Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => The International Rock Gardener - Feedback Forum => Topic started by: Maggi Young on January 18, 2010, 09:41:47 PM
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I don't know how many of you folks drop in here via the Home Page of the SRGC.. www.srgc.net (http://www.srgc.net) or the old page: http://www.srgc.org.uk/ (http://www.srgc.org.uk/) .... but those who do may have noticed an extra hotlink there in the past couple of days...... there it is, below the Forum box.....
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the box leads to the International Rock Gardener
Click on it and you will be taken to the main menu page for a brand new SRGC Feature...........
The impatient amongst you can click here , instead!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
The page tells you about the new venture.... and this evening there is a further link there for you to follow!
Have a look, tell us what you think in the IRG feedback section .......
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4851.msg131627#msg131627 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4851.msg131627#msg131627)
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Issue 2 online 26th February 2010
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
The intention is to load a new issue on/around the last Friday of every month.
As an aid to remembering that, why not register for the SRGC Forum, and, in your profile settings: Notifications and Email , enable email alerts from this thread..... that way you'll discover when each new issue is loaded online 8)
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Issue Number 3 March 2010 is now online.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
....please look out for the hyperlinks to other relevant websites denoted by bright blue colouration of names or words :)
You may comment on the IRG here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4851.msg144563#msg144563
To make contact about a future submission for IRG, please send an email to
info@srgc.org.uk ......we look forward to hearing from you!
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Issue 4 ,April 2010 of International Rock Gardener is now online
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
As ever, your comments are most welcome here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4851.msg144563#msg144563
or email me at info AT srgc.org.uk.
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Issue 5 of International Rock Gardener, for May 2010 is now online at
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
Daphnes feature strongly in this issue.... if you need a further Daphne "fix" see this Forum thread: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4908.0 for "Daphnes 2010"... there are lots more Daphne pages in the Forum, including Olga Bondareva's 'Where the wild daphne grows" http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4332.0 8)
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Issue 6 of International Rock Gardener, for June 2010 is now online
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
In this issue there are the first introductions to Speakers at the Alpines 2011 Conference to be held in Nottingham, in the UK, in April 2011. Future issues will feature more of the Speakers......
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Jul141279102139IRGJUNE.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Jul141279102139IRGJUNE.pdf)
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Issue 7 of International Rock Gardener, for July 2010 is now online
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
In this issue there are more introductions to Speakers arranged for the Alpines 2011 Conference, organised by the Alpine Garden Society, to be held in Nottingham, in the UK, in April 2011.
The deadline for the "Early Bird discount" for the conference is the end of August, so we urge anyone interested in attending not to miss that opportunity to save Ł100!
Further to the Conference activities, there is news of the Pre and Post Conference Tours here :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2751.msg161651#msg161651
The issue also features more floral emblems of alpine plant organisations around the world.....if YOUR club hasn't been featured yet, why not drop a line to me to tell me about it?
Write to info@srgc.org.uk or post in the IRG feedback area of the Forum.
It will also be a pleasure to hear from any one who feels they have a plant story to share with IRG..... same email contact.... 8) :)
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Issue 8 of International Rock Gardener, for August 2010 is now online
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
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http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
The SRGC e-magazine 'International Rock Gardener' No.9 for September 2010 is online now. This issue contains more tributes to the late Jim Archibald and and his work and includes photos of the plants being grown worldwide from Archibald seed, sent in by growers who really appreciated the chance to grow these plants.
This photograph of Iris iberica ssp. lycotis grown from seeds he received from Jim and Jenny a few years ago is by Hans Achilles.
This Iris, as with all Hans' bulbous plants, grows outside in the garden without any protection (either in winter or summer), despite of an annual rainfall of about 800 mm.
The seed of this delightful oncocyclus Iris from Iran, was collected by a Scotsman, grown by a German living on Mallorca and is shared with gardeners from every country with an internet connection, all via the IRG ..... says it all really, doesn't it?
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Issue 10 of IRG is now online
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Nov271290899267October_IRG10_.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Nov271290899267October_IRG10_.pdf)
This issue begins an introduction some of the plant gems of North America for the rock garden.
See this issue and access all the previous issues, at
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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Hello from snowy Aberdeen- the November issue of IRG is now online
all issues :http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
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IRG 11 shows us more beautiful plants from the mountain areas of north America.
Take another tour with IRG and enjoy the photos of sunny days in the Wild West.
We also have some suggestions from Michal Hoppel about how best to grow some of these "American Beauties" in European gardens.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Nov261290804873IRG11_November2010.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Nov261290804873IRG11_November2010.pdf)
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The December issue, no. 12, of IRG is online now.... a week early to give you something to divert you all from too much festive food ;)
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Dec261293381708IRG_12_December.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Dec261293381708IRG_12_December.pdf)
We are delighted to have an article from Susann Nilsson, with permission from the Swedish Garden Club and their STA Journal - Trädgĺrds Amatören.
There are also hints on crevice garden design for good drainage and some of the wonderful plants to be captured on camera in Turkey......
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Aethionema capitatum, Kup Dag , Turkey. Photo Mojmir Pavelka .
The IRG Team would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our former SRGC President Glassford Sprunt both for his assistance with proof-reading the IRG and in compiling and Index for the 2010 editions, which is appended to this month's .
This is a vital task for IRG - thank you, Glassford!
Thanks to all those who have contributed to the first year of IRG and to those who will also make the coming year a pleasure for our readers!
From the IRG Team, wherever you are in the world, may you find peace and happiness now and in the year to come.
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First issue of 2011 is now online:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Jan271296161952IRG13.pdf
Sunrise behind Frederikshavn, from an article by Ellen Raebild & Herluf Johansen, Denmark
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February issue of IRG is now online:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Feb241298591020IRG14_Feb_2011.pdf
Signs of Spring from John Gennard's wood........
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The March issue of International Rock Gardener - IRG15 - is now online.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Mar251301088655IRG15_March_2011.pdf
Featuring -
Joan and Liam McCaughey's selection from the Tien Shan; 'Silk Road Blues'
Kata and Ferenc Zoltan's photo essay of striking natural plant combinations: 'Alpine Groupings and Rock Gardens in Nature'
Vlastimil Braun on Daphne malyana
and introducing an article from Paige Woodward that is shown in full in the Forum on an Iris "re-found" in Afghanistan ( http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6967.0 )
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Sorry, there's a mistake:
"In IRG13 we visited the Northern Ireland garden of Joan and Liam as they constructed a crevice garden"
Oops, typo... that should be IRG 14 February 2011
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Feb241298591020IRG14_Feb_2011.pdf
Edit by Maggi: the typo is corrected now and the IRG15 can be found here...
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Mar251301088655IRG15_March_2011.pdf
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IRG16 for April 2011 is now online.....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Apr281304030775IRG16_April2011.pdf
The cover photo is Tulipa orthopoda by Vladimir Kolbintsev, formerly a research scientist at the Aksu-Dzhabagly nature reserve and regarded Kazakhstan‘s leading naturalist.
Also included are articles by Dieter Zschummel ,Todd Boland, Cedrik Haškovec and Štěpánka Haškovcová.
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Moltkia coerulea in the Ala Dag
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IRG 17 for May 2011 is now online:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011May261306444476IRGMay2011.pdf
We celebrate the centenary of the rock garden at Wisley, with Paul Cumbleton and introduce a new section in the IRG Forum area, devoted to the Garden History : http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7231.0 Dr John Page is well known for his interest in this subject and welcomes any contributions to the Forum pages on the history of gardens , particularly rock gardens, around the world.
There is also an article from ZZ on the English primula grower and tufa fan, David Philbey. 8)
This month's IRG cover picture is Campanula morettiana, photographed by Gita Piatková of the Czech Republic.
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Those of you who appreciate the provision of this monthly magazine and who may not be SRGC Members, may care to make a donation to the SRGC to assist us to continue our online prescence, via the "DONATE" button at the top of this webpage :)
Many thanks to those of you who have done that! 8)
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IRG for JUNE 2011 is now online. http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Jun271309163193IRG18-June2011.pdf
A mix of plants and places around the world to please those of us not off on our own travels this summer!
Steve Newall of New Zealand gives an insight into one of the South Island's regions, as shown on this map.....
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Time for a new IRG edition: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Jul281311872373IRG19.pdf
This month's IRG has contributions from Jules Fouarge, Cedrik and Štěpánka Haškovec, Zdeněk Zvolánek and J. Ian Young.
There is talk of Campanulas, Gentians and Hypericums, from Turkey and the Himalayas, as well as visits to the Picos de Europa and the Cascades.
If the IRG is showing you plants that you would love to grow, remember our wonderful Seed Exchange that can give you access to such seed and also support it with donations of seed from your own garden.
These photos of orchids from the Picos de Europa are from the Haškovecs.
Ophrys apifera
Orchis provincialis
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August 2011 issue of IRG is now online ..... we return to the subject of Campanula morettiana, and hear more from Cedrik and Štěpánka Haškovec .....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international - for main IRG menu
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Aug251314305515IRG20August_2011.pdf - for August Issue
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7778.0 for further item and photos
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We welcome new contributor Grahame Ware to the September 2011 issue of IRG which is now online :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
There are some "extras" to IRG 21 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7893.0
More photos, links and so on. :)
Many thanks to Glassford Sprunt and Richard Green, the IRG proof-readers. Glassford is also the compiler of the IRG index, as well as the index for The Rock Garden.
Edit by M: My apologies for getting Richard's name quite wrong... he is Richard Green, not Webb as I first wrote..... you see why I need good proof readers, eh?!! :-[
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October IRG is online...... http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Oct271319742037IRG22October_2011.pdf
we hope there is something there to interest you.
Here is a pdf Index of the IRG (complete up to and including this current issue) compiled by Glassford Sprunt
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The November Issue of IRG is online now http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Nov241322170676IRG_23_-_November2011_.pdf
We return to the ever popular subject of Turkey and her plants .... this country is, of course, species rich and the appetite to learn more of the plants who inhabit that large and diverse region seems undimmed.
For the bulb lovers, J. Ian Young encourages an interest in the dwarf narcissus of the "hoop petticoat" type, so invaluable for flowering through the northern hemisphere winter as well as into spring.
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Two years completed :)
Friends, the December issue of IRG is now online.
A slight departure from our usual format, as you will see. ;)
Thanks to all our contributors and helpers over the year and to those who have given encouragement.
To Glassford Sprunt and Richard Green for their proof-reading, Maggi gives particular thanks.
Glassford continues to prepare the IRG Index and the up to date index for all 24 issues is included in the December 2011 issue.
With kindest regards for a Good New Year !
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Dec281325076523IRG24December2011.pdf
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Welcome to a new year of IRG.
The January issue is now online, beginning with a look back to some plants that are popular now as they were forty years ago. Some things never change, it seems.
Grahame Ware explores his affection for a little snapdragon and Fritz Kummert shares his delight in an unassuming Idaho native.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jan251327507359IRG25-Jan2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jan251327507359IRG25-Jan2012.pdf)
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February's issue of IRG is now online :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Feb241330043727IRG_26_Feb2012.pdf
Richard Green, one of the IRG team in Scotland, gives tips on how to become an international rock gardener by embarking upon foreign travel. The well known duo of Kirsten Andersen and Lars Hansen from Denmark introduce us to a some Daphnes.
The cover photo shows an Israeli iris in snow.... not in its homeland, where it has seen such conditions only once in the last century, but in the garden of bulb lover Hans Achilles in the Balearic Islands 8)
More photos of that iris in Hans' garden and coming into flower in Israel, photos from Fred Depalle, in this thread : http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8382.0
ZZ gets confused by a stone cress and we consider the origins of a cheery Scots broom........
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March issue of IRG is now online: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Apr031333442629IRG27-March2012.pdf
This month we have:
The promise of primulas to come from John Mattingley, of Cluny Gardens in Perthshire, Scotland.
Dieter Zschummel introduces some quite enchanting annual gentians from China.
Gerd Knoche muses on some of his favourite violas - this time some yellow flowered species.
Kata Jozsa and Ferenc Zoltan have photos of Crocus vernus subsp. albiflorus, tempting us to the Dolomites later in the year.... which leads us to a note about a new book which we think will become essential for any traveller to those mountains.
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Hello Friends,
the April 2012 issue of IRG is now online
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Apr261335475783IRG28-April2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Apr261335475783IRG28-April2012.pdf)
we hope you enjoy it :)
Link to paper on Ranunculus wettsteinii https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256585993_Allopolyploid_origin_of_the_Balkan_endemic_Ranunculus_wettsteinii_%28Ranunculaceae%29_inferred_from_nuclear_and_plastid_DNA_sequences?showFulltext=true (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256585993_Allopolyploid_origin_of_the_Balkan_endemic_Ranunculus_wettsteinii_%28Ranunculaceae%29_inferred_from_nuclear_and_plastid_DNA_sequences?showFulltext=true)
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The May 2012 issue of IRG is now online. http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012May241337894269IRG29-May2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012May241337894269IRG29-May2012.pdf)
This month there are Tecophilaeas to charm you in shades of blue, Penstemons in shades of red and an Aconitum with wine-red promise.
We also catch up with the Primulas at Cluny.
And I can report that the sun has arrived in Scotland - this may even be Summer! :)
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In the June issue of IRG Christoph Ruby, of the Hof Botanic Garden in Germany is upbeat in his report on the plants in Hof’s crevice garden and we are able to offer encouragment to growers with examples from the gardens of forumists from several countries.
We again return to Turkey to examine some more of the fine plants that so tempt us, but those in this selection are proving none too easy in cultivation. So much so that Zdeněk Zvolánek calls them "Anatolian Troublemakers"! The flora of Turkey is immensely varied and greatly admired by many rock gardeners : "Dr Rock" - David Millward who contributed the cover picture of Arnebia densiflora from the steppe, near Erzincan, Anatolia has reported on a recent SRGC trip in the Forum in pages about Eastern Turkey, here :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=7936.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=7936.0)
All issues of IRG (International Rock Gardener) can be found here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
Cover photo
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The International Rock Gardener June 2012 :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jun281340917807IRG_30-June2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jun281340917807IRG_30-June2012.pdf)
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This month, when the USA celebrated Independence Day, the IRG has a distinctly North American bias to the plants covered, starting with the first of a small series by Gene Mirro about the lilies of western America.
IRG 31 July 2012 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jul261343329301IRG31_July2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jul261343329301IRG31_July2012.pdf)
Rex Murfitt addresses a charming Iris whose needs have been mis-stated over a great many years and ZZ throws a friendly challenge to a friend about another North American plant, Telesonix heucheriformis.
photo by Gene Mirro
Drift of natural hybrids L. x pardalinum
Hybrid 2
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International Rock Gardener - IRG 32 August 2012
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Aug301346354548IRG_32_August2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Aug301346354548IRG_32_August2012.pdf)
This month we learn of two diverse Gatherings of Rock Gardeners - the NZAGS Study weekend in February 2013 and the Second International Czech Rock Garden Conference, in May 2013. The SRGC is proud to be a sponsor of these events.
Plant-wise......
Gene Mirro continues his series with the lilies of Southern California and the Sierra Nevada;
.......we have a note on Gentiana occidentalis;
...... and Kirsten Andersen and Lars Hansen explore the diversity of Oxalis laciniata var. pubescens. :)
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September's IRG is loaded a little early :)
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Sep271348748134IRG33_Sept2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Sep271348748134IRG33_Sept2012.pdf)
This month sees features by...... nurseryman Tim Ingram about the Welsh garden of
the Plant-hunters Jim and Jenny Archibald. This article has been added to the Archibald Archive in the SRGC website. http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/features-mainmenu-47/srgc-information/41-resources/271-srgc (http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/features-mainmenu-47/srgc-information/41-resources/271-srgc)
Tim is a passionate believer in the importance of gardens, particularly in the context of organisations such as the SRGC and its sisters.
Adrian Young presents one of his preferred Saxifraga species and it is his photo that gives our cover picture: Saxifraga catalaunica.
Gene Mirro concludes his series on the lilies of North West America – a piece on the germination of these western species lilies is posted in the SRGC Forum area, here:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9610.new#new (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9610.new#new)
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October IRG is online:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Jun2414036385622012Nov071352287814October_IRG_34.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Jun2414036385622012Nov071352287814October_IRG_34.pdf)
This month is a real celebration of the many talents of SRGC Forumists as their (present day) photos of seasonal colour are used to illustrate both an old SRGC Journal Article from 1953 about Autumn colour in the Scottish garden of the Knox-Finlays at Keillour Castle and also some Spring joys in the southern hemisphere.
