Image of the day - 2012

Submitted by Toole on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 01:35

Moderator note:
With a new year comes a new thread! Here is the first post in "Image of the Day - 2012", which continues on from:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=24.1560
Edit by Lori

Lori wrote:

Nothing in flower here either but with each day a second or two longer now, here are some mountain scenes and some local alpines to make us yearn for spring! Happy New Year, all!

Lovely pics Lori

Hoy wrote:

Lori, your pictures always make me feel guilty - guilty of sitting lazy in the sofa instead of getting out there where the diamonds are to be found ;)

I know how you feel Hoy ...well sort of :) Here i'm stuck finishing off a job for a client spraying with a knapsack around 5000 newly planted natives ,all the while i'm itching to get back up into the hills --anyway regardless of the work situation i've decided i'm away botanizing next weekend.

Here's a wee beauty-- Brodiaea terrestris with thick looking almost succulent like petals .Enjoying the dry warm conditions of the last 3 weeks .

Cheers Dave.

Comments


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 09:44

Lovely deep colour in that Brodiaea. We are still unusually mild - normally the really cold weather sets in in January. This plant is not in the first flight of alpines, Draba paysonii, but is already full of flower buds.


Submitted by Booker on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 11:52

A glimpse of summer from me ... a Spanish Swallowtail in the Picos de Europa.


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 12:11

Very nice photos, everyone.  
Tim, Draba paysonii is one of 30 or so Draba species that occur here... studying the characteristics of the hairs on the leaves through a hand lens to identify them is far beyond me!  Your photo reminds me that having some captive examples of the native ones for comparison might be a good place to start at least!


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 22:32

Lori, your comments on Draba echo my impressions of scanning the Flora re: the few I have photographed in the wild (re: Alberta Wanderings thread).. in the garden it seems would be a much easier place to study them, assuming one were to get characteristic growth...


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 00:06

Does this count as 'rock gardening'?  I grow a number of Mexican Pings in a terrarium.  It gives me something to look at during winter.  I have quite a collection of little bonsai pots with Pings in them.  I have some growing quite nicely in angular aquarium pebbles.  This is a better drained mix than one would normally use for cactus.  If you have ever seen pictures of Pings clinging to cliffs in Mexico then you would not question their ability to survive dry conditions.  I put them outside and the rain tore them apart.  They apparently cannot handle rain.  They seem to like the humidity of the aquarium.  They must get most of their moisture from the dew of coastal fog in nature.

James      

Moderator Note:  for searchability and for NARGS forumists to know what "pings" are, the reference is to the genus Pinguicula.
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=638.0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinguicula
Mark McD.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 06:26

In the UK at this time of year, all the rage is for snowdrops. American gardeners probably can't understand what we are all going on about! Even with our mild winter so far though they are still to do their thing in our garden (I do grow quite a few but not of the early flowering varieties). So back to a proper alpine and the common but very attractive rosettes of Saxifraga cotyledon. This is tucked in at the base of a lump of tufa and those leaf margins are so attractive! Some snowdrops to come in a few weeks time...


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 15:19

James, I do like Pinguiculas; I was under the impression that (some?) of the Mexican spp  were quite wet during the growing season then dry in winter- are yours dry all year?

Tim, I think snowdrops are quite nice, but have a little trouble thinking of them as a major focus of attention...lol-- however, blooming so early (totally impossible here to think of anything flowering in mid-winter except indoors!) I can see an appeal... Nothing here will show any activity till late April/May....


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 20:34

cohan wrote:

James, I do like Pinguiculas; I was under the impression that (some?) of the Mexican spp  were quite wet during the growing season then dry in winter- are yours dry all year?

When the water in the bottom of my terrarium dries out, I give them more.  I think they like the humidity.  I did not mean that they like it dry in the sense of cactus.  Although, the species that have really small leaves when dormant do need a period without watering.  I was trying to convey their adaptability to various growing media

I tried some divisions in potting soil, because I had it handy.  They covered the surface of the pot without sending down roots (if that's even what they are) into the media.  The potting soil must have been too moist for them. 

They would probably creep across the glass in the bottom of my terrarium if there was not standing water present.  Whenever they grow over the edge of the pot all the way down to the standing water they start to rot.  Preventing this from occurring is about the only thing that compels me to divide them.

Even though I given them water every week or two, that aquarium gravel cannot store much moisture.  They would probably be just as happy on a bare rock if I tried it.

James


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 22:09

Very interesting! I had a friend in FL who was growing them for some time, though I don't think she has any any more... I'm pretty sure she grew them in plant drainage saucers, though I don't remember her medium- something simple- she usually has commercial stuff plus perlite.. So basically, yours are growing just as epiphytes- lithophytes I guess, with little moisture taken in by the roots? I'd like to try them again sometime (killed a little offset or two some years ago) but there is a long list, so I'm in no hurry..lol


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 07:20

James wrote:

I tried some divisions in potting soil, because I had it handy.  They covered the surface of the pot without sending down roots (if that's even what they are) into the media.  The potting soil must have been too moist for them. 

They would probably creep across the glass in the bottom of my terrarium if there was not standing water present.  Whenever they grow over the edge of the pot all the way down to the standing water they start to rot.  Preventing this from occurring is about the only thing that compels me to divide them.

Even though I given them water every week or two, that aquarium gravel cannot store much moisture.  They would probably be just as happy on a bare rock if I tried it.

James

Interesting! When I visited Kilimanjaro I found that many of the plants in the rain forest had roots creeping at the surface of whatever they were growing on and not penetrating the soil or bark. Here is an example, (very bad picture) a Streptocarpus sp. and some ferns. They all had roots growing at the surface (it is not easy to see in the picture) making a net of woven roots.


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 19:45

Here are some pictures showing various pinguiculas growing in aquarium pebbles or calcinated clay.  The largest one is P. gigantea.  The one with the most rosettes is P. laueana.  The last one is just a few small rosettes forming at the base of a leaf which had fallen off a mature plant.  I think this one is P. agnata 'true blue'.  These are all divisions, which is the reason they are so small.

James


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 10:39

A classic rock garden plant, Gentiana verna, native to Europe and Eurasia, that seems to grow fairly happily here in the crevice bed with no special care.  

       

(Apologies for the slightly fuzzy picture, but it's one of the few I have that captures the intensity and tone of the blue colour accurately!)


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 11:31

Lori wrote:

A classic rock garden plant, Gentiana verna, native to Europe and Eurasia, that seems to grow fairly happily here in the crevice bed with no special care.  

(Apologies for the slightly fuzzy picture, but it's one of the few I have that captures the intensity and tone of the blue colour accurately!)

Great colour :) How early does this flower for you?
I can always tell if I've just come from Facebook-- I'm trying to find the 'Like' button..lol its one of those things that at first seems dumb on FB- but its actually great on forums where you want to express appreciation for something, without any long message...


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 11:44

cohan wrote:

Lori wrote:

A classic rock garden plant, Gentiana verna, native to Europe and Eurasia, that seems to grow fairly happily here in the crevice bed with no special care.  

(Apologies for the slightly fuzzy picture, but it's one of the few I have that captures the intensity and tone of the blue colour accurately!)

Great colour :) How early does this flower for you?
I can always tell if I've just come from Facebook-- I'm trying to find the 'Like' button..lol its one of those things that at first seems dumb on FB- but its actually great on forums where you want to express appreciation for something, without any long message...

Can't you just press the "star" button?    *****
You can see, I have given it 5 golden (didn't find the golden colour though) stars ;)


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 11:47

Hoy wrote:

cohan wrote:

Lori wrote:

A classic rock garden plant, Gentiana verna, native to Europe and Eurasia, that seems to grow fairly happily here in the crevice bed with no special care.  

(Apologies for the slightly fuzzy picture, but it's one of the few I have that captures the intensity and tone of the blue colour accurately!)

Great colour :) How early does this flower for you?
I can always tell if I've just come from Facebook-- I'm trying to find the 'Like' button..lol its one of those things that at first seems dumb on FB- but its actually great on forums where you want to express appreciation for something, without any long message...

Can't you just press the "star" button?    *****
You can see, I have given it 5 golden (didn't find the golden colour though) stars ;)

*******


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 12:48

Well, glad you "like" it!  :D
Cohan, it starts blooming around mid-May here and has a nice long bloom period, to well past mid-June (judging from the dates on my photos).  It's very attractive in bud too:

                 

I bought this plant some years ago from (probably) Beaver Creek. 


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 00:58

On the wood anemone thread, I mentioned our closest thing to the impressive spring forest floral displays elsewhere is some wet woods displays of Caltha palustris.. If I dug long enough, I might find another image in fuller flower (though these plants in shade do not have as dense  flowering as plants in the open), but this will have to do for now!

BTW, these are on the acreage, something like 50 metres (at a wild guess) behind my house...


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 21:21

Here's a pretty Brassicacaea, Smelowskia calycina, in bloom in the first photo.  The second photo has the attractive foliage of Smelowskia calycina in the foreground, a colourful Rhodiola integrifolia in the center, and Saussurea nuda in bud at the back.

               


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 03:30

Lori,

Three cheers for your photos.  Every time you post a picture of your garden I learn more and more of it's magnificence.  It makes me feel my place, full of never ending projects, is unworthy in comparison.

I also appreciate your photos of wild plants.  If I can't go to those places, at least I can live vicareously through your photos.

Rhodiola integrifolia is a rare cliff plant in the Driftless area of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.  It also lives on cliffs along or near Lake Seneca in New York.  This is evidence of a much cooler past.  I always wondered why Midwestern and Eastern rock gardeners have not made attempts to get their local king's crown into regional gardens.  It is a beautiful plant.  Not only when flowing in Spring as your picture shows... but also with it's wonderful Fall color.

James


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 04:03

Something of a contrast to those marvellous pictures in the wild from Lori. I mentioned snowdrops a little earlier, and by way of a taster (all the highly expensive named varieties are still to start flowering) here is a picture of the common snowdrop, nivalis, flowering under our apple trees last February. My technique has been to bury nearly ripe seedpods (while still green) and the result is small 'tufts' of seedlings which have flowered in around three years, and produce a wonderful massed effect. These plants are ideally suited to the British climate and really keep our gardening going through the winter, along with hellebores, eranthis and even, at the moment, a few primroses!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 12:50

Hoy wrote:

Lori, very nice! Seems to be necessary with more than a raised sand bed to grow these ;D

I suspect that might be the minimum requirement in your very wet area, but the propects would naturally be much better here in our conditions.  Having said that, I haven't tried to grow Smelowskia here yet, but I did pick up a seedling of Rhodiola integrifolia at the local alpine plant sale last year.

Thanks for the comments, James.

James wrote:

Rhodiola integrifolia is a rare cliff plant in the Driftless area of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.  It also lives on cliffs along or near Lake Seneca in New York.  This is evidence of a much cooler past.  I always wondered why Midwestern and Eastern rock gardeners have not made attempts to get their local king's crown into regional gardens.  It is a beautiful plant.  Not only when flowing in Spring as your picture shows... but also with it's wonderful Fall color.

James

James, I believe the plant you refer to is Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. leedyi (as opposed to Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. integrifolia, which occurs here).  It is noted as occurring in Minnesota and New York, but if you feel you have seen it in Iowa and Wisconsin, it would probably be worth investigating further, and telling the local plant societies, etc. so that the possibility could be verified.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RHINL
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250092046

Note that there is also Rhodiola rosea (and there has been a vast amount of nomenclatural confusion over time between it and R. integrifolia) but it also does not seem to have been recorded from Iowa and Wisconsin:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RHRO3
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200009865

So, either way, it would certainly be of interest to check out.


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 14:21

Lori wrote:

James, I believe the plant you refer to is Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. leedyi (as opposed to Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. integrifolia, which occurs here).  It is noted as occurring in Minnesota and New York, but if you feel you have seen it in Iowa and Wisconsin, it would probably be worth investigating further, and telling the local plant societies, etc. so that the possibility could be verified.

I have only seen Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. leedyi in New York.  I knew it also occurred in the Driftless Area.  This area includes all the states I mentioned.  However, I did not look up exactly where in the driftless area it had been found.  If they say it only exists in the Minnesota portion of the driftless region, then they are probably correct. 

Irregardless, it is still a plant worthy of cultivation.  Although, the protected status thing would make obtaining seeds difficult.  You would need a permit.  Even if Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. leedyi could not be obtained, I have grown the more common Roseroot from seed.  Roseroot is very similar and also beautiful.

James


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 20:20

James wrote:

Irregardless, it [Rhodiola integrifolia ssp. leedyi] is still a plant worthy of cultivation.  Although, the protected status thing would make obtaining seeds difficult. 

James

The subspecies in wild Minnesota grows only in very specific maderate cliffs1, and is known only from four locations (plus three -maybe- in New York).  Its status is endangered in Minnesota and is a Federally threatened taxon. I can't attest to the New York environments , but mimicking the Minnesota environment would be next to impossible in warm climates such as ours. 

1a very specialized habitat of specific strata where groundwater seeps through the rock and is cooled by air coming from underground air passages in karst topography. This results in a constantly wet, dripping condition, an unusual product of a long geological history.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html?action=elementDetail&selecte...


Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 20:51

RickR wrote:

I can't attest to the New York environments , but mimicking the Minnesota environment would be next to impossible in warm climates such as ours.  

1a very specialized habitat of specific strata where groundwater seeps through the rock and is cooled by air coming from underground air passages in karst topography. This results in a constantly wet, dripping condition, an unusual product of a long geological history.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html?action=elementDetail&selecte...

So keep it out of direct sun during the hot parts of the year and water it.  I am sure it is not that hard to grow.  It's still a Rhodiola.  

