Crevice Gardening ......in defence of rock.....

[krisderaeymaeker]

Kris, Phlox pulvinata is one of the easiest of our western phloxes to grow.  Another easy one is Phlox kelseyi.  It comes in white and various named purple forms (P.k.'Lehmi purple', and P.k.'Lehmi midnight').  The really great thing about P. kelseyi is that it will have repeat flushes of bloom when it's happy.  It does fine in troughs, crevice gardens, just wants good sun.  I think you can get seed from Alan Bradshaw of Alplains Seeds.  Phlox condensata is another winner but is not quite as easy to make flower the way it should.  Try as many as you can find, they are all wonderful.

Thanks again Anne and we  wish you and Joe a fine  holiday in the Dolomites ....Like the gentians you showed us !
I grow some P. k. "Lehmi Purple " but it not resemble the colour I have seen on some pictures ? 
Maybe it was grown from seed ....The Phlox condensata is indeed beautiful but I lost it twice .
But nevertheless I wan't to try more species and it looks a good idea to order some seeds .Alplains looks a good source to me ....

[astragalus]

Kris, I've always had really good luck with Alplains seed.  He offers a very wide range.  I'd certainly try Phlox condensate again.  It's a bit more difficult but when you have some success it's worth all the effort.  Here it likes a very sunny crevice and it's in a fairly windy spot so there's good air circulation.  I'd suggest Phlox borealis if you want stunning color very early.  It is a hot pink and the earliest to bloom here.  Another suggestion would be Phlox diffusa from the Pacific Northwest.  It has many pale color forms, all sorts of pastels.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Thanks Anne ! 

[krisderaeymaeker]

Convolvulus compactus in a crevice build with tufarocks .It is not growing in the tufa-rocks but between the smal crevices ....

[David Nicholson]

very nice Kris. Is tufa freely available in Belgium, it's a rare as rocking horse manure here?

[astragalus]

" rare as rocking horse manure here?"

Love that one.  I'll put it next to banjaxed and gobsmacked, although this is one that would be understood in the U.S.

[krisderaeymaeker]

very nice Kris. Is tufa freely available in Belgium, it's a rare as rocking horse manure here?

 
I like that expression to Anne ......

But ....about your question ... No,  it was not available in Belgium anymore for many years . But previous year Portier Alpine nursery arranged  1 full truck of this stuff . For the moment he is almost sold out.
The Convolvulus is from my first tufa-crevice. Those rocks came from my friend Harry Jans ...

[ranunculus]

Unusually, Mr. Nicholson actually used the polite version of this common (very 'common') UK saying.  I won't sully this wonderful forum by quoting the Yorkshire form!!!   

[David Nicholson]

 

[ebbie]

Kris, your Convolvulus compactus is wonderful. But it is certainly very sensitive to moisture?

My plants are not necessarily bonded to rocks. But with me they are between small rocks.
-Campanula pulla
-Delphinium, the species I don't know
-Commelina dianthifolia.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Kris, your Convolvulus compactus is wonderful. But it is certainly very sensitive to moisture?

Thank you Eberhard !
I plant it in a mix of pure sand and grit .....so a realy free draining mixture . In this way and between the crevice I have no problem with moisture .

[ebbie]

Thanks Kris. I think I'll try it this way, too.

What do you do in winter? Is sufficient covering with a glass plate?

[krisderaeymaeker]

Thanks Kris. I think I'll try it this way, too.
What do you do in winter? Is sufficient covering with a glass plate?

Hallo Eberhard .
Must admit that I did not covered it previous winter ...And we had first a modest winter and then suddenly a very late winter with heavy frost and not much  snow ..
But it was not a very wet winter as I remember wel . But I did covered it some years ........(only with glassplate , frost is no problem ! ,he had minus 15 two years ago ) Depends , on the other hand I want to reduce that covering thing in the near future . Its to much work and it looks not so good .
Wish you good luck , I think you might succeed ....

[ebbie]

This is the same as you with me, Kris.I cover in my rock garden also barely. It would here maybe usefull for the protection of the beautiful silver foliage.

After 4 years Asyneuma compacta blooms the first time, but only with a single inflorescence. Not to be classed as a floriferous plant!

[krisderaeymaeker]

After 4 years Asyneuma compacta blooms the first time, but only with a single inflorescence. Not to be classed as a floriferous plant!

Did never see one single flower  in cultivation on this one in my time as alpinegardener Eberhard . Until july 2013.....A friend of the VRV has also some flowers on his plant. Maybe not a floriferous plant but as it is a difficult plant to get in flower it is stil a great performance ...