Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Robert on May 02, 2017, 02:02:37 PM
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Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum, one of a number of Eriogonum species blooming in the garden now.
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Thanks to the cool/cold spring Uvularia grandiflora is looking a little weedy but at least it is blooming..........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4183/34344165476_ba513853b6_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UjSPS5)Uvularia grandiflora (https://flic.kr/p/UjSPS5) by longk48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/35724365@N05/), on Flickr
It's Lewisia season at last. The white one was in the greenhouse as it was a bit small when I rescued it for 50p last year..........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2843/34254690381_5204484fc2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UbYf32)Lewisia (https://flic.kr/p/UbYf32) by longk48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/35724365@N05/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4192/34226627482_19afc4a4b2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/U9upUW)Lewisia (https://flic.kr/p/U9upUW) by longk48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/35724365@N05/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2827/33575230843_59e2808088_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/T9VQop)Lewisia (https://flic.kr/p/T9VQop) by longk48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/35724365@N05/), on Flickr
I cannot take credit for the next one as it was a new buy at the weekend but it is a gem! It was labelled as Salvia azurea but I knew that was wrong. The best suggestion so far (and it looks pretty close) is S.coerulea..........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2847/33575288523_a005776436_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/T9W8wT)Unknown Salvia (https://flic.kr/p/T9W8wT) by longk48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/35724365@N05/), on Flickr
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2867/33543496364_c968d072bd_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/T78bQd)Unknown Salvia (https://flic.kr/p/T78bQd) by longk48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/35724365@N05/), on Flickr
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I am too busy to be able to look at our Forum, I send one picture at least:
Androsace delavayi in my peat bed.
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A bright but very windy today. So windy in fact to cause some consternation in the Nicholson household when a full whirly-gig of washing was bent to a right angle. For some reason I got the blame for that!
However, some pictures from the garden.
Penstemon 'Six Hills'
Penstemon rupicola 'Conwy Lilac', raised, as you might guess, at Aberconwy Nursery.
Thymus longicaulis
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..... and three more.
Veronica austriaca 'Ionian Skies'
Phlox 'Oxen Blood'
an unknown Pink Phlox
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I am pleased with this combination of Geranium, thyme and anemone.
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That is a very nice combination :)
Here are pictures from my garden last week, still spring plants but we are slowly catching up.
Snowdrops are still flowering, also crocuses are at their best. Hepaticas are flowering, and Corydalis and Helleborus are beginning to flower.
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Corydalis solida 'Pink Smile' is quite compact and very nice pink corydalis.
'E.A.Bowles' is my favourite snowdrop, can a snowdrop be more perfect!
All very nice plants together in the same picture. :)
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At last we got some decent spring weather. The last week has been fabulous! Up to 20C during the day :) Unfortunately it is also a busy time of the year - and I don't speak of garden work!
Just a few pictures from the garden.
My lawn!
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Scilla liliohyacinthus. A woodland plant with broad leaves. Tolerates a lot of shade.
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Primula hybrid which has flowered for a long time but it dislike heat.
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Primula rosea. The flowers somewhat damaged by slugs.
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Waldsteinia ternata.
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The first bloom on my Libertia ixioides..............
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Cypripedium in full bloom...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2815/34388820666_dbf83c00cb_z.jpg)
Geranium phaeum...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4181/34388875026_6b8c44470f_z.jpg)
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An unknown violet. For once not completely destroyed by slugs.
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An Arisaema from seed.
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Saxifraga hybrid.
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Same. These, and the red ones are the common ones sold in every nursery here.
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Pulstilla hybrid. I don't think it is 'Rote Glocke' though. After an early attack from the slugs they have left it in peace.
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Spring squill, Scilla verna, in the scree img. 1020512. An unknown sax. probably from Mendle, img. 1020516. Spring cinquefoil flowering well img. 1020517. An unknown crucifer with sessile flowers img. 1020520. One of our native flowers but which one? img. 1020522. Still no rain but dull and cool.
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The last one is buckbean.
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The last one is buckbean.
We call it bog bean - the lovely scented flowers of Menyanthes trifoliata
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An article about the challenge of climate change to alpine plants :
http://www.media.uzh.ch/en/Press-Releases/2017/Alpine-plants-extinction.html (http://www.media.uzh.ch/en/Press-Releases/2017/Alpine-plants-extinction.html)
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Hello Maggi, the article mentions Scientists and supercomputers in predicting the changes to alpine plants with the changes to climatic conditions. If those scientists bothered to go and look with their eyes they would not need expensive equipment and a scientific training to see what is happening. I suppose ordinary people are not qualified to have an opinion? Governments do not take any notice of those of us who already know how climate change is affecting our wildlife, so that by the time studies are checked and re-checked it is too late to save species. Our own native upland plants are already reacting to climate change by decreasing in number and variety over the last twenty years or so. That is apparent by nothing more scientific than observation, but what do we know?
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Ian,
Your field observations are completely valid! My brother is a retired research scientist. He tells me repeatedly that (good) field observations trump laboratory or computer data. It seems that, in many cases, field observations do not get proper funding these days. The politics of science is very complicated, however there are many dedicated scientist out there! Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is 100% valid. Just because we can not put PhD after our name does not mean that we are stupid or that our ideas are not valid or that we can not understand complex ideas. I guess if such things were true, Charles Darwin (no degree), and Michael Faraday (a blacksmith's son) would be considered idiots and their contributions to science invalid.
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Yes, Ian and Robert, very true - there are some who consider that "amateurs" cannot know anything - no matter the breadth of their experience and knowledge.
Just thought the article would generate a little interest!
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Lewisia columbiana x pygmaea
Ptilotrichum spinosum
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Pictures taken yesterday and today.
Asperula suberosa.jpg
Clematis cartmanii 'Joe'.jpg
Clematis 'Moonbeam'.jpg
Erigeron aureus 'Canary Bird'.jpg
Iris lacustris 'Captain Collingwood'.jpg
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And another two. . .
Phlox subulata 'Bonita'
Phlox subulata 'Holly'
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Crumbs, a lot of these lovely flowers are making me think more of Summer than early May!
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Lots of beautiful species from all!
One day I hope to grow an Asperula suberosa that will look so wonderful :)
Always interesting to see Iris lacustris sold/cultivated outside Canada - very strange conservation practices forbid the nurseries to sell plants here (even if the stock plants are of cultivated provenience). How this helps with the conservation of this species in the wild is very hard to understand :-\
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..... and three more.
Veronica austriaca 'Ionian Skies'
Phlox 'Oxen Blood'
an unknown Pink Phlox
WOW! . . . I love that Phlox 'Oxen Blood' David. 8)
I have Phlox caespitosa 'Zigeunerblut' described on the AGS web site as - a vibrant hit-you-in-the-eyes red.
BUT I ONLY GOT TWO FLOWERS ON IT!!!!
Are you feeding it ox blood David? ;)
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Hello Gabriela, your comment about Iris lacustris reminds me of a recent enquiry I had regarding Cirsium tuberosum. It is a protected plant here, although it has been cultivated for many years. I found two suppliers and sent for plants. When the first arrived I noticed the leaves did not match those of the illustrations. I made further enquiries and found that one of the native populations has cross-bred with a similar member of the same family and the people that study our wild plants are not sure now if the "true" native exists at one of its sites. Perhaps the cultivated plants are grown close to other members of the Cirsium species. I wonder if the situation would have been clearer had more plants been cultivated in the past? I am not suggesting that our wild plants should be removed from the wild, or that seed collecting should be carried out without a license. Perhaps if a small amount of seed had been collected in the past and cultivated as a garden worthy plant, there would now be more C. tuberosum for conservation without cross-pollination? I,m sure this is something which will be debated for a long time.