The only reason it is rare is because glaciers came down and wiped out most of the cliffs where it found refuge.  Wait a couple of Millena for erosion to re-carve gorges through the otherwise glacially bulldozed Midwest and this little Rhodiola will spread.  There is a large amount of potential habitat that it either does not occupy, or that just simply has not been searched.  At least this is true of the cliffs along the Finger Lakes.  

I'm surprised there has not been some effort to establish new colonies in the ample unoccupied habitat.  Efforts to establish new colonies would be easy and have a high probability of success.  Collect some seed, sow it on cool cliff faces and see what happens.

James
 


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 07:01

Cohan, your Ribes does look like hudsonianum.  Mine is not a perfect fit but i could not find any other AB species that looks like the one I phootgraphed in SW Alberta.  Lori, do you have any insights? (Moderator note:  See Plants and Gardens - Woodies - Ribes for further on this topic.)

I saw Rhodiola integrifolia for the first time this past July while hiking in the Drywood Mountain area of SW Alberta (just outside Waterton Lakes).  Much small stature than R. rosea but exquisite all the same.

R. rosea is native in Newfoundland and always grows within reach of the ocean spray.  They can be quite robust.  Here is a clump growing near L'anse-aux-Meadows, the Viking Historical site in northern Newfoundland


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 07:42

Todd, natural rock garden perfection in that photo, gorgeous foliage :)


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 23:42

Note:  The discussion about Ribes has been moved to "Plants and Gardens - Woodies - Ribes" where it can continue with the focus it deserves!  :)
Lori


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 00:23

Lori wrote:

Here's a pretty Brassicacaea, Smelowskia calycina, in bloom in the first photo.  The second photo has the attractive foliage of Smelowskia calycina in the foreground, a colourful Rhodiola integrifolia in the center, and Saussurea nuda in bud at the back.

Really great grouping of plants in the second shot :)


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 00:27

Lori wrote:

Note:  The discussion about Ribes has been moved to "Plants and Gardens - Woodies - Ribes" where it can continue with the focus it deserves!   :)
Lori

Thanks Lori! And with the new thread status, I've already added a bunch more photos...lol.. many to come when I remember, including fall colour...


Submitted by Toole on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 22:23

McDonough wrote:

Todd, natural rock garden perfection in that photo, gorgeous foliage :)

I agree as well Mark .

I've raised one or two Rhodiola sps in the past but never been able to get them beyond the first winter :'(

Here's a close up of Lignocarpa carnosula in scree ,seen during last weekends wet soggy NZ field trip ....

Cheers Dave.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 22:43

A truly amazing little "tree", as well as superb photography! 

What is its actual size?
Does it ever grow leaves?
It looks so fresh.  How old would you guess it is?


Submitted by Toole on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 00:35

Thanks Rick

The plant in question isn't that big ,about the size of a persons palm.

Not sure how old it is ---the foliage breaks off delicately at it's connection with the large fleshy rootstock at the end of each season.....unfortunately i have no knowledge of how many years it takes for the plant to reach blooming size.

Here's a Pic i took a number of years ago of a mature plant ,showing the much divided 'leaves 'and flowers.

One of the specialized scree inhabitants that are easily overlooked because they mimic the colour of the mineral.

Cheers Dave.


Submitted by RickR on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 08:21

From the first photo of Lignocarpa carnosula, I thought it grew like a Pencil cactus, and I was only looking at stem structure.

But the second photo shows that this may not be the case!  Parts certainly look like leaves, but I'm not willing to commit to their identification as such.  Still, the growth pattern was not at all as I had envisioned from the first photo.

A strange plant, indeed.  Thanks, Dave!


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 08:36

Lignocarpa carnosula; that really is a strange plant! I would gladly exchange all my Rhodiolas for one of those! Seems to be a Apiaceae and reminds me of rock samphire (Crithmum maritimum) which I try to establish at my summerhouse.


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 18:05

Toole wrote:

Here's a close up of Lignocarpa carnosula in scree ,seen during last weekends wet soggy NZ field trip ....

Cheers Dave.

What a thrilling plant! and fantastic shot!
Dave's view is fascinating as well-- so many delightfully strange plants in NZ- if only it were warm enough here to grow such things-- if I ever get that Alpine House....


Submitted by Boland on Fri, 01/13/2012 - 10:12

Ohhh...I want one of those.  So bizarre but fantastic foliage!


Submitted by Saori on Fri, 01/13/2012 - 23:38

Toole wrote:

Here's a close up of Lignocarpa carnosula in scree ,seen during last weekends wet soggy NZ field trip ....

Wow, beautiful plant and magnificent photography!  :o

Todd wrote:

Ohhh...I want one of those.  So bizarre but fantastic foliage!

I'd love to have this one, too! It looks hard to grow in my garden, though... :'(


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 01/14/2012 - 15:13

From another part of the world...Gentianella rapunculoides from the Paramo of Ecuador.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 01/14/2012 - 19:15

That's a beauty, Todd!  It has quite a different look to it than the Gentianella here.  

I have just looked up paramo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Páramo
Was that in Cotopaxi National Park?   Must have been an amazing trip!  

With that, and Dave's Lignocarpa carnosula, we are being treated to some real exotica lately!


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 01:35

Todd wrote:

From another part of the world...Gentianella rapunculoides from the Paramo of Ecuador.

This is a gem!
I remember seeing several Gentians, some very different from those at home, when I visited the Paramo of Ecuador in 2000 but not this one!
Sorry - all my pictures are slides :(


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 09:41

Guess this topic should be moved to the Travels section.  I was in the Paramo east of Quito.  It was wet and cold but the sun broke through in the late afternoon.  I was on a birding trip to Ecuador and we were looking for some high alpine birds.  The birds were scanty but the plants were pretty cool.  Here is a Plantago rigida...not like any Plantago in our area!  It is more like a Bolax (Azorella) and hard as a rock.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 10:21

I'm amazed at the range of genera that contain species that form hard domes like you show. 

Todd, if you want to treat us to a photo essay of the Paramo of Ecuador (hint, hint  :) ), the Travels section would probably be the place to start it.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:00

Todd wrote:

Guess this topic should be moved to the Travels section.  I was in the Paramo east of Quito.  It was wet and cold but the sun broke through in the late afternoon.  I was on a birding trip to Ecuador and we were looking for some high alpine birds.  The birds were scanty but the plants were pretty cool.  Here is a Plantago rigida...not like any Plantago in our area!  It is more like a Bolax (Azorella) and hard as a rock.

Cool Plantago! Good thing you had a back-up interest if the birding was not so successful :)


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 18:33

That's a beauty Lori.....wish I had seen it before I placed my seed exchange orders.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 18:46

Lori wrote:

Inula rhizocephala - easy from seed, hardy, and easy to grow.  Providing very good drainage improves longevity in the garden.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200024064

Nice one, its a genus I've been interested in, though haven't got any yet... how large has it been for you, the flora shows a bit of size range... I like that it seems from the habitat it could take a bit of shade..


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 19:37

That Pantago rigida, Todd: Wow!

Imagine what it would look like flowering!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 20:16

The plants I've grown of Inula rhizocephala were from the same seed source and have got to about 15cm (6") in diameter, and about 3cm (1 1/4" tall).  I've only grown them in sun.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/15/2012 - 22:20

Lori wrote:

The plants I've grown of Inula rhizocephala were from the same seed source and have got to about 15cm (6") in diameter, and about 3cm (1 1/4" tall).  I've only grown them in sun.

Good to know-- very small! Interesting with some giants in the genus...


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 00:40

Todd wrote:

Guess this topic should be moved to the Travels section.  I was in the Paramo east of Quito.  It was wet and cold but the sun broke through in the late afternoon.  I was on a birding trip to Ecuador and we were looking for some high alpine birds.  The birds were scanty but the plants were pretty cool.  Here is a Plantago rigida...not like any Plantago in our area!  It is more like a Bolax (Azorella) and hard as a rock.

Nice pillow, Todd, did you try?

Lori, I like that Inula better than the one I grow (Inula racemosa) which gets too big! (2.5m tall)


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 07:45

The only Inula I have is I. ensifolia 'Compacta', which is actually pretty good but on the 'fence' for a rock garden.


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 16:46

I think someone sent me seed of an Inula, I think its a big one, but have to look it up..lol I do love the small plants, but a few 2 m ones are cool too-- I have space for them- can't have only tiny plants :)


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 19:53

Here's another small Inula which got to about 5" last year in its second year from seed (which is smaller than my Inula ensifolia), and possibly OK for the larger rock garden - Inula acaulis ssp. subacaulis. It started blooming in late July.

               

The seeds germinated in about 6 days at room temperature.  Seeds were collected by M. Pavelka from ~2000m elevation at Sipikor Dag, Turkey.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 02:21

These small inulas are really nice - I've tried rhizocephala but didn't give it the superbly drained conditions that Lori has and must try it again. Todd's picture of ensifolia 'Compacta' looks even nicer - a very 'tidy' looking plant. Like Trond I have only grown the large species, notably magnifica which seeds around. I wonder if anyone has grown the Himalayan species royleana; this is mentioned by British garden writers but I think hardly ever seen in gardens?


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 05:33

Once I believed I had Inula royleana but I soon realized I had gotten more of Telekia speciosa . . . . .  It is a weed here :-\


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 13:59

Lori wrote:

The seeds germinated in about 6 days at room temperature.  Seeds were collected by M. Pavelka from ~2000m elevation at Sipikor Dag, Turkey.

Delightful but Turkey and Newfoundland don't mix!


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:07

Myosotis asiatica and Potentilla uniflora(?):

             


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 14:01

A beautiful place to take a walk!

The Myosotis is very similar to this one from Turkey:

Unknown Myosotis and morning view of Lake Van

 


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 01/21/2012 - 20:56

A trough with Alyssum oxycarpum. When not in bloom, the foliage is tiny, tight, and neat, a classic alpine; in bloom the stems extend to surprising length when considering the tiny basal rosettes, expanding into a fine show of golden blooms. In bloom early June, 2011.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 09:20

Two views of Alyssum oxycarpum foliage in late March 2011.  I bought this as a seedling at a New England Chapter NARGS meeting in September 2010; I'm just going by the name as labelled.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 09:53

Mark - have you ever come across Alyssum serpyllifolium? I grew this years ago and the foliage was the exact same as you last photos but the flowers were virtually stemless. These little alyssums are great plants, but for most rock gardeners eclipsed by their bigger cousins.


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:07

Mark, A remarkable plant! Your last picture of Alyssum oxycarpum shows a very succulent-looking specimen but the first picture when the plant is in flower seems to show a more "normal" plant. Is the plant as succulent as the last picture shows?


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:16

A little colder the last day - cold air from east has brought dry and cloudless weather but much colder than we are used to this winter. The remaining sleet and slush has frozen solid. Though, the Crocuses just wait for more sun to open their flowers.

   

The witch hazel is flowering although the colder weather does that the flowers contract a little.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:22

McDonough wrote:

Two views of Alyssum oxycarpum foliage in late March 2011.  I bought this as a seedling at a New England Chapter NARGS meeting in September 2010; I'm just going by the name as labelled.

Great looking plant!


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:55

At one point I grew a number of dwarf Alyssum species, including several choice ones from Turkey, can't remember if serpyllifolium was among those I grew.  I was a bit alarmed with this species when the rosettes expanded and the stems grew taller and more diffuse than I would have imagined, but it was such a nice show for weeks, and then afterwards all the stem growth dried up and faded away, leaving behind the tiny "ropes" of succulent growth again, looking nice for fall and winter.  The silvery ropes of congested foliage remind me of the strange South American genus Nassauvia, specifically N. revoluta, although these are Asteraceae and obviously not related to Alyssum.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 13:01

The arrangement of leaves on A. oxycarpum is certainly reminiscent in appearance of that of various succulents.  Are the leaves actually succulent at all?  The alyssums I've grown so far have flat, rather rough- and dry-feeling leaves.  I'll definitely keep a watch out for seed of that one - terrific foliage.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 13:06

Lori wrote:

The arrangement of leaves on A. oxycarpum is certainly reminiscent in appearance of that of various succulents.  Are the leaves actually succulent at all?  The alyssums I've grown so far have flat, rather rough- and dry-feeling leaves.  I'll definitely keep a watch out for seed of that one - terrific foliage.

No, the leaves aren't actually succulent, they just look like they are by their arrangement, they are rough-scabrid to the touch as most Alyssum are.  I'm sure it made lots of seed but I never collected any, nor did I collect seed on much of anything else this year given my non-stop work demands and "working weekends", grrrrr.


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 13:30

That Alyssum is worthy to grow for foliage alone!

Crocus and witch-hazel Trond...you are inflicting pain!  We just got nearly a foot of snow yesterday...winter has finally arrived...now three months to my first blooms.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 17:55

I agree Todd-- I have a hard time considering any season/place 'winter' that has things flowering! We also have crocus flowering-- at supermarkets and flower shops!


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:15

Very cool (in more than one sense of the word)!

I didn't know Draba could be so wooly! :o


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 20:22

Well, here's another good wooly one then, Draba ventosa.  :)  It's native to Alberta, in alpine screes, though I haven't seen it in the wild yet.

           


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 21:12

Ya know, making a longer and longer want list (two more now) has its advantageous.  I can compare my want list to the Seed Ex offerings, for instance, and my order practically makes itself!