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Online now: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Nov291354225242IRG35_November2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Nov291354225242IRG35_November2012.pdf)
As gardeners we can sometimes be accused of creating unnatural settings for our plants: the first article this month shows how well nature creates “real” rock gardens, surely we can do no better than follow her example! Cliff Booker, who has also contributed the cover picture, shows a selection from various locations.
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Rhododendron ferrugineum above Corvara in the Dolomites
Zdeněk Zvolánek abandoned the Beauty Slope this summer for some plant hunting excursions – he shares with us a brief trip to Italy.'s Apuan Alps.
For some growers, their interest lies in working to produce hybrid plants which they hope will be easier of cultivation or more floriferous: In the world of saxifrages we are aware of the immense skill of the Czech growers - Adrian Young highlights for us the work of a British grower, Ray Fairbairn, who has done a lot of work with both Saxifraga and Primula. Photos for this article are from Adrian Young and David Hoare.
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Saxifraga 'Allendale Comet'
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Saxifraga Allendale Allure'
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See http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Dec271356608342IRG36December2012.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Dec271356608342IRG36December2012.pdf)
for the December IRG
This is the 36th issue, completing the third year of our "one year experiment" :)
Our thanks to all our wonderful contributors and loyal readers - we hope the coming year brings health and happiness to you all - and provides continuing interest for you in the IRG.
Seasonal Greetings from the IRG Team !
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IRG 37 - January 2013
This issue heralds the Snowdrop Season with news from Valentin Wijnen, who has also provided the cover picture. Valentin will be familiar to many “Galanthophiles” from his talks at Galanthus events in several countries as well as his contributions to the VRV (http://www.vrvforum.be/forum/index.php (http://www.vrvforum.be/forum/index.php) ) and SRGC Forum pages where Snowdrop threads are immensely popular!
Taking us ‘out and about’ to the Swedish region of Abisko is Susann Nilsson who shows the natural habitat of many fine plants that are treasured by many of us in our gardens.
Susann is known for her Passion for Pulsatillas!
The Editorial Team send their grateful thanks to all those who have been in contact to say they enjoy this form of magazine. Such comments are most welcome and are an inspiration to us to continue in this work. Most important in this process, of course, are our contributors, without whom none of this is possible. We take this chance to thank all those who have contributed in the past and encourage everyone to submit articles or ideas for the future. Many kind comments about the IRG concern the fine photographs that are the backbone of our publication. So many people, not just our authors, are kind enough to allow the use of their photographs in these pages: as with text, the ownership and copyright of these photos remain with the originator and anyone wishing to use them elsewhere should seek permission. To do so, or to submit an article, please make contact in the first instance to editor@internationalrockgardener.org
IRG January 2013 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jan241359046525IRG37Jan2013.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jan241359046525IRG37Jan2013.pdf)
IRG Index: A full index to IRG, compiled by Glassford Sprunt may be download via this link:
http://files.srgc.net/journals/International_Index_37.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/International_Index_37.pdf)
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IRG #38 February 2013
Ian Christie has been lucky enough to travel to see plants in nature in many parts of the world but he never loses sight of the beauty that is available in his own country, Scotland. Scottish Mountains may not be the highest, but the landscape can be dramatic and plants of the mountain and woodland can be found even almost at the edge of the sea. Ian shares his delight in such plants.
Ian Young, writes for the ‘world of bulbs’ on one of his favourite tubers, Corydalis solida and the garden forms of this plant that do well in North East Scotland. Ian has documented his experiences growing bulbs corms and tubers every week since 2003 in his Bulb Log Diary on the SRGC Site.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Mar011362129867IRG38Feb2013.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Mar011362129867IRG38Feb2013.pdf)
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March 2013 - IRG 39 - http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Mar291364556865IRG39March2013.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Mar291364556865IRG39March2013.pdf)
The plant world is full of many stories and interlinking paths: over the years both plants and people come together, drift apart and meet again.
It is often said that very little is truly new under the sun, though happily discoveries are still made by intrepid and determined plant hunters, but for many, there is just as much interest in uncovering the connections between the hunters and plants of the past - be that distant or in living memory.
Yes, there are those who are happy to just see a plant or seed for sale and to obtain it to grow in their garden, never giving its origins a second thought – but there is so often a “back story” to a plant that adds so much intrigue to the process – we are happy to celebrate such tales in our pages.
This month we feature Androsace euryantha by Jozef Lemmens
and Erodium cheilanthifolium by Zdeněk Zvolanek
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a local beauty with a primula posy - photo Jozef Lemmens
See every issue of IRG here http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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The April issue, IRG 40 is now online http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Apr261366962255IRG40April.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Apr261366962255IRG40April.pdf)
Plant hunters have always been intrepid souls, venturing into areas where all sorts of unknown tribulations lurked. Happily, the fate of David Douglas – who died in a pit trap in Hawaii in 1834 - has befallen few recent plant explorers.
The Latvian nurseryman, bulb expert and author Jānis Rukšāns is a valued contributor to this SRGC forum. Last month he made a trip to North West Turkey. This issue of IRG includes much of that story but a great many more photographs can be seen here in the SRGC Forum along with other references.
Jaroslav Baláž, a Czech grower who has a small alpine nursery in the village of Dolní Rožínka, writes about Ranunculus seguieri
This photo of Ranunculs seguieri in the wild is from "Ranunculus" himself, Cliff Booker. ;)
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A full index to the IRG is available here :
http://files.srgc.net//journals/IRGIndex40.pdf (http://files.srgc.net//journals/IRGIndex40.pdf)
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IRG 41, for May 2013 is now online. this is the first issue dedicated to the exciting gathering of International Rock Gardeners in early May in the Czech Republic.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013May301369920930IRG41May.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013May301369920930IRG41May.pdf)
It seemed fitting to celebrate these gardeners!
Photos of many of those attending can be seen here : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10517.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10517.0) and those who attended the event are invited to post their 'people pix' there as well. For other photos there is this thread in the forum, where your photos will also be greatly appreciated : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10484.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10484.0)
Here is the "missing Alpine Parrot"- Vaclav - with his Mother, Ludmila
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Main page of IRG http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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June 2013 IRG 42
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jun271372340302IRG42June.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jun271372340302IRG42June.pdf)
new url
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jun281372419197IRG42June.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jun281372419197IRG42June.pdf)
We conclude our look at the recent events hosted by the rock gardeners of the Czech Republic with a visit to the garden of Vojtěch Holubec in Praha-Suchdol and of Zdeněk Zvolánek in Karlík, the Beauty Slope.
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In the Holubec garden
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ZZ "the Stonerider" on the Holubec garden !
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Cameras on the Beauty Slope
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Tim Ingram, an English nurseryman gives a brief overview of his experience of the Czech trip.
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My apologies, there is a change to the url for the June Issue, now it is
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jun281372419197IRG42June.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jun281372419197IRG42June.pdf) - there was a mistake in an Edraianthus name - Edraianthus pulevicii - on page 4 - now corrected.
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I hope you will take time out from your busy lives to read the July issue of IRG:
Gerrit Eijkelenboom from Lelystad in the Netherlands describes himself as a "gardener on the sea bottom", he grows a wide range of both rock garden and shade loving plants and has something of a fondness for Epimediums and Meconopsis - the latter being quite a struggle for him to grow well in his local climate. Gerrit and his wife enjoy plant hunting by camera on holiday and he contributes photos of some orchids seen recently in Crete.
Jan Jílek, a nurseryman who divides his time between the Czech Republic and Samarkand in Uzbekistan, is one of the brave folk with only a little English who still takes the time to contribute to the SRGC Forum in our strange language!
IRG 43 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jul261374832351IRG43July.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Jul261374832351IRG43July.pdf)
N. B. erratum page 12 - Ophrys spruneri is shown incorrectly as Ophrys sprunneri
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Ophrys heldreichii
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Orchis papilionacea .....these photos by Gerrit Eijkelenboom.
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IRG 44 August 2013 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Aug291377798656IRG44August.pdf) (click to follow link)
This month we follow the renewal of the garden in British Columbia
of our late colleague Joyce Carruthers by her daughter Amanda with the help of ZZ and friends.
Trond Hřy describes the plants seen on Svalbard in the north west of Norway,
a region he has visited several times, the first time as a student back in 1977.
Trond shared his trip both here in the SRGC Forum and in the NARGS forum - the IRG is now the beneficiary!
World of Bulbs features late summer/autumn crocus from J. Ian Young, writer of the Bulb Log,
along with some photos of these in the wild from Johan Nilson of Gothenburg Botanic Garden.
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The September issue of IRG welcomes the autumn to the northern hemisphere as spring gets into its stride in the south.
You can find the issue here :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Sep281380401493IRG45September2013.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Sep281380401493IRG45September2013.pdf)
Two Czech Rock Gardeners in Nepal is by Zdeněk Zvolánek, with photographs by Mojmír Pavelka and Vladimír Staněk.
Rogan Roth from South Africa speaks of his lifelong affection for Tigridia pavonia
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Jozef Lemmens of Belgium,supplies both text and photos for the first part of his article on Zhongdian
and
ZZ introduces the recently described Campanula hacerae
The IRG has been assigned the ISSN 2053-7557
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IRG 46 - October 2013 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Oct241382632259IRG46_October2013.pdf)
Is there any wonder that gardeners are always talking about the weather when there seems to be little in the way of steady seasonal temperatures in the last year or so ? Here in the UK we are hurtling from sunshine that promises "shirt sleeve weather" to sharp overnight frosts. In Australia there are reports of terrible fires threatening life and homes and other friends are worrying about unaturally hot days that are putting paid to flowers at a fast rate.
We can but hope that the IRG provides a spot of gentle relief from such stresses as Grahame Ware praises a Lewisia named for a film star, we view some great plants from the Karabet region and find a plea not to ignore a remarkable tulip.
Main IRG page where all issues are available: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
In contrast to the IRG photos from the Karabet Pass, here is a Merendera kurdica cultivated in a pot by Peter Clarke- this photo from elsewhere in the Forum -
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IRG 47 November 2013 (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Nov291385684453IRG47November2013.pdf) - click to download
November's IRG contains the second part of Jozef Lemmens' article on Zhongdian and also features some plants from the Gesneriaceae - with a look back to an article from a 1968 issue of The Rock Garden about plants in the garden and details of some intergeneric hybrids from Josef Halda.
Jankmonda x jurasekii 'Rudi'
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The Editorial Team of the IRG joins with all SRGC Members to send Seasonal Greetings to all our readers worldwide.
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We very much appreciate your continued support, notes and emails.
There are many who contribute to the IRG -from the authors and photographers to our hardworking index-compiling and proof-reading helpers, Glassford Sprunt and Richard Green – all of these fine people are deserving of our respect and thanks. A full index is appended to this December issue.
Any submissions, from you, with fine photographs of plants and gardens are keenly awaited! Contact is
simple – email editor@internationalrockgardener.net with your text and photos or indeed ideas and
comments: we will be delighted to hear from you.
We hope you will enjoy our calendar for 2014 with photographs from the IRG and SRGC Forum.
With best wishes for the coming year!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Dec261388090959IRG48December2013.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Dec261388090959IRG48December2013.pdf)
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This month the IRG (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Jan291391022895IRG49.pdf) breaks with habit to present a single genus issue.
Eranthis, ( also known, confusingly, as is often the case with common names, as Winter Aconites) are one of the delights of late winter, early spring in the garden. Wim Boens explores the main species and a number of cultivars of this increasingly popular plant.
Of course, wild flowers tend to be all the more beautiful by their habit of carpeting the ground and in Carolyn Walker's blog (http://carolynsshadegardens.com/2012/02/21/a-wonder-of-nature/), she shows how charming Eranthis in quantity can be ***. For most of the new cultivars, though, these are still being enjoyed, for the most part, as small plants in pots but in time these plants should prove to be as valuable in our gardens as the presently widespread species.
***The cultivar ‘Lightning’ was actually selected from the park that Carolyn profiled in her post..
Even as Wim has collated his lists of cultivars, yet more are being shown in the pages of the SRGC Forum as well as examples of variants in the species
Three cultivars pictured by Hagen Engelmann : 'Uckroer Frühlingsonne', 'Andenken an Johannes Raschke' (interior), 'Winterzauber' ( buds)
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Eranthis pinnatifida in the garden of Poul Erik Eriksen in Denmark.
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A special form of Eranthis stellata from Jan Jílek
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Two forms of Erantis longistipitata from Iran, photos Jānis Rukšāns
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seed collection WHIR 038
Main IRG page where all issues are available: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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The February 2014 issue of IRG (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Feb271393533473IRG50February.pdf)is our fiftieth magazine.
There is a strongly North American flavour from some of our Canadian contributors – though not necessarily about North American plants :
Dracocephalum by Grahame Ware
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Dracocephalum purdonii , shown in the Forum by Lori Skulski
A report on Paul Spriggs’ Crevice Garden Demonstration by June Strandberg, with photos from June S. and Barb Lemoine of VIRAGS
Phlox diffusa in the wild by Dr. Hans Roemer
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Two pictures of Phlox diffusa in the wild by Tony Willis, shared in the SRGC Forum
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Thank you for your continuing support!
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The latest IRG, online now, has articles from Gerrit Eijkelenboom from the Netherlands and Trond Hřy from Norway on their individual reactions to the same trip earlier this year to see plants in South America with an international group of plant lovers.
IRG51 of March 2015 http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Aug241408891542IRG51March.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Aug241408891542IRG51March.pdf)
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international) main page
Some extra photos from Trond to whet your appetite :
Chloraea alpina
Corynabutilon bicolor
Road through Paso Cordoba
Geranium sessiliflorum
Junellia toninii
- click the pictures to enlarge them
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http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Aug241408891542IRG51March.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Aug241408891542IRG51March.pdf)
A complete Index to the IRG to date is here : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex51.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex51.pdf)[/b]
More South American gems: photos by Trond Hřy
Nothofagus pumilio forest
Onuris graminifolia
Rhodophiala andicola
Rhodophiala elwesii
Rhodophiala mendocina
- click the pictures to enlarge them
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See also http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11627.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11627.0) for some plant name corrections with photos from Gerrit for the IRG March 2014
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The IRG this month brings its readers the latest paper describing new Crocus species from Jānis Rukšāns the well-known bulb expert.
Dr Rukšāns is the author, in English, of the book Crocuses: A complete Guide to the Genus and Buried Treasures: finding and Growing the World’s Choicest Bulbs, as well as several titles in Latvian, his native tongue. We also have Dr Rukšāns comments on the recent paper by Ingo Schneider on Crocus brachyfilus vis ŕ vis C. elegans as well as his reiteration of his decision to re-classify some of his earlier namings from subspecies to species status.
IRG 52 APRIL: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Apr241398364476IRG52April.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Apr241398364476IRG52April.pdf)
International Rock Gardener main page :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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Crocus brickellii flower and corm
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Star rug from the Ushak region 16th Century
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Crocus uschakensis
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The International Rock Gardener - May 2014
The May 2014 issue is # 53 you can find it online here (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014May291401389380IRG53May.pdf)
This month we feature the Spring Garden in Aberdeen in North East Scotland of two of the Editorial Team of the IRG, the Youngs.
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John Mattingley of Cluny poses a primula puzzle
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and ZZ tells of the generosity of a friendy plantswoman which has enriched his garden, "the Beauty Slope".
YOUR contributions are not only most welcome; we are actively seeking your input which is key to the vigour of this enterprise.
To submit material for inclusion in the International Rock Gardener contact: editor@internationalrockgardener.net with the subject line
“E-Magazine”
A full index to the IRG to date is available here (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex53.pdf)
Regards,
M. Young
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IRG 54 June 2014 :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Jun261403795157IRG54June2014.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Jun261403795157IRG54June2014.pdf)
We find ourselves halfway through the year – this hardly seems possible but the calendar does not lie even if some plants are ahead or behind of what we consider “normal”. The IRG for June contains a mix of plants, places and contributors for your mid-year consideration, from Wales via China and the Czech Republic to Denmark and South America – where, coincidentally, many Welsh people have settled over the years – it is truly a small world.
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Gentiana altorum from Halda and Jurasek
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Campanula raineri 'Alba' in a trough - John Good.
Updated IRG Index link : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex54.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex54.pdf)
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Primula sieboldii from John Good.
A selection of photos from Trond Hřy which were not able to be used in the IRG 51 of March 2014 is now published as a supplement to that issue. It can be downloaded from this link: http://files.srgc.net/journals/PhotoSupplementtoIRG51.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/PhotoSupplementtoIRG51.pdf)
Trond repeats his thanks to Kok van Herk for his assistance in checking the plant names.
