The Ribes sanguineum (Winter or Flowering currant) I planted years ago as a tiny stick from Forest Farm has begun to flower.

The Facts
Family: Grossulariaceae
Genus: Ribes Species: sanguineum Common Name: Winter currant, Flowering currant
Area of Origin: Pacific northwest
Characteristics:  It's a large deciduous spring flowering upright woody shrub (usually 6' - 12' tall with a similar spread) which can be leggy with age.  The dark green leaves are lobed and very textured. Fall color is not noteworthy, sometimes the leaves have reddish overtones, usually they just turn brown and drop off.  The flowers are meant to have a spicy fragrance (very light in mine) and are are beautifully intricate, hanging in delicate clusters of red, pink or white.  Some plants can form clusters of fruit with a heavy wax coating that leaves them looking bluish-gray.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 to 8.
Cultivation needs: Easy to grow, prefers part shade, ours is at the edge of the woods and in summer months is in fairly deep shade.  It should be pruned after flowering to shape it and remove unwanted branches.  I planted several a few years ago, my favorite is Ribes sanguineum "King Edward VII", a cultivar with red flowers that stays slightly shorter than most winter currants.
Typical Pests, Diseases, associated problems: Can get scale insects.
Propagation Method: From hardwood cuttings, seeds direct sown outdoors in fall or indoors before last frost or simple layering

One of the most valuable tools in gardening is keeping a journal. Jotting down notes about weather and bloom times makes for fascinating reading a few years later and helps in planning the garden as you can see where there are dreary gaps in blooms that need to be filled in.

My journal keeping has been dismally sporadic, I wish I'd been more thorough.  I found notes from March 14th 2007, a Wednesday, and read that it was:-
"78 degrees today -- insanely, wonderfully warm.  I wish I could have spent the day outside, but did get out to prune for an hour in the morning.  The tail end of pruning season, we pruned back old butterfly bushes and cut out old and crossing branches of the Heptacodium miconioides at the Barnes.  It’s one of my favorite trees, with a great bark in the winter, creamy white fragrant flowers in late summer followed by bright pink calyces that are even more striking than the flowers.  Seeds are doing great -- tomatoes, eggplant, cabbages and peppers have all germinated.  Time for the next round.."

Seven years on it's 20 degrees cooler, drizzling, I haven't finished my pruning chores, seeds have JUST been sown and are no where near germinating.  Ah well, Heptacodiaum miconioides is still one of my favorites and the specimen I planted in our garden is doing splendidly. 

The Facts
Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)
Genus: Heptacodium
Species: miconioides
Common Name: Seven Son’s Flower, Heptacodium
Area of Origin: China
Characteristics:  It's a small tree (usually around 15 to 20′ tall although ours is already reaching this), whose branches arch slightly but can be leggy with age.  The leaves are opposite, entire, ovate with heart-shaped bases and acuminate tips.  There is no fall color to speak of, but the  pink sepals provide wonderful autumn interest and the leaves hold late into the season. The flowers are fragrant and can be either white or a soft pink and hold up through the heat of August to first frosts. The sepals continue to grow as the flower fades and are a gorgeous vibrant pink. The bark is beautiful; lots of texture and peeling with deep rich browns.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 to 8.
Cultivation needs: Fairly adaptable -- although the one at the Barnes is wedged between the parking lot and road and does not look too healthy.  It grows in full sun to part shade, likes well drained soil (loves our slope) and tolerates some drought.  It prefers a slightly acidic soil.
Typical Pests, Diseases, associated problems: Nothing serious I know of.
Propagation Method: Its meant to root easily from softwood cuttings and can also be grown from seed  Both would take years, and it is now widely available at good nurseries which is a much faster way to enjoy it in your garden.

Supposed to be one of the toughest Mahonias, I have massed this statuesque, evergreen shrub in my front border and until this year they have been a stellar highlight in my winter garden. 

'Arthur Menzies' has dramatic, frond-like leaves that grow in whorls along its coarsely branched stems. Great sprays of gold flowers appear in early December, developing into grape-like clusters of wax-coated black berries by August. It is wonderful planted with Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata', Stachyurus praecox and underplanted with Helleborus x hybridus, Carex testacea and Cyclamen coup.

 'Arthur Menzies' originated at Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum. The original seed was from the garden of Arthur Menzies, the seedlings germinated at Strybing Arboretum (San Francisco) of the frost-tender Mahonia lomariifolia were grown on in Seattle.  From the beginning this clone looked different from its siblings and was the only survivor of the very cold winter of 1962, indicating that it was probably a hybrid of M. bealei. It is a vase-shaped shrub that is meant to be TOUGH, although hardiness is Zone 7a it has thrived in my front garden, sheltered by the house in pt sun/shade.  Not this year, after their annual display of spectacular flowers, every single one looks as dead as a doornail.  I've cut them to the ground and am praying for shoots!