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 02:32

I hardly dare show a picture of a snowdrop after talk of deep snow and temperatures down to -30°C or below! Our climate is perfect for these plants and gardeners become quite obsessed about them, for good reason, they really light the garden up through these short days. I am growing many of them under rows of dwarf apples, along with other woodlanders that come on later. The variety, 'Trym', has become quite iconic for the repetition of the inner tepal markings on the outer tepals.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 03:13

RickR wrote:

Ya know, making a longer and longer want list (two more now) has its advantageous.  I can compare my want list to the Seed Ex offerings, for instance, and my order practically makes itself!

Can't you just return the whole Seedex list and say: I take them all ;)


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 03:30

We have gotten a little colder weather now - the temperature has fluctuated around 0C so the snow doesn't melt. On the other hand there are less cloudy and we risk seeing blue sky :D

Tonight it is expected to be very likely to see Aurora borealis, even as far south as I am :o

Lori, I haven't considered growing any Drabas before but now I am tempted!

Tim, not much snow there! Your spring is more advanced than mine, but that is no surprise, is it ;)

BTW I am going to visit Norfolk in February (on duty, not holiday). Hope we get nice weather 8)


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 04:25

Trond - some good alpine growers in Norfolk, especially of crocus! You are not going to John Innes by any chance? This is where I worked many years ago. A great county, if a little flat!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:30

Don't worry Tim- when its -30 we need to see flowers ;) Fortunately that weather is gone for now- we are back above normal with most days this week above or just slightly below freezing..
I planted some Galanthus in fall, hoping to see some flowers this spring, not sure if they are mature bulbs or not, but they certainly wont be flowering in January here :)


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:45

Tim, you are killing me with snowdrop images...maybe in early April I'll see mine.

And Lori, you are killing me with woolly drabas....I can only grow the fuzzless types.  Funny about that...I can grow Stachys byzantina, Antennaria and Lychnis flos-jovis but 'choice' fuzzies are next to impossible.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 12:27

Tim wrote:

Trond - some good alpine growers in Norfolk, especially of crocus! You are not going to John Innes by any chance? This is where I worked many years ago. A great county, if a little flat!

Not sure I have time to visit anything - I am with 3 of our high school students on a EU funded project from Monday till Friday staying at Holt Hall.


Submitted by Schier on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 13:02

Tim, I agree with Cohan, I love to see the flowers too.  It's just a different "world" here, although I admit a little envy as well!
Quite a ways until spring, but I must say that as soon as Christmas is over and the days start getting even a minute or two longer, I say spring is on the way...
and start sowing seeds.  Helps a little!


Submitted by Lori S. on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 22:39

Nice snowdrops, Tim!  Well, I suppose there might be signs of life here in another 6 weeks or so, weather permitting.  :rolleyes:

Here's Townsendia parryi in the wild:

                 


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 01/25/2012 - 00:17

Nice Townsendia- the Androsace gives me the scale- big flowers! but I guess anything would look big beside the Andro...lol.. how high would this be?


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 01/25/2012 - 22:30

The Androsace chamaejasme tend to be up to about 5cm tall and the Townsendia is up to maybe 3cm tall... it is kind of hard to sense the scale with these close-ups.  

Phlox hendersonii growing in a trough:
     
             


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 00:07

The Androsace I know reasonably well, though I also know its height will vary; my question wasn't clear though, I was actually wondering what the altitude of the sites with the Townsendia would be?


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 04:39

Maianthemum stellatum var. crassum...the dwarf Newfoundland form.


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 06:15

cohan wrote:

Nice Townsendia- the Androsace gives me the scale- big flowers! but I guess anything would look big beside the Andro...lol.. how high would this be?

Oh, sorry!  That site is at about 2200m elevation on an alpine ridge.


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 12:21

Thanks, Lori- I thought it was probably up high :)

Nice one Todd- how tall is the dwarf M stellatum? It also appears to have broader leaves than most here (plants in shade have broader leaves here, but a much more open, taller form) and less glaucous than plants growing in the open here..


Submitted by Mark McD on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 16:26

Todd wrote:

Maianthemum stellatum var. crassum...the dwarf Newfoundland form.

I think I have commented on this one before, love it!  Judging from the foliage this plant certainly has Juno Iris ambitions.  Is this dwarf NF form being cultivated?


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 08:50

Todd wrote:

Maianthemum stellatum var. crassum...the dwarf Newfoundland form.

Todd,if you ever get hold of seeds of this one! ;)

I have two other clones of M. stellatum and they are quite different. Does it grow in company with some Empetrum?


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 23:59

Campanula rotundifolia, in the edge of a hayfield..

   


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 01:44

A very cosy and familiar look! Although it is flatter than most places here ;D

Here are a few pictures of my one of my favorite meadows on the island of Jomfruland:

The dominating species at this time of the year (early summer) is Armeria maritima, Lychnis viscaria and Saxifraga granulata among a dozen more:

       


Submitted by RickR on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 07:04

Since we are showing meadows, here is a non-native one covered with flax.  I am totally ignorant as to what the flax field crop flower looks like, but these were growing among established grasses and a few other forbes, so I am guessing it is an introduced wildflower type. ???

       


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 07:36

Nice flowery meadows.  A number of times I tried getting Linum perenne established in my garden, and they failed to persist. But finally got some growing and seedling around.  Now it has become a weed and I'm ripping out hundreds upon hundreds of seedlings; I fear that my allium garden will become a flax meadow in a few more years.  Some pure white forms appeared too.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 09:17

I recall taking lots of photos of the spontaneous white Linum perenne plants, but most photyos were terrible, taken with my phone camera.  The blue ones vary in shade, mostly light blue colors, not a deep as the ones Rick showed, and a passable photo of the white-flowered one on the right.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 11:54

Nice place, Trond! More varied than the field I showed, which |I am quite sure is a cultivated one-- many fields here are sown in grasses and/or legumes for hay and grazing for some years, then they will be plowed and put to a grain/seed crop such as barley, oats or canola (rape)- not as much wheat in my immediate area... and then repeat, etc..
So in this kind of filed, there are not a lot of wildflowers as they don't have time to establish before its plowed again- the Campanula will have come in from the roadside ditch, and may be only in a strip along the edge that does not get plowed! Other places we have pastures for grazing that are just cleared of trees, but not plowed, and they can have more diversity..

Rick-- great blue! I suppose someone in Alberta must be growing flax for seed, but I have never seen a field...

Mark, I always forget about flax- there are a few spots I've seen Linum growing wild (down south and in the montane zone; also pale blues) but have not been there at the right for seeds, or didn't look for them.. need to correct that, I'd like to have some seeding around, they probably wouldn't have as easy a time of it here as in your climate, but I could keep them in semi/wild places so they have lots of competition...


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 12:55

cohan wrote:

Nice place, Trond! More varied than the field I showed, which |I am quite sure is a cultivated one-- many fields here are sown in grasses and/or legumes for hay and grazing for some years, then they will be plowed and put to a grain/seed crop such as barley, oats or canola (rape)- not as much wheat in my immediate area... and then repeat, etc..
So in this kind of filed, there are not a lot of wildflowers as they don't have time to establish before its plowed again- the Campanula will have come in from the roadside ditch, and may be only in a strip along the edge that does not get plowed! Other places we have pastures for grazing that are just cleared of trees, but not plowed, and they can have more diversity..

"My" meadow is kind of cultivated as a small herd of calves do graze here every summer. Woody species spreading into the meadow are also removed on a regular basis. The soil is mostly fine quartz sand.

I've seen small patches of flax here in some gardens but not meadows! Although flax (Linum usatissimum)  has been grown here since the bronze age it is not found wild and not grown commercially since 19th century (American cotton replaced it ;) ). Another plant grown for its fibers is nettle (netle or nesle in Norw), a very important fiber plant as the word net (nett in Norw.) and "å netle" (= to sew) show. The latter plant is found wild ;)


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 22:52

Every now and again farmers here grow flax in place of rape - it is far more beautiful to see a field of blue! The field below our garden was planted this way one year and after harvesting the remaining stems were brought together in heaps and burnt. It seemed as though the whole field was on fire! (and my wife thought I had blown up the shed at the bottom of the garden!)... I wish some other linums would grow as well; L. narbonnense has always been a favourite of mine but seems to set very little seed and is very difficult to root cuttings from. Very beautiful silver-blue flowers though.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 23:05

Hoy wrote:

cohan wrote:

Nice place, Trond! More varied than the field I showed, which |I am quite sure is a cultivated one-- many fields here are sown in grasses and/or legumes for hay and grazing for some years, then they will be plowed and put to a grain/seed crop such as barley, oats or canola (rape)- not as much wheat in my immediate area... and then repeat, etc..
So in this kind of filed, there are not a lot of wildflowers as they don't have time to establish before its plowed again- the Campanula will have come in from the roadside ditch, and may be only in a strip along the edge that does not get plowed! Other places we have pastures for grazing that are just cleared of trees, but not plowed, and they can have more diversity..

"My" meadow is kind of cultivated as a small herd of calves do graze here every summer. Woody species spreading into the meadow are also removed on a regular basis. The soil is mostly fine quartz sand.

I've seen small patches of flax here in some gardens but not meadows! Although flax (Linum usatissimum)  has been grown here since the bronze age it is not found wild and not grown commercially since 19th century (American cotton replaced it ;) ). Another plant grown for its fibers is nettle (netle or nesle in Norw), a very important fiber plant as the word net (nett in Norw.) and "å netle" (= to sew) show. The latter plant is found wild ;)

I know nettles are supposed to be very nutritious, but I didn't know they were used for fibre! Something to look into...


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 01/29/2012 - 10:10

cohan wrote:

Trond, you seriously overestimate me....lol

Don't you have google?  ;D

This one has to be admired from below - Codonopsis clematidea!

   

The access is easier here - Rosa roxburghii


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/29/2012 - 14:07

Hoy wrote:

cohan wrote:

Trond, you seriously overestimate me....lol

Don't you have google?  ;D

I use google translate on occasion- it has some limited value for short, straightforward texts- a short list of facts etc, but overall, I find it more likely to produce something more like abstract poetry than any useful information, so usually I don't bother, unless I really can't find the information in a language I can make some sense of myself..lol


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 01/29/2012 - 18:15

Regarding the computer translations, sometimes it helps to know a bit about the grammar, etc. of the second language to make good sense of the results.

I am very envious of anyone who speaks multiple languages. 


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 01/30/2012 - 01:32

I was posting some images of what I decided is probably Gentiana affinis the other day, in my Alberta Wanderings thread; I found some more images of them, later in the season.. more pics here, showing some of the variation in leaf form, and fall colours, ranging from in bloom to nearly, but not quite, ripe seed:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=591.msg14622#msg14622

   


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 02/04/2012 - 06:09

Sorry being so slow to get back to you regarding the dwarf form of Maianthemum stellatum in newfoundland.  It rarely get taller than 15 cm.  We have the normal form as well which for us might reach 60 cm.  Trond, our dwarf form typically grows among Empetrum nigrum and always within sight of the sea.

Rick, thats some display of flax!

Well, we have been inundated with three consecutive snow storms.  Over 100 cm with winds in excess of 80km/h.  Hard to believe I had open lawn a week ago.  Guess no early spring for me!  I think we have the only snow in all of North America.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 02/04/2012 - 12:19

Yikes, you sure get the snowfalls out there, Todd!

We are back into a warm spell, with the snow disappearing fast.
Thinking of spring to come, here's a shot of Penstemon nitidus with other spring/early summer flowers in the front yard:

                 


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 02/04/2012 - 14:18

Todd wrote:

Well, we have been inundated with three consecutive snow storms.  Over 100 cm with winds in excess of 80km/h.  Hard to believe I had open lawn a week ago.  Guess no early spring for me!  I think we have the only snow in all of North America.

We heard the East was getting hammered! We have not had significant new snow in some time, but there is still plenty on the ground- piles a couple feet deep where its shovelled around our parking/house etc... lots of bare spots under trees, but open areas mostly still under several inches to a foot... all my plantings are still covered, though some rock garden bits will be showing soon +6 today, -5C monday, then just below or just above most of the week-- still warm for Jan!- but snow will only be melting in sunny places..


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 01:55

Todd wrote:

Sorry being so slow to get back to you regarding the dwarf form of Maianthemum stellatum in newfoundland.  It rarely get taller than 15 cm.  We have the normal form as well which for us might reach 60 cm.  Trond, our dwarf form typically grows among Empetrum nigrum and always within sight of the sea.

Rick, thats some display of flax!

Well, we have been inundated with three consecutive snow storms.  Over 100 cm with winds in excess of 80km/h.  Hard to believe I had open lawn a week ago.  Guess no early spring for me!  I think we have the only snow in all of North America.

Thanks, Todd. The dwarf form should fit perfect into the landscape here ;)

Although we have had strong wind and snow it is not more than 10-15cm but piling up some places. With rain tomorrow I do wonder how I'll get to work!

Lori, you're making me dream sweet dreams with your picture!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 11:38

More sweet dreams of spring...
Asperula boissieri:

           

It's been a very satisfying grower, with bloom starting in the first year from seed, and flowering lushly over a very long period in its second year (when this picture was taken).  I started the seeds at room temperature, then, with no germination after about 2 weeks, moved them to the cold room, where germination commenced after another 12 days.  (From that, I'm not sure if chilling is required or not, or if it would have germinated in warm conditions with time.)  The seeds were collected by Mojmir Pavelka from rocky limestone slopes at 2200m elevation in the Killini Mts., Greece.  As one might expect from its appearance, it's evergreen.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:40

Great little plant, and looking right at home in your tufa!


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 15:44

Wish I had access to tufa...I have never managed to keep Asperula alive, but I might have a chance if I tried it in tufa.