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Oxalis san-romanii
The flora of South America continues to exercise a fascination among growers, as can be seen from the abundance of articles and books on the subject being published. The supplement lists some of the most recent of these books.
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Click HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Jul241406233461IRG55.pdf)for IRG 55 July 2014
July 2014 : IRG 55 has an article from Elspeth Mackintosh, Senior Horticulturist at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on a trip she made to Bhutan, part funded with an SRGC Exploration Grant.
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Each year the Scottish Rock Garden Club is fortunate to be able to award grant aid for students of horticulture or botany to aid them in their college or university costs and also give grants for Exploration projects. You can find all details http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/grants (http://[url=http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/grants)]here [/url]on the SRGC website
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A full index for the IRG is here : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex55.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex55.pdf)
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The August IRG is online : articles from Grahame Ware on a charming Campanula and a report from the Haut Chitelet Garden from Phippe Chauvet
See it HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Aug281409242117IRG56.pdf)
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Enjoy a hike with David Sellars on one of the finest alpine walks, be tempted to grow a range of Androsace like Franz Hadacek and meet Rafa Diez Dominguez, plantsman and artist : All in September's IRG
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Sep251411672305IRG57.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Sep251411672305IRG57.pdf) September 2014 IRG
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international) main IRG page
http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex57.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex57.pdf) IRG Index to September 2014
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Myosotis alpestris - David Sellars.
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IRG 58 of October 2014 is now online HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Oct301414703577IRG58.pdf) : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Oct301414703577IRG58.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Oct301414703577IRG58.pdf)
We have a new contributor this month - Robbie Blackhall-Miles, who is propagator at Crug Farm Plants in North Wales and blogs for ‘Guardian Gardening’ where he encourages people to try growing something new and different. On his website www.fossilplants.co.uk (http://www.fossilplants.co.uk) he writes about the plants growing in his ‘backyard botanic garden’ (http://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=5021&ftrCountry=GB&ftrKeyword=&ftrBGCImem=Y&ftrIAReg=); a collection of early evolutionary plants and horticultural oddities. He is becoming renowned for succeeding with difficult to grow plant species and is particularly interested in Proteaceae, Ericaceae, Cycads and Ferns. He is a fellow of ‘The Linnean Society Of London’ – the world’s premier society for the study of natural history, and is Chairman of the Australasian Plant Society in Great Britain.
IRG 58 has an article from Robbie Blackhall-Miles on the living roof of his shed. He has included some rather surprising plants there. Who would expect to see Ranunculus lyallii , looking so much at home in its native New Zealand in this photo by David Lyttle, to be able to survive on the roof of a wooden shed in Wales?
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Ranunculus lyallii in the Hooker Valley by David Lyttle.
Zdeněk Zvolánek (ZZ) writes, with input from Robert Rolfe and John Mitchell of the lovely Gentiana ternifolia ' Cangshan' . The introduction of this gentian is discussed in the June 1989 issue of The Rock Garden in an article: "Two new autumn flowering gentians - possibly ascribed to Gentiana ternifolia" by I. Christie and I.H. McNaughton - the full Journal including the article is available online : http://files.srgc.net/journals/vol_1%20to_113/84.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/vol_1%20to_113/84.pdf)
(You may not know that 127137 (number updated!) issues of the SRGC journal "The Rock Garden" are available to read or download from this page : http://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=5021&ftrCountry=GB&ftrKeyword=&ftrBGCImem=Y&ftrIAReg= (http://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=5021&ftrCountry=GB&ftrKeyword=&ftrBGCImem=Y&ftrIAReg=) 8) )
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Zdeněk Zvolánek also sings the praises of a Daphne arbuscula cultivar, 'Star of Ziskov'
(http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international) main page for all issues of IRG and
a full Index is here : Index http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex58.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex58.pdf))
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IRG 58 cover photo of Ranunculus lyallii in habitat in New Zealand - by J. Ian Young
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This month the IRG 59 has articles on plant naming, trough planting and a charming oriental orchid:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Nov271417122600IRG59.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Nov271417122600IRG59.pdf)
Plant Portrait : Ponerorchis graminifolia by Grahame Ware, Canada
Crocuses from "The Holy Mountain" of Athos, Greece by Jānis Rukšāns, Latvia
Concrete troughs: man-made mountains text and photos by J. Ian Young, Scotland
If you have a favourite plant genus you’d like to discuss, innovative ideas in cultivation, or some other idea about the world of plants and gardens that is important to you, you are most welcome to contact the IRG Team about it. You can make contact via Editor@internationalrockgardner.net – we look forward to hearing from you.
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Crocus athous
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The completion of year five - celebrating 60 issues of IRG with a cover painting of the SRGC emblem, Dryas octopetala by one of our talented artist members, Anne Chambers.
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Featured plants are Saxifraga dinnikii forma alba and some quite amazingly large Cyclamen from Greece.
Also included is a full index compiled by Glassford Sprunt- decorated for the first time with a new cover picture - again of our Dryas emblem - this time photographed in Canada by Lori Skulski.
IRG Issue 12 of 2014 #60 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Dec221419264038IRG60.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2014Dec221419264038IRG60.pdf)
Main page with links to all issues of the IRG :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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Corm of Crocus gunae
IRG 61 of January 2015 is a Crocus Special:
Please note there is a new link for IRG 61 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb011422783332IRG61.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb011422783332IRG61.pdf)
Dr. Jānis Rukšāns, described by Chris Brickell as a “journalist, author, nationalist
politician, plantsman, plant breeder, plant explorer,and eminent nurseryman” describes various new Crocus species -
Crocus gunae, Crocus reinhardii Crocus iranicus
Jānis is also a speaker at the SRGC Discussion Weekend in October http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12742.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12742.0)
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Crocus reinhardii
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Please note there is a new link for IRG 61 :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb011422783332IRG61.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb011422783332IRG61.pdf)
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New Issue : IRG 62 of February 2015 online now !
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb261424987169IRG62.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb261424987169IRG62.pdf)
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'GRÜNER FAUN'
At this time of year in the northern hemisphere our thoughts are buoyed by the increasing evidence of spring flowers and many of these are “bulbs” in the widest sense.
The passion and fashion for Galanthus continues unabated so we thought a report from landscape architect and galanthophile Hagen Engelmann from Cottbus, on some of his favourite snowdrops, which are not “just white” was appropriate.
Christophe Ruby from the Hof Botanical Garden makes a plea in his article for more enthusiasm for a plant he considers to be too often overlooked for use in our gardens.
Finally, Wim Boens, the Belgian plantsman so active for the VRV provides an update to his previous article on the Genus Eranthis. Yes, this is an issue of IRG heavy with “bulbs” – if you feel this to be an overload then we invite you to submit a piece on a plant that interests you!
Main page for all issues of International Rock Gardener e-magazine http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
Up to date Index to IRG always available here http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9567.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9567.0)
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New Issue : IRG 62 of February 2015 online now !
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb261424987169IRG62.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Feb261424987169IRG62.pdf)
New Information from Hagen Engelmann re Galanthus 'FEDERSCHWINGEN' - this plant was found by Kurt Kleisa
Thanks to Hans J. for a note to say that the Austrian Mountains mentioned are the Leitha Mts. not Laitha. :)
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In International Rock Gardener 63, March 2015 we have a brief photo report from Mike Kintgen of a trip in South America, undertaken with help from and SRGC grant ; photos from Luc Gilgemyn of the "plant of the moment" Hepatica ; and an update on the planting of the crevice garden at Bangsbo, in Denmark from Ellen Raebild and Herluf Johansen - with added comments from Zdenek Zvolanek, who has been involved since the beginning of this ambitious project.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Mar261427382469IRG63.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Mar261427382469IRG63.pdf)
As usual, the full index has been updated:
http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex63.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex63.pdf)
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cover photo: Crocus kofudagensis JJJ-024 in the locus classicus
This month the IRG presents further notes on new and re-classified Crocus species from Dr Jānis Rukšāns.
We also include some photos to give a flavour from the recent Spring Show and Sale of plants held in Prague by our friends in the Klub skalničkářů Praha. Three shows per year are staged in the gardens of the Faust House and St John on the Rock Church on Charles Square (Karlově náměstí) in the beautiful city of Prague. The next exhibition is from May 6th to the 23rd.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Apr231429824727IRG64.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Apr231429824727IRG64.pdf) April 2015 issue
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international) main page for all issues IRG
http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex64.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex64.pdf) latest index up to IRG64
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Crocus antalyensioides Alba
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The May IRG brings tales of a small raised crevice bed by Matthew Stuttard + report of 2014 SRGC Summer Day from Tim Ingram and Olga Bondareva - to tempt you for this year's event on 22nd August (http://files.srgc.net/show_info/SRGCShowSchedules2015.pdf) - and a reminder of the importance of pollinators ......
IRG 65 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015May301432989668IRG_65_May.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015May301432989668IRG_65_May.pdf)
Full IRG Index : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex65.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex65.pdf)
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Antennaria dioica 'Alex Duguid'
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International Rock Gardener ISSN 2053-7557
Issue 66 June 2015 http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Jun251435252604IRG_66.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Jun251435252604IRG_66.pdf)
Plants to be seen in spring in the area of Mt Trevenque in the Spanish Sierra Nevada by Dieter Zschummel with photos by Dieter and Kirsten Andersen.
Cyclamen elegans discussed by Grahame Ware, photos by Michael Kammerlander
New galanthus cultivars from Anne Wright - the Dryad Gold group.
Full index to IRG http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex66.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex66.pdf)
main IRG page http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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IRG 67 has the second part of the Eijkelenboom report on the orchids of Crete, Zdenek Zvolanek shows the landscaping of a trough in Moravia, and Steve Garvie and Ian Young show how Dactylorhiza can colonise troughs and gardens in Scotland
IRG 67 http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Jul301438283975IRG-67.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Jul301438283975IRG-67.pdf)
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Ophrys grigoriana
Full IRG Index : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex67.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex67.pdf)
IRG main page : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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August 2015 IRG 68 - online now:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Aug261440625534IRG_68.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Aug261440625534IRG_68.pdf)
Robert Pavlis of Guelph, Ontario Canada is the author of http://www.gardenmyths.com/ (http://www.gardenmyths.com/)
and owner of Aspen Grove Gardens discusses a Hylomecon mystery -
Jan Tholhuijsen of Roosendaal in the Southern Netherlands has fun with trough making -
and there is a plea for support of the Seed Exchanges not only of the Scottish Rock Garden Club but also of other organisations to which readers may be members, and to support the Seed Photo project of this forum. ;D
Main page of all issues:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
Latest Index
http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex68.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGIndex68.pdf)
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International Rock Gardener #69 - Erythronium Special
The IRG for September 2015 is an "Erythronium Special" - an issue where the various articles by Ed Alverson from the SRGC website are brought together to give an overview of the discoveries of the species of western America for Ed’s travels in his “Erythronium Big Year” and update them to present them to a new audience.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Sep251443177809IRG_69_Erythronium_Special.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Sep251443177809IRG_69_Erythronium_Special.pdf)
A full IRG index is available here : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
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cover of IRG 69: Erythronium montanum in Mt Rainier National Park Washington, Ed Alverson
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IRG 70 - October 2015
Featuring, from America, Nhu Nguyen of the PBS (http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/) and Clay Koplin in Alaska and also seaside plants from Scotland from Ian Young
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Oct291446150520IRG70-October2015.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Oct291446150520IRG70-October2015.pdf)
As usual, a full index to all issues of the IRG is available : http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
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International Rock Gardener ISSN 2053-7557
Issue 71 - of November 2015 - pays tribute to the late Ota Vlasák - one of the Czech Masters
of Rock Gardening.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Nov261448562891IRG71November.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Nov261448562891IRG71November.pdf)
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International Rock Gardener ISSN 2053-7557 - for a full Index to all issues of the IRG - click HERE (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
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IRG 72 of December 2015 completes our fifth year. It contains a full index to all issues and a 2016 Calendar for you to print off in gratitude for your support through the year. The calendar photos are from two great SRGC members, Steve Garvie in Scotland and Jamus Stonor in Australia. Thanks to them for their help as well as to all our contributors throughout the year and to two essential members of the IRG Team; our indexer Glassford Sprunt and proof reader Richard Green.
ZZ, Ian and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the very best in the coming year!
M. Y.
IRG 72 link : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Dec231450895981IRG_72_plus_Index.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Dec231450895981IRG_72_plus_Index.pdf)
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Scabiosa stellata by Jamus Stonor (Jupiter)
Page with all issues : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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The free monthly e-magazine, International Rock Gardener IRG 73 for January 2016 is online now :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jan281454019772IRG73.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jan281454019772IRG73.pdf)
A new species of Crocus is described by Janis Ruksans, as is a new Galanthus cultivar, 'Longraigue' by Alan Briggs and last but not least, some good, readily available garden plants are listed to coincide with David Nicholson's list of Specialist Plant Nurseries (http://files.srgc.net/journals/NurseryListSRGC.pdf)
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The February issue of IRG is online......
News of the North American Rock Garden Society's planned event at Steamboat Springs this June .......
Jānis Rukšāns discusses Crocus naming ....... and Grahame Ware enthuses over Campanula coriacea.......
Find IRG 74 HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Feb261456445173IRG74.pdf)
A full index to IRG is available HERE (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
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IRG 75 March 2016 - David Sharp reports a sojourn in Northern Greece in 2015, George Garnett shares a version of his report to BSBI on Botanising in Guernsey and a series begins of photos of wildflowers from Stavros Apostolou.
Find the March 2016 IRG here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Mar251458913158IRG75.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Mar251458913158IRG75.pdf)
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George Garnett is a young man who shows great determination in pursuing his interest in botany and the natural world. He has already participated in an exploration project to the Peruvian Andes; he has completed an RBG Edinburgh field botany course;received a nomination for the Gilbert White youth award of the NBN Trust in recognition of his contribution to terrestrial and freshwater recording and won a BSBI photo competition - all in all, George is something of an inspiration to us all, not just school children and students!
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N.B. please note link for IRG 75 of March 2016 http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Mar251458913158IRG75.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Mar251458913158IRG75.pdf)
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International Rock Gardener e-magazine - IRG 76 - of April 2016 is now online :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Apr281461879792IRG_76.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Apr281461879792IRG_76.pdf)
Wim Boens discusses Leucojum, which are having something of a rise in interest and Janis Ruksans describes some new Crocus species. Spring bulbs in profusion!
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IRG 77 - May 2016
Canadian David Sellars takes us to Italy SPAIN (can you tell geography is not my strong point?! :-[ It's the Giro d'Italia at the moment- I'm distracted!) ), we visit a fine nursery with a new rock garden in Czechia and learn of a very young horticulturist, Molly Hall from England with an interest in heathers.
It's a bit of a whizz around the world!
IRG 77 - Click HERE to download (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016May271464340889IRG77.pdf)
Main page with all issues : HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
- both photos here by David Sellars
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Humming Bird Hawk Moth and Lilium pyrenaicum
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Adonis pyrenaica
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International Rock Gardener ISSN 2053-7557 - for a full Index to all issues of the IRG - click HERE (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
Glassford Sprunt is our gallant compiler of the Index - thank you Glassford !
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For many SRGC members our interest is as much in “wildflowers” of the mountains and moorlands as in “true alpines” so this month’s IRG article by Ian McDonald is apt.
It is too long since we had an update from Zdeněk Zvolánek about the Beauty Slope – as he calls his steep garden in Karlík – this month we discover what is happening there and in some other Czech gardens.
The cover image is of the Scottish endemic, Primula scotica.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jun231466720211IRG78.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jun231466720211IRG78.pdf)
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Goodness me, another month has gone by - where does the time go?
IRG 79 for July 2016 is here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jul281469713982IRG79July.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jul281469713982IRG79July.pdf)
For July IRG 79 ; a little trip to the Netherlands as we learn from two Dutch growers about their approach to garden design and some clever planting solutions. They show how it is possible to accommodate rock garden and alpine plants in novel ways in a garden that can still be family friendly. Gert Hoek from Dronten in Flevoland has moved upwards in his pursuit of more space for his propagation projects and plants in pots while Jan Tholhuijsen, from Roosendaal in North Brabant uses some bright ideas for reusing odd items in various home-made solutions to benefit his garden with intriguing planters.
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Cover - IRG 79 July 2016
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Primula aureata
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It is not likely that too many readers - at least in Europe - will be growing Proteas but of course others have more amenable climates for such plants. Robbie Blackhall-Miles FLS is working in Wales on the study of such plants and hopes to discover in time that more are able to be grown in the UK than was previously imagined.Plants which are already popular and grown with success in many parts of the world are the Hepaticas - we are given tips by Sefi and Fritz Kummert in Austria and the Forum's Michael Campbell in Co. Clare, Ireland of their methods of growing these plants.
