and to sell them at
a substantial discount because they are dormant can represent a large dollar
loss. If they have the space, most larger nurseries will grow them on out of
dormancy and then offer them for sale at full price. It is indeed hard to sell
a gallon pot of dirt for a premium perennial price!

pam - gardengal