Here is a natural crevice garden...Argentina anserina growing in a limestone crack in northern Newfoundland.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 16:14

Looks good, Todd! I've been trying to figure out whether there are any other (ex) potentillas that can be confused with this species? I've seen it in towns/cities occasionally, and near shores in seemingly dry (growing flat) or not (taller) locations-- Flora of Alberta lists it as being native and having a habitat of lakeshores etc.. is this all the same plant or is there another stoloniferous Potentilla? Is it always native in North America, or in urban situations would be an introduced form?  I'll dig for pics...

Okay, found some, first three are in an empty lot in the town of Sylvan Lake, Alberta; as the name suggests, this is a lakeshore town, though this site is not near the shore, still on flats that might have been shore long ago..

   

Second set is at the shore of Gull Lake, Alberta.. some low plants, and some in a moist grass area that are taller..

   

   


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 16:25

Argentina anserina is the former Potentilla anserina and is common across the prairies... as a kid, I remember seeing it mainly on the edges of mud puddles along the sidewalks!  I've always thought of it as being somewhat invasive but I've never grown it so I don't know how well founded that assumption is.  I've found it sort of amusing that Fraser's Thimble Farms has sold it for many years now (surprising to me but why not, I suppose - though until seeing Todd's photo, I hadn't thought of it as being all that ornamental) and secondly, that they refer to it as hardy down to zone 6.   :rolleyes: ;D ;D  (It would be nice if the natural range of plants would be considered when zone ratings are published!) 


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 17:00

Finally the last place I've photographed this plant ( I think!) in 2007, on the Leslie Spit in Toronto; this is a park and breakwater of reclaimed/built up land ( I suppose there was a spit there that they added to?)- part are still being extended - or were in 2007- with construction /demolition rubble etc.. plants are a mix of native and urban weedy species (and I never did know the Ontario flora enough to always know the difference- I think i will have to post more from this place- there are things I still don't know what they were!), and I suppose some of the natives have been deliberately planted....
These plants are growing in a sandy spot that seemed very hot and dry in mid-summer though it's possible the watertable is not very far below, and likely at other times of year it would be wet....


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 17:22

Judging from the USDA Plant Profile page on Argentina anserina and native range, it grows all the way up to the Northern Territories and Alaska, so hardiness is probably not an issue.  In it native to most of the USA and Canada except south-central and southeastern U.S.  Some good diagnostic photos on the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture web site, but please note, if you search on "Argentina" it will not be found, so browse by genus and look for it under its long-standing prior name: Potentilla anserina.

http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARAN7
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=...


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/05/2012 - 23:26

McDonough wrote:

Judging from the USDA Plant Profile page on Argentina anserina and native range, it grows all the way up to the Northern Territories and Alaska, so hardiness is probably not an issue. 

Yes, my point exactly with respect to the "zone 6" rating!  (On that note, another favourite misleading-zone-rating example is for  another northern prairie plant, anise-hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)...  also "zone 6"...  :rolleyes:


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 00:00

Lori- I have some places in the yard where I think it would be a nice addition to the 'lawn' though paying closer attention to the habitat,  now I'm wondering if its drought tolerant as I always thought from city sightings.. When I get some seed or cuttings, I can try it in the dry and wet ends of the property... I've always really liked the plant, especially when its flat, and some are more silver than others, not sure if that's varietal or environmental..

So is the consensus that all the North American plants are native? And are all the stoloniferous Potentilla this species? I didn't find any other candidates....

Mark- if it's growing around here, hardiness is not an issue ;) I wonder if the arctic forms are any smaller?

The zone thing is funny-- I understand there are plants that are less cultivated, and vendors can't say anything more than that they are hardy in the nursery's zone, but for plants native to- for example Alberta, as something I saw in a B.C. catalogue was listed, a zone 4 rating is kind of funny (very small areas of z4 in Alberta) and widely grown plants in zone 2 listed as z 6- Sempervivum is another- funny indeed-- a few minutes on google could give a catalogue writer better info than that!
The Agastache grows near here too...  we are z 3 more or less on the map, these days, but long term still expect some z 2 winters...


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 14:23

Potentilla (I prefere that name!) anserina is common in all Norway, also the far north. It is nitrophilic and you commonly find it at the seashores. I am used to two different forms - one with silvery hair on both sides of the leaves - often the biggest - and one with green leaves and hair only on the underside of the leaf. It is so common that I haven't bothered picturing it!

I have only this pic:


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 14:34

Hoy wrote:

Potentilla (I prefere that name!) anserina is common in all Norway, also the far north. It is nitrophilic and you commonly find it at the seashores. I am used to two different forms - one with silvery hair on both sides of the leaves - often the biggest - and one with green leaves and hair only on the underside of the leaf. It is so common that I haven't bothered picturing it!

I have only this pic:

Its often the case that we ignore very common plants, even if they are nice! I tend to overlook Fragraria here for that reason, among others, even though they are quite lovely!


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 22:52

For consideration today, here are the tiny and bizarre flowers of Mitella nuda, a circumpolar native, growing here in an acid/peat bed:

                       


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 00:13

One of my favourites, Lori :) this is one of those that grows everywhere here (out of full sun, that is), including many mowed parts of our property; often quite large patches, though never all by itself, and many times threading through other species; I'd like to put some in a dedicated planting like yours where it can be appreciated :)

Here are some common local settings of Mitella nuda:
first with Pyrola asarifolia in bud, Cornus canadensis emerging leaves, aster and Rubus in the background, among others (very typical mesic forest community!) and a close-up of the same inflorescence with fuzz of poplars or dandelion stuck to it (at times the air and ground, every twig, blade and leaf are full of fuzz of various things); June 06, 2010

Then on a slightly raised strip in  a wet wooded area, with Equisetum, Galium, Rubus, Geum, etc.. June 16, 2010


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 00:18

Another example of en-fuzzed flowers from early June- Corallorrhiza trifida, which I don't remember from my youth, but which has become very common on parts of the acreage and the farm just beyond....


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 04:03

Seems my challenge is to get a nice closeup of Mitella nuda...I've ignored it but it is really quite exquisite.

We have C. trifida in NL but I have never seen it in flower...only in seed.  Thinking on it, I've only seen it in AB in seed...guess I'm not out early enough in the year.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 04:17

I've always wondered about growing Potentilla anserina. Here it is simply called 'silverweed'. I've never known anyone introduce it to gardens; I imagine it could become pretty invasive! On the other hand it could be good to have it spangling the lawn!

The picture of Lori's earlier on of Asperulain tufa is just tremendous; my tufa project is definitely coming to the fore!


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 12:40

Mitella nuda isn't new to me but I've never considered growing it in my garden till now!

Corallorhiza trifida is common here but do not show up every year. Here's a picture from last summer. This plant did grow in the road.

I found a couple of other pictures with Potentilla anserina. It is from the island of Jomfruland and wide patches of the beach are covered by "silverweed" but not the most silvern type. Seems that those with green leaves tolerates grazing more than the silvery ones do. The plants here are grazed by cows and geese. The more silvern ones to the right isn't grazed as hard as the others. The lone plant is from another place on the same island.

   


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 13:42

Trond-- the big patch of P anserina is nice!
Tim- I agree you wouldn't want it in a small/choice garden setting, but I'd quite like to have it in my 'lawn' which is just mowed land including a lot of things other than grass already! Agreed about Mitella- the inflorescences are individually stunning, and quite wonderful when you see a patch of them..

Todd- Corallorhiza is not that early here- early June..


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 17:32

We have both Mitella nuda and Mitella diphylla.  I haven't noticed them in flower since I got a digital camera, and never even attempted photographing them with film.  The white, smaller flowering M. diphylla seems to be more common.

I have seen both Corallorhiza trifida and C. maculata in Minnesota, but I have only seen C. maculata in flower. Like, Todd, I've only seen trifida in seed.


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 18:57

We have several other species of Mitella in Alberta- in google images they don't look much different, though I think they are all larger, with differences in hairiness and numbers of stamens etc!I don't think any of them should appear here-- looks like all should be in the mountains...

Corallorhiza maculata is not as common as C trifida is now, but not rare- there are at least two patches just on my 6 acres- much larger and showier than trifida, in larger clusters of stems, unlike the more scattered trifida.... C maculata seems very scarce on the map, but I suspect its underrecorded, based on my viewings around here, and I am hardly seeing any large portion of the suitable habitat!

There is also C striata, which I don't think I have seen, seems farther south on the map...


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 00:05

A few images of Corallorhiza maculata; I will have to try to get some better pics of this this year- it seems to defy me: a dark plant, growing in shady places- so images of light and camera shake, plus stems move easily in the breeze it seems- whatever the reasons, most of my pics are crappy (the one time I found it in sun, my camera had something on the lens and I didn't know, so half my photos that day were sort of 'soft focus')..
Anyway these are one one of the patches on my acreage, first July 09, 2011, in full bloom, not early in the blooming;

then July 14, 2010, same patch- clearly a little past their prime...


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 14:40

It is only one species of Corallorhiza in Norway, wouldn't mind a few more like for instance C maculata ;)

This is not a wild plant but an Iris germanica cv without name:


Submitted by Fermi on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 19:46

This is a clump of Lycoris incarnata which started from 2 or 3 bulbs about 9 years ago.
Certainly the most floriferous thing in the garden at the moment (mid-summa)
cheers
fermi


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 00:41

Trond- seed could easily be arranged if you have some suitable soil to dump it on...

Fermi- nice plants at any time :)


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 02/10/2012 - 15:33

cohan wrote:

Trond- seed could easily be arranged if you have some suitable soil to dump it on...

Cohan, what do you think is suitable soil? I have many possible sites ;)

Fermi wrote:

This is a clump of Lycoris incarnata which started from 2 or 3 bulbs about 9 years ago.
Certainly the most floriferous thing in the garden at the moment (mid-summa)
cheers
fermi

Fermi, I could need a midsummer flowering bulb like that but I suppose it isn't hardy?


Submitted by AmyO on Fri, 02/10/2012 - 18:52

Quote:

Fermi, I could need a midsummer flowering bulb like that but I suppose it isn't hardy?

Trond I bet you could grow the very similar Lycoris squamigera or Nekkid Ladies! They are hardy here in Vermont and pop up over night in late summer-early fall. The bulb clumps increase well each year.


Submitted by Boland on Fri, 02/10/2012 - 18:52

Growing any orchid from seed is a hit and miss...more especially the Corallorhiza.  You have to have the correct mycorhizal fungi present.  If you already had a Corallorhiza in your garden, you might have a chnace.  Otherwise, the best bet is to at least sow the seeds next to another orchid in the hopes that a suitable fungus might be present.


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 02/10/2012 - 23:57

Hoy wrote:

cohan wrote:

Trond- seed could easily be arranged if you have some suitable soil to dump it on...

Cohan, what do you think is suitable soil? I have many possible sites ;)

As Todd mentioned, and as I'm sure you know, you need fungus in the soil- but this may not be such a problem in your woodland garden... on my property these are on average woodland soil which only has a thin layer of real humus over our usual 'grey wooded' soil which has some smallish amount of organic matter in a clayey soil, with a thin layer of leaf litter on top of that-- so obviously decomposing organic matter, but not any great depth of it! They are mesic sites- not dry, but not wet- home to things like Cornus canadensis, Maianthemum etc...
And this is why I said  to 'dump' it- you could try the Japanese non- sterile orchid germination (building up fungal cultures in plastic boxes- discussed on SRGC) but for this seed, I'd be inclined to just toss it in your woodland in some possible sites and see what happens- I could give you enough pods to be casual with if I catch them at the right time..lol


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 02/11/2012 - 07:58

AmyO wrote:

Trond I bet you could grow the very similar Lycoris squamigera or Nekkid Ladies! They are hardy here in Vermont and pop up over night in late summer-early fall. The bulb clumps increase well each year.

Amy, thanks for the suggestion! I have been aware of the genus but always assumed they were half hardy. Now you have encouraged me to try some! Need to lay my hands on some bulbs, as I want flowers soon :)


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 02/11/2012 - 08:10

Todd wrote:

Growing any orchid from seed is a hit and miss...more especially the Corallorhiza.  You have to have the correct mycorhizal fungi present.  If you already had a Corallorhiza in your garden, you might have a chance.  Otherwise, the best bet is to at least sow the seeds next to another orchid in the hopes that a suitable fungus might be present.
[/quote

cohan wrote:

As Todd mentioned, and as I'm sure you know, you need fungus in the soil- but this may not be such a problem in your woodland garden... on my property these are on average woodland soil which only has a thin layer of real humus over our usual 'grey wooded' soil which has some smallish amount of organic matter in a clayey soil, with a thin layer of leaf litter on top of that-- so obviously decomposing organic matter, but not any great depth of it! They are mesic sites- not dry, but not wet- home to things like Cornus canadensis, Maianthemum etc...
And this is why I said  to 'dump' it- you could try the Japanese non- sterile orchid germination (building up fungal cultures in plastic boxes- discussed on SRGC) but for this seed, I'd be inclined to just toss it in your woodland in some possible sites and see what happens- I could give you enough pods to be casual with if I catch them at the right time..lol

According to Wikipedia C. maculata needs fungi of the Russula or Lactarius or other genera of the Russulaceae to parasitize. Shouldn't be too difficult to find!

Seems that Corallorhiza is a New World genus with only one (C trifida) being circumpolar.
Had been very exiting trying to establish it in the garden ;)


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 02/11/2012 - 10:17

One of the very few Arilbred Iris I grow is one named 'Lancer', and a beauty it is (as if the fragrance).  Thanks to James Waddick for my start of this fine photogenic Iris.  Photo from late May 2011.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 02/11/2012 - 12:19

Good info, Trond- my knowledge of fungi is scanty, even though there are many here, a major part of the ecosystem, and I look at and photograph them a lot!