Download the IRG 80 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Aug251472126130IRG_August_80.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Aug251472126130IRG_August_80.pdf)
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Finally, we present an offer to get involved with the printing of a new book and a chance to pre-order..... read the IRG to learn more - or click HERE (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=14685.0)
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Be inspired - get involved!
Download the IRG 80 here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Aug251472126130IRG_August_80.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Aug251472126130IRG_August_80.pdf)
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Narcissus dubius photo Gerrit Eijkelenboom
This month we discover what floral pleasures may be found over winter and early spring in Spain - a country where some of us are lucky enough to travel at such times. Gerrit Eijkelenboom tells us about the plants he and his wife, Iep, enjoy while they spend the winter months near Calpe. Matt Topsfield also journeyed to Spain last March - to make a study of the narcissus in flower then, following the earlier example of John Blanchard in 1986 – Matt shares with us here some of the other flowers he found on the trip, which was partly supported by an SRGC Exploration Grant and part “crowd-funded”.
IRG 81 September 2016
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Sep291475167835IRG_81.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Sep291475167835IRG_81.pdf)
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..... and further to Matt's article for the IRG - Members can read about the narcissus trip in the next issue of /The Rock Garden, in January, or there is even more news here : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13808.msg364729#msg364729 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13808.msg364729#msg364729)
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Latest IRG - download via this link
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Oct271477579167IRG82.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Oct271477579167IRG82.pdf)
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IRG 82 October 2016 More great projects from Jan Tholhuijsen for you to try.
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New International Rock Gardener e-magazine - free to download of course - this month featuring:
Native Bees of Southwestern Oregon by Travis Owen
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Nov241480016901IRG83-November2016.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Nov241480016901IRG83-November2016.pdf)[attachimg=1] (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Nov241480016901IRG83-November2016.pdf)
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It is a delight this month to publish the description of a plant named by Fritz Kummert in tribute to the legendary German plantsman Wilhelm Schacht. The commemoration of such people in this way is something that can carry their name to a new generation.
As winter envelops us in the northern hemisphere we look back to sunnier days in Sicily, as Gerrit Eijkelenboom writes about the flowers he and his wife Iep, encountered there in May. Their focus is again mostly on the range of orchids to be seen.
IRG 84 - download it here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Dec291483029322IRG-84.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Dec291483029322IRG-84.pdf)
Many thanks to all readers and contributors- and especially to Glassford Sprunt and Richard Green for their work in indexing and proof-reading the IRG. [attachimg=1]
December sunset over Balgavies Loch, Angus, by Fred Carrie. (This is the same as our calendar cover)
In previous years the IRG has provided a calendar for readers to print out and use for the year – we are again pleased to be able to do so with a link in this month's issue.
This link will take you direct to a copy of the IRG 2017 (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRGcalendar2017.pdf)calendar of plant and nature photographs which were all taken by the Scottish Rock Garden Club’s Webmaster, Fred Carrie. We rely on him for solutions to all technical matters for the Club. Fred used to run the former Tough Alpine Nursery in Aberdeenshire and has served the Club in many ways, such as a former picture editor for the printed journal, The Rock Garden, as well as his busy schedule as webmaster.
Remember, if you feel you have an article that would make good copy for this magazine, please do get in touch – email the Editor- we are always glad to hear from you with your articles or ideas.
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I hope all readers have printed out the 2017 calendar provided by the IRG for 2017, mentioned last month, and will enjoy the photos of Fred Carrie throughout the year.
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A new year begins. :)
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Direct link to IRG January 2017 : HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jan261485471226IRG85.pdf)
Your IRG Team hopes to bring you an interesting mixture of subjects over the year to enthuse and perhaps educate you in the ways of the plants which form the basis of our growing interest. In this issue, a number of Saxifraga hybrids recently registered with Adrian Young the registrar of the Saxifraga Society, are formally introduced from the breeder David Walkey who sadly died earlier this month. Adrian also provides a short introduction to David Walkey’s hybrids.
In conjunction with the printed journal of the SRGC, The Rock Garden, we are delighted to feature another contribution from Matt Topsfield to supplement his article in TRG 138 of January 2017 with a photo essay of narcissus found on his trip in the footsteps of John Blanchard, who will, we hope, be pleased to see how his previous travels still inspire plantsmen today.
(Matt’s article on some of the plants other than narcissus which he saw during his trip were published in the IRG 81 (International Rock Gardener e-magazine) HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Sep291475167835IRG_81.pdf) )
All issues of IRG can be found on the main IRG page HERE (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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IRG 86 Feb. 2017 is now online.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Feb231487875287IRG_86.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Feb231487875287IRG_86.pdf)
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Featuring:
Snowdrops in Catalonia by Dimitry Zubov; Not so quiet on the western front by Paul Spriggs; Galanthus 'Dryad Artemis' by Anne Wright; A small selection of Oaks by George Watt - all making for a quick canter around the world!
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IRG 87 - March 2017
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Spain retains its attraction to draw visitors keen to enjoy a break and see wildflowers at the same time. Răzvan Chişu, a Romanian who now lives and works in Cheshire recalls an early spring trip to Alpujarras. Răzvan recently took over as Editor for the Saxifraga Society and is been much involved in Plant Heritage projects and Hardy Plant Society displays.
The charming garden of Hana Zíková in Bohemia is introduced by Zdenek Zvolanek with photos by Zdena Kosourová. We do hear more from the male of the species but there are also talented female Czech gardeners; !
Ian Christie, himself a former SRGC president, describes a new Galanthus cultivar, named for a sadly missed SRGC former President, Harley Milne who died last year.
Download the issue here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Mar301490900939IRG87March2017.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Mar301490900939IRG87March2017.pdf)
As ever, thanks are due to Glassford Sprunt for his updated Index to all issues of the IRG International Rock Gardener ISSN 2053-7557 - click HERE (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
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International Rock Gardener (IRG) 88- April 2017 is online now with articles from Wim Boens from Belgium on double forms of Ficaria verna; Krzysztof Ciesielski from Poland on a new galanthus and Zdeněk Zvolánek introduces another Czech star in advance of the Third International Czech Rock Garden Conference which opens in early May.
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http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Apr271493318724IRG88.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Apr271493318724IRG88.pdf)
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The weather is "topsy-turvey" - it seems the plants don't know whether to come or go - and who could blame them? Here in N.E. Scotland summer tried to arrive today while the ground looked as if there had been a sn owfall - the blossom is falling from the Sorbus!
For the May IRG we escape to Rhodes to see orchids and other flowers there, from Gerrit and Iep Eikelenboom and, from Iran, we discover a new Crocus species from Iran, described by Jānis Rukšāns.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017May251495746846IRG89May2017.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017May251495746846IRG89May2017.pdf)
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In case readers are on holiday and crave something to read; are rained out of the garden or seeking a shady respite from the heat - this month's IRG is published early!
This issue has descriptions of new Crocus species from Dimitri Zubov and Janis Ruksans - including in honour of Janis and Marcus Harvey- and news of artist in residence activity at the wonderful Inverewe Gardens on the west coast of Scotland - plus a poem by Lydia Muijen inspired by the garden and the recent erythronium festival there.
Download issue 90 here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf)
N. B. new link url
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All issues can be found from this page : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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Please note issue 90 - June 2017 IRG is online early - note new url :
Download issue 90 here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf)
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From Janis - a note of an error in IRG 90 - page 27.
Sorry, but on p. 27- of IRG 90 is mistake. In picture caption instead of Crocus seisumsiana ex Samos – KJGR collections 080, 080-1, 073, 076 Photos Jānis Rukšāns
is written - Crocus seisumsiana ex Chios...
KJGR trip was mostly dedicated to Chios Island, searching for variability of Crocus pallasii, as I supposed that it could be different species (for the cv. 'Homeri'). But variability turned very great. Each population had plants looking close to traditional C. pallasii and plants with deep purple throat as in Cv. 'Homeri'.
There was no spring blooming "annulate" crocus found. Last 2 days we passed on Samos, where was collected samples KJGR-073, 076, 080, 080-1, used for pictures of new species.
Apologies for this mistake, Janis - I will add a correction to the next issue.
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This month.... Events, commercials! Arie Dwarswaard's review of
Janis Rukšāns Crocus book, Gerrit and Iep Eijkelenboom about the plants of Cyprus....
International Rock Gardener e-magazine IRG 91 July 2017 ISSN 2053-7557
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jul271501183467IRG91.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jul271501183467IRG91.pdf)
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What's in this month's IRG?
A reminder about Donations to the SRGC Seed Exchange and Membership renewals.......
from Stavros Apostolou - photos of some Bulbs of Attica ...........
David Nicholson regales us with Tales of a Crocus.............
and, from the archives of The Rock Garden, journal of SRGC - Primula forrestii and it's new designation ........
download this issue here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Aug241503601039IRG92.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Aug241503601039IRG92.pdf)
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In IRG September 2017 : the description of a new Tulipa species by J.J. de Groot and K.S. Tojibaev...... Jan Tholhuijsen encourages another new project for the garden .....Zdenek Zvolanek praises fabaceae for the garden and Kenton J. Seth reviews a book on Cactus........ free to download here...
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Sep281506621414IRG93.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Sep281506621414IRG93.pdf)
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October's IRG tells of a botanical trip in the Chilean Desert by John and Anita Watson and Zdeněk Zvolánek, inspired by Panayoti Kelaidis, praises pin-cushion plants - free download via this link:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Oct261509039468IRG94.pdf
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an updates Index from Glassford Sprunt is also online here (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9567.msg255520#msg255520)
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What is in this month's International Rock Gardener ?
TOWNSENDIA by Gerrit Eijkelenboom
WHAT IS CROCUS NUBIGENA Herb.? by Jānis Rukšāns
SAXIFRAGA DINNIKII ´JINDRISKA´ by Zdeněk Zvolánek
GENTIANA HYBRIDISING NEAR ROLLSDORF by Fritz Kummert
Download IRG here http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Nov231511460835IRG_95_November_2017.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Nov231511460835IRG_95_November_2017.pdf)
Cover photo: Harmonia axyridis on Townsendia flower, by Gerrit Eijkelenboom
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Time to spend a pleasant interlude with those North American gems,Lewisia rediviva and Eritrichium howardii Why? Because we can of course, with the help of contributors, David Sellars from British Columbia and Yara Horáček in Alberta. Zdeněk Zvolánek encourages us all to try growing Cyclamen with the stimulus of the fine plants grown by Kirsten Andersen and Lars Hansen in Denmark. Thanks for all the support from our readers over the past year - the eighth year of the IRG - we look forward to hearing from you and providing more plant-based information in the magazine next year.
Thanks to all readers and contributors from around the world. Wishing you all a great year in 2018.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Dec281514484120IRG96.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Dec281514484120IRG96.pdf)
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A full index is also available - thanks to Glassford Sprunt - http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
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We tend to think of Siberia as being a snowy wilderness - and of course, it can be - but it is good to read about one of the areas with a rich flora from a new International Rock Gardener contributor, Ole William Purvis, a lichenologist, researcher and author who writes about the Sayan Mountains.
From the Czech Republic, Zdeněk Zvolánek introduces the photography of Ladislav Blažej, of plants in the Pirin mountains of Bulgaria.
Download IRG97 free - here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jan271517084243IRG_97__January_2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jan271517084243IRG_97__January_2018.pdf)
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Ledum palustre on the cover of IRG 97 - photo W.O. Purvis
The IRG began in January 2010 - at the time we thought it would be online for a year as an experiment but as the ninth year of the IRG begins - there is hope that our marvellous contributors will continue their support in sharing information about the fascinating little plants of the mountains and wild places of the world with a truly international audience. All brought to your desk for free, with hopes of a wonderful year for readers and their plants alike!
IRG full Index: http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf)
All issues from this page : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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IRG98 of February 2018 presents plants from the Chilean garden of John and Anita Watson, tips from Ian Young on how to landscape a trough and finally this month there is the description from Anne Wright of a new Galanthus hybrid, G. ‘Dryad Venus’.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Feb221519324634IRG98.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Feb221519324634IRG98.pdf)
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Cover photo: Saxifrages in flower in trough with concrete “rocks” – photo J. Ian Young.
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Galanthus 'Dryad Venus' - photo Anne Wright
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March in the Northern hemisphere suggests that Spring may be in full flower - sadly we cannot guarantee that from one day to the next.
Matters of the science or practice of classification are the subject for IRG this month. Jānis Rukšāns discusses how best to delineate a Crocus species, a subject which he has spent many years addressing. Dimitri Zubov and Leonid Bondarenko describe a new species of stoloniferous Iris- Iris sisianica from Armenia.
Click here to download the IRG for March 2018 http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Mar291522354177IRG100.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Mar291522354177IRG100.pdf)(link shows #100 but is truly #99 !)
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This is the 99th IRG - so here is an image to commemorate that - though perhaps only UK readers will understand the reference!
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International Rock Gardener, the free e-magazine on SRGC.NET reaches issue #100 Thanks to all contributors and readers for your support - we couldn't do it without you!
This month learn about the buckwheats of America from John P. Weiser and get some news of The Beauty Slope, garden of ZZ
Download here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Apr271524820121IRG100April.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Apr271524820121IRG100April.pdf)
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For IRG 101, we are pleased to introduce Peter Tallbo from Mora in Sweden who is redesigning his garden to make it a better place to grow and propagate plants as well as becoming a more aesthetically pleasing space. Gerrit Eijkelenboom from the Netherlands, returns with Part 2 of his report, with his wife Iep, of their travels to see orchids in Sicily. Finally this month, we are pleased to be able to publish a new species of rosulate Viola from the Chilean based duo of John M. Watson and Ana R. Flores – Viola farkasiana sp. nova.
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Download the e-magazine from this link :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018May241527184409IRG_101_May_2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018May241527184409IRG_101_May_2018.pdf)
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International Rock Gardener June 2018 IRG102
The IRG Team is pleased to be able to publish a description of a new species of peony, named for the late, great Jim (J.C.) Archibald by two of his many admirers, Jānis Rukšāns and Henrik Zetterlund. The SRGC is proud to host online the Archibald Archive to represent the work of Jim and Jennie Archibald in bringing such a wide range of plants to the attention - and gardens - of so many plant lovers worldwide. Imagine then, our delight to be given another species description by these two famous plantsmen, this time of a crocus to be named for two of our team. That Jānis and Henrik have chosen to honour them in this way with Crocus youngiorum is deeply appreciated by Maggi and Ian both for themselves and for the association with the SRGC. The third new species this month is an Andean Alstroemeria from Chile, described by John M.Watson, Ana (Anita) R. Flores with Gloria Rojas.
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cover with Paeonia archibaldii
Link for IRG 102 of June 2018 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jun291530286276IRG102June2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jun291530286276IRG102June2018.pdf)
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Janis and his wife Guna - celebrating Midsummer
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Crocus youngiorum
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Alstroemeria piperata
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Link for IRG 102 of June 2018 : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jun291530286276IRG102June2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jun291530286276IRG102June2018.pdf)
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IRG 103 begins with a tour in Sardinia by Gerrit and Iep Eijkelenboom. They encountered good weather and were able to picture a fine range of plants in bloom. Italian islands are somewhat simpler to access than Chile so perhaps not many readers will be able to see the Chilean flora for themselves. The second part of this issue of IRG features the background article by John and Anita Watson on the interesting area which shaped Alstroemeria piperata – as was indicated in the June 2018 IRG issue 102 where the species was described.
Download here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jul261532613984IRG103-July2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Jul261532613984IRG103-July2018.pdf)
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Cover photo: Tristerix aphyllus, one of the scarlet mistletoes in Chile, photo John M. Watson.
An updated index is also available for all IRG issues.
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We hope this issue of IRG provides a diversion from the disasters, natural and man-made that beset so many countries at the moment. The last while seems to have been filled with reports of fires, floods and more.
In IRG104 John and Anita Watson describe two new viola species from Chile; we learn a little about grant aid available to horticultural students and remember Rod and Rachel Saunders of Silverhill Seeds.
Click the link to download... http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Aug301535657804IRG104-August2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Aug301535657804IRG104-August2018.pdf)
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Cover photo: Cryptantha aspera, macro photo by Ana R. Flores (Anita Flores Watson)
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Reception for last month's cover image was good - so I chose another white flower for this issue too!
Cover photo: Blumenbachia prietea, photo ARF(Anita Flores Watson).