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A lurker friend found this red Corydalis solida in his garden this morning. I'm still in shock, not a hint of pink in that red. I'd be making certain it selfed by yanking all neighbours out. Does it measure up with good ones in the UK?
john
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Such delight on these pages!
Leena, the photos of your garden are simply beautiful.
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A lurker friend found this red Corydalis solida in his garden this morning. I'm still in shock, not a hint of pink in that red. I'd be making certain it selfed by yanking all neighbours out. Does it measure up with good ones in the UK?
john
That is quite outstanding!
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WOW! . . . I love that Phlox 'Oxen Blood' David. 8)
I have Phlox caespitosa 'Zigeunerblut' described on the AGS web site as - a vibrant hit-you-in-the-eyes red.
BUT I ONLY GOT TWO FLOWERS ON IT!!!!
Are you feeding it ox blood David? ;)
Nice one isn't it? I bought it a couple of months ago from a garden centre near Bodmin who had a nice range of alpines. It was a similar range we had seen in a small garden centre close to us the day before (we lead a sad life ;D ) All fell into place when I asked Mr Google. First site was the Devon based 'Plants for Small Gardens' which told me that P. douglasii 'Oxens Blood' was a new variety from Germany. The second was the site of 'Craigiehall Nursery' up in Scotland which told me P. d. 'Ochsenblut' was one of several red-flowered P. d. cultivars but stood apart with it's rich, dark-red, almost crimson flowers and that 'Ochsenblut' meant Ox Blood. The third was the site of Devon based Border Alpines who also offered P. d. 'Oxen Blood'. The fourth site was that of Devon based wholesale alpine nursery Carripitt Plants who also list Oxen Blood and is probably the reason why it seems to be fairly well available in retail sources in Devon. Of course that doesn't answer why Craigiehall have it but I'm sure Devon based wholesellers sell very widely.
I like your Asperula suberosa, must get one of those.
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Parsla, thank you. :)
A lurker friend found this red Corydalis solida in his garden this morning. I'm still in shock, not a hint of pink in that red. I'd be making certain it selfed by yanking all neighbours out. Does it measure up with good ones in the UK?
That is a very nice red Corydalis solida!
My most red C.solida is 'Red Lion'.
Also unusual colours are 'Boyar' (C. kusnetzovii x C. decipiens), and C.caucasica 'Borodino', both very difficult to photograph because the colour is so dark. Pictures from yesterday.
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I grow both these Phloxes on the crevice garden. P. 'Ochsenblut' (Oxen Blood) is a little darker in shade than P. 'Zigeunerblut' (Gypsy Blood) and both are wonderful Phloxes! You often see in books or articles the comment that P. 'Crackerjack' is the reddest of the douglasii types, but these two newcomers clearly are better. To my eye 'Zigeunerblut' is the reddest, with 'Ochsenblut' being a little more towards burgundy while the old Crackerjack is more going towards purply-mauve. Below is a picture comparing all three, followed by the two newcomers as in my crevice garden, flowering right now.
Paul
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My most red C.solida is 'Red Lion'.
Also unusual colours are 'Boyar' (C. kusnetzovii x C. decipiens), and C.caucasica 'Borodino', both very difficult to photograph because the colour is so dark. Pictures from yesterday.
Very nice deep red Corydalis! I think C. caucasica cultivars are the ones with the deepest red flowers.
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I grow both these Phloxes on the crevice garden. P. 'Ochsenblut' (Oxen Blood) is a little darker in shade than P. 'Zigeunerblut' (Gypsy Blood) and both are wonderful Phloxes! You often see in books or articles the comment that P. 'Crackerjack' is the reddest of the douglasii types, but these two newcomers clearly are better. To my eye 'Zigeunerblut' is the reddest, with 'Ochsenblut' being a little more towards burgundy while the old Crackerjack is more going towards purply-mauve. Below is a picture comparing all three, followed by the two newcomers as in my crevice garden, flowering right now.
Paul
All bright and cheerful Paul :)
Mostly 'Crackerjack' is available here, I may be wrong but it seems a bit different than yours. I will take a picture later, seems that the rains have come to an end.
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some impressions from today...
Salix arctophila / Greenland
Polygonum viviparum / europ. Alps
Antennaria aromatica / Montana
Degenia velebitica
Pulsatilla ambigua
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I grow both these Phloxes on the crevice garden. P. 'Ochsenblut' (Oxen Blood) is a little darker in shade than P. 'Zigeunerblut' (Gypsy Blood) and both are wonderful Phloxes! You often see in books or articles the comment that P. 'Crackerjack' is the reddest of the douglasii types, but these two newcomers clearly are better. To my eye 'Zigeunerblut' is the reddest, with 'Ochsenblut' being a little more towards burgundy while the old Crackerjack is more going towards purply-mauve. Below is a picture comparing all three, followed by the two newcomers as in my crevice garden, flowering right now.
Paul
The Bavarian Nurseryman Eugen Schleipfer from Neusäss near Augsburg raised these 2 beauties many years ago.
He is a very keen breeder, I think,that his most sucessful plant was Gentiana Eugens Allerbester, the only widely
available double Gentiana until now.
Note: Eugen has no homepage and no E-mail adress.
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I grow both these Phloxes on the crevice garden. P. 'Ochsenblut' (Oxen Blood) is a little darker in shade than P. 'Zigeunerblut' (Gypsy Blood) and both are wonderful Phloxes! You often see in books or articles the comment that P. 'Crackerjack' is the reddest of the douglasii types, but these two newcomers clearly are better. To my eye 'Zigeunerblut' is the reddest, with 'Ochsenblut' being a little more towards burgundy while the old Crackerjack is more going towards purply-mauve. Below is a picture comparing all three, followed by the two newcomers as in my crevice garden, flowering right now.
Paul
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/quote]
The Bavarian Nurseryman Eugen Schleipfer from Neusäss near Augsburg raised these 2 beauties many years ago.
He is a very keen breeder, I think,that his most sucessful plant was Gentiana Eugens Allerbester, the only widely
available double Gentiana until now.
Note: Eugen has no homepage and no E-mail adress.
Thanks for this information Rudi. It is interesting that they were raised many years ago, as I think to most of us in the UK these are relatively new. They certainly deserve to be widely grown.
Paul
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Extreme weather in our area.
Beginning of April at -20C (with windchill) and five days ago +30C for 2days made lots of spring plants to freeze or burn the emerging buds . Still some survived the harsh conditions.
Corydalis ambigua
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Corydalis solida George baker
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Corydalis solida beth evans
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'Beth Evans' is a pink solida which has increased most with bulbs in my garden, so it is very good. :)
C.ambigua is lovely!!
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Oxalis 'Ute' shows it's first flowers
And the Pulsatilla seedheads make for a spectacle too, colours ranging from pale green, to grey and reddish.
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What a wonderful collection of plants on these few pages! The corydalis photos are stunning and the phloxes are superb - they're not in NZ of course - but John's asperula is by far the finest I've ever seen, even including the big plant in ZZ's beauty slope garden, in 2013. My little one is quite reliable and permanent, even long-lived but keeps losing branchlets to birds or weeding or the wind and so never gets to be a large plant. All of you in the north must be enjoying your gardens very much at this time. Thanks for sharing them with us, who are shivering a bit now.
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In October 2014 we won Corydalis Wildside Blue on an AGS tombola. We were assured it would survive outside and so planted it in the mid section of a shady border.