Mark- very pretty iris!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 16:48

Swiping some pix from Stuart's backcountry ski trip yesterday to the Heather Ridge area in Banff N.P., I think these give some indication of the hardiness of northern Rockies alpines... on some windy ridges, they cannot even count on snow cover!

                       


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 02/12/2012 - 17:25

Lori wrote:

Swiping some pix from Stuart's backcountry ski trip yesterday to the Heather Ridge area in Banff N.P., I think these give some indication of the hardiness of northern Rockies alpines... on some windy ridges, they cannot even count on snow cover!

Nice views! At least this winter hasn't been very cold, but the winds must be very dessicating up there! I was just looking at Pyrola/Orthilia in the woods here, many spots exposed, and they tend to look very dried out when they are bare this time of year- and we don't have that much wind inside the bush!


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 17:23

And I wonder why western alpines don't do it Newfoundland!  Ours are currently encased in ice....had 65mm of rain two days ago so the remaining 1-2 feet of snow is pure ice.  On the plus side, my crevice garden seems to be in a wind zone where no snow gathers so they are completely snow and ice free.  I might just have the right place for drylanders!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 18:35

Todd wrote:

And I wonder why western alpines don't do it Newfoundland!  Ours are currently encased in ice....had 65mm of rain two days ago so the remaining 1-2 feet of snow is pure ice.  On the plus side, my crevice garden seems to be in a wind zone where no snow gathers so they are completely snow and ice free.  I might just have the right place for drylanders!

Todd, when I lived in Toronto, I used to explain the difference in winter (in part) this way- in Alberta, cold and wet are two completely different seasons! (not always exactly true  in fall, but as a general rule..) I'm not as dry as Lori is here, either.. for some things I think need to be drier I am also trying to build more sharply sloped beds for wetter periods; time will tell how well I succeed!


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 03:52

cohan wrote:

Todd wrote:

And I wonder why western alpines don't do it Newfoundland!  Ours are currently encased in ice....had 65mm of rain two days ago so the remaining 1-2 feet of snow is pure ice.  On the plus side, my crevice garden seems to be in a wind zone where no snow gathers so they are completely snow and ice free.  I might just have the right place for drylanders!

Todd, when I lived in Toronto, I used to explain the difference in winter (in part) this way- in Alberta, cold and wet are two completely different seasons! (not always exactly true  in fall, but as a general rule..) I'm not as dry as Lori is here, either.. for some things I think need to be drier I am also trying to build more sharply sloped beds for wetter periods; time will tell how well I succeed!

Here cold (or cool - we never have a proper winter as the monthly mean temperature never drops below 0C) and wet always are the same season. In fact we have a long (half year) spring and then a long fall. No real summer and no real winter.
Our summes are far to cold for many species and our winters are to mild and wet for others :-(


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 08:12

Ah, but Trond- there must be many species well suited to the year round moderation? NZ alpines? things from wetter parts of southern South America? alpine South Africa, and of course many Asian things?


Submitted by RickR on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 19:00

I was thinking more of the North American west coast natives in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia....


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 01:26

cohan wrote:

Ah, but Trond- there must be many species well suited to the year round moderation? NZ alpines? things from wetter parts of southern South America? alpine South Africa, and of course many Asian things?

Yea, of course! But many of those species have been hard to come by - the nurseries here in west have the same plants as the nurseries in continental east have. NZ plants are almost not to find at all. It is also more difficult to import from abroad as we are not a member of EU. Seeds are the only practical option.

RickR wrote:

I was thinking more of the North American west coast natives in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia....

Plants from these areas have not been more available than NZ ones, you know. The big garden centers all have the same - and most people go for roses and other common, big-flowered shrubs and perennials. Although it is many gardens in Norway it is rather few with a more specialised interest. Only the last few years some more interesting often one-man enterprises of online providers of special plants have popped up.


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 04:35

Trond, I feel your pain in regards to the rather limited number of alpines we can successfully grow compared to many other parts of the Northern hemisphere.  I can get access to some interesting alpines, but they often do not make it here.  I have a plan though.  My crevice garden is small enough that I could place a sheet of plywood over it in winter, keeping the plants dry beneath.  I have inverted pots over some plants in the past and it worked great for protecting the fuzzies.  Why not do it on a larger scale! (yes, I'm desperate to grow westerners and Turkish delights!)


Submitted by Booker on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 08:38

Todd,
Why restrict light?  Would you have access to large double glazed units that are being replaced by local householders?  These could be incorporated into a simple timber frame stretched over your beds thereby giving light, insulation and protection from rain and snow.  The units are also weighty enough not to be lifted across your garden by gale force winds.  Many householders are quite happy to dispose of intact old units as they aren't easy to recycle.
Also try local manufacturers, they often have incorrectly measured or scratched units to dispose of.


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 14:56

Todd wrote:

Trond, I feel your pain in regards to the rather limited number of alpines we can successfully grow compared to many other parts of the Northern hemisphere.  I can get access to some interesting alpines, but they often do not make it here.  I have a plan though.  My crevice garden is small enough that I could place a sheet of plywood over it in winter, keeping the plants dry beneath.  I have inverted pots over some plants in the past and it worked great for protecting the fuzzies.  Why not do it on a larger scale! (yes, I'm desperate to grow westerners and Turkish delights!)

Yes, Todd, I have an idea where and how to build a place for alpines craving drier conditions. However I have to complete some other projects first ;)

Booker wrote:

Todd,
Why restrict light?  Would you have access to large double glazed units that are being replaced by local householders?  These could be incorporated into a simple timber frame stretched over your beds thereby giving light, insulation and protection from rain and snow.  The units are also weighty enough not to be lifted across your garden by gale force winds.  Many householders are quite happy to dispose of intact old units as they aren't easy to recycle.
Also try local manufacturers, they often have incorrectly measured or scratched units to dispose of.

I built my greenhouse of used double glassed very big and heavy windows! A huge job but fortunately I had the neighbor's son  (a champion weightlifter at that time ;D ) to help me carry them!


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 18:16

I know what you mean about plant availability, Trond-- there are a couple of good mail order alpine places in Canada- but you have to have enough money at once to make an order- as opposed to stopping by a nursery or  garden centre and buying a plant or two--and they are not all that exciting around here anyway- a couple have a fairly large number of plants, but tending more to hybrids than species, and grown in warmer places, so you don't even know if they are hardy or not.. I can find a few interesting things by chance locally -but more things for the perennial beds than rock gardens, the rock garden plants available are mostly common or hybrid ones-- so for the really cool plants, its all from seed also- but there is a lot of that around internationally!
Its even more true for my other plant interests- various tender things grown indoors- cacti, succulents, SA bulbs- almost nothing available in Canada (outside private trade and small vendors at clubs in big cities) except unnamed mass market stuff, so its seed there too-- and worst of all is my so far mostly theoretical interest in small cool tropical plants- completely unavailable in Canada, and no seed available internationally even! Vendors exist in U.S. which either just do not ship to Canada, or you need to spend hundreds of dollars to order anything...


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 06:50

With our unusually mild sunny and snowless winter, I expect we'll have a much earlier spring season this year, unless we finally get whacked by some real winter weather.  In one of my troughs, the buds on an unnamed draba are already starting to swell, as are Townsendia rothrockii buds.  Checking photographs from spring 2011, here's my Draba species flowering on 04-09-2011, with the winter reddened foliage of Penstemon  breviculus in front of it.  I bet the draba will be in bloom one full month earlier this year.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:54

A nice sunny-looking Draba there, Mark.  In this climate, where flowers in winter are an impossibility, it's hard to even imagine your unusual season!

Here's a rock garden stalwart, Dryas octopetala:


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 13:18

Lori wrote:

A nice sunny-looking Draba there, Mark.  In this climate, where flowers in winter are an impossibility, it's hard to even imagine your unusual season!

Here's a rock garden stalwart, Dryas octopetala:
[attachthumb=1]

Agreed! We've been having an extraordinarily mild winter also, but there has still been snow on the ground since the beginning of November...lol
Love the Dryas.. I only have drummondii in the garden so far..


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 12:01

While it's fresh in my mind (from just having potted on a bunch of seedlings), here's Aubrieta canescens:

Seeds were collected by Pavelka at 2500m, Bolkar Dag, Turkey, from a habitat of limestone rocks.  It was a great performer all summer last year!

For being such easy to grow plants, I find Aubrieta quite spectacular!
Here's Aubrieta deltoidea 'Blue Indigo', looking huge in contrast to the pink-flowered Dianthus myrtinervius ssp. caespitosus:


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 20:15

Lori, I saw the Aubrita canescens in Wisley's new crevice garden t\last April.  It definitely made my "want" list.  I especially liked the foliage.


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 00:00

We got something like 10-15cm of snow yesterday- one set in the morning (and or Sat night) then another batch in the evening, so we finally had to go out and do a full shovelling again (after which of course the neighbour came this morning with his bobcat and did more clearing...lol).. I took a few shots, but the heaviest snow had stopped already, still kind of fun... the flash on the new camera handles the snowflakes a bit differently- old camera made them look like stars, this one makes them look like moons!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 00:19

A few shots from today (Monday, that is, it's still 'today' until I go to bed!)
The cat doing his rounds, just ahead of him the driveway after the neighbour scraped it .....
Large and small wild spruce on the acreage...


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 11:41

Looks like you have almost as much snow as I do....yours is fluffy...mine is pretty much ice!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 12:01

Our snow is only fluffy on top, then there is a crust, since we hadn't had much since early December, and while there was still snow in many places, the surface had melted and frozen many times.. luckily we very rarely get the amounts of snow in one event that you had in Newfoundland and elsewhere a while back-- a major snowfall for us would be 30cm over a couple of days, and that doesn't happen too often..


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 14:29

Cohan, I kinda like the "celestial" shots.  ;)

We just got 3-4 inches of wet stuff.  Our winter has been very, very dry.

             


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 01:24

Thanks, Rick- I have almost never used flash over the years, but have found this quite fun..
Our winter has not been as dry as many places in North America (mostly thanks to a lot of snow in November!) but not as much snow as last year.. we've still got months to go, though...
Friday, Saturday and Sunday call for snow, periods of snow and flurries, respectively... We are also heading for another cool down- after +6C/43F Tuesday, we have a forecast high of -12C/10F on Saturday...


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 02:09

Not much snow here either (it is at our mountain cabin as the spring is underway at home). The snow that is is fluffy and don't carry even a mouse (a little exaggerated) lest a man with ski.


Submitted by Fermi on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 15:23

Spiegel wrote:

Lori, I saw the Aubrieta canescens in Wisley's new crevice garden last April.  It definitely made my "want" list.  I especially liked the foliage.

Likewise, Anne!
Lori, they look great in your rock garden,
cheers
fermi


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 23:21

Thanks, Fermi!

Some colours and textures provided by Sedum lanceolatum, Salix, lichen and rocks:


Submitted by Steve Newall on Thu, 02/23/2012 - 01:09

Was out waddling about on The Catlins coastline yesterday and saw some of Mother Nature's topiary (using plants of Coprosma propinqua ) . The Catlins is an area on the SW corner of the South Island of NZ and it takes full advantage of the Roaring Forties . On land the plants take on a lean and near the beach big wave surfers turn up after big storms .

With a bit of imagination the first picture looks the bison , the second perhaps a troup of gorillas with the largest male in the lead and the third tried to grow tall but then it all went sideways


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 02/23/2012 - 12:24

Great views Lori and Jandals (is it Steve?)
Lori- is that the Sedum in the tight rosettes? I haven't seen the plant for years, and never at that stage..

Steve-- the natural bonsais are quite amazing! seems like they must be quite vigorous in order to get that much growth in spite of the obviously powerful wind..


Submitted by Steve Newall on Thu, 02/23/2012 - 22:12

cohan wrote:

Jandals (is it Steve?)

Yes , I'm Steve . Jandals is my nickname as I'm usually wearing jandals (flip-flops) and yes the Coprosma are strong growers . At this site they were the only shrubs capable of upward growth . Some of the steep ridges were at right-angles to the prevailing winds (SW and NE) so the shrubs one side of the ridge were leaning at 180 degrees to the shrubs on the other side , something like / \ .

Lori wrote:

Some colours and textures provided by Sedum lanceolatum

Does Sedum lanceolatum flower for you Lori?

and does anyone recognise this Penstemon sp ? Picture taken in August Mosquito Pass CO 12500ft . Cheers


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 02/23/2012 - 22:51

Cohan, yes, the tight rosettes are the Sedum lanceolatum
Steve, I don't actually grow Sedum lanceolatum - that picture is from the wild (the neighboring eastern slope Rockies where it's a common plant in the alpine-subalpine), where it does bloom well, as in these photos (also from the wild):
   

Steve, your penstemon looks like Penstemon whippleanus.


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 00:49

Steve, I am familiar with windy coastland but the shrubs here usually are quite flattened by the wind and not exotic plants like Coprosma apes ;)

An example is the common juniper (Juniperus communis):


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 01:16

Lori wrote:

Cohan, yes, the tight rosettes are the Sedum lanceolatum.  
Steve, I don't actually grow Sedum lanceolatum - that picture is from the wild (the neighboring eastern slope Rockies where it's a common plant in the alpine-subalpine), where it does bloom well, as in these photos (also from the wild):

Lori, although you say you don't grow this Sedum, I think it is a worthy rock garden plant! It reminds me of S reflexum which is wild but nevertheless I grow it at my summerhouse together with other sedums. (Sorry no pictures of reflexum - have to mend that). so here are some others instead:
Sedum album, Sedum spurium (red), Sedum spurium (white), Sedum unknown gracile.