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This month’s IRG (International Rock Gardener) e-magazine has a double North American connection, as we review some of the plants in the Wappinger Falls garden of Anne Spiegel in New York State. A trip further south takes us to South America, where Chilean based botanists John and Ana (Anita) Watson write of some Patagonian plants.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Sep271538076603IRG_105_Sept2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Sep271538076603IRG_105_Sept2018.pdf)
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October's IRG - #106 - is online now.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Oct251540501603IRG106October2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Oct251540501603IRG106October2018.pdf)
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Viola trochlearis
Some plants from Crete and more on the violas of South America are featured. Thanks to main contributors Vlastimil Braun with Zdenek Zvolanek, and to Anita and John Watson.
Remember - if you've got something you'd like to write about for this monthly e-magazine - why not send it to me ?
I'd be delighted to hear from you! Send submissions to editor@internationalrockgardener.net
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Latvian plantsman, Jānis Rukšāns describes a new species of Anemone this month. “Windflowers” - as the little anemones are known in English - are a favourite for those who have the good fortune to see them in their native habitats and also because many species are readily available in commerce and make excellent garden plants. This new species is named for Sergey Banketov.
John and Anita Watson, who live in Chile, relate some of their plant-hunting escapades in South America and how their obsession began! Most of us will never have the chance to visit there, so these insights from the Watsons into the flora and fauna give us an armchair trip to savour.
We are also delighted to introduce the new SRGC President, Julia Corden.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Nov291543526367IRG107-November.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Nov291543526367IRG107-November.pdf)
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December 2018 IRG 108
This bumper issue of IRG, posted online a little early to celebrate the season, contains descriptions of three new plant species. Janis Rukšāns discusses Crocus of series Kotschyani and describes a new species, Crocus hatayensis from Turkey, Janis Rukšāns and Henrik Zetterlund define a new Eranthis species from Iran, and John Watson dedicates a new Viola species to a very special person.
We hope you find this an exciting way to conclude our ninth year of publication.
Download here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Dec241545672053IRG108_December2018.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Dec241545672053IRG108_December2018.pdf)
Cover photo: Viola F.& W.11580. Cerro Atravesada, Picunches Dept., Argentina, by John M. Watson.
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This note about Eranthis iranica has been received from Janis Ruksans, Dr. biol. - and will be included in the next issue of IRG
After publication of new species Eranthis iranica in December issue of International Rock Gardener (#108, 2018) I got two letters from Dirk Schnabel and Wim Boens - both of them noted that E. longistipitata (closest relative to E. iranica) seedlings have two seed leaves. Wim Boens wrote: “Nakai was the first to put longistipitata in the genus Shibateranthis in 1937. Later, in 1987, Tamura put it in the section Eranthis. And strangely enough Luferov put it again in the section Shibateranthis in 2004 (Turczaninowia 2004, 7(1) - in Russian - J.R.). In every case E. longistipitata and probably E. iranica are somehow the link between both sections. But maybe the sections should be redone completely.”
When we placed E. iranica under Shibateranthis, we followed S. K . Czerepanov’s “Plantae Vasculares URSS” (Laningrad, Nauka, 1981) and other current botanical literature of former USSR, where genus Eranthis is listed only as synonym of Shibateranthis. We did not personally check seedlings of both aforementioned species. On page 3 ( page 4 of IRG 108) of our article with caption “Eranthis longistipitata first year seedlings” most likely are pictured seedlings of E. pinnatifida. In 2013 the same picture was published in SRGC Forum by J.R. just as seedlings of E. pinnatifida. When few years later the same (?) pot bloomed, flowers were yellow and on long stalk, so name was changed on pot and on pictures. Most likely during replacing of nursery (which happened just in following years) when constructions of greenhouse were removed to new place and pots stood outside without any cover and protection or during transportation of pots to new garden some accidental misplacing of labels occurred.
Wim Boens recently put E. longistipitata in Subgenus (or Series) Eranthis because most of the characteristics point towards that subgenus and only long pedicel join it with Subgenus Shibateranthis. Under such treatment all yellow blooming species are forming series Eranthis with 4 species (hyemalis, cilicica, iranica and longistipitata) and the rest - all with white flowers - go into Series Shibateranthis. In any case this does not invalidate the name of Eranthis iranica.
J. R.
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Good mix in e-magazine International Rock Gardener - IRG109 - January 2019 - a garden and glasshouses in South West Scotland belonging to Sue Simpson and George Watt; a description of a Tulipa species from Jānis Rukšāns; a review of Holubec and Horak's book of the flowers of the Tian Shan by Martin Hajman and a look at a gem of the Cyclamen genus, originally written by Václav Jošt with Zdenek Zvolanek. Thanks to 'Folium Alpinum' of NRV and
‘Skalničky’, the Czech rock garden journal for their cooperation with IRG.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jan241548361044IRG109January2019.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jan241548361044IRG109January2019.pdf)
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Lots happening in this month's IRG e-magazine from SRGC: a new viola species, Viola abbreviata, is described by John and Anita Flores Watson, we see winter-flowering plants of Gran Canaria from Iep & Gerrit Eijkelenboom and some notes on the charming hybrids of the succulent species Aloinopsis and Nananthus from John Stireman in Utah. There's also a review of Freda Cox' second edition of her Snowdrop book from grower, Anne Wright.
All issues of IRG International Rock Gardener are online on the SRGC website - this is the direct link to the latest issue IRG 110: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Feb211550781214IRG110.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Feb211550781214IRG110.pdf)
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Cover image of IRG110 is by John Stireman, of a hot pink Aloinopsis hybrid in his Utah garden.
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IRG111 March 2019
We welcome two new authors to the IRG this month. Dr Martin Sheader, a marine biologist from Southampton, is known with his wife Anna-Liisa for their great interest in all plants, particularly those from South America, as well as for their writing, talks and show exhibits. Martin writes about an exploration of Central Patagonia and John Watson, friend and sometimes co-author with the Sheaders describes an annual Cistanthe species
Our second new author is Allan Robinson from Sutton Bridge in the Fenlands of England. His family were nurserymen in the past and he has a great interest in the geraniums and their relatives as can be seen from his copious contributions to the website of the Gerianaceae Group.
Download the issue here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Mar281553807774IRG111.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Mar281553807774IRG111.pdf)
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Alstroemeria leporina F.&W.11995, photo J. M. Watson
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Epimediums, reticulate irises & newly named snowdrop cultivars comprise the April medley in free e-magazine International Rock Gardener April 2019 : IRG 112
Colin Moat is an English nurseryman who has been involved with the RHS Roundtable consideration of Epimedium for the Award of Garden Merit; the report on that is now published. Jānis Rukšāns, well known in these pages and elsewhere, as a bulb expert turns his attention to bulbous irises of the Hermodactyloides subgenus. Patricia Becker is a keen gardener and galanthophile from New Jersey who introduces us to a sweet snowdrop which she has chosen to name for the well-known American snowdrop enthusiast, Ernie Cavallo. Krzysztof Ciesielski lives in Żary, Poland and has a passion for nature that he follows not least as a relief from his busy worklife. He loves galanthus and enjoys seeing them in nature – in spite of various problems that beset his favourite sites. One of his introductions is named for a Belgian friend, Wim Boens who has also been published in the IRG.
Download it free, here :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Apr261556270768IRG_112_April_2019.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Apr261556270768IRG_112_April_2019.pdf)
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Cover photo: Iris marivanica at the locus classicus in Iranian Kurdistan. Photo Jānis Rukšāns.
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Our presentation this month demonstrates clearly the “international” flavour to which we aspire. We begin with the description of an Argentinian natural hybrid viola from the English/Chilean duo, John Watson and Anita Flores Watson – which they have named for a mutual Dutch friend, Kees Jan van Zwienen. Next up is an article from the Latvian bulb-master, Jānis Rukšāns and Dimitri Zubov from the Ukraine on naming a new bulb from Iran. Frankie Wulleman,
former President for ten years the Editor of the VRV, (Flemish Rock Garden Society) is our next author - with a piece on another charming South American plant – this time one which is already present in some gardens – and Frankie believes it is worth more of us trying to grow it. That is also the refrain of our last writer this month – that Austrian horticultural hero, Fritz Kummert – who enthuses about the “Blue broom” of Spain and Portugal.
Click this link to download 85 pages of free magazine!!
Sorry - some mishap with link - new link is shown here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019May311559296345IRG113.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019May311559296345IRG113.pdf)
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May cover image Oxalis muscoides F.& W. 12569
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Fritz Kummert
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Frankie Wulleman
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Sorry - some mishap with link for May 2019 - new link is shown here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019May311559296345IRG113.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019May311559296345IRG113.pdf)
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June in the UK has been somewhat cold and damp - in contrast to reports from elsewhere in Europe of temperatures in the mid- 30s C. Whatever the weather in your part of the globe we can only hope for some degree of pleasure from your plants! Articles begin this month with Janis Rukšāns who introduces a new Fritillaria species from Uzbekistan, named for the mountain range where it was found. Next we visit Somerset in the UK, where Paul Cumbleton and Colin Everett show the construction and development of a raised bed to accommodate a crevice garden. Canadian Grahame Ware writes about a Claytonia he favours and this issue rounds up with a report from Iep and Gerrit Eijkelenboom on the plants they have seen in Kefalonia and Ithaka in March and April this year.
Click the link to download the free magazine: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jun271561661867IRG114.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jun271561661867IRG114.pdf)
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Summer flowers are flourishing in the north while winter blooms make their appearance in the south – July is an interesting month. Many lovers of alpine plants have enjoyed trips to see plants in habitat and are even now making plans for their next adventure. For botanist/plant hunters like John and Anita Watson, such expeditions can lead to the discovery of new species – the exact status of which can sometimes take time to unravel! Panayoti Kelaidis, that indefatigable power house of the Denver Botanic Garden, revisited Tibet and China in June – following on from his 2018 trip from where he shares with us some of the plants he encountered. For those who, for whatever reason, are armchair travellers amongst us, such articles are a charm. For those wishing to travel themselves to see plants in their homelands, such reports are also helpful. To conclude this month the IRG Team remembers Ron Beeston, a dear friend, recently lost to us.
To download the July issue direct, click this link :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jul251564083758IRG115.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Jul251564083758IRG115.pdf)
All issues of the International Rock Gardener may be found from this page on the main SRGC Website : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international)
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Cover photo: Veronica piroliformis in Yunnan – photo Panayoti Kelaidis.
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International Rock Gardener 116 August 2019
Latvian bulb maven Jānis Rukšāns begins our e-magazine this month with a description of a new species of Puschkinia from Turkey. Fritz Kummert from Austria clarifies the naming of a plant which has long been mis-identified and Iep and Gerrit Eijkelenboom from the Netherlands give us some inspiration for a trip to the Gargano peninsula in Italy in April where they found many orchids and other flowers in bloom.
Download the free e-magazine here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Aug291567110323IRG116.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Aug291567110323IRG116.pdf)
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Cover photo: Viola heterophylla subsp. graeca – photo Gerrit Eijkelenboom.
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Time for the September issue of the IRG - IRG 117 to be online now : Sorry- temporary problem -IRG 117 will be available later.
Includes new viola news from John Watson, the Estonian Garden of Svetlana Polonskaja and some news from the Beauty Slope ....
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Cover photo: Viola cheeseana F.& W.12685, photo John M. Watson.
Named by John for his old collecting friend, Martyn Cheeseman.
An updated version of the IRG Index (http://files.srgc.net/journals/IRG-Index.pdf) is online now too, thanks to Glassford Sprunt.
Kind thanks to all who take the time and trouble to contact the IRG team to give us your reaction to the magazine’s contents. These, and submissions of articles, are always welcome – by email, please, to the Editor. We look forward to hearing from you.
editor@internationalrockgardener.net
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Following some technical difficulties, the correct version of IRG 117 for September 2019 is now online - this is the link : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Oct041570226421IRG-117-September.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Oct041570226421IRG-117-September.pdf)
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IRG118 - October 2019
IRG this month pays tribute to the SRGC Discussion Weekend with an article on the propagation of narcissus and galanthus bulbs from one of the Speakers there, Anne Wright of Dryad Nursery in Yorkshire. Anne has tremendous success with her breeding programmes of these bulbs and is kind enough to share her tips for ‘chipping’ the bulbs to speed up their increase.
Another of the speakers at the DWE was Dr Dimitri Zubov – we are delighted to present a photo essay by Dimitri and regular IRG author, Jānis Rukšāns of some of the plants they have seen in Iran.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Oct251572001288IRG_118.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Oct251572001288IRG_118.pdf)
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Cover photo: Linaria michauxii in Western Iran, photo Dimitri Zubov.
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IRG 119 November 2019
In this month's free issue of International Rock Gardener e-magazine :- Panayoti Kelaidis ' photos illustrate the report he has made with Boyce Tankersley and Peter Zale of their Plant Collecting Collaborative visit to Georgia's Caucasus region of Eurasia in 2018. Wim Boens gives a a well-recognised name to an Anemone cultivar and John and Anita Watson name an interesting Andean natural Viola hybrid for their grandson.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Nov281574975266IRG_119.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Nov281574975266IRG_119.pdf)
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Cover photo: Primula ruprechtii in the Bakuriani Mountains. Photo Panayoti Kelaidis.
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IRG 120 December 2019
The International Rock Gardener reaches its 120th issue, marking ten years of this free magazine. Begun in January 2010 (as an experiment for one year !) IRG has proven to be a success. I little thought, when the idea for IRG was first discussed with Zdeněk Zvolánek, J.Ian Young and myself, that I would be editing it for ten years - with more in sight!
The kindness and enthusiasm of our authors, who have so selflessly shared their work with us, and the appreciation of our widespread audience, who are also representative of our international ambitions are the ones we must thank for this achievement.
This anniversary edition contains descriptions of two new plants, named for the “Watson Girls” ( as I have been calling them); from John and Anita Flores Watson; an introduction to the various cultivars now available of Fritillaria imperialis from Willem Wietsma and Ronald van den Berg, and a review of some delightful little geranium species from Allan Robinson.
Best wishes for the coming year!
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Download the issue here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Dec261577394152IRG_120.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Dec261577394152IRG_120.pdf)
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Welcome to a new year of IRG - we look forward to bring a varied range of articles again this year. Issue 121 begins with a tale of how a shed roof can become a garden – and the great results that can be obtained from such a garden, even using the most readily available alpine and rock garden plants as Michael Thomson shows to spectacular effect.
From America, nurseryman and expert photographer Jeff Wagner, who has a soft spot for woody plants and trees, as well as alpines, shares his photos showing the scenery and town life of Yunnan, from a NARGS ( North American Rock Garden Society) trip to China in 2018 - Panayoti Kelaidis wrote of this trip in IRG 121, with more emphasis on the flowers. It’s good to have here a wide flavour of the country they experienced.
Finally for this month we cooperate with The Rock Garden, the twice yearly print journal of SRGC to show a range of photos to accompany an article in the January issue, TRG144 of a trip by Connor Smith to have a work placement in the Schachen Alpine Garden, the mountain garden of the Munich Botanical Gardens.
Download IRG 121 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Jan301580422005IRG_121.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Jan301580422005IRG_121.pdf)
Cover photo: Chinese roadside - photo by Jeff Wagner
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Thanks to Jenny Wainwright-Klein ( of the Munich Bot. Gdn and the Schachen Alpine Garden) via Connor Smith who has sent these corrections to Connor's article in IRG121
Jenny tells us that her ....
"last collecting trip to Lesotho was co-funded by the SRGC and the Foundation for International Horticulturists Exchange - Stiftung internationaler Gärtneraustausch http://www.gaertneraustausch.de/ (http://www.gaertneraustausch.de/) and not the Hamburg BG.
Our Primula involucrata has been verified as Primula munroi subsp. munroi and Primula yargongensis is P. munroi subsp. yargongensis"
https://primulaworld.blogspot.com/2015/01/primula-involucrata-or-primula-munroi.html (https://primulaworld.blogspot.com/2015/01/primula-involucrata-or-primula-munroi.html)
Many thanks to Jenny and Connor for this!
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International Rock Gardener - IRG 122 February 2020
edit 28-02-20 Technical problem solved - thanks to Fred Admin - link for IRG122 is
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Feb281582900723IRG122.pdf
Sjaak de Groot & Ben Zonneveld describe two new tulip species from the Altai mountains in Kazakhstan, named for Anna Ivaschenko and Diana Everett. John and Anita Watson write more about the flora of South America and describe a new rosulate viola species. Finally, Frazer Henderson shares a suite of photographs, as an “extra” to his article on the Tien Shan which was recently published in the Rock Garden 144, print journal of SRGC. (The Rock Garden, published twice a year, is only available to full SRGC Members)
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Cover photo: Barneoudia major F.& W.12595, photo J.M.Watson.
