Some plants are hard to find, they're not your average garden centre fare. Case in point I've been looking out for Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) for some time. I noticed them in a bulb catalogue and purchased three. In fact they're not bulbous- they arrived in bare root form in a sealed plastic bag with some compost to keep them moist.

  I planted them in dappled shade in one of the damper parts of the garden which (in theory) should suit them. I've never seen them growing anywhere but I have seen pictures of M. virginica carpeting North American woodlands with sky blue flowers. Curiously this species was given the RHS Award of Garden Merit a few decades ago but it seems the horticultural trade hasn't shown much interest in cultivating it.