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 19:47

More natural pruning by wind and cold... kruppelholz alpine firs:

        


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 02/25/2012 - 00:34

all nice Sedums, Trond; if I've seen a white spurium, I don't remember it... I have a pink one, and I may have seen yellow?

S lanceolatum (Lori can correct me if I'm wrong) is a much less ambitious plant than reflexum, forming just small clumps of not very tall stems, the few times I've seen it(long ago), just scattered plants much smaller than the ones Lori showed even... I really want to grow  S lanceolatum, and have been hoping to find some wild seed, but have not run into the plant in recent years.. I've seen one Alberta vendor occasionally offering it as plants, but have not been able to make an order so far (they had some kind of minimum order); Alplains has offered it as seed, and if I don't find an Alberta source, I will go that route...


Submitted by Steve Newall on Sat, 02/25/2012 - 02:11

Lori wrote:

Steve, your penstemon looks like Penstemon whippleanus.

Thanks Lori

Hoy wrote:

Steve, I am familiar with windy coastland but the shrubs here usually are quite flattened by the wind and not exotic plants like Coprosma apes ;)

Trond-The locals call the Coprosma "Monkey Scrub" because when they grow in dense thickets the only through is over


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 02/25/2012 - 15:31

Jandals wrote:

Hoy wrote:

Steve, I am familiar with windy coastland but the shrubs here usually are quite flattened by the wind and not exotic plants like Coprosma apes ;)

Trond-The locals call the Coprosma "Monkey Scrub" because when they grow in dense thickets the only through is over

Monkey Scrub! I've heard of Monkey Puzzle ;) (In fact it is some big ones down in the town ;D Maybe they should refurbish and plant some Monkey Scrubs  :o)

cohan wrote:

all nice Sedums, Trond; if I've seen a white spurium, I don't remember it... I have a pink one, and I may have seen yellow?

S spurium comes in all colours from white through pink to red but not yellow. The yellow is probably S hybridum or some other yellow flowered species.


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 02/26/2012 - 12:28

Newfoundland has its fair share of wind-stunted conifers too....we call them "tuckamore".  Here is a stunted version of Picea glauca.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 02/26/2012 - 19:25

It's amazing to see white spruce so reduced in size!

A nice one I grew from seed a couple of years ago - Minuartia erythrosepala.  The seeds were from M. Pavelka, collected at Tahtali Dag, Turkey, from an area of limestone rocks; the seeds germinated in warm conditions in about 8 days.


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 02/27/2012 - 08:39

I wish I could grow these Turkish lime-lovers...between the rain and acidic soil here, it is a lost cause.  I really can't take advantage of Halda, Pavelka, et al.  I need someone to collect and sell seeds from acid-wet zones of the Himalayas!  I'm sure Trond would agree!


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 02/27/2012 - 13:24

Todd wrote:

I wish I could grow these Turkish lime-lovers...between the rain and acidic soil here, it is a lost cause.  I really can't take advantage of Halda, Pavelka, et al.  I need someone to collect and sell seeds from acid-wet zones of the Himalayas!  I'm sure Trond would agree!

Certainly, Todd! Do we start a business? - or arrange our own trip someday?  ;)


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/28/2012 - 11:45

Maybe let some of the existing collectors know there is a demand for those seeds-- and they might pop over to the next valley!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 02/28/2012 - 12:04

A couple of nights ago, I was out around 1AM getting firewood (just in front of the house) and I could hear some snapping sounds not far away- but where the house light didn't reach.. I suspected some of the local wildlife was pruning our apple trees again, so I peered over that way, and could just make out a couple of large ears far above the ground- moose!
In spite of me being out, not more than 10 metres away (maybe less) it continued munching- so I shooed it away, but I didn't hear any sounds of it running off into the bush, and in fact by the time I had put my armload of wood into the fire, it was back at the apple tree, so I went back in for camera and flashlight.. I couldn't really see the animal, but could tell where it was by sound and flashlight glimpses, so I took some blind flash shots- from a distance only lighting up its eyes,

and using the slight zoom on my camera got a few shots.. it didn't take off (even after all the light and flashes!) until I went around the corner of a snow mound onto the part of the driveway it was standing on.. BTW, that snow its so casually standing in is knee deep or more, where its shovelled off the driveway..

 

Still didn't go far...

Then I took some more photos around the yard, and as I went around the other side of the house, heard another moose, and got a few shots of that one-- this one was no more shy and didn't leave till I chased it..

I suspect neither went far and came back when I'd gone inside.. probably no apples and not much for sour cherries this year again!
I'll put a couple of the other outdoor night shots in my Alberta thread later...


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 02/28/2012 - 16:25

We have at least one resident moose at our BG.....he ate all the flowers off our Sorbus cashmeriana last year and coppiced most of our willow collection!


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 00:29

Sorbus seem to be a particular favourite here of moose/deer-- we have one- I forget if its the American or European, figured it out by fuzzy buds (or not) but already forgot.. anyway, it should be a good sized tree at its age, but it took several decades for it to manage to get some shoots tall enough to be out of browsing range, so it's more like a large multi-stemmed shrub with a tall cluster of stems in the middle... still gets pruned all around in reach (and moose can reach high!) then of course birds eat all the berries they second they are ripe-or just before- nothing has bothered the flowers though.. other Rosaceae like Amelanchier (and domestic Prunus and Malus) are also faves for browsing, as are Cornus.. C sericea is common wild here, and its very very rare to find a single unpruned stem of it in the yard or bush... small wonder many other native shrubs are thorny...


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 10:13

No moose here, just too many deer.  Snowing now and covering the few things I photographed.  They are more than a month ahead.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 10:16

Forgot the crocus sp which has naturalized over many years and always blooms at the same time as the eranthis.  Anyone know for sure wht this one is?


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 10:32

It's the European Mountain ash that has the fuzzy buds.  The outer bud scales of the American species, at least the two in Minnesota (Ss. americana, decora), are smooth and often sticky.  Inner bud scales are a bit hairy, but not fuzzy.

In late October, I've seen wild Mountain ash in central Minnesota and northern Minnesota, long after leaves have dropped.  The glistening, almost translucent red berries look so scrumptious, but I have never seen any evidence of bird consumption.  Perhaps they will come later in the winter. 

I have no idea if this is true, but I recently read on another forum that bird brains are programmed to look for red berries in the early part of the season, and blue in the latter.  Anyone ever heard of this?  (Todd?)


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 10:43

My hellebores still aren't budging, despite the warm weather.  Ann, how did you get the leaf stems to frame the flowers in the photo so perfectly?  :D

Love the eranthis.  Did you plant them all, or are they naturalizing?

All I have are the early pussywillows, but they are caked in ice now....


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 12:55

Spiegel wrote:

Forgot the crocus sp which has naturalized over many years and always blooms at the same time as the eranthis.  Anyone know for sure wht this one is?

Looks very similar to C tomassianus which I have and it blooms at the same time as eranthis here too. Here's a picture from last year. It is too cloudy here these days so the flowers do not open.


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 13:06

RickR wrote:

It's the European Mountain ash that has the fuzzy buds.  The outer bud scales of the American species, at least the two in Minnesota (Ss. americana, decora), are smooth and often sticky.  Inner bud scales are a bit hairy, but not fuzzy.

In late October, I've seen wild Mountain ash in central Minnesota and northern Minnesota, long after leaves have dropped.  The glistening, almost translucent red berries look so scrumptious, but I have never seen any evidence of bird consumption.  Perhaps they will come later in the winter. 

I have no idea if this is true, but I recently read on another forum that bird brains are programmed to look for red berries in the early part of the season, and blue in the latter.  Anyone ever heard of this?  (Todd?)

Can't believe all bird species are programmed like that - but some sound reasonable.
Here the birds take the white berries of Chinese mountain ash early in the season and blueberries (both American and European) as soon as or even before they ripen. Common mountain ash and relatives (whitebeam) are taken throughout the fall and so are the blue Aronia berries.

BTW I have some nice Sorbus species around here if anybody is interested in seed (have to wait though).


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 13:56

Thanks for the crocus i.d., Trond.  I thought that was what it might be.
Rick, the eranthis has been naturalizing for a while now but some years I've helped it along.  I dig up a small clump while in bloom and place it in the vicinity of the others.  Now it's a large carpet that goes right over the front cliff (that part it did on its own!).  The hellebore is growing in a raised bed and at this time of year I can walk around and choose the best photo op, which was what I did.  Later on that wouldn't be possible.  This has never bloomed here before early April.  This winter has been a non-event depsite the fact that it's snowing at the moment.


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 17:10

Anne- love to see the naturalised spring flowers!

Rick, here the birds take almost any and all berries, usually as soon as ripe, or barely, though there can be occasions when a few berries last longer, either just chance or some difference in the year...
As for colour- Lonicera involucrata has black berries (not supposed to be edible), quite early, and those disappear very very fast, as do Amelanchier alnifolia, blue, and medium early,- usually I can't even pick any for seed -let alone to eat--before they are gone, and there are several stands right in the yard, so I can watch them ripening! Cornus sericea with white berries and wild raspberries with red are eaten, though not quite as instantly, Shepherdia canadensis with red aren't eaten immediately, maybe they like these riper? but within a couple of weeks they are cleaned out thoroughly..
I always marvel at seeing Sorbus berries on the trees for a long time in towns, guess there are less birds there!
Ribes berries seem to be left longer- though maybe that's because they are harder to get at (under leaves, and or dangly strands) for birds than those on some other shrubs? Symphoricarpos stay on for a while, but are all eaten usually before snow... The only fruit left into winter usually is  rose hips...

Trond, I'd be interested in most Sorbus apart from the most common couple of large tree species-- any shrubbier/small tree types, and especially any fruit colour other than orange (for all I'll get to appreciate them before they get eaten...lol) I have small seedlings in the ground of S reducta? a very small one...


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 23:13

Trond, I'll try to remind you later for seed, too.  A friend gave me a Sorbus potoriifolia, which I was pretty excited about, but it didn't even make it through a first winter. :(

Winter has been uneventful here too, until last night when we received 6 inches of wet snow and freezing rain.  I don't like these ice storms.  We never, ever had them until the climate change of the last several years.  Happy to get the precipitation, though.  So now ya'll will have to suffer through some more winter pics...

The bendability of Chamaecyparis spp. (False cypress) always amazes me.  This arcing Chamaecyparis thyoides is really twelve feet high, and will spring back all by itself.

             

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)

       

No damage from the storm at my house, except a couple  broken 3 inch branches on a River birch. 
Pinus strobus 'Wintergold'

             


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 02/29/2012 - 23:55

RickR wrote:

Trond, I'll try to remind you later for seed, too.  A friend gave me a Sorbus potoriifolia, which I was pretty excited about, but it didn't even make it through a first winter. :(

Winter has been uneventful here too, until last night when we received 6 inches of wet snow and freezing rain.  I don't like these ice storms.  We never, ever had them until the climate change of the last several years.  Happy to get the precipitation, though.  So now ya'll will have to suffer through some more winter pics...

Glad to hear no damage there.. luckily no ice storms here (ever, that I know of).. we've had freezing rain forecast a few times this year and didn't get it, but even if we do, its generally just enough to make highways slick.. who knows what further climate change will bring, though?


Submitted by Fermi on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 00:36

It's been a soggy end to summer here - 4 inches of rain in 3 days.
The image of the day for me is this clump of Rhodophiala bifida just having "popped out" of the ground yesterday!

cheers
fermi


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 04:37

Fermi, that's amazing plant.  We were in Patagonia in January and seeing the rhodophiala in bloom was one of the many highlights of the trip.


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 11:57

Fermi, I guess its good to have the rain as long as no damage/flooding..
Great to have such nice things 'popping'!


Submitted by AmyO on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 16:28

Fermi wrote:

It's been a soggy end to summer here - 4 inches of rain in 3 days.
The image of the day for me is this clump of Rhodophiala bifida just having "popped out" of the ground yesterday!
[attachthumb=1]
cheers
fermi

I just ordered some seeds of this on the surplus distribution!  :D Does anyone know of any tricks or tips to germination?


Submitted by Fermi on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 21:12

McDonough wrote:

Wow, look at all those buds :o.  Please show up again when more flowers are open.

Mark,
when I got home in the evening a lot more had openned - so this pic was taken about 10 hours after the first!

Amy,
I got some seed from Santo in Argentina and sowed them at the end of spring and they started to germinate fairly quickly - but it was definitely frost-free by then! I sowed the seeds on top of a pot of well-drained potting-mix and then covered with coarse grit/fine gravel
See reply #26 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6490.15

cheers
fermi


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 02:23

RickR wrote:

Winter has been uneventful here too, until last night when we received 6 inches of wet snow and freezing rain.  I don't like these ice storms.  We never, ever had them until the climate change of the last several years.  Happy to get the precipitation, though.  So now ya'll will have to suffer through some more winter pics...
         

Well Rick, I don't suffer as long as it isn't my garden ;)

AmyO wrote:

I just ordered some seeds of this on the surplus distribution!  :D Does anyone know of any tricks or tips to germination?

Amy, I ordered seed from Chileflora and sowed right away. They germinated without any special treatment.

Fermi wrote:

It's been a soggy end to summer here - 4 inches of rain in 3 days.
The image of the day for me is this clump of Rhodophiala bifida just having "popped out" of the ground yesterday!
cheers
fermi

Fermi, I wish I had such clumps just popping out somewhere in my garden!