First surprise it didn't die down in the autumn but stayed green all winter and has done ever since however like 'Topsy' it grew and grew. It's a lovely blue ofcourse but it seems to have ambitions to take over the garden. It now tops the Lilium martagon planted behind it. In the picture you will see a 30cm ruler but ofcourse it hasn't stopped there :o
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In October 2014 we won Corydalis Wildside Blue on an AGS tombola. We were assured it would survive outside and so planted it in the mid section of a shady border.
First surprise it didn't die down in the autumn but stayed green all winter and has done ever since however like 'Topsy' it grew and grew. It's a lovely blue ofcourse but it seems to have ambitions to take over the garden. It now tops the Lilium martagon planted behind it. In the picture you will see a 30cm ruler but ofcourse it hasn't stopped there :o
Makes me want to try them again. The problem that I have is that I forget where they are after they die back and they either dry out or get accidentally dug up!
Allium siculum...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4171/34489972026_a5587a6463_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4156/34489971766_5698170b08_z.jpg)
Scilla peruviana.........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4190/34145770260_59f6ca4206_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4183/34489974586_cf6c507153_z.jpg)
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So many beautiful plants out there now! 8)
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Gilia capitata ssp. mediomontana blooming in our garden now. For years I have used Nigella sp. as a (semi-weedy) filler in our garden. I am hoping to replace the Nigella with this Gilia species. So far things are working well.
The original seed came from a somewhat high elevation site in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I am a bit surprised that the ssp. mediomontana has out performed ssp. pedemontana that is native at lower elevations.
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Eschscholzia caespitosa - I just scatter the seed around and see what comes up with this California native annual. The slugs wiped out many this year, however some came through and I will let them seed out in place. Here it is with a small Delosperma ashtonii. Eschscholzia caespitosa combines well with spring flowering bulbs, especially California native bulbs.
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Calyptridium monospermum - We call the plant "George". I am not sure why, however George is looking great right now with maybe 15-20 flower heads. My wife just came by and said that George is called George because the flowers look like little fishing lures. At another time I will have to explain "George", someone who loved to fish!
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Trifolium willdenovii - I am excited about getting this California native established in our garden! I will look great combined with other plants in the garden.
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Scutellaria californica - xeric and easy in our garden.
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Some really wonderful plants being shown at the moment, really like the dark red corydalis.
The first flower of Tulipa sprengeri, although we have had really cold weather the last ten days or so they are out a little earlier than usual.
Buds just opening shows the lovely contrast of the buff outer with the dark red inner.
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Lovely sprengeri Mike. How do we bulk ours up? They don't seem to increase in size, ours are at least 5 years old and the bulbs are no bigger than peanuts.
john
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Here's a shot of the exfoliating bark on Pseudocydonia sinensis.
Tree is about 30 years old.
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Adonis ramosa got from Japan.
Very vigorous plant but +30C for two days burned the flowering buds. Only one flower opened and 3 buds were burned.
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Corydalis nobilis
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More plants from our Sacramento garden.
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Gladiolus caucasicus, or at least the name on the seed package. It is very easy-to-grow. It, with other Gladiolus species, is replacing the hybrid Gladiolus. It is one of the first Gladiolus species to bloom. The others will be coming along a bit later.
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Salvia chiapensis I spread compost around them earlier in the spring and they are responding by blooming profusely.
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Geranium dalmaticum Certainly not rare, but so easy and useful in our garden.
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The same can be said about Geranium sanguineum striatum. Each season it spreads out over the ground where the early bulbs were growing. It is very useful in this way. It also blooms for an extended period of time even here with our hot summers.
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Looking good at the moment in the scree bed, this Aquilegia and Berberis stenophylla corralina compacta (I wouldn't mind a £1 for every flower). In a pot Thymus leuchotrichus Peter Davis.
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Beryl McNaughton's pic of Meconopsis 'Strathspey' - ready for sale at Macplants
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Some pix from Ian the Christie kind -
Glaucidium palmatum album
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Three shots of Meconopsis 'Marit'
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Two shots of the lovely Omphalogramma delavayi
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Trillium erectum
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Trillium hybrid
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Podophyllum hexandrum
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These are Ian C's Meconopsis 'Strathspey' pix
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Meconopsis 'Strathspey' is delicious, almost iridescent with the blue shot through with pink. It seems to glow beautifully. And one of my favourites is the white glaucidium. I am always surprised when it flowers so well and makes a lot of lovely seed in the garden which is very dry by that time. Mine flowers about 3 weeks before the purple form which keeps the seed set separate. I'm awaiting the omphalogramma. I think my "lady-down-the-road" has it. :)
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Lovely sprengeri Mike. How do we bulk ours up? They don't seem to increase in size, ours are at least 5 years old and the bulbs are no bigger than peanuts.
john
John,
My Tulipa sprengeri are all growing in the garden & I find sowing seed directly outside seems to produce the best results.
Growing in pots from seed for me does not seem to work, probably because in the second year the bulbs escape out of the bottom of the pot.
They do extremely well if left to grow outside untended as you can see from the attached photos.
Hope this helps,
Mike
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What a splendid sight Mike! In the ground they'll go.
john
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I had great germination last year from Otago Alpine Garden Group's seedlist, of Tulipa sprengeri. They're still in the pot but tiny so having read your note Mike, I'm off out now to put the potful in the garden. I'll divide it into 4 or 5 pieces and I guess each will have maybe 30 bulbs in it!.
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Mike a few years ago we visited Copenhagen Botanic they said Tulip sprengeri was their biggest weed.
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I wouldn't mind such a 'weed' in my garden :) It would look nice with T. sylvestris
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Corydalis nobilis was damaged a bit by the heavy rains, but still standing
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Change of colours - Magnolia 'Ann' and Phlox douglasii 'Crackerjack'
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Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila, one of my favourite, besides the long spurred NA Aquilegias
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Mike a few years ago we visited Copenhagen Botanic they said Tulip sprengeri was their biggest weed.
Shelagh,
It certainly gets about but it is so beautiful.
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Plants flowering at the moment.
Androsace seedling with large flower self sown on tufa wall,
Androsace seedling in tufa ex A. cylindrica x hirtella,
Anemone obtusiloba Pradesh finding its way out from the crocus foliage &
Pinguicula grandiflora also in tufa.
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Ian's Pinguicula are in bud on his moss-covered stone in the pond. A wee while yet before they open, I reckon.
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I love pinguiculas. My previous hot and dry garden did for the first ones I had of grandiflora but the kindly Wim B in Belgium sent me some seed and also of vulgaris. These are enjoying the cooler clime of south Otago. I think Ian's, planted on the mossy stone in the little pond, were the best thing I've seen on the Forum or Facebook all year. I have no pond and I guess the nearby lake of several hundred hectares is a bit big, but somehow I'm determined to duplicate Ian's planting.
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Aquilegia in trough.
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Good pic to show the complicated structure of those wee gems, Kevin.
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more flowers from the garden
Sangunaria canadensis
Callianthemum coriandifolium
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Douglasia montana in the rock garden
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Wonderful T.sprengeri in previous page, I hope my seedlings sometime grow as well, they are still only two years old.
Some pictures from my garden yesterday. It has still been quite cold spring, nights below freezing and during daytime 10C at the most but this may change next week, I hope.
Some late snowdrops are still flowering and corydalis are at their best. Hellebores are also now flowering.
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What lovely pictures Leena it took me back a couple of months to snowdrops in our garden. When you look at the Forum and it's members pictures you can almost have all four seasons in one visit.