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Free reading matter from SRGC - International Rock Gardener 123 March 2020
IRG 123 cover photo: Galanthus plicatus subsp. plicatus - photo D. Zubov.
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Contents
pages 3-41 Genus Galanthus L. in the Caucasus: Dr. Dimitri Zubov, Ukraine.
pages 42 - 56
Sarah meets her namesake. Zephyranthes sarae is still alive and kicking at Tambillo: John and Anita (Ana Rosa Flores) Watson
pages 57 - 61 Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail: Will Hembree
Click the link to download the issue : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Mar261585255661IRG123.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Mar261585255661IRG123.pdf)
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This month in IRG 124 –
Connor Smith on dwarf conifers for the rock garden
John and Anita Watson demystify more South American rosulate violas
Dr Martin Sheader writes of the ourisia hybrids using South American species which he made with his late wife Anna-Liisa.
There are no flower shows on at present as the UK and many other countries, are locked down because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Trying and testing times for us all – the SRGC is mindful of the health and safety of our members and the general public and so SRGC events have all been cancelled for the foreseeable future, including the Alpines ’21 Conference. The virus is everywhere and no respecter of persons.
We have been shocked to learn that Martin Sheader has been very ill with the Covid-19 virus and we wish him a speedy return to full health, his three sons and his loving family.
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Cover photo: Ourisia microphylla in the wild in Chile - photo Martin Sheader.
Download the IRG 124 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Apr231587675747IRG_124_April_2020.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Apr231587675747IRG_124_April_2020.pdf)
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Dr Martin Sheader writes of the ourisia hybrids using South American species which he made with his late wife Anna-Liisa.
There are no flower shows on at present as the UK and many other countries, are locked down because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Trying and testing times for us all – the SRGC is mindful of the health and safety of our members and the general public and so SRGC events have all been cancelled for the foreseeable future, including the Alpines ’21 Conference. The virus is everywhere and no respecter of persons.
We have been shocked to learn that Martin Sheader has been very ill with the Covid-19 virus and we wish him a speedy return to full health, his three sons and his loving family.
Great news that Martin Sheader is making some progress, albeit slow - we can now have better hope for his recovery.
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IRG 125 - May 2020 online now
Cover photo: Crocus harpkeae in habitat JJVV-022, photo Jānis Rukšāns.
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This month in free e-mag IRG we have two short pieces from John and Anita Watson in Chile, description of a new Crocus species from Jānis Rukšāns & a report from the Beauty Slope, a Czech garden. We hope you enjoy these presentations.
Click this link to download this issue: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020May211590085317IRG125.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020May211590085317IRG125.pdf)
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This month the IRG has articles which we hope you may wish to consider for projects of your own.
Ian Christie gives tips on grafting – for Daphne in this instance, though the system is of course similar for other woody plants too.
New contributor John Beaulieu, from Midhurst, Ontario, Canada, had a plan to repurpose an old metal tub - and made a neat miniature rockery with it.
J. Ian Young revisits an SRGC crevice garden venture at Inverewe Gardens on the west coast of Scotland and expresses his regret at the cancellation of this year’s planned follow-up event.
Download the International Rock Gardener (IRG) e-magazine for free here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Jun251593107822IRG_126.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Jun251593107822IRG_126.pdf)
Cover image IRG 126 - Zdenek Zvolanek and Paul Spriggs, photo by J. I. Young
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In IRG free e-magazine this month - an interview with talented Czech grower Ján Zaujec by Zdeněk Zvolánek and a project for the garden from Irish alpine enthusiast , Ken Devine, looking to find more planting space.
Download the issue here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Jul301596141584IRG127.pdf
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Cover picture: Leontopodium nivale – photo Ján Zaujec
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Just two articles this month in the 60 pages of IRG – first is indicative of the fine collaborations that are possible in the plant world – John and Anita Watson have been aided and abetted by various friends to illustrate their article on Viola uniquissima and its habitat and the plants found in that area. Wonderful photos have been contributed mainly by Marijn van den Brink and also Leonora Rojas to complement the Watson’s images. The second is from Kenton J. Seth from Fruita, Colorado, giving tips on growing Castilleja. One of the finest modern crevice garden makers, Kenton is a man with a passion for nature - loving the plants as well as the mountains.
Download the issue here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Aug271598561104IRG128.pdf
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Cover picture: Cumulopuntia ignescens, photo Marijn van den Brink.
Special congratulations to Kenton on his recent engagement to the mountain-biking poet Tori Miner!
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The September 2020 issue of International Rock Gardener (IRG) free e-magazine is online now -it has articles from Vojtech Holubec and from John and Anita Watson - further feeding the interest for the plants of Chile.
We have been very upset to be told that not only have John and Anita both been infected by Covid-19 but John has had to be taken back to hospital as he was becoming more ill. We are sure all our readers will join us in sending them both our very best wishes for a speedy and full recovery.
You can find IRG 129 here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Sep241600957311IRG129.pdf
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Cover image: Salix capraea catkins - photo John M. Watson
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We have good news on the health of loyal contributors recently troubled by ill-health – Martin Sheader is continuing to recover from his Covid-19 experience and returns to the pages of the IRG with a report on South American Adesmia species. John and Anita Watson, who were also struck down by this frightening virus, with John being in hospital in a bad way, have happily been reunited at their home and we hope they will soon be able to contribute once more to our pages. It is when this pandemic affects those known to us that it becomes clearer that it will be haunting all our lives for some time to come. Less welcome news is that of the death of former SRGC President Glassford Sprunt who for many years was proofreader and indexer of the IRG and was a supporter of SRGC for decades. Our condolences go to his loving family – he will be much missed.
In this IRG we also take a look back through history to remember the original collectors of a well- known American plant, Calochortus lyallii – brought to us by Arthur MacKinnon of Washington State. Zdeněk Zvolánek and Franz (František) Paznocht combine to introduce a saxifrage cultivar which they hope will become more widely grown.
Click here to download IRG130: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Oct291603992737IRG130.pdf
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Cover photo: Autumn colour in Highland Perthshire, photo Julia Corden
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This month in International Rock Gardener 131, the free online magazine, articles include the description of a new species of tulip from Uzbekistan brought to us by J.J.(Sjaak) de Groot & K.S. Tojibaev.
Next a new combination in Montiopsis from John and Anita (Ana Rosa Flores) Watson. Zdeněk Zvolánek (who we are delighted to congratulate on his award of the AGS' premier honour, the Lyttel Trophy) highlights Dionysia khuzistanica and a delightful cultivar, which Martijn Jansen raised and has named for his son,Thom. This is complemented by photos from Ewelina Wajgert of the dionysias in the garden of Josef Mayr. Our final article this month is presented here as a tribute to our late proof-reader and the former President of the SRGC, Glassford Sprunt.
You may download IRG131 here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Nov291606654069IRG131.pdf
Brief Index of IRG 131 November 2020
Cover photo: Montiopsis tricolor, Anita Watson
Award for Zdenek Zvolanek 131/3 Tulipa bactriana – species description – J.J. de Groot and K.S. Tojibaev 131/4-11 A new combination in Montiopsis (Montiaceae) – John and Anita Watson 131/12-15 Painted Flowers – Zdenek Zvolanek 131/16-21 Remembering a Good Friend 131/22 My Way with seeds - Glassford Sprunt 131/23-25
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Cover photo: Montiopsis tricolor, Anita Watson
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Final issue of 2020 – marking eleven years of IRG e-magazine !
With this issue, eleven years of the International Rock Gardener are complete.
Direct link to IRG 132 is : https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Dec241608822973IRG_132.pdf
IRG 132 includes both the description of a new species, Cistanthe celedoniana from John Michael Watson, Arve Elvebakk, Christian von Bohlen and Ana Rosa Flores, and a new combination for Cistanthe sitiens, from J.M.Watson and Ana Rosa Flores.
There is also an appreciation of the Canadian Iris hybridiser, Alan McMurtrie from Panayoti Kelaidis of Denver.
Something to enliven your reading over the coming days, we hope!
Of course, all issues are available to download from this webpage: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international
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Welcome to year twelve of the IRG at a time when we sincerely hope that the coming year will see a return to more ordinary activities that we are all used to, with freedom of travel and congregation. The lack of opportunity to meet up with like-minded plant lovers has been a much-regretted downside of the past year and gardeners, as some of the most sociable folk around, have certainly found the lockdowns wearing – if a good chance to catch up on weeding!
Authors this month are Wim Boens from Flanders, Jim Jermyn from Scotland and Zdeněk Zvolánek from Czechia.
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Jan281611871267IRG133.pdf
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Cover image: Meconopsis ‘Sikkim’ at Branklyn Garden – photo by Jim Jermyn.
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In IRG 134 - Jānis Rukšāns from Latvia with the description of a new Leopoldia species.
Next, from Chile, Anita and John Watson give us an awareness of how the corona virus and their subsequent recovery from the infection, has affected them and how much comfort they have found in their garden.
Finally this month, Connor Smith, now working at the Utrecht Botanical Garden gives his views on the potential for some smaller Rubus species in the rock garden.
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Feb251614279736IRG134.pdf
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Cover image: convovulus arvensis - photo Anita Flores
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IRG 135 is now online.
A month with our usual variety of plants, places and people - thanks to our contributors, we are able to bring this magazine free to all on the internet. Articles from John and Anita Watson in Chile, on Mutisia; Wim Boens from Flanders on an old colchicum cultivar; and Chris and Basak Gardner of Viranatura on some flowers of the Silk Route.
Click to download the issue here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Mar251616709854IRG_135.pdf
Cover image: Omphalodes luciliae photo Chris Gardner.
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Chris and Basak's company ...
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IRG 136 is now online.
Colchicums exposed! Special issue dedicated to a richly illustrated article by Ukrainian plantsman, Dr Dimitri Zubov, on cultivated Colchicum Species - click the link to read for free - https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Apr291619719761IRG_136.pdf
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Monthly free e-magazine IRG (International Rock Gardener) May 2021
Discover how a garden & a chance to make even small outings to see plants in nature can help to get us through a pandemic from John and Anita Watson - plus discover the fun in selecting plants from seed from a Czech master grower - read here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021May271622135578IRG_137.pdf
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Cover image: Echinopsis chiloensis flower,photo Anita Rosa Flores(Anita Watson).
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IRG 138 June 2021: the artistry of Czech Rock Master, Martin Brejník; Potentilla lignosa admired; and the description of Oxalis ranchillos, a new species from Chile, by John and Anita Flores Watson.
Read all free here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Jun241624568360138.pdf
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Oxalis ranchillos, photo by John M. Watson
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This month IRG presents two articles on peonies – the first on Czech bred herbaceous peonies from Pavel Sekerka & the second on tree peonies by Joe Harvey in Canada. Next there are two articles on a fabled European gesneriad, Jankaea heldreichii, written by Vlastimil Pilous & Harry Jans, of the Netherlands. IRG 139 finishes with a short review on Sternbergia, again by Vlastimil Pilous.
Read free here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Jul291627592049IRG_139.pdf
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The Czech articles were translated by M. Young
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In IRG 140 August 2021, a new fritillary species from the Fergana Valley, southern Kyrgyzstan, Fritillaria rugillosa (subgen. Rhinopetalum; Liliaceae) is described by Alexander Naumenko and Dimitri Zubov.
Second article is Patagonian Verbenas - Junellia ( part 1) by Martin Sheader, a marine biologist from Southampton, who is known for a great interest in all plants. Dr Sheader has travelled extensively in this part of South America and his book ‘Flowers of the Patagonian Mountains’ is the most comprehensive photographic guide yet published to the area’s diverse and fascinating flora.
Click the link to download and read - it's free!
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Aug261630008637IRG_140.pdf
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Cover image: Junellia tridactylites, showing the three-lobed leaves. Photo Martin Sheader.
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What's new in IRG 141? -download it here to find out -
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Sep231632431076IRG_141.pdf
A new fritillary species from south-eastern Kazakhstan is described by Jānis Rukšāns & Dimitri Zubov,
Fritillaria kolbintsevii.
Chris Gardner of Viranatura Tours (http://www.viranatura.com) praises the gentian family in summer.
Zdeněk Zvolánek discusses a great cyclamen from the late Jan Bravenboer & there are details of the new concise Guide to Cyclamen from Martyn Denney & the Cyclamen Society - (which was reviewed in the latest Bulb Log - here. (https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Sep221632304143BULB_LOG_3821.pdf)
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Seedheads of Fritillaria kolbintsevii
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IRG 142 for October 2021 is now online :
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Oct281635433923IRG_142.pdf
(There may be a delay in getting the link on the new SRGC Website, but all issues of the IRG are still available on this page: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international )
Contributions this month are from Australia, the Czech Republic and California, via Turkey! Alan Ayton writes about Tasmanian plants, Dr Vlastimil Pilous introduces some Gymnospermium from the interesting family, Berberidaceae and Chris Gardner of Vira Natura makes his first trip to America after the relaxation of travel during the Covid pandemic to reconnoitre future trip destinations.
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Cover image of IRG 142 - Dracophyllum persistentifolium (syn. Richea scoparia), photo Alan Ayton.
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Viola aurata on cover of new viola monograph - photo by Ana F. Watson
https://www.srgc.net/documents/publications/Viola%20monograph.pdf
We are also proud to announce the publication ( update- 9th Feb. 2022 ) of a new edition of a Viola Monograph of Viola subgenus Neoandinium : see here (https://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18693.0)
"Viola subgenus Neoandinium, Preliminary Monograph - Second Edition"
by Watson, Flores,
Nicola & Marcussen (2022)
This is the latest edition of a monograph of the spectacular South American rosulate violas which has been written by experts in their field. John and Anita Watson live in Chile, and have studied violas in exhaustive detail for many years. This is a valuable summary of the current state of knowledge of these plants.
"Viola subgenus Neoandinium Marcussen vs. Viola subgenus Andinium (W. Becker) Marcussen - note from john M. Watson:
We originally published this infrageneric name as Viola subgenus Andinium (W. Becker) Marcussen in the IRG special issue of October last year (2021), but for technical reasons I won't go into here our academic colleague and coauthor Thomas Marcussen discovered that our definition did not comply with Becker's 1925 original. He therefore altered it to the new version Viola subgenus Neoandinium Marcussen which has also been published in the IRG as a replacement, and is correct. Viola subgenus Andinium (W. Becker) Marcussen should therefore be ignored.
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IRG 143 for November 2021 is now online.
This IRG is something of an ‘Australian Special’. Jamus Stonor brings a large selection of Australian orchids; Alan Ayton takes us on a trip in the Victorian Alps and Fermi de Sousa shares some of the plants in his garden in the month of October as Spring brings its delights.
Click the link to read: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Nov251637860754IRG143.pdf
Cover image: Olearia frostii, photo, Alan Ayton.
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Online early, for your holiday reading pleasure!
IRG 144 https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/211230104805IRG144.pdf
As many around the world celebrate a holiday period, the IRG Team wishes
all its readers kind greetings of the season and good hopes for health and
happiness in the coming year. Of course, we wish the same for your plants!
After one hundred and forty years, a species of Oxalis, long thought lost, has
been rediscovered, in part thanks to the IRG. Julian Shaw of the Royal
Horticultural Society writes about the rediscovery of Oxalis brevis.
Staying in South America, we learn of a lovely new Euphrasia species in Chile, from David Santos,
John Watson and Ana Rosa Flores. The Eyebrights are generally rather overlooked, which is
sometimes the case for these charming flowers, which can be tricky to grow in cultivation. This
extremely rare species is most unlikely ever to come into cultivation, but it is wonderful to learn
about it, nonetheless.
Fresh from a fact-checking trip to Kos, Jānis Rukšāns describes a new species, Crocus samarsii
and two more new Crocus (Iridaceae) species from Turkey and Chios. These are Crocus erolii
from Turkey, named for Prof. Osman Erol, of Istanbul University and Crocus homeri from Chios.
Crocus samarsii is named for Theodoros Samaras, who discovered this novelty.
The last article is a book review by J. Ian Young of an excellent publication, “A Field Guide to the
Plants of Armenia” by Tamar Galstyan from Filbert Press.
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IRG 144 Cover image: Euphrasia achibuenoensis - photo by David Santos.
Edit: IRG144 link on SRGC.org.uk changed to show repaired version.
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Dec291640808762IRG144.pdf
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‘International Rock Gardener’ is this month dedicated to new plant species.
Firstly IRG 145 of January 2022 features the publication of a new tulip species by J.J. de Groot & B.J.M. Zonneveld from the Kuh e Aladag in Iran’s North Khorasan province. They have named this tulip for the plantlover and explorer who collected the seeds of this plant, Marijn van den Brink.