Submitted by AmyO on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 05:38

Fermi wrote:

Amy,
I got some seed from Santo in Argentina and sowed them at the end of spring and they started to germinate fairly quickly - but it was definitely frost-free by then! I sowed the seeds on top of a pot of well-drained potting-mix and then covered with coarse grit/fine gravel
See reply #26 here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6490.15

cheers
fermi

Fantastic! thanks Fermi & Trond! And that is the exact way I sow all my seed with turkey grit on top....starting them at room temp. If no germination in a few weeks out to the screen porch they go!
We just got 6" of fluffy new snow and temps in the 20'sf. But tomorrow it's meant to go into the 40's so it won't last. YAY!! I'm done with snow for this year!


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 14:28

Heavy rain and strong wind brought down the top of the Cryptomeria Sciadopitys  :-[  the other day! In the shade of the trees the Corydalis solida is starting flowering. Crocus in the lawn!


Submitted by RickR on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 19:35

Looks like you lost half of the Japanese Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata).  That is even worse!!  :'( 

Sciadopitys may or may not be easy to root from cuttings (it depends on the clone), but you have lots of material to work with!  Why not give it a try?  Best time to take cuttings in zone 6-7: Feb-March and July-August.  3000ppm IBA.  There is a negative correlation between resin exudate and rooting success.  So, soak the base of the cuttings in water for 24-48 hours to remove most of it.  The highest rooting percentages corresponds with the lowest internal levels of resin. (Dirr and Heuser, Jr. - The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation).

Your snowdrops are bigger than your crocus!


Submitted by AmyO on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 19:45

Hoy wrote:

Heavy rain and strong wind brought down the top of the Cryptomeria the other day! In the shade of the trees the Corydalis solida is starting flowering. Crocus in the lawn!

How heartbreaking for you Trond! Lori is right!! Give cuttings a try!

Your sweeps of crocus and snowdrops are gorgeous! I should be seeing something like that I hope tomorrow when I head down to Massachusetts for a NARGS meeting at the Berkshire Botanic Gardens. Taking the camera!  ;)


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 23:59

RickR wrote:

Looks like you lost half of the Japanese Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata).  That is even worse!!  :'( 

Sciadopitys may or may not be easy to root from cuttings (it depends on the clone), but you have lots of material to work with!  Why not give it a try?  Best time to take cuttings in zone 6-7: Feb-March and July-August.  3000ppm IBA.  There is a negative correlation between resin exudate and rooting success.  So, soak the base of the cuttings in water for 24-48 hours to remove most of it.  The highest rooting percentages corresponds with the lowest internal levels of resin. (Dirr and Heuser, Jr. - The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation).

Your snowdrops are bigger than your crocus!

Rick, I have 3 or 4 of those umbrella pines (of course! Not a Cryptomeria; I know that :-[ :-[)  but i'll try to root some cuttings for fun. They are rather nice trees and easy growers here.
And Rick, you mean my crocuses are smaller than my snowdrops! Some actually are - I have a few rather bigflowered snowdrops and the young C tommasinianus (first flowers on seedlings) have rather small flowers.

AmyO wrote:

How heartbreaking for you Trond! Lori is right!! Give cuttings a try!

Your sweeps of crocus and snowdrops are gorgeous! I should be seeing something like that I hope tomorrow when I head down to Massachusetts for a NARGS meeting at the Berkshire Botanic Gardens. Taking the camera!  ;)

Amy, unfortunately my camera lens is broken so the pictures I get are bad.
Regarding the lost top of the tree it is both bad and good. The good thing is it threw a lot of shade - and now we are getting more sun for some years ;)


Submitted by Kelaidis on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 02:31

Even though I am situated smack dab in the middle of a Megalopolis of nearly 4 million people (the greater Front Range Denver metroplex) I have had deer in my yard most nights for most of the last year...their little pellets are annoyingly in my gravel paths rather than on the garden where they might to better, and my tulips and even crocuses are being nibbled as they emerge: NOT amusing! But so far the iris have been doing OK...I had to post I. winogradowii, which has bloomed for me the very first time: hope it persists!


Submitted by RickR on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 10:00

I have Iris winogradowii seed, from this year's NARGS seed ex, stratifying right now.  I hope they do well.  Yours, PK, is what I am hoping for in the future.  A most excellently grown plant!


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 11:43

Saw a pot of this iris today at the Early Spring AGS Show at Harlow - really a most exquisite plant! A lot of other nice things were on show too including the deep red Anemone biflora, really stunning, this I must try, and perhaps the most beautiful of all, Trillium nivale.


Submitted by Kelaidis on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 15:14

Pix, Tim! We want pix from those amazing British shows...the ultimate Plant porn (albeit soft core)...


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 03/03/2012 - 19:45

Love that Iris, Panayoti!
Trond, congrats on more sun  ;D I wish some trees would lose their tops here, but not those closest to the house!

Hope all members in the U.S. are making out okay with all those tornadoes, and Australians are not flooded, and Norwegians aren't blowing away, etc etc! Some more snow here, -22C yesterday morning, today +6C or more, back down then up again, etc etc..


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 09:17

Panayoti - I'm afraid I can only give you a quick Victorian peep-show! My wife was in charge of the camera and she has a will of her own, but here are a few highlights from the Show:-

Primula 'Arduaine'
Hyacinthella dalmatica
Galanthus 'E. A. Bowles'
Corydalis darwasica
Trillium nivale

The primula I think is quite exquisite and very beautifully presented - I only wish we could grow such things in our dry garden in Kent. There were several hyacinthellas on show, mostly understated but very nice bulbs; this one was the most striking and a glorious soft-blue in colour. Very nice, and it ought to grow for us well. The galanthus is a famous new variety which until recently held the record for price on ebay (I think around £350!) and is very different; a poculiform plicatus (that is the inner tepals have become modified to appear like the outers and lack any green marking). The eponymous E. A. Bowles would have approved. The corydalis, well just moorish! Really great foliage and good habit compared with many species, and that is saying a lot in such a fine genus. And finally Trillium nivale, and there is something about this plant which simply takes the breath away - a beauty amongst beauties.

If you would like a little more then the Kent Show is coming up in a couple of weeks, and also Jon Evans regularly posts much more comprehensive photographic reviews of the Shows on the AGS website, along with commentary. We are extraordinarily lucky to see so many great plants brought together in one place, and there are so many gardeners who just don't know what they are missing!


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 12:11

Kelaidis wrote:

Pix, Tim! We want pix from those amazing British shows...the ultimate Plant porn (albeit soft core)...

Hi Panayoti,
I must say that in the past I have posted a number of images of AGS/SRGC show plants on this forum (usually in the 'Image of the Day' section) and have been slightly underwhelmed by the reaction from some fellow members. It appears that some NARGS members are suspicious that the majority of our show plants are cosseted under glass and are, in some way, less worthy of respect because of this?
I usually post a lot of show images on the SRGC forum and would be very happy to post them here as well if I felt they were welcomed.


Submitted by Lina Hesseling on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 13:45

Tim, your wife has an excellent taste!!!
I heard she also liked the tufagardens at the entrance. ;D

Lina.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 16:03

Booker wrote:

Hi Panayoti,
I must say that in the past I have posted a number of images of AGS/SRGC show plants on this forum (usually in the 'Image of the Day' section) and have been slightly underwhelmed by the reaction from some fellow members. It appears that some NARGS members are suspicious that the majority of our show plants are cosseted under glass and are, in some way, less worthy of respect because of this?
I usually post a lot of show images on the SRGC forum and would be very happy to post them here as well if I felt they were welcomed.

Some of the reaction... or any perceived lack thereof?... is probably speechlessness, pure shock and awe at seeing plants grown to stunning levels of perfection!  :o  :o   Shows have not had the prominent place in North American gardening that they have had in the UK, so any photos you can share will be a fascinating insight into a long-standing and traditional gardening culture.  I'm sure all of us feel a bit of disappointment now and then when one's posting seems to draw an "underwhelming" response.  (I myself am frequently reduced to tears and thoughts of paving it all over...   ;) ;D))  As on any forum, only a tiny fraction of participants actually post, while at the same time, there is a great body of people out there who enjoy it all in silence!   Please bring 'em on, Cliff!  


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 17:25

All very beautiful, Tim! I must comment (only slightly tongue in cheek ;) that Galanthus afficianados do seem to have their own standard for 'very different' ;)

Cliff, I will second Lori's comments-- I have also wondered at times if its worth making lengthy postings, based on small number of comments on occasion, but the number of views tends to be much higher than number of comments, so it seems someone finds them worth looking at! To Lori's accurate assessment that there are a small percentage of actively posting members, I will add the guess that regular posters a) sometimes miss a post among the many new ones (certainly true for me  ;D and b)sometimes don't comment when they don't have more to say than 'Wow!' one more time  ;D
Those shows must be quite a delight to attend- the only plant shows I've been to were Cactus and Succulent club shows in Toronto- where the active membership was small indeed, and Orchid Society shows in Edmonton years ago, and both of those were always a great treat.... nothing close enough to be practical now.. I suppose there could be something in Red Deer (nearest city, smallish), but I'd guess if there were it would be hybrid lilies or irises or something...


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 17:35

As I mentioned in the weather thread, spring seems to be on the way, demonstrated by wetter, heavier snow than typical in winter here!
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=930.msg15622#msg15622

A couple of views from last night.. second has Tilia cordata in the centre, my favourite of our very few exotic trees... still quite small (15-20feet), hoping it stays that way, unsure of its ultimate size here..

 

A mascot for our driveway.. we don't usually have the right sort of snow for snowmen....


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 18:52

Cohan, in the face of yet another impending snowfall, I choose to live in climate denial, and will instead post late-April photos of Pulsatilla campanella as my Photo of the Day offering!  :D :D

 


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 20:02

Ya know, I don't even remember ever making a snowman...
We were much too busy building snow forts, sliding trails and sliding and having snowball fights.  ;D  When I was growing up, our 4 acre lot had the best sledding hills in the neighborhood. 8)  We were snow fun central!

But the kid in us all never dies.  I am almost 53 now, and if the snow was right, I'd be out there building an igloo again.  (The last time was about 8 years ago.)


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 20:46

Lori- your comment made me go check the forecast- Rocky Mtn House (20miles west) has a snowfall warning (I have to say, the amount of snow that warrants a warning in Alberta makes me laugh every time...) 2-4 cm tonight, 5-10cm tomorrow, 2cm tomorrow night.... Red Deer's (40miles east) forecast has less snow, so we'll see what we get out of it.... figures tomorrow would be a day we have to be on the road earlier than usual ( we work in the afternoon) to go to town before work....

I spent many years fretting about weather..-- and moving back here from Toronto, it wasn't for the weather (apart from a usually sunnier winter!) so I don't even worry about it anymore-- talk about it a lot, but not worry about it!! lol

Rick- it will be interesting to see what the additional snowfall will do to our snowman, his engineering may not be that sound...lol


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 22:03

Booker wrote:

I must say that in the past I have posted a number of images of AGS/SRGC show plants on this forum (usually in the 'Image of the Day' section) and have been slightly underwhelmed by the reaction from some fellow members. It appears that some NARGS members are suspicious that the majority of our show plants are cosseted under glass and are, in some way, less worthy of respect because of this?

There is no denying that the American Rock gardening culture in general is different than the European "style".  And yes, I would say that in comparison to rock gardeners across the pond, interest in show plants is much less of a focus in America.  But as evidenced by PK’s comment, we’re not all shaped from the same cookie cutter, just as the aforementioned European "style" does not accurately label all European rock gardeners.  Add to that the fact that the NARGS forum traffic is around one-fifteenth that of the SRGC forum, and with even less regular contributors. I think it is difficult (to say the least) to judge a post’s “worthiness” by the number of replies it generates here, compared to the SRGC forum.

As for myself, I tend not to post unless I have something to say beyond the goes without saying “beautiful”, “fantastic” and “awesome”.    I guess I should fix that. 

I am a little confused because I do think that the majority of European show plants (at least the excellent ones shown on the forums) are grown under glass.  (Please correct me if I am wrong!)  But I have never thought them unworthy.  It is true that there are less responses on this forum.  Interpolating from this that a post is unwelcome is an embarrassment on our part here. :-[


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 22:57

I think Cliff is right in thinking that one sometimes gets the impression that to some gardeners, growing under glass is 'cheating'.. I guess this comes from the idea that its 'easier' though whether or not that's true  I think depends on what you are growing, and what your climate is like! I think I might have a slightly different view on under glass vs in the open gardening, since much of my gardening life has only been indoors, and in the world of cacti and succulent growers-- for many of whom, the ideal is greenhouse growing (and make no mistake, that priority is no less real in North America than in Europe! friends growing cacti and succulents in Florida and California have greenhouses, shade houses in AZ, farther north greenhouses if you can afford them, or summering outdoors, wintering indoors, under lights, etc etc), and outside ideal climates, outdoor collections will be much more limited.. So,  for me, the ideal way to grow plants is - wherever you are able to do so successfully! On your windowsills or basement under lights, your patio or highrise balcony, greenhouse, alpine house, in the ground, etc


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 02:06

Cohan - your point about snowdrops is well taken! I think the great thing in the UK is our climate which allows us to get out and see each others gardens through the winter, and there is no better excuse than snowdrops! (But they do get taken to an extreme, and of course have a 'value').

I have loved the Shows since I first joined the AGS over 30 years ago, but I have never really participated that much, I have always been more interested in gardening with alpines and propagating them on the nursery. I think the Shows have led to a tendency for fewer gardeners to really garden with alpines here, and that is one reason I like the NARGS Forum so much. But who can resist a beautiful plant in a pot? It is like a beautiful woman! (or am I not allowed to say that?).