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I chased this plant for years having seen one specimen at a North Vancouver friend's in the late 80's, Ranzania japonica. No one else seemed to grow it. No seeds were ever set as I recall but Philip McD landed a small plant around 2000 and gave us one shortly there after. While it's actually self-sown a few times, the seeds are reluctant to sprout for us. Very elegant.
johnw
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Rain at last, the garden looks fresher. Sticky catchfly (lychnis viscaria) img. 1020533. Another ladies slipper in flower img. 1020534. Perennial cornflower img. 1020540. Star of Bethlehem img. 1020541. Poached egg plant img. 1020542. There is a swarm of small white tailed bees in the tit box in the ivy. I see the tories are going to re-introduce the barbaric pastime of fox hunting. I wonder what they would say if Guy Faulkes pastime was re-introduced. Forwards for civilisation, backwards for what.
"The Countryside and Wildlife are not ours to dispose of as we please. We must account for them to those who come after." KING GEORGE VI.
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Thank you Shelagh. :)
Ranzania japonica looks lovely. I once got seeds to germinate, but the seedlings died after pricking out, so it is not an easy plant.
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Your spring garden looks beautiful Leena :)
I will keep in mind not to prick out the Ranzania (I usually don't get to do it for many others anyway).
I chased this plant for years having seen one specimen at a North Vancouver friend's in the late 80's, Ranzania japonica. No one else seemed to grow it. No seeds were ever set as I recall but Philip McD landed a small plant around 2000 and gave us one shortly there after. While it's actually self-sown a few times, the seeds are reluctant to sprout for us. Very elegant.
johnw
Seeds from Yuzawa Nursery are germinating now John. They need to be sown fresh/or kept moist and go through a warm/cold cycle.
I also think is an elegant plant - flower wise a sort of 'hybrid' between a Glaucidium and Anemonopsis.
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Rain at last, the garden looks fresher. Sticky catchfly (lychnis viscaria) img. 1020533. Another ladies slipper in flower img. 1020534. Perennial cornflower img. 1020540. Star of Bethlehem img. 1020541. Poached egg plant img. 1020542. There is a swarm of small white tailed bees in the tit box in the ivy. I see the tories are going to re-introduce the barbaric pastime of fox hunting. I wonder what they would say if Guy Faulkes pastime was re-introduced. Forwards for civilisation, backwards for what.
"The Countryside and Wildlife are not ours to dispose of as we please. We must account for them to those who come after." KING GEORGE VI.
That's a great quote!
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They need to be sown fresh/or kept moist and go through a warm/cold cycle.
Have done exactly that many times but nothing. Maybe our own seed of last autumn will germinate shortly. It's so cool things are lasting & lasting and seeds taking their good old time. One gifted seed of Galanthus 'Eliz. Harrison' sown last summer is just up yesterday. The first Trillium rivale up yesterday. Erythronium revolutum, one sprouts every week.
Still lots of buds to open on Camellia japonica ex Daechong Do and a few with buds that haven't even started.
Wise Geo. VI .
john - damn chilly at 6c, overcast and breeze straight off the Atlantic. Heavily sweatered with mitts.
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Some plants in the garden today.
[attachimg=1]
Aquilegia formosa - it reminds me of the Sierra Nevada. I have them planted throughout the garden.
[attachimg=2]
Navarretia pubescens - from Snow Mountain. They are growing in a pot. For us, this works well for a seed increase. With plenty of seed I can start experimenting with them in the garden.
[attachimg=3]
Eriogonum incanum - it has been in bloom for some time now. The silvery foliage can be very nice. I need to grow more seedlings in hopes of getting a good tight plant.
[attachimg=4]
Salvia apiana - we keep it around for the bees. They love it and we need more bees.
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A quick trip around the garden yesterday and I found these.
Tha Aster alpinus var. dolomiticus was our little green oddity. Gerd Stopp said we had to be patient and he was right. I had tohold the Gladiolus because the breeze was moving them around too much.
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Also found Roscoea humeana which was a gift from Ian Christie when we were on a trip to Golspie with him. My tree peony which looks half dead for a large part of the year has come up trumps again.
Also we were taken by a friend to see very rare examples of the English form of Cypripedium calceolus. It is guarded by English Nature because people come and dig them up. They have had a hard year because of the lack of rain and the fact that they grow on a limestone pavement.
The sedum humifusum was at Glasgow last weekend but it wasn't fully out, a week of sun has cured that.
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Blandfordia punicea.
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Michael
I got a small plant of this Blandfordia about 10 years ago. Today it is not terribly bigger than it was upon receipt, about 5" high and 5" wide. Is my mix too lean in fear of rot? Fear of fettilizer and phosphorus? I can't say I've ever seen a pic posted on the forum of one in flower or one so lusty.
johnw
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John, they like plenty of water in a well drained compost. I pot them in the usual alpine mix for acid loving pants, they don't like lime. They get the odd feed of miracid and seaweed fertilizer when I remember, and are kept in the alpine-house at all times because of our wet and unpredictable climate. I have some seedlings but they are still very small. BTY I got the original from Lesley.
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What a wonderful plant Michael -grown to perfection!
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Thanks Michael, you grow it very well 8)
Mine's in peaty, gritty soil outdoors but grows only slowly and hasn't flowered yet, so conditions may not be ideal. However it doesn't seem to be bothered either by winter wet or a few degrees of frost.
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How old is your flowering plant Michael?
I do keep mine wet, perhaps the pot's too small. The 10 year old.
john
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Advice on growing the Blandfordia commercially:
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/134837/blandfordia.pdf (http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/134837/blandfordia.pdf) - not sure if it will help!
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John, I got two seedlings from Lesley Cox on the 20/05/2014, the other one has two flowers stems but not in full flower yet. They are growing in 30cm pots at the moment.
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How very embarassing! ;)
johnw
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:) :) :)
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Some views and portraits from today.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
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More
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]
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And.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
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And these.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
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And finally.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
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In my opinion, she has escaped from nature to my garden. Neither I have sown nor seen around. This is the second year. First year not flowered . I have kept on watering..So marvellous, isnt ishe?
13,05,2017/ Antalya, Turkey
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In my opinion, she has escaped from nature to my garden. Neither I have sown nor seen around. This is the second year. First year not flowered . I have kept on watering..So marvellous, isnt ishe?
13,05,2017/ Antalya, Turkey
How lovely. There are many Verbascum sp. [/b] in Turkey - perhaps this is Verbascum bombyciferum? These are usually biennial so you should save seed from this one.
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Some views and portraits from today
Graham's super new garden has been described in this thread http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13525.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13525.0)
You can see from these photos that his plants are doing well after their move from central Edinburgh.
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Robert - Salvia apiana continues to frustrate me. It grows well enough but has yet to bloom in the four years since the seed germinated :-[ One day I will bloom a Californian Salvia here!
Michael - another big thumbs up from me for your Blandfordia.
There's a bit of a tale to this Abutilon hybrid bloom. It started to form way back in November of last year. The plant is tucked up against the house wall and the bud just sat there until a few weeks ago when it started growing again..............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4178/34637420896_dd02d1cb73_z.jpg)
Libertia ixioides..........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4166/34293206190_606f9055c0_z.jpg)
Scilla peruviana.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4177/33835734284_34c8e74fe7_z.jpg)
And finally, Vestia foetida..........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4176/34547808371_0ed2e16d52_z.jpg)
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Robert - Salvia apiana continues to frustrate me. It grows well enough but has yet to bloom in the four years since the seed germinated :-[ One day I will bloom a Californian Salvia here!
Meanie,
Not surprisingly, Salvia apiana is widely sold in California. I am sure it enjoys heat, as it is native to Southern California (almost a different world from Northern California). Chia, Salvia columbariae is available everywhere! ::) Plants growing in the wild are very beautiful and as far as I am concerned it is well worth growing (at least in the parts of California where it gets hot).