We also have a new viola species from the tireless hands of John and Anita Watson in Chile. This is Viola obituaria, named in commemoration of a tragedy where 44 young conscripts and a sergeant froze to death. As John writes, “In this instance it is intended as a public written remembrance of a tragic incident on 12th May 2005 which befell a group of about four hundred young Chilean military conscripts on a night training march around the Antuco volcano.”
Finally this month we have a paper from Julian M.H. Shaw, Bleddyn Wynn-Jones and T.Y. Aleck Yang of a new Sarcococca endemic to Taiwan.
Julian Shaw is a registrar with the Royal Horticultural Society: he recently confirmed the re-finding of Oxalis brevis in IRG 144. Bleddyn Wynn-Jones ( with his wife, Sue) runs Crűg Farm Plants, in Wales, known for so many fine plant introductions over more than ten years. T.Y. Aleck Yang works at the National Museum of Natural Science, Taiwan.
Click here to download IRG 145;
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Jan271643317218IRG_145.pdf
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cover image: Volcan Antuco, Chile, photo John Watson
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This month IRG presents a wonderful photo essay by Frédéric Depalle of one of his favourite subjects - Oncocyclus Irises. Frédéric Depalle is a keen plantsman, a most accomplished photographer, both of plants and “land-based” subjects as well as another of his passions, underwater photography. I believe even those of us unable to grow, or even source, these irises will be captivated by Fred’s photographs.
One of the many good Czech friends of the Scottish Rock Garden Club, is Zdeněk Řeháček and he writes about the bright golden Viola aetolica. A little charmer of a plant that is not widely grown in the UK.
Final article for IRG 146 is on “Growing Acantholimon “ from the Scot, Connor Smith who has already been in the Netherlands for over a year, in his post at the Utrecht University Botanic Garden. Connor instituted the Scottish Rock Podcasts and it is hoped these will soon be able to return.
This month’s cover image is “Green seedpods of Iris lineolata in Armenia” – photo by Frédéric Depalle.
Download the issue here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Feb241645737266IRG146.pdf
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Another exciting issue of IRG, which introduces new species to teach us more about the tremendous diversity of plants. This month we learn about a new Leopoldia sp. from the Latvian Dr Janis Ruksans and the famous Swedish plantsman, Henrik Zetterlund. New names are also proposed for seven Muscari as Leopoldia.
For the second article this month Jānis works with his Ukranian colleague, Dimitri Zubov, to bring us a new Colchicum species. This is Colchicum kackarense, a new autumn-blooming species from the Kaçkar Mountains in north-eastern Turkey. Dr Zubov, as well as his work at the State Institute of Genetic and Regenerative Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, is a passionate and knowledgeable plantsman, especially famous for his work with bulbous plants.
So, a typically international issue of IRG – with cooperation around the world to bring this to our readers. We hope you enjoy it!
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Mar241648143669IRG_147.pdf
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Cover image; Hummocks of sandy tufa in Cappadocia, Turkey, where Leopoldia parvipoldia grows: photo by Jānis Rukšāns
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In this edition of IRG, two new Tulipa species from sect. Biflores (subgen. Eriostemones, Liliaceae) are described from the Zagros Mountains of Iran, and Zhetysu, Kazakhstan, from Dr Janis Rukšāns (Latvia) and Dr Dimitri Zubov (Ukraine), who are both passionate scholars of geophytic plants.
Following that is an article on the lovely Saxifraga ludlowii from the famed Czech plantsman, Vojtěch Holubec.
Finally this month there is a review of a new book which is surely going to become a “must have” for all people with a passion to grow plants in a fashion which really suits them! We have eagerly awaited this book by Kenton Seth and Paul Spriggs and its arrival has fulfilled all our most demanding expectations of it. There is much in it to be useful to any plant lover and the rigour devoted to its production is remarkable. The IRG Team is certainly impressed by it!
Download free here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Apr291651236666IRG148.pdf
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Cover image: Saxifraga ludlowii grown (in the Tromsř arctic-alpine botanic garden from seed coll. Tibet Rawu 5000m) and photographed by Martin Hajman.
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I hope that this month’s IRG provides an interesting range of articles.
Firstly, we have some terrific photos of Dionysia species in habitat in Iran from Dr Sajad Alipour. These plants are mainly grown in the alpine house in the UK. Luckily there are one or two nurseries selling these plants albeit not in large numbers, so it is not impossible to try one’s hand at growing these often difficult plants. They can be seen growing well in some Botanic Gardens, such as Gothenburg or Tübingen where there are considerable collections.
Second article is the description of Crocus dolatyarii – a new species from W Iran from Janis Rukšāns.
Next up is a book review of Saunders’ Field Guide to the Gladioli of South Africa by David Carver.
Unfortunately, the previous publication of Tulipa brinkii in IRG was precluded by IPNI.org as complying with official naming, so the article, with additions, is repeated here. Thanks to Sjaak de Groot and B.J.M. Zonneveld.
Download IRG 149 here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Jun041654351798IRG_149.pdf
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Cover image: Dionysia zetterlundii in habitat - photo Sajad Alipour.
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Please note- due to technical difficulty- IRG 149, May 2022 may now be downloaded here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Jun041654351798IRG_149.pdf
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This month’s IRG- No. 150 for June 2022 brings new descriptions of three Puschkinia species from the Iranian Alborz & Zagros mountains and no less than five new Crocus species from north-western & western Iran. Authors are Janis Rukšāns, from Latvia, with Dimitri Zubov, from Ukraine and Janis with Alireza Dolatyari from Iran. Further evidence, if such were needed, of the wealth of plant diversity in Iran.
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Jun231656010077IRG150.pdf
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Cover image: Crocus chionophilus - seed capsule and seeds -photo Janis Rukšāns.
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IRG 151: A new species of Eranthis from Iran is described by Jānis Rukšāns – this genus is a valuable one for early season colour in the garden and is justly popular for its bright yellow flowers at a time when such colour is so much appreciated. Elsewhere in this issue we have comments on the growing and name changes of Lesquerella, the former name of a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae from the Czech gardener, Zdeněk Řeháček. Vlastimil Pilous, another Czech, takes as his subject the pipevine, Dutchman's pipe or birthwort, Aristolochia – these are plants with a wide distribution which have previously been much used in medicines, but which are now known to be toxic. The plants are the food of various butterfly larvae, rendering them unpalatable to predators. Aristolochia can be found in many countries though some are now under threat.
Click this link to download and read for free!!
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Jul281659003303IRG151.pdf
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Eranthis kurdica sp.nov. on pass near Qamchiyan- cover image by Jānis Rukšāns
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August IRG: We are delighted to present a new Crocus species described from Northern Macedonia by the team of Dr Jānis Rukšāns, from Latvia and Dr Dimitri Zubov, from Ukraine. Jānis says he is transplanting crocuses every day, but the first ones are already starting to bloom.
Second article this month is from the Scot, Connor Smith, about his workplace, the Utrecht Botanic Garden, which is rightly famous for its innovative rock gardens.
Download IRG 152 here- https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Aug251661454762IRG_152.pdf
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Crocus jostii -photo by Jānis Rukšāns
Connor is also excited for this event to enjoy: Autumn Plant Market at Utrecht Botanic Garden.
On Saturday 3 September 2022 from 10:00 to 16:30 all are welcome at the best plant market in the centre of the Netherlands! In the Utrecht University Botanic Gardens you will find a fantastic assortment of plants during the Autumn Plant Market 2022.
Around 74 plant sellers from various European countries are expected, who will undoubtedly bring their own range of plants. In addition to vendors, various plant associations are present whose members will enthusiastically provide you with all possible information about their hobby.
Learn more about the event and those attending, here: https://www.uu.nl/en/events/autumn-plant-market-2022
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September IRG 153 :
To read this month's e-magazine :
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Sep291664476951IRG_153.pdf
John and Anita Watson this month contribute an article on a new Viola species from northern Patagonian upland and its eponymic Yramea fritillary butterflies. Elsewhere, we present information from the huge archive of SRGC twice-yearly journals to tempt you to study the wealth of knowledge therein (all these journals, plus an index, are available to read or download here: https://www.srgc.net/srgcjournal.asp ) - Enjoy!
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Cover image: Snow on raised beds and troughs in an Aberdeen garden - photo J.Ian Young
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International Rock Gardener e-magazine - October 2022 IRG #154
This month we celebrate a number of growers & plant explorers who have also been honoured by our friends @ the Alpine Garden Society - Harry Jans, Martin Sheader and Skalničky editor, Zdenek Zvolanek as well as other great alpine growers who have all contributed to a further investigation of South American plants. We are always pleased to receive the feedback from readers who are excited by the South American flora – there are not too many of us who can afford to make a trip to those far-away lands of botanic delight!
Click here to read,free: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Oct271666892966IRG_154.pdf
Cover image: Gentianella scarlatina photo by Harry Jans.
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International Rock Gardener e-magazine - november 2022 IRG #155
In the areas of the world where Autumn-flowering snowdrops are grown, this seems to be a good year for these enchanting little flowers. The major excitement about these bulbs comes in Spring (I was going to write “hysteria”, but thought that was a tad unfair!) but there are Autumn blooming plants within galanthus and other genera too, and these are equally enjoyed by their devotees. I pause here to differentiate once more that there are “true” Autumn Crocus – not the oft repeated common name applied in error over many years to what are actually Autumn flowering Colchicum, also foolishly referred to as “Meadow Saffron” – a mistake that could be fatal. If people are able to learn the name Narcissus or Crocus, I have no sympathy with those who claim it is “too difficult” to educate folks to the proper names of such species. Rant over – but you will see that I feel strongly on this point. It’s not often that your editor bangs her own drum so I hope readers will understand!
Anne Wright, whose Dryad nursery is a small-scale mail-order-only nursery based in Tockwith, North Yorkshire, UK, grows and breeds miniature narcissi, snowdrops, and hepaticas. Anne writes here of her choice of her latest series of Galanthus hybrids which will be registered with the Koninklijke Algemeene Vereeniging Voor Bloembollencultuur Royal General Bulb Growers' Association (KAVB). Anne’s attention to detail in her hybridisation projects is focussed and involves constant monitoring and she clearly excels in this.
The nursery was set up originally simply as a way of disposing of excess bulbs from her hobby, and still has this function, but she also now propagates the plants especially for the nursery list.
The next writer on Galanthus is a new contributor this month, Tim (Timothy) Calkins, from America who names a Galanthus reginae-olgae cultivar. Tim has been developing his garden in Reston, Virginia, USA for 30 years, trying to change a suburban yard of under 1/3 acre (0.12 hectare) of sun-baked, grass-covered clay into a variety of garden environments. It includes raised vegetable beds, trough gardens, a small orchard, a small bog, and a mix of sunny borders and shaded areas for winter blooms, spring ephemerals and woodland perennials. Particular enthusiasms include galanthus (he grows 19 species and several hundred cultivars), rain lilies (zephyranthes and habranthus), narcissus, and a growing collection of lycoris. Something is in bloom, if not every day of the year, at least every month.
Final item this month is a brief plant portrait of Primula frondosa, from a Czech friend, Zdeněk Řeháček.
Download the IRG here https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Nov241669317506IRG_155.pdf
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Cover image: Galanthus ‘Dryad Princess’ – photo by Anne Wright.
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International Rock Gardener e-magazine - December 2022 IRG #156
In IRG this month we have articles from John and Anita Watson, reporting on their long history with the flora of Chile, and plant portraits singing the praises of various plants much loved by alpine growers, from Cyril Lafong, in Scotland, Pavel Holík and from Zdeněk Zvolánek in Czechia – all originally published in Skalničky, the bulletin of Klub skalničkářů Praha. The plants featured are Campanula tommasiniana, Daphne ‘Colinton Crown’, and some Juno irises. The final piece this month is a report from Dr Tristan Hatton-Ellis from Wales, on the propagation of Hardy Orchids from seed using the ‘Cardboard Method’.
Download here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2022Dec291672326639IRG_156.pdf
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Cover image: Alstroemeria ligtu subsp. incarnata F. & W. 11091. Photographed on 30 December 2005 by Ana Rosa Flores.
As ever, the IRG and the print journal of SRGC - The Rock Garden - actively seek contributions to our pages.
If you enjoy reading the IRG and TRG – why not put pen to paper – or more likely fingers to the keyboard – and join their number?
Email your proposals to Margaret Young, editor@internationalrockgardener.net or TRG editor, anton.edwards@icloud.com - or both!!
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As we enter a new year I have the misfortune to tell you all that, at the moment, there are no articles awaiting publication in the IRG. There are various articles that have been promised over the years but I have little expectation that these will now appear. I am aware of some authors working on future pieces, but there is no certainty of when these might arrive. Of course, I realise that other publications often suffer similar problems, but my fear is that the IRG - with its unique feature for "our kind of plants" of being free to download to be read by anyone in the world - will cease to exist - at least in its current monthly format. What a sad state of affairs!
Of course, there are a myriad of pretty pictures being shown on social media but where is the information about those plants that can truly help, guide and enthuse folk to try to grow them themselves? Even when some info is attached, it can be well nigh impossible to find it during a later search.
So often it is stated that gardeners are the most generous of people, willing to help beginners etc - but without articles in our various journals, where are these folk to find the information when they need it?
So - if you have any advice to impart to other plant lovers - please do write it down - whether for the IRG (and I know that many authors like the fact that "their" info is freely available ) or for the SRGC's printed journal - and take the time to fully share any expertise - or describe pitfalls - to enlighten others.
Information from experts and beginners alike - often the latter being the most helpful - is very much needed. Please support the SRGC and IRG by getting involved and spreading the delight of plants to as many people as possible!
IRG 157 January 2023
We have two articles this month, firstly from Jānis Rukšāns on a new crocus hybrid raised by Dirk Schnabel in Germany and secondly, a report from Panayoti Kelaidis on the Patagonian plants which are doing well in the Denver Botanic Garden.
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A selected clone of Crocus x schnabelii - photo by Dirk Schnabel
Download IRG 157 here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Jan261674733906157_IRG.pdf
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IRG 158 did not appear in February 2023 because there were no articles
submitted. Once more I stress to all readers that without your submissions
there can be no IRG. The IRG has brought diverse articles on practical
projects to inspire you in your own garden, travelogues and botanical articles
on new cultivars or species, newly described, over the last ten years. The
magazine has been brought free to the internet and reaches an enormous
world-wide audience – if you value this at all, please support the IRG by sending in your ideas for
articles of general interest to this email address: editor@internationalrockgardener.net
If you are also interested in your idea being
forwarded to the editor of the SRGC print journal, The Rock Garden, just let me know and I will
pass it on! It will be a delight to hear from you!
Happily, for this issue, I have now had a note from our Polish correspondent, Dr Krzysztof (Chris)
Ciesielski, about a Galanthus he is naming. Like many of us, Chris felt that much
of his life, particularly outside work, was put on hold during the Corona Virus pandemic. He was
looking forward to a snowdrop hunting expedition in March with his wife, as they explore to find
new variations in the wild. We are also lucky enough to have news of some newly named
Galanthus from the bulb collection of Dr Dimitri Zubov, in Kyiv, Ukraine, a country that many of us
feel great sympathy with, in their current fight against aggressors.
Margaret Young, Editor International Rock Gardener.
Download the latest IRG on srgc.org.uk here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Mar311680276840IRG158.pdf
On srgc.net the link for IRG 158, March 2023 is :
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/230331121959IRG158.pdf
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Snowdrops in an Aberdeen wood - photo J. Ian Young
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Email to contact re submissions to IRG is faulty in IRG 158 - write instead to info@srgc.org.uk Thank you!
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Latest issue of International Rock Gardener e-magazine online now with an article from Crassulaceae enthusiast Marco Cristini, on the Aeoniums of the Canary Island archipelago.
Click here to read : https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/230428094725IRG%20159.pdf
or at https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Apr281682673662IRG_159.pdf
Cover image: Aeonium valverdense photo by Marco Cristini.
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10th May 2023
New IRG e-magazine is loaded online early to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the founding of the Scottish Rock Garden Club. Click to download: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/230510160918IRG%20160.pdf
It is a pleasure once more to have an article by those two indefatigable independent researchers and plantsmen, from Latvia and Ukraine - Jānis Rukšāns, Dr. biol. h.c. and Dimitri Zubov, PhD. In this issue they address the subject of two new geophyte species in the Scilloideae subfamily (Asparagaceae) growing in the Alborz and Zagros mountains in N and W Iran are described and illustrated. The differences between new species from the genera of Puschkinia and Fessia and taxa related to them are also discussed. Photographs and keys to the species identification and distribution maps are provided.
