Desert Island Seeds

[BryanEmery]

Oh Sue,
Don't give up hope! After they get through food, cats, pot..., and somthing tells me salt water iguanas may soon be seen here.the wonderful people of this forum will give you all the answers you could hope for. You just have to get through all the answers you never hoped for... 

B

[fermi de Sousa]

We don't have alot of shade here in our garden but where we do we grow Pulmonarias, Asarums, some campanulas, galanthus  and Hellebores, but some of these may be too big for your garden.
I wonder if Iris gracilipes would be suitable?
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

I don't think we want to EAT cats do we? too much fur to get stuck in the teeth, and the claws.....! No we just want them to do their thing and scratch and be a pain generally, in someone else's garden.

[SueStephens]

Hello Fermi, we only have part shade... Most of it is a south west facing slope. But thank you for your suggestions. I guess I am being a bit lazy by asking for help. I should do my own research but there are so many species that It is hard to know where to start 

[Darren]

This was fun and vaguely translates into my list of favourite alpines. I'm assuming the Island has an upland alpine zone otherwise some of these are not going to be happy:

Erythronium revolutum (Kath Dryden’s own desert island plant and I can’t argue)

Primula reidii (My favourite Asiatic alpine)

Pulsatilla vernalis  (After 15 years of trying, and gifted seedlings (from ‘good forms’) from numerous individuals, I have still never flowered this. It is my favourite european alpine so this is especially frustrating.)

Eranthis pinnatifida  ( I actually don’t much like the yellow ones)

Saxifraga oppositifolia  (none of your fancy sax hybrids can touch this at its peak)

Meconopsis delavayi  (our garden is totally unsuited to this so perhaps the island will be more amenable )

Daphne petraea (Holubec has listed seed recently)

Narcissus cantabricus ( I struggled to think of which I like most and don’t want to list more than one from a genus)

Gentiana verna (my meadow with the Narcissus and Pulsatilla needs a gentian!)

Cyclamen coum (for flowering reliably at a rubbish time of year!)

Luxury Item : The island must have a curry house or I’m not going!

[Maggi Young]

I must be getting too practical in my old age: I was thinking of reliable plants that would be good for some cheer in just about any situation, so that the island could  feel more like home.
Mind you, if Darren is going to take all his favourites that he has trouble growing at home... then he will achieve the  same end. 

[Maggi Young]

These are a first thought of what I couldn't bear to be parted from....

Erythronium japonicum
Fritillaria recurva
Epigaea gaultherioides
Crocus mathewi
Erinus alpinus
Geranium sanguineum
Dactylorhiza hybrids
Corydalis 'Craigton Blue'
Cyclamen purpurascens
Hypericum reptans
 and if I'm allowed rhodos...
Rhododendron bureavii
Rhododendron anthopogon 'Annapurna'

[maggiepie]

Maggi, why did you ditch the Campanula cochleariifolia?

[Maggi Young]

I like it, Helen, and it's a good grower... but it doesn't excite me like the "couldn't live without " list

[maggiepie]

I like it too, even if it is a bit invasive, I like both colours too, so I will take it off you.

I have cheated a bit with my list


Houstonia carulea
A zillion hardy geraniums
A zillion freesias
A zillion violas
A zillion papaver
A zillion hellebores
Diane's Alpine strawberries
A zillion aquilegias
A zillion galanthus
Campanula cochleariifolia

Hoping the zillions are able to be mixed.
I think with my selection I would have flowers all year.

Luxury item- habanero chillies

[SueStephens]

Woohoo!

[Darren]

I'd like to take Geranium sanguineum too - but especially var striatum (or lancastriense to give it its proper name!!) as a reminder of home.

[Darren]

I must be getting too practical in my old age: I was thinking of reliable plants that would be good for some cheer in just about any situation, so that the island could  feel more like home.
Mind you, if Darren is going to take all his favourites that he has trouble growing at home... then he will achieve the  same end.  

I was hoping the island would have suitable climatic zones for everrything so I could grow them without having so much trouble. I'd like to relax too.

Mind you - if it were a Balearic island I'd be scrounging Iris seeds from Hans A, sowing them in situ, and then lazing on the beach admiring the view (especially those parts of it wearing bikinis), whilst the seed got on with germinating.

[Diane Whitehead]

Sue,

I remember two new gardens that I drove by on my way to work. 
There was always something beautiful to see because instead of going
to a garden centre  in early spring and stocking up on everything
that was blooming, they bought a couple of plants every few weeks. 

I'm not sure how you could manage this as I'm imagining you in an
isolated valley in Wales.  Perhaps you could look at Flowers and Foliage
Now and choose one or two of the plants pictured for each month.

[SueStephens]

Yes we are in a very isolated valley Diane. But in an hour, I can be at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Not sure about the size of their alpine collection but I will make a date with myself to go there every month and they do sell plants. I normally only go in August for a birthday treat. I have found it so difficult to find the time in the past - or perhaps that is an excuse. Thank you for the suggestion.
I did have a look in a garden centre today, but their range is extremely limited. I think that I will have to take up Darren and Maggi's suggestion and visit Aberconwy nursery. But it seems as though I will be spoilt for choice there...so I will go with a list. And thanks to this thread, I now have lots of suggestions. I have looked up every single one and I am almost aching... They are so exquisite.
Maggi.. I had no idea that there are orchids that grow in acid soil .