Nice Abutilon! 8)
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Aquilegia laramiensis from Wyoming
Matthiola montana from Turkey
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Aster likiangensis
Convolvulus cneorum
Ranunculus parnassifolius-small seedling
Erinus alpinus
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Pinguicula grandiflora f. chionopetra
Not a great photo but delighted its flowered.
[attachimg=1]
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A WHITE pinguicula! How amazing. A truly beautiful plant Graham. 8) 8) 8)
I am so pleased, Ashley and Michael that your blandfordias are doing so well. Mine, I have to admit it, died, rotting in hot summer weather in early 2016. So one day I'll beg seeds, but no hurry. :) To see it in flower at last is just wonderful.
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This was given to us 4 years ago by Dave Mountfort. It has grown well but it has never flowered well, this is the best it has been. Unfortunately no Show to take it to this week.
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Unfortunately no Show to take it to this week.
Unless you fancy taking it to its ancestral home in Aberdeen, Shelagh - we'd love to see you and Brian this far north!(No promise of black pudding for breakfast though!)
[attachimg=1]
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Pinguicula grandiflora
Rhododendron 'Fridoline'
and Weldenia candida
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Asperula nitida between tuffa
Iris elegantissima
Nomocharis farreri
Potentilla pulvinata in a trough
Ranunculus parnassifolius
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This was given to us 4 years ago by Dave Mountfort. It has grown well but it has never flowered well, this is the best it has been. Unfortunately no Show to take it to this week.
That is lovely! More and more I find myself smitten by plants that "are not my thing" and that has gone pretty much to the top of my wish list. Is a cold greenhouse suitable?
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Echeveria pulidonis spent the winter outdoors on some staging to protect it from the winter wet. As a result it is not the prettiest Echeveria that I have this year but it has just come into bloom and it is going to bloom better than ever before...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4251/34624461861_e5bc2719b9_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4197/34624461541_81fa64aa59_z.jpg)
I bought Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii a few months ago and I would thoroughly recommend it. The biggest problem with Camassia is the messy foliage but this one has very neat, well behaved and upright foliage.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/33913972984_a556a9f2d1_z.jpg)
I think that a couple of my Pleione are pregnant!
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4244/34371543950_15dc201bd8_z.jpg)
This Digitalis has some interesting appendages on the blooms............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4221/34756610995_d9d63210cd_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4169/34716574666_67ee5929d1_z.jpg)
Salvia microphylla "Pink Blush"...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4176/34757198975_641f007763_z.jpg)
Gymnocalycium stenopleurum.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4156/34624478001_f337577ae6_z.jpg)
I bought the following cactus at the village plant sale a couple of years ago and this is the first time that it has bloomed. If anyone has any idea as to an id I would be grateful...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4170/34371557230_3dc1566efe_z.jpg)
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Yes Meanie it is. The Ramberlea spends most of the year in a very shady cold frame behind the shed. Brian only brings it into the greenhouse when the buds appear. At the moment we are trying to bring a Briggsia out ready for Bakewell Show.
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In theory, Shelagh and Meannie, there is no reason why X Ramberlea 'Inchgarth' shouldn't survive planted out of doors as both parents are perfectly hardy even in Aberdeen. We never got as far as having enough material to try it outside though, and now having moved to a 'postage stamp' garden, I no longer have it. I do have H. ferdinandi-coburgii 'Connie Davidson' the male parent of the hybrid, flowering beautifully right now.
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... I am so pleased, Ashley and Michael that your blandfordias are doing so well. Mine, I have to admit it, died, rotting in hot summer weather in early 2016. So one day I'll beg seeds, but no hurry. :) To see it in flower at last is just wonderful.
Thanks Lesley. Michael's is doing the business already but whenever mine gets around to flowering & setting seed, of course you'll be first in line :)
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Maureen I don't think I have ever seen H. f c Connie Davidson is it readily available?
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Lewisia cotyledon var. howellii
Penstemon spatulatus
Edraianthus niveus
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Sedum valens
Globularia valentina
Ramonda nathaliae "Alba"
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Thanks Lesley. Michael's is doing the business already but whenever mine gets around to flowering & setting seed, of course you'll be first in line :)
I'll look forward to the day Ashley. :) :) :)
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Cantua buxifolia 'Dancing Oaks'
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Maureen I don't think I have ever seen H. f c Connie Davidson is it readily available?
Shelagh, I don't think Haberlea f c 'Connie Davidson' is readily available. My rather old (2009-2010) edition of the Plantfinder says it is available from Edrom and Mendle Nursery. I got my plant off the club sales table many years ago at an SRGC show. I think Maureen was the donor. I find it gets a bit scruffy with brown tips to the leaves and the flower trusses droop a bit. I have found Haberlea rhodopense 'Virginalis' easier to keep looking respectable.
Haberlea ferdinandi-coburgii 'Connie Davidson'
Haberlea rhodopensis 'Virginale'
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Edraianthus serpyllifolium
Saxifraga "Jaromir"
Helichrysum confertifollium
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Cantua buxifolia 'Dancing Oaks'
What winter protection does it get Micheal?
I could grow it outdoors but last years growth would always die which makes the whole exercise pointless!
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A wonderful red saxifrage Leucogenes. I see the Dutch and probably the Czechs and probably Adrian Young as well, are now producing silver encrusted seedlings with pure red, (and a rich red at that) seedlings. Whatever next, one wonders. :)
Roma I see what you mean about the brown tips on the Haberlea 'Connie Davidson' but golly, with flowering like that I wouldn't be complaining too much. Is it (she) straight haberlea or is there some ramonda in the mix too? (Probably not now I look at the foliage again.)Your white haberlea is also a stunner. I keep dividing mine for my tiny nursery so there's never very much of it but like yours the foliage stays clean while my "ordinary" ferdinandi-coburgi tends towards the brown tip syndrome. H. rhodopensis doesn't seem to do that with me.)
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In theory, Shelagh and Meannie, there is no reason why X Ramberlea 'Inchgarth' shouldn't survive planted out of doors as both parents are perfectly hardy even in Aberdeen. We never got as far as having enough material to try it outside though, and now having moved to a 'postage stamp' garden, I no longer have it. I do have H. ferdinandi-coburgii 'Connie Davidson' the male parent of the hybrid, flowering beautifully right now.
Thanks for the info! Haberlea seed seems quite easy to find. Protection from excessive winter wet (like Rehmannia) I presume?
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What winter protection does it get Micheal?
I could grow it outdoors but last years growth would always die which makes the whole exercise pointless!
It sat under a overhanging canopy at the front of the house facing south just sheltered from the rain, but had to tolerate the wind and whatever frost there was. I think it needs to be pot-bound and stressed a little to induce it to flower. I have some planted against a south facing wall but while they survive the winter they never flower.
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Townsendia spathulata
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Penstemon duchenensis
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Fantastic ... Kris. Especially the Townsendia spathulata. I like this style especially. For me, she has not yet blossomed.
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Thanks for the pictures and the info Roma. We grow H. rhodopensis virginialis and also the blue variety. We find the white one much more vigorous and it does hold it's flowers well. In fact on the show bench you don't often see the blue at all.
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Penstemon duchenensis
Wonderful plant beautifully grown. Congratulations.
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Thanks for the comment.
The Penstemon I did not do anything special.Got the seeds from Alplains 3years ago.
The Townsendia is monocarpic. It seeds itself. so I always get one or two seedlings every year.
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I am told that Townsendia spathulata is one of the prettiest, but also one of the most moisture sensitive townsendias.
