Stumped

Here in Jefferson County we have a wonderful Master Gardeners program. Sponsored by WSU, Master Gardeners are available for consultation, problem solving, and plant identification. In fact, every Friday throughout the growing season the Master Gardeners have a booth set up at our Food Co-op, where they are available to answer gardening questions. Well, I have this wonderful flower that I transplanted into my flower bed, but no idea of its identity. So this past Friday I went down after work with a cutting in hand to visit the Master Gardeners Booth. I figured that they had some mysterious reference book that I had never seen before, complete with a clasping lock and a magic key. But no! They had a copy of that most glorious of gardening tomes which I also possess, The Sunset Western Garden Book. THE book to have if you are on a deserted island with a garden friendly climate. (Though I think that the mention of an island may prove a distraction to a certain someone that I am married to who is STILL talking about a recent television show with an island theme and its final episode)

Anyhow, this flower stumped the Master Gardeners. They looked at its leaf shape, asked me about its growth habit, and flipped through the Garden Book, yet could not come up with a solid lead. So, I have set a personal goal of correctly identifying this flower before the growing season is done. Google is the easiest method, but what if I just went A-Z through the Garden Book and stumbled onto the identity of the mystery flower? I would have no one to impress but myself, but perhaps that makes it worth it.

Update (as of Tuesday morning) I found the identity! Thankfully it was in the A section of the book. Astrantia, commonly known as Masterwort. It is a native of the woodlands in Europe. Now I can sleep better, and so can you.