April 2013 in the Northern Hemisphere

[astragalus]

On the plus side, stepped on numerous times, but determined to survive, my mystery astragalus.

[astragalus]

And just really nice to see.

[David Nicholson]

Breaks my heart

Anne, have at look at this, there are similarities!
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10201.0

By the way, last night Cliff Booker gave a presentation on his 2010 NARGS tour to my local AGS Group. Your garden is beautiful, breathtakingly so.

[astragalus]

Thank you so much, David.  Your "Cheriton" was a real beauty.  I've always wanted to try that one.  The D. Susannae hybrids are very difficult to find here, but anything that has D. arbuscula in the parentage is worth a try.  D. arbuscula is a good doer here and very hardy, having come through an almost snowless winter once with a low of -17F.  We just can't count any more on having a reliable snow cover.  I am trying D. x Susannae 'Anton Fahndrich'.  It was a wee thing when I got it - not impressive looking now but it's alive, probably being so small it was beneath the notice of the antlered rats.  Does it make a difference if  D. arbuscula is the first or second named parent?

[astragalus]

David, your link was excellent.  I think I lost Daphne x hendersonii 'Ernst Hauser' to botryitis.  It went from a gorgeous plant to nothing very dramatically in a very short period.  I've heard people refer to "daphne sudden death syndrome" and maybe that's what it really is.
The attached is Daphne x hendersonii 'Ernst Hauser' in happier days.

[astragalus]

Sorry, having some difficulty in downsizing photos

[ebbie]

Two North Africans:

Asphodelus acaulis in my alpine house
and
Ranunculus calandrinoides in my rock garden.

[ian mcenery]

A couple from me . Firstly Trillium rivale nivale from a generous forumist a couple of years ago doing well. It started flowering before the snow and was covered in full flower for 9 days and came out unscathed

Second a selected form of Callianthemum anemonoides whose seed parent apparently had won prizes. Quite large flowers and plenty of them

[Maggi Young]

A couple from me . Firstly Trillium rivale .......

I think you meant Trillium nivale, Ian .......   ( you lucky dog!!  )

[ian mcenery]

I think you meant Trillium nivale, Ian .......   ( you lucky dog!!  )

Yes Maggi old age I'm afraid

[David Nicholson]

I claim no cultural credit for this one apart from potting it up it was from a Christmas surprise parcel from Gerd Stopp containing all kinds of beautiful plants. It's part of my quest to grow more alpines (and by necessity fewer bulbs) before age starts to catch up with me.

Draba lasiocarpa

[ashley]

Looks very good David

Philotheca myoporoides  very slow-growing with me but almost always in flower and a favourite of mine

Pelargonium acetosum

Podophyllum mairei looking distinctly sinister

[Gerry Webster]

Podophyllum mairei looking distinctly sinister

Yes indeed Ashley:

[ashley]

Indescribable

[WimB]

Some plants in flower during this week:

Corydalis solida 'Falls of Nimrodel'
Ranunculus crenatus
Scilla armena
Erythronium dens-canis 'Old Aberdeen'
Hepatica nobilis (pale pink)