Yours is just fantastic, Kris! Whow big is that flower in your pic?
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Rick
It is about 2 inches in diameter.
Today it looks even bigger and I can't see the leaves around it now.
The plant itself is very pretty and look like a small green flower.
It is in the rock garden . Has lots of hairs but less than the 'cotton ball'.Dryish side. I do not know where I got the seeds.
If the plant makes seed and anyone wants it I can send.
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Wow, that's big!
I've grown a three Townsendia species from seed before. I never use a sterilized or pasteurized mix, and they are the only things that consistently succumb to damping off. Now I start the seed on a bed of #1 chic grit over the mix and under a layer of #2 chic grit, and that fixed the problem.
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I grew T. spathulata from the NARGS seed ex. Does this look like T. spathulata? The pot had tipped over and the layer of grit fell out, so their "necks" are very visible. ;D
[attach=1]
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May be my plant is Townsendia condensata.
I have a link here -Wisley alpine log.
The plant look exactly like the one in this link.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2007/190907/log.html (http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2007/190907/log.html)
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I have some planted against a south facing wall but while they survive the winter they never flower.
I found it hardy down to -12°c but in all honesty that was a meaningless exercise as it couldn't bloom. But as you said, stressed in a pot it was the star of the spring for me.
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@kris ... I also think that you have a T. condensata. You have the "Alberta Form".
I show here my T. Condensata from last year ... also "Alberta" ... and in addition, in Cristata form.
I believe T. spathulata is not monocarp.
@ Rick ... your young plants look very good and healthy ... I am excited. This should be the T. spathulata. I have a small plant without a flower ... it does not look as good as yours.
I am very interested in seeds of both species ... we can trade. I have for you both seeds of T. hookeri. She makes many flowers and is already four years old.
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It's not hardy but Lathyrus sativus var. azureus is a little special in my eyes.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4157/34699642261_9408598646_z.jpg)
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Lovely colour.
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Acquired only last week on a visit to the National Trust garden at Cragside (Northumberland)- Cortusa matthioli 'Alba'. Only pictured here as I'm bound to kill it before it flowers again!
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Pinguicula grandiflora rosea.
These and the white one I showed a few days ago are from seed sown in July 2014.
[attachimg=1]
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@kris ... I also think that you have a T. condensata. You have the "Alberta Form".
I show here my T. Condensata from last year ... also "Alberta" ... and in addition, in Cristata form.
I believe T. spathulata is not monocarp.
Thanks Lucogenes.
If the plant produce seeds I will send you some.
I have Townsendia hookeri.
May be you can send me some other seeds.
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picture taken yesterday
Androsace villosa
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Pinguicula grandiflora rosea.
These and the white one I showed a few days ago are from seed sown in July 2014.
WOW, simply stunning, lost my pink ones a couple of years ago, need to try them again!
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After so many years, i finally found my Silene hookeri subsp. bolanderi.
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Waiting 3 years from germination until flowers, is worthwile, i think. The stunning Androsace bulleyana.
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Plants from Patagonia has my special interest. Here a Perezia sp. Without a properly name indeed. I think, this is a new species, not yet described.
The right name is Leucheria lithospermifolia. Determination by Martin Sheader
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After so many years, i finally found my Silene hookeri subsp. bolanderi.
Beautiful!
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Beautiful!
I have to agree with that!
Salvia "Nachtvlinder" is in bloom.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4247/34019936104_64cdb3942e_z.jpg)
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[attachimg=1]
The city of Sacramento is replacing the old 1940's vintage waterlines in our neighborhood. They will need to tench through part of our yard. :o To make the best of the situation, it will be a good time to remodel many portions of the yard. My wife and I are actually looking forward to the remodeling (not the trenching! :P ).
Many plants are going to go - many Rhododendrons, however many plants are going to stay such as these; a Lilium pardalinum hybrid.
[attachimg=2]
I made the crosses way back in the 1990's and do not remember the parents other than Lilium pardalinum. They look very much like L. pardalinum, however they consistently bloom earlier in the season. Lilium pardalinum is still in bud. They are indestructible and look good every season.
[attachimg=3]
A Lilium occidentale hybrid also from the 1990's. This one gets close to red and still has the untamed look of a wild species. Lilium parryi is budded too and will be blooming very soon. This will add some yellow flowers to our garden.
[attachimg=4]
I guess I like fooling with things. A Salvia spathacea selection, originally from Ginny Hunt. This back cross is getting closer to a good apricot shade. I have yellow seedlings too. The Rhododendrons will be replaced with plants like this, and California native annuals, bulbs, grasses, etc. The goal is to have a diverse garden for all seasons that is not only beautiful, but also is habitat for many other creatures to coexist with us (bids, insects, reptiles, etc.). :)
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3 oxalisses from Patagonia:
1. Oxalis laciniata 'Seven Bells'.
2. Oxalis laciniata 'Lago Verde'.
3. Oxalis laciniata 'Astrid'.
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From NZL, Myosotis rakiura. Seeds from Peter Toole, maybe he looks.
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2 townsendias.
1. Townsendia grandiflora
2. Townsendia glabella
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1. Silene hookeri
2. Linum elegans
3. Ranunculus parnassifolius
4. Meconopsis sp. (lost my ticket)
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Some aquilegias:
1. Aquilegia scopulorum var. perplexans.
2. A garden hybrid, but beautiful enough.
3. Another garden hybrid
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[attachimg=1]
Sunset and an upcoming thunderstorm in Flevoland, The Netherlands
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Gerrit,
The plants shown come from the three areas I particularly love. Fantastic plants ... we definitely have the same favorites.
Is the Townsendia grandiflora in a sea of Azorella?
I look forward to more pictures.
Thomas
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Gerrit,
The plants shown come from the three areas I particularly love. Fantastic plants ... we definitely have the same favorites.
Is the Townsendia grandiflora in a sea of Azorella?
I look forward to more pictures.
Thomas
Unfortunately not. It is a sea of Thymus ;D
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Is this Townsendia spathulata?
Most of them finished flowering and this is the last one in the rock garden flowering now.
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Townsendia parryi
Erigeron compositus
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Penstemon nitidus
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Sunset and an upcoming thunderstorm in Flevoland, The Netherlands
What a photo, Gerrit! Amazing colours. 8)
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Is this Townsendia spathulata?
Most of them finished flowering and this is the last one in the rock garden flowering now.
I think this is Townsendia montana ... looks beautiful. I know her only of pictures ... I had never received them before. My Respect.
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Here is a picture of Silene dinarica. Endemic in the Fagaras mountains in Romania, 2200 meters. The plant stands by my friends in the Arctic garden in Chemnitz ... please excuse the bad quality.
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... and other plants from this garden ...
Aquilegia scopulorum 22.05.17
Penstemon rupicola 22.05.17
Haberlea rhodopensis 22.05.17
Ramonda nathaliae 22.05.17
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John, they like plenty of water in a well drained compost. I pot them in the usual alpine mix for acid loving pants, they don't like lime. They get the odd feed of miracid and seaweed fertilizer when I remember, and are kept in the alpine-house at all times because of our wet and unpredictable climate. I have some seedlings but they are still very small. BTY I got the original from Lesley.
Michael - Transplanted my Blandfordia today and the roots appear to be much more promising than at last transplant. Maybe it's on the verge of erupting. : )
john
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The move should stimulate it. I will be watching for flowers next year.:)
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Is this Townsendia spathulata?
Most of them finished flowering and this is the last one in the rock garden flowering now.
I agree, what Thomas said: T. montana syn. T. alpigena.