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Cover image: Puschkinia advayana – photo by Jānis Rukšāns.
alternative site to download : https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023May101683731824IRG_160.pdf
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IRG 161 June 2023
Polygonatum is a widespread temperate genus with approximately seventy-five species centred in the Eastern Himalaya and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. Aaron J. Floden PhD, is one of the experts in this genus and gives us an oversight of those species in his collection, as first published some time ago in the SRGC Forum. There are further posts from others in the Forum thread, with comments and identifications made by Aaron – these can be seen by clicking here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2033.0
Aaron J. Floden, now based in Missouri at the northeast edge of the Ozark Plateau where he is the Flora of Missouri Curator at Missouri Botanical Garden, has many scientific papers to his name, including many on the likes of Trillium in the United States. He has proven a reliable resource for queries to the SRGC Forum over many years and is generous to share his time and knowledge.
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Cover image: Polygonatum biflorum - kindly provided by courtesy of the Missouri Botanic Garden
Click here to download the IRG 161
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Jun291688063975IRG_June_2023.pdf
or on www.srgc.net, click https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/230630101934IRG161.pdf
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IRG 162 July 2023
In IRG free e-mag. 162 : 4 new crocus species this month from Jānis Rukšāns & Dimitri Zubov + Soil Blocks for seed sowing from Robert Barnard in California.
Click to read https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Jul271690480891IRG_July2023.pdf
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Cover Photo : Crocus bydzowskyanus R2CV-047
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Bobby J. Ward has let us know this sad news - Will Hembree, who wrote about hiking the Appalachian Trail with his dad which was published in the March 2020 issue of the IRG ( http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2020Mar261585255661IRG123.pdf) died in a traffic accident in late July 2023, age 30. He was working in the Great Basin in Nevada. A rising star lost too soon, like Nick Courtens.
We send condolences to his family and friends. A terrible loss of such a fine young man.
Read a fine obituary, here: https://www.jhoytthomas.com/obituary/william-hembree?fbclid=IwAR2-fA3jc5gxP5fu3gj7FnJ3yZoEy4RzFI6ZFZ9CvLK6C_NtKRp-b1fpuTo
Bobby wrote : Will Hembree and his dad hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2019. In February 2020, Will gave a talk about the hike to a joint meeting of the Piedmont Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society and the Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum. With Will's permission, the lecture was recorded and archived on the JCRA YouTube site here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKj7petEjeA&list=PLRQi_EkeFffsfH2Z4oc8SaOXTGCFln-SN&index=25) .
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Will at his talk at the JC Raulston Arboretum
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Will's audience
From Carson Trexler:
"This one hurts. Will Hembree, died last week in an accident that has left everyone stunned and at a loss for words. He was 30.
Will was the senior conservation horticulturist of Atlanta Botanical Gardens, responsible for the safeguarding collections of the most critically endangered Sarracenia for one of the largest and most accomplished conservation programs in the US. He was a capable master of his craft, educated at Longwood, and a worthy custodian of these special ex-situ projects.
When I visited ABG last year he was a bright and respectful host, absolutely full of life. I looked forward to meeting him again at ABG. His charisma, humility, and competence were praised in life by all who knew him. In death he is deeply mourned. His is a loss to conservation and to carnivorous plants.
Rest in peace!"
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Will Hembree, December 2021
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IRG 163 August 2023
This issue begins with an article from Gerrit Eijkelenboom on his favourite genus - orchids - this time from the island of Samos. The photos shown with this are from Gerrit’s trip in Spring 2023. Also in this issue are descriptions of new galanthus hybrids developed by Anne Wright in Yorkshire. Anne is an expert propagator by means of bulb “chipping” and has generously shared her method for this in IRG 118 of October 2019.
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Cover image IRG 163 : Orchis morio hypochrome by Gerrit Eijkelenboom.
Download here:
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Aug251692953084IRG_163.pdf
or here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/230825101212IRG163.pdf
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IRG 164 September 2023 features Wim Boens on Crocus tommasinianus cultivars and Robert Rolfe on the late plantsman and Crocus expert, Ray Cobb.
Find issue to download here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/230928092539IRG164.pdf
also here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Sep281695925042IRG164.pdf
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Cover image: Crocus tommasinianus (claret form), from a photograph taken in Ray Cobb’s garden in March 1984 by Robert Rolfe.
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It is our pleasure to pay tribute to the famous Latvian botanist, Jānis Rukšāns following his seventy-seventh birthday and the milestone of around sixty-five years involvement with collecting, breeding and growing bulbs. Jānis has a farm 80 kilometres northeast of Riga, where he has amassed what is probably the world’s largest collection of ornamental bulbous plants.
Download IRG165 here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/231026100909231026093811IRG165.pdf
Download is also possible here: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Oct261698336909IRG_165.pdf
(Please note that from 2024, IRG will only be published on SRGCC.net )
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Cover image: Tulipa humilis at the Karabel pass,Turkey - image by Jānis Rukšāns.
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IRG 166 - November 2023
First article this month is about the intriguing tulip from Kazakhstan – famed for its deeply furrowed foliage – Tulipa regelii. Frazer Henderson travelled in search of this unique tulip and was successful in seeing it in habitat.
Already recognised for his general horticultural nous, following visits to his garden in Eskilby and his trips to Scotland where his methods and talks drew great praise, Peter Korn, along with Julia Andersson, has made a fantastic garden of experiment and innovation at their Klinta Garden, further south in Sweden. Here he writes about "Growing in Sand"
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Cover image: Perennial planting by Peter Korn.
Click here for free download of IRG 166 https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/231123131701IRG166.pdf
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IRG 167 - December 2023
IRG 167 is online now. In this issue Robert Rolfe highlights the charming Viola dubyana and Başak Güner Gardner and her husband Christopher Gardner write about some “Variable violas"
download it here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/231221151558IRG167.pdf
Cover image: Linum perenne subsp. alpinum, photo Robert Rolfe
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For the last time, the IRG is also posted on SRGC.org.uk - https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2023Dec211703172082IRG167.pdf - from next year, the IRG will only be posted on SRGC.net.
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IRG 168 - January 2024
A delight this month to begin the new year by having both new species and new cultivars introduced in the International Rock Gardener. Three new tulips from central Asia are described by Jac J. de Groot and B.J.M. Zonneveld. Jac J. de Groot has a new book “Tulips and their Natural History” to be published in March 2024.
N.B. Please note that line four of page 6 should read :1 picogram = 10-12 g).
Saxifrages, in all their guises, are popular for their compact nature with fine foliage and flowers. Adrian Young, Saxifraga Registrar, and dedicated curator of the marvellous national collection of saxifrages at Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire, sends notes regarding some new Saxifraga stolonifera cultivars. As well as other events at Waterperry, there is an annual Saxifrage Day, which in 2024 will be Saturday 25th May.
Download IRG here- free: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240125195100IRG168.pdf
Cover image: Flower of S. stolonifera ‘Bian Huan’ – photo Dr Daike Tian.
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N. B. IRG from now on is only published on SRGC.net. ALL issues are available there: https://www.srgc.net/international_rock_gardener.asp
(There is still an Archive from 2010 to 2023 on srgc.org.uk)
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Note of error in IRG 168 : N.B. Please note that line four of page 6 should read :1 picogram = 10-12 g).
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International Rock Gardener 169, download issue here:
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240222131842IRG169.pdf
February 2024
Virtual visits to differing locations in Kyrgyzstan are featured this month.
Nazgul Kenzhebaeva and Frazer Henderson have a particular interest in the
flora of the Tien Shan and take us on a trip to the Sary Chalek reserve, while
Frazer also writes about several areas in the country where he has botanised
as an enthusiastic amateur, particularly in search of tulips.
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Tulipa heterophylla, photo by Frazer Henderson.
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Virtual visits to widely differing locations in the world this month in IRG.
From the United States of America, Robert Barnard treats us to a visit to one of his favourite places in California while Frazer Henderson introduces us to the Isle of Eigg - a small Scottish island where few Scots have visited.
Click here to download and read free: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240328162404IRG170.pdf
Cover image: A view of the Rocky Basin by Robert Barnard.
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April IRG 171: Featuring orchids of the “Low Countries” by Gerrit Eijkelenboom and two plant portraits from Zdeněk Řeháček.
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Cover photo: Liparis loeselii. By Gerrit Eijkelenboom.
Click here to download the issue - free- :
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240425131536IRG171April%202024.pdf
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A reminder that the main page from which to access every issue of International Rock Gardener is now
https://www.srgc.net/international_rock_gardener.asp
From December 2023, the IRG is no longer being posted on srgc.org.uk, instead all issues are available from this page on srgc.net - https://www.srgc.net/international_rock_gardener.asp Please update any "bookmarks" you may have. Thank you!
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IRG 172 May 2024 - download via this link:
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240530145259IRG%20172.pdf
A new crocus species growing wild in Kurdistan Province, Iran, is described and illustrated with photographs and distribution maps provided by Mahfouz Advay from Iran and Jānis Rukšāns, Dr. biol. h.c. from Latvia. As is stated in the article, “new discoveries continue to add to our knowledge of the crocus diversity.”
From the magazine of the Klub skalničkářů Praha, “Skalničky” there is a plant portrait from Zdeněk Řeháček in North-East Chechia.
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Cover image: Crocus avromanicus by Jānis Rukšāns
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IRG 173 - free e-magazine: Connor Smith, a Scot now working at the Univ. of Utrecht Botanic Garden, shares some of the plants which took his eye on a January trip to Santiago, Chile that he undertook with his friend and fellow SRGC supporter, Luca Magi, from Australia. From the Botanical Garden of the University of Tübingen in Germany, Michael Mauser, gardener in the Ecological Alpine Centre brings an article on the propagation of Dionysia which is something of a speciality of the Botanic Garden.
Download here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240627130235IRG%20173.pdf
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cover image is of a pollinator on Nassauvia pyramidalis - photo by Connor Smith
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IRG 174 for July 2024 is now online: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240726085558174%20July.pdf
Robert Barnard returns to IRG this month for another tale of his favourite hikes and areas in Northern California, this time to the Camp Creek area.
A short time ago, the Saxifraga Register, Adrian Young, completed the record keeping process for a delightful Saxifraga hybrid, being named by Gert Hoek for his friend, the plantsman, Geert Borgonje, who has recently been unwell. The description of this saxifrage is given here.
Finally this month we pay tribute to John M. Watson 1936- 2024 – who was a tireless contributor to the IRG and a fine friend to the Scottish Rock Garden Club.
Cover image: Camp Creek view, photo Robert Barnard.
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You may now download IRG 175 for August 2024 : https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240829083424IRG%20175.pdf
This month in IRG 175: Wim Boens writes about a very popular garden plant and its cultivars – Trillium grandiflorum. Wim, from Belgium, is a well-known plant collector and lecturer and a great fan of Spring flowering plants like Galanthus, winter Aconites, and Crocus, which of course have a long flowering season.
Gerrit Eijkelenboom returns to write of the early Ophrys of southern France. These are the orchids, flowering in March and April and comprises the first part of this article. Gerrit and his wife Iep travel extensively to photograph orchids and write enthusiastically about them wherever they find them.
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Cover image: Trillium grandiflorum ‘Kath’s Dwarf’ – photo Wim Boens.
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IRG 176 for September 2024 is now online - download here:
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/240927112838IRG%20176.pdf
Dr Sajad Alipour, a Botanist & Ecologist of Shiraz, Iran submits a report on Iranian native plants of his botanical trips this year.
Wim Boens writes this month about a Japanese plant and its cultivars which seems to create differing enthusiasms. These are Arisaemas, which some folk find rather sinister in their appearance. - some love ‘em, some hate ‘em!
Finally we have a plant portrait of Campanula raineri, which appeared first in Skalničky the journal of the Prague Rock Garden Club (KSP) from Zdeněk Zvolánek.
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Cover image: Arisaema urashima ‘Akabana’ – photo Wim Boens.
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Download IRG 177 here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/241024190411IRG%20177.pdf
This month in IRG we have a report from enthusiastic traveller Robert Rolfe on the Northern Macedonian Viola schariensis from the Šar Panina and some of the flowers found around it.
We also have a description for a new Erythronium cultivar from John Weagle Canada which commemorates the fine gardener, originally from New Zealand, Alleyne Cook who raised it.
John Weagle hs just named a Nerine in honour of Barbara Cook.
Nerine 'Barbara Cook' ( 'Durru Shehvar' x 'Cherryripe' )
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Magnolia 'Barbara Cook' as named previously by Alleyne Cook.
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Download IRG 177 here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/241024190411IRG%20177.pdf
Cover image: Soldanella pindicola by Robert Rolfe.
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Alleyne and Barbara Cook - a most charming couple!
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IRG 178 is now online - click here to download:
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/241128184059IRG%20178.pdf
Alan Ayton from Austrailia writes about Veronica thomsoni, a mountain speedwell from New Zealand and Grahame Ware from Canada writes about the popular bulb Brodiaea.
Cover image: Brodiaea elegans JCA 13277 California,
Shasta Co. Photo Mike Tucker.
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Final IRG for 2024 : This month the IRG contains an article from Nazgul Kenzhebaeva, Saltanat Kendirbaeva and Frazer Henderson on some highlights of the flora of Ala Archa State National Park in Kyrgyz Republic and a photo essay of plants in the Spring garden of Anton and Margaret Edwards, in Perthshire. Scotland.
Click link to download: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/241226191634IRG%20179.pdf
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Cover image: Viola acutifolia in Ala Archa state national park.
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Alleyne and Barbara Cook - a most charming couple!
I am sorry to say that Barbara died peacefully at home on December 2nd 2024. The loss of this remarkable pair to the world of horticulture is as sad as it was with the death of Alleyne. We send condolences to Briar and the wider Cook Family at this sad time.
There will be a service in Barbara's memory in North Vancouver:
Saturday 8th February, 1pm
North Lonsdale United Church
3380 Lonsdale Ave.
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IRG 180
This is the first issue of the sixteenth year of the International Rock Gardener. A monthly freely available online magazine on the @ScottishRockgc website.
Robert Rolfe gives an insight into the Royal Horticultural Society garden of Harlow Carr in Harrogate, Yorkshire and Gerrit and Ibelje Eijkelenboom continue their travels with part two of Orchids of southern France, the orchids in the month of May.
Download here: https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/250130172424IRG%20180.pdf
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Cover image: Sanguinaria canadensis 'Multiplex' – photo Robert Rolfe.
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This month Jānis Rukšāns writes about a new Corydalis species found during an expedition to Uzbekistan. Jānis is a tireless private researcher into plants, particularly bulbs, that he studies around the world and has worked to make many of these available to horticulture through his efforts.
Gerrit and Ibeltje Eijkelenboom complete their review of the orchids they have found on their travels in France. They include, of course, some of the plants that are growing alongside the orchids. Many thanks to these kind contributors.
Click this link to download the free issue of IRG :
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/250227183840IRG%20181.pdf
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Cover image: Habitat of Corydalis pskemensis, photo by Jānis Rukšāns.
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IRG 182 - March 2025
Alan Ayton from Australian contributes a photo essay on Pimelea alpina, a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae, endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. Alan has recently suffered a period of ill health, and we wish him well in his recovery.
Jānis Rukšāns and Dimitri Zubov combine their efforts once more to discuss the Series Speciosi of Crocus, as defined in the 1982 monograph by Brian Mathew – and describe three new species from their expeditions over the years.
Jānis and Dimitri have made many expeditions together to research plants in the wild. They have been very generous in sharing their findings with the International Rock Gardener, over some years, for which we are most grateful.
click the link to download the IRG 182 : https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/250327202905IRG%20182.pdf
cover image : Crocus zuvandicus in its habitat. Photo S. Banketov.
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IRG 183 is online now: Alan Ayton joins us again with an article on Psychrophila introloba, another Australian plant which he calls the “Queen of the Victorian Alps” – we hear little of these plants so we hope you will enjoy these notes.
Konstantin Cherezov who lives in Kirov, northwest of Moscow, is involved with the Russian Rhododendron Society website, and with uncommercial mountain hikes and expeditions in Russia. A digital creator, and nature enthusiast and mountaineer, Konstantin wrote about “Cypripediums of the Far East” in issue 154 of the print Journal of the Scottish Rock Garden Club – The Rock Garden. For the IRG he writes about a Botanical introduction to Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal.
This issue of IRG ends with some book suggestions.
https://www.srgc.net/documents/irg/250424184642IRG%20183.pdf
Cover: Scabiosa comosa – photo Konstantin Cherezov.
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