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3 oxalisses from Patagonia:
1. Oxalis laciniata 'Seven Bells'.
2. Oxalis laciniata 'Lago Verde'.
3. Oxalis laciniata 'Astrid'.
Oh my goodness! These are gorgeous!
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The move should stimulate it. I will be watching for flowers next year.:)
It may take awhiule to recuperate from the long term lean diet of stone chips. ; )
john
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Pinguicula grandiflora rosea.
These and the white one I showed a few days ago are from seed sown in July 2014.
(Attachment Link)
What a lovely plant Graham. That there are purple, white and pink forms suggest that maybe deeper pinks may be a possibility at some stage if one continues to raise from seed. (I'm always hopeful and optimistic. ;D)
Was your seed from a commercial source and if so, could you PM me with the source please?. It is a permitted species here so I'd love to try seed of these other forms.
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What a photo, Gerrit! Amazing colours. 8)
I fully agree with you Maggi, a wonderful photo. I think you should be using it in the NEW :D :D :D :D :D SRGC 2018 calendar which I'm sure will be ready pre-Christmas. I will happily buy 3.
So many super photos in this thread. The northern hemisphere is surely blooming at present. Thanks to all posters.
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A miniature Rhododendron has just come into flower. It looks like an arctic species? img. 1020587. It is sunny and hot here.
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A miniature Rhododendron has just come into flower. It looks like an arctic species? img. 1020587. It is sunny and hot here.
Likely one of the calostrotum ssp. or salunense ssp.
Maggi?
john
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What a photo, Gerrit! Amazing colours. 8)
+1 8)
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Super nice plants from all!
Kris - I particularly like your Penstemons! ;)
Here is a picture of Silene dinarica. Endemic in the Fagaras mountains in Romania, 2200 meters. The plant stands by my friends in the Arctic garden in Chemnitz ... please excuse the bad quality.
Leuco - I usually drool over many of your plants but even more so with Silene dinarica! I don't know when/if I'll make it to Fagaras Mts. again but maybe I can tempt you with something else I have or will have - this year I'll be again in the Carpathians (maybe towards Fagaras as well but very short and in Dobrodgea).
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What a lovely plant Graham. That there are purple, white and pink forms suggest that maybe deeper pinks may be a possibility at some stage if one continues to raise from seed. (I'm always hopeful and optimistic. ;D)
Was your seed from a commercial source and if so, could you PM me with the source please?. It is a permitted species here so I'd love to try seed of these other forms.
Hi Lesley,
They are lovely aren't they. It is a pity they are a bit pale though.
I got them from e-bay so only know they were bought from the UK.
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May blossoms 1
Asperula arcadiensis
Cypripedium „Kentucky“
Drosera mannii
Edraianthus pumilio
Lewisia rediviva
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May blossoms 2
Nomocharis aperta
Roscoea coutleyoides
Viola pachyrrhiza
Talinum brvifolium
Typhonium venosum
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An interesting and beautiful selection of pictures K-D.
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I don,t usually go for the large flowered clematis but when I saw this one at Taylors I had to have one. C. Silver Moon img. 1020588. The flowers are 7" across.
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Thank you for your kind comment David. May is a very colorful month.
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A lovely little Briggsia but unfortunately a week too soon for the Bakewell Show. Also a Rose not an alpine I know but a lovely one bred and raised by our friend Tony Bracegirdle it's called Holcombe Honey 'cos it has the scent of honey and his allotment has a fine view of Holcombe Tower.
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for comparison...
Leontopodiun nivale from Abruzzo
Leontopodium nivale from Gran Sasso / Abruzzo (selected by Gerd Stopp ... strongly hairy ... the plant ;D)
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This old photo shows the strong hairiness somewhat better.
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Some oncocyclus irisses in flower.
1,2. Iris paradoxa subsp. choschab
3,4. Iris sari
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Today ... Helichrysum frigidum ... ;D ;D
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Thanks for your note Graham. I looked on ebay (first time as we have an excellent version here called Trademe) but no sign of it that I could see at present. I'll keep an eye out though. Plants of one species were offered for about GBP15 each but we can't buy those anyway and I think the price was excessive.
Leucogenes, everything here is frigidum at present, with good frosts each night now until the next dose of snow or rain. I'm pretending that the sooner it comes, the sooner it will be over. Iris reticulata forms are starting to emerge but only from the imported ones from our garden centres.
The northern hemisphere plants and their pictures are keeping me hopeful and interested for the next couple of months. :D
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Lesley ... Up here we wants wants try to form the winters with you thus pleasantly ace possible... promised. :)
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a nice rhododendron growing under a spruce tree. Fisrt time in many years that all the flowers open at the same time.
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Sarmienta repens & self sown seedlings of Physoplexis comosa in flower at the moment.
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What a magnificent plant of Physoplexis comosa. My congratulations Mike.
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Erigeron scopulorum
Trichophorum alpinum
Iris schachtii
Edraianthus pumilio
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Roscoeas are coming into flower. I had forgotten I planted the pink one in the garden. It was a seedling which should have been white.
Roscoea humeana
Roscoea humeana alba (from seed)
Roscoea 'Harvington Evening Star'
Rhodohypoxis 'Tetra Pink'
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Silene hookeri ssp bolanderi is flowering well now. This is their second year.
Silene serpentinicola is just starting
I lost a few of both when they got a bit too wet in late summer but had plenty seedlings to start with.
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Silene hookeri ssp bolanderi is flowering well now. This is their second year.
I lost a few of both when they got a bit too wet in late summer but had plenty seedlings to start with.
Silene hookeri subsp. bolanderi:
Glad to hear, and to see, propagating from seed is a good option. Did you have sawn immediately after you harvested the seeds or di you wait for the next season?
Silene hookeri subsp hookeri often disappear after the winter with me. How do you keep bolanderi in winter?
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This old photo shows the strong hairiness somewhat better.
I've been developing a strong attraction to "hairy" foliage.
Sarmienta repens & self sown seedlings of Physoplexis comosa in flower at the moment.
Speechless! I can't decide which I like better.
A few things from my garden;
Tropaeolum peregrinum is a bit of fun but I planted it to grow into Eccremocarpus scaber which unfortunately seems to be mugging it. I should have seen it coming really!
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4195/34912049445_129003095f_z.jpg)
First bloom on Petunia exserta for which I must thank Chris for the seed..............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4274/34912049085_7283669675_z.jpg)
Phlomis italica.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4243/34766208862_47b1190bc8_z.jpg)
Salvia elegans continues to bloom.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/34930049055_ce9f807075_z.jpg)
Digitalis "Silver Fox" which I bought for its hirsute foliage..............(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/34542799250_4bf38dd337_z.jpg)
Digitalis grandiflora...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4204/34889708106_483f68e5c5_z.jpg)
More fun with annuals - Schizanthus pinnatus.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/34930380525_35df4e1a72_z.jpg)
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A few more;
Salvia microphylla "Pink Blush".............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4222/34912049925_5c07d3bd7e_z.jpg)
Salvia greggii "Blue Note"...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4226/34122332854_7fd1925433_z.jpg)
Disporopsis pernyi............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4222/34543708900_cc4f2d5464_z.jpg)
Asphodeline lutea looks superb at the moment.............
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/34889707536_686f52cb65_z.jpg)
Saxifraga stolonifera..........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4228/34924695136_09ebc39e7d_z.jpg)
Sisyrinchium striatum...........
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4271/34965339235_b5e565587b_z.jpg)
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More amazing photos thanks to everyone. I think the Physoplexis and the Sarmienta top the list but I also like very much the Digitalis 'Silver Fox.' It reminds me, both in the flower and the furry foliage of one I had many years ago called D. purpurea 'Heywoodii.' That had similar foliage and the flowers were also white but blushed delicately with soft pink and palest yellow as well. It was short-lived though and unfortunately crossed readily with ordinary purpurea and the seedlings always came like that rather than the seed parent which meant that in 2 or 3 years 'Heywoodii' became subsumed with the other and was lost altogether quite quickly. I was given the seed by a gardening friend of local fame and his experience was the same. I've never seen it since.
I've learned at long last that one's gardening life is a continuum of beautiful plants which come, stay for a while or longer and then, in many cases, quietly go, never to be seen again. I can mourn those ones for a short time but if I were to feel guilty about the losses over many years, life would be impossible to live while retaining some sort of sanity.
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Meanie,
Salvia elegans still in bloom! Ours can grow outside unprotected. It dies to the ground each season. What has surprised me lately is that it has been seeding around, mostly in pots of other plants that are growing nearby. Generally it stools out and I have to constantly remove parts lest it take over. Salvia guaranitica is another that dies down and comes back each spring. At first the slugs eat the new shoots, but now with warm, and dry weather it is coming back strongly. Some of the compact forms of Salvia microphylla could be nice in our garden. The others get too big! Some of our California native Salvias are blooming now. I am so busy during daylight hours... maybe a photograph... maybe not. :-\
As usual, a very interesting set of plant photographs. Digitalis dubia will be blooming soon in our garden. I like the foliage on this species.
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Meanie,
Salvia elegans still in bloom! Ours can grow outside unprotected. It dies to the ground each season. What has surprised me lately is that it has been seeding around, mostly in pots of other plants that are growing nearby. Generally it stools out and I have to constantly remove parts lest it take over. Salvia guaranitica is another that dies down and comes back each spring. At first the slugs eat the new shoots, but now with warm, and dry weather it is coming back strongly. Some of the compact forms of Salvia microphylla could be nice in our garden. The others get too big! Some of our California native Salvias are blooming now. I am so busy during daylight hours... maybe a photograph... maybe not. :-\
As usual, a very interesting set of plant photographs. Digitalis dubia will be blooming soon in our garden. I like the foliage on this species.
Salvia elegans never sets seed here but it does send out runners which are usually all that I keep for the following year. This year I kept the parent plant frost free (just!) and it has been a bit of a star this spring.
The cultivars if S.guaranitica that we have here ((Black and Blue and Black and Bloom) are hardy in free draining soil and despite being tuberous they also send plenty of runners out as well. This is the first spring that I've had both and Black and Blue has proven to be the far better plant as far as it comes back earlier and far stronger. So much so that I've dug up Black and Bloom and given it away!
On the subject of runners and S.microphylla, Nachtvlinder is a thug in this respect! One runner went straight through Royal Bumble, came up just the other side and only when it bloomed did I realise that it wasn't Royal Bumble at all! I pulled a load of Nachtvlinder runners out, potted up about 30 plants and gave them to the various charity plant sales around here.
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Spring has advanced here, thought it has still been colder than usually. Because of the cold many spring flowers kept flowering for a long time, even late snowdrops were still in flower two weeks ago. Now Corydalis are over and I'm waiting for the seeds to ripen and Hellebores didn't flower well this year.
Here are some pictures from the past week in my garden.
Ranunculus ficaria 'Alba Plena' (I can't remember the new name right now)
A very nice Anemone nemorosa with pink flowers, they are slightly bigger than flowers of 'Kentish Pink', but the same colour.
The same pink A.nemorosa with Trillium grandiflorum
Anemone nemorosa 'Hilda' very pretty with smallish flowers
Uvularia grandiflora
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The first is an unknown very hardy and floriferous old Primula
Primula 'Dark Rosaleen'
The first peonies have opened this week, P.obovata is the first and any day now more peonies are opening.
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Trillium chloropetalum giganteum var Album
Trillium grandiflorum 'Flore Pleno' with Hylomecon japonicum
Glaucidium palmatum var leucanthemum is one of my best plants
The last picture is of Tulipa norwegica I got from Hoy two years ago, and now it is flowering :). Thank you!
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A lovely series Leena 8)
May is such an exciting time, especially there in the north.
I remember late May in Åland/Ahvenanmaa as magical, with abundant forest flowers, sun-bathing adders and glorious birdsong.
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Hasn't it been a terrific month. It's been a pleasure to log on every day and see such wonderful flowers. Thank you all.
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One of my favourite Japanese maples, Acer palmatum 'Koto No Ito' but getting rather bigger in this spot than expected.
john
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One of my favourite Japanese maples, Acer palmatum 'Koto No Ito' but getting rather bigger in this spot than expected.
john
Very nice narrow leaved - is it getting red in the fall?
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Your garden is looking great Leena! I draw lots of inspiration :)
P. obovata and C. buschii (I presume) - what can it be more lovely? 8)
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One of my favourite Japanese maples, Acer palmatum 'Koto No Ito' but getting rather bigger in this spot than expected.
john
Thank you for posting these acer photos, John. This looks like the unnamed acer which I admired recently in a private garden. The freshly opened leaves and the silhouette of the tree are both stunning. Now I know what name to look for, I shall have to buy one. How big is your tree and how old?
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Leena, your double Tr. grandiflorum is amazing but for me, the Hylomecon is even better! :D
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Carolyn - The 'Koto no Ito' is one Ken planted in a friend/customer's garden a few blocks away from us. I see from the invoice it went in in 2006, here's a pic from 2012 - things grow much more slowly here than in Scotland! It was very hard to find back then.
john
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Thank you Ashley and Shelagh. :)
John, how special Acers!
Your garden is looking great Leena! I draw lots of inspiration :)
P. obovata and C. buschii (I presume) - what can it be more lovely? 8)
:) :)
It is Dicentra eximia, though now that you wrote it C.buschii would make lovely pair with other pink flowering peonies, perhaps P.veitchii which is smaller, or P.mairei. I will have to move some Corydalis close to P.mairei which is also flowering now, and is not so big plant as P.obovata. :)
Leena, your double Tr. grandiflorum is amazing but for me, the Hylomecon is even better! :D
Hylomecon does well here, last year I tried to look for seeds from it, but didn't get any. I wonder if I should have two clones of it to produce seeds?
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Carolyn - The 'Koto no Ito' is one Ken planted in a friend/customer's garden a few blocks away from us. I see from the invoice it went in in 2006, here's a pic from 2012 - things grow much more slowly here than in Scotland! It was very hard to find back then.
john
Thanks, John, another super photo. It doesn't seem to be very widely available here either! I have found it listed in a couple of places.
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Silene hookeri subsp. bolanderi:
Glad to hear, and to see, propagating from seed is a good option. Did you have sawn immediately after you harvested the seeds or di you wait for the next season?
Silene hookeri subsp hookeri often disappear after the winter with me. How do you keep bolanderi in winter?
Silene hookeri compact form from my own seed was sown in November 2013 and germinated in January 2014.
Silene hookeri ssp bolanderi and Silene serpentinicola - seeds were obtained from Alplains in March 2015 but not sown till October
Germination took place in February and March 2016. The seeds were germinated in a covered cold frame and moved to the greenhouse when pricked out.
I did lose a few in late summer when they got too wet. I keep them just moist over winter. The greenhouse is kept just above freezing. I've only had the bolanderi for one winter so do not know if they will survive longer. I had over 20 plants to start so it did not matter if I lost one or two ;D Survival of the fittest!
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Thank you Roma. Yes, one can be less careful with so many seedlings. I just have one plant, so i don not want to lose it.