Submitted by Booker on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 03:07

Tim wrote:

... But who can resist a beautiful plant in a pot? It is like a beautiful woman! (or am I not allowed to say that?).

Well Tim, you've certainly taken Adonis out of the equation!!!  :D :D


Submitted by HeLP on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 05:10

Tim and Cliff and any other show plant poster-please keep those wonderful, inspiring images coming---Thanks


Submitted by AmyO on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 06:01

Lori wrote:

Cohan, in the face of yet another impending snowfall, I choose to live in climate denial, and will instead post late-April photos of Pulsatilla campanella as my Photo of the Day offering!  :D :D

Lori...I'm so glad you posted the Pulsatilla campanella photos as I planted a couple seedlings out into my teeny rock garden last year. I so love the look of this one and the nice blue color of it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it made it through this wierd winter!  ???


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 11:59

Tim wrote:

Cohan - your point about snowdrops is well taken! I think the great thing in the UK is our climate which allows us to get out and see each others gardens through the winter, and there is no better excuse than snowdrops! (But they do get taken to an extreme, and of course have a 'value').

I was partly teasing about the snowdrops-- even could see there was something different about the one you posted, and I do know that if you look at any group of plants that have some variability, you get to see and enjoy small differences, and a collection of similar but slightly varied plants can be great fun-- I have quite a number of Haworthia (tender South African succulent) in species coarctata/reinwardtii/attentuata etc which can be very similar apart from some small differences in the number and arrangement of leaves, and markings, and quite enjoy those subtleties  ;D (some people are naming them all as different species based on those minor variations......) :-X


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 18:58

While we are still on the subject, sort of, regarding gauging popularity by number of responses: I'd like to also point out it's ineptness with respect to number of photo views, compared to the SRGC forum.  

Note that the NARGS thumbnails are larger than SRGC's.  It's not a trick with the dark background of the forum.  The thumbnails are more detailed already, and a viewer isn't so "forced" to click on the pic to expand the view.  I have to say that I have enlarged many of the smaller SRGC thumbnails, only to find that the real photo is not what I thought it was in the thumbnail!  I can't say that has ever happened with the larger NARGS thumbnails.

Consider also that the USA is not very well connect to the web compare to most other developed countries.  Oodles of rural communities have no other way to connect but by slow dial up service and the land line telephone.  I am sure we all remember being on a slow web connection at some time, and forgoing opening pages or photos because it just takes too long.  I suspect that this contributed to the decision by the NARGS forum administrators to make the thumbnails larger: so that forumists are not compelled to enlarge the photo to see some detail.  


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 03/05/2012 - 22:33

On the last point- I think Canada has pretty good rates of internet connectedness, and I think even in many small towns high speed internet is available-- Alberta has wireless available even in many rural areas.. however, none of that does me any good, since we have too many trees around for satellite or wireless connection!... So my options (short of building/installing a tower) are only dial-up, or what I now use, mobile internet- basically dial-up on cell networks... fast at times, but very spotty other times, and I pay by the amount of data sent/received... I only enlarge photos on a good day...lol


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 03/06/2012 - 08:59

cohan wrote:

On the last point- I think Canada has pretty good rates of internet connectedness, and I think even in many small towns high speed internet is available-- Alberta has wireless available even in many rural areas.. however, none of that does me any good, since we have too many trees around for satellite or wireless connection!... So my options (short of building/installing a tower) are only dial-up, or what I now use, mobile internet- basically dial-up on cell networks... fast at times, but very spotty other times, and I pay by the amount of data sent/received... I only enlarge photos on a good day...lol

Cohan, that's what I do when I am at my cabin or summerhouse! There I connect via my mobilephone which can be a slow experience at times ;) At home I have fiberoptic connection (although I live in a rural part of the country) -  almost limitless speed . . . .  if I want to pay for it ;D Now I have 25Mb per second (up- and download) Internet and TV and phone simultaneously.

Cliff, I look at and enjoy your and others pictures from the show bench although I don't comment always. Show plants belong to another world - more like art than gardening but that doesn't mean I don't appreciatethe pictures. It's more that I get speechless :o


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Tue, 03/06/2012 - 14:59

Many interesting Posts.  I first "met" Cliff Booker because of the wonderful pictures he was posting on the Scottish Forum of show plants.  Definitely a lurker, his picture of Ranunculus seguieri demanded a response.  I learned he was a very good friend of Alan Grainger, with whom I was corresponding and then met both of them for the first time in the Dolomites.  I admired Cliff's Show pictures long before I said so in print, which is probably true of many of us.
As far as greenhouse plants being "inferior" or "cheating" in any way - far from it.  My plants are garden-grown out of necessity, which in my climate is a definite limitation.  I would love an alpine house or "glass house" in which to try and grow plants I could never grow outside.  I say "try" because growing under glass is a skill set I don't possess.  I've seen Patagonian plants  grown in english greenhouses and was awestruck by their perfection.  Since many of these plants have only a passing contact with ground frost in nature, it's doubtful they could ever be found in my garden.  Probably though, if you were able to take a tour of long ago Plant Shows, you would discover that many of the plants shown in them have made their way into people's gardens.  Wasn't there a time when Lewisias were considered rare and considered to be very "difficult" to grow ?  That's probably true of many other plants which first came to people's attention as exhibits in a Plant Show and have now become part of many rock gardens.  True, we don't have many Plant Shows in my part of the country but I know very few people who have an alpine/greenhouse, and that seems to be cause and effect to a great extent.  I admire a well-grown plant (especially in the Fabaceae), no matter where or how it was grown, and truly love to see pictures of them.


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 03/06/2012 - 15:13

Hoy wrote:

. So my options (short of building/installing a tower) are only dial-up, or what I now use, mobile internet- basically dial-up on cell networks... fast at times, but very spotty other times, and I pay by the amount of data sent/received... I only enlarge photos on a good day...lo
Cohan, that's what I do when I am at my cabin or summerhouse! There I connect via my mobilephone which can be a slow experience at times ;) At home I have fiberoptic connection (although I live in a rural part of the country) -  almost limitless speed . . . .  if I want to pay for it ;D Now I have 25Mb per second (up- and download) Internet and TV and phone simultaneously.

Its not actually using a mobile phone, its a special 'stick' which goes in USB port of computer/laptop for internet connection, and uses cell/smart phone networks to connect.. it can be fast at times, but if there is a lot of usage by other people (on their phones, presumably) , or some kinds of bad weather than it can be slow or even impossible to connect..


Submitted by Booker on Wed, 03/07/2012 - 02:46

Many thanks Anne,
A counterpoint to your very reasoned argument in favour of alpine houses/glass is that anyone fortunate enough to own a garden as beautiful and satisfying as yours wouldn't actually want an alpine house at all unless it could, in some way, be integrated naturally into the rockwork, the landscape, the very fabric of your garden.  Anything else would be a travesty in such glorious surroundings.

Apologies if this sounds like a mutual appreciation society ... but you haven't had the pleasure of strolling through Anne's domain!  :D


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 03/07/2012 - 04:51

Cliff. Anne - could I be right in saying that alpine houses tend to go well with smaller gardens; bigger gardens often take too much time already to make and maintain than to also have a wonderful collection of plants under glass, unless you happen to be Peter Korn! I bet though that when lots of gardeners walk round friend's gardens it is that 'bit round the back' where the propagating goes on and there are lots of plants in pots which has a real attraction. After seeing that longed for plant in the garden, it is the excitement of taking away a little piece in a pot. That's why I also love the alpine nurseries so much - they carry this to its logical conclusion.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 03/07/2012 - 07:10

Tim wrote:

Cliff. Anne - could I be right in saying that alpine houses tend to go well with smaller gardens; bigger gardens often take too much time already to make and maintain than to also have a wonderful collection of plants under glass, unless you happen to be Peter Korn! I bet though that when lots of gardeners walk round friend's gardens it is that 'bit round the back' where the propagating goes on and there are lots of plants in pots which has a real attraction. After seeing that longed for plant in the garden, it is the excitement of taking away a little piece in a pot. That's why I also love the alpine nurseries so much - they carry this to its logical conclusion.

I don't know if that's true, Tim.  It seems that an alpine house where you could do seeds and cuttings would be an asset in any size garden.  It certainly seems true of gardens I've seen in England that the smaller the garden, the fuller the alpine house - plants taking every suare inch of space above and below the benches and blooming in profusion.


Submitted by Fermi on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 01:17

Tim,
I agree I love seeing the "workings" often more than the "finished product"!
;D
An image I am always pleased to see is Cyclamen graecum in our rock garden - especially when it covers itself in flowers!
cheers
fermi


Submitted by RickR on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 02:28

Holy Smokes, Fermi!!!  :o :o :o

That's a Grand Champion if I every saw one!


Submitted by Howey on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 05:08

Something nice which has just finished blooming indoors for me is Ochna serrulata.  I gather this little woodie is rather scorned? in South Africa and Australia - almost a weed.  However, for me it is quite wonderful - both for its interesting yellow drop earring type flowers and the curious black and red seeds that follow.  It is small enough to plant outside in the rock garden in spring and then to repot in fall and bring indoors.  For me it is not very photogenic but it is a joy all year round.  And I believe it has flowered twice during the year.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 13:55

Fermi- brilliant!

Fran- I googled it- seems to have pretty flowers and fruit-- what conditions do you grow it in indoors? is it indoors all year? And how big is it?


Submitted by Mark McD on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 19:54

Lis, here here, well said :) 

After 14" (35 cm) of snow last week (March 1-2), the first snow of our 2011-2012 winter, the precocious blooms of Colchicum kesselringii looked totally squashed when the snow and ice receded on the warm south side of my house where these are planted.  But today, with temperatures breaking an all time record for this date (3/8/2012) reaching 69 F (21 C), the flowers lifted up rejuvinated by unusual warmth.  The strikingly striped blooms have a light honey-like fragrance. 

I was sent bulbs of this fine miniature spring Colchicum, in two forms, from a friend in Seattle a couple years back.  I'm so pleased to have a bulb species that vies for "first bulb of late winter or early spring", blooming with snowdrops and proving resilient in adverse weather conditions.

No need to "wow" this message ;)


Submitted by Booker on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 04:02

Lis wrote:

OK, I'm going to comment on the comments about comments.

Hmmmmm.

Fact is, while I admire most of the images posted, I don't think you want me clogging the forum with messages all saying 'Wow, gorgeous, gee whiz....' and so on. I love seeing them, but I don't feel the need to comment. Besides, once one person has said 'wow', I consider it said!

I couldn't agree more, Lis ... some Facebook pages contain nothing more than the ubiquitous "Wows and Whoopees, etc. etc."
My original comments (and images) weren't posted to elicit any such flattery, but merely to illustrate how plants are exhibited on the show benches in the UK.  I simply remarked that one or two of the replies seemed to give the impression that 'show' plants weren't as 'difficult' or as 'in character' if they were grown for exhibition. In many instances nothing could be further from the truth.


Submitted by Howey on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 04:20

Cohan - O.serrulata, probably foot and a half tall, is one of those you can keep indoors at room temperature and enough water to keep the soil fairly moist in winter and then either move the whole pot or else plant it outdoors when the weather warms up.  I move it around a bit in the house - when the sun is literally pouring in through the windows by my kitchen sink, that's where it goes so I can gaze at it will doing the dishes -or else it will stay under lights in the living room.  And when it is in flower I move it to a spot where people who come to the house can see and admire.  Haven't had any problem with bugs either - doesn't seem to need a lot of coddling but gives a great deal of satisfaction nonetheless.  With my lack of luck with many of the seeds I order, I'm beginning to concentrate on the ones that are most dependable - in the garden I can always count on Daphnes and Primroses - oh, I do keep trying a few of the tough ones, just in case I get lucky. Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 05:23

I remember Ian Young saying that the plants grow themselves and we just find ways of allowing them to do this as well as we can. Those seem very wise words. When you see plants grown really well at the Shows they just look 'right'. But for me the Shows really encourage growing more of them in the garden where many more species can be cultivated and propagated, and also many can be shown to be good garden plants too, and not just primadonnas. (The opposite is also true, viz: that great Cyclamen graecum of Fermi's. For me this will grow but hardly ever flowers in the garden, but does very well with the summer heat of the glasshouse).


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 12:37

Howey wrote:

Cohan - O.serrulata, probably foot and a half tall, is one of those you can keep indoors at room temperature and enough water to keep the soil fairly moist in winter and then either move the whole pot or else plant it outdoors when the weather warms up.  I move it around a bit in the house - when the sun is literally pouring in through the windows by my kitchen sink, that's where it goes so I can gaze at it will doing the dishes -or else it will stay under lights in the living room.  And when it is in flower I move it to a spot where people who come to the house can see and admire.  Haven't had any problem with bugs either - doesn't seem to need a lot of coddling but gives a great deal of satisfaction nonetheless. 

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

Thanks for the details! I don't put any houseplants outdoors-- just not reliably warm enough for tender plants to be safe, and even for those that could take it, they'd bring too many bugs  with them...lol Might try it as a full time indoor plant if I run across seed..


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 03/10/2012 - 17:58

Well it seems that spring has hit in some parts of the world (or fall in Fermi's case).  My garden is still well buried under snow...we had another 3" today. :(

Funny about the comments being made about potted alpines.  I grow several alpines in pots (excluding the troughs).  Lewisia in particular, are all individually pot grown in my garden and overwintered in a frame, sunken in sand.  We alos have an alpine house at work and grow lots of alpines in pots.  I can admit, I actually have just as much difficulty growing them in pots as I do outside.  yes, I can grow some drylanders in the alpine house that can't be grown outside, but overall, I find alpine sin the open are easier...no restricted roots, no watering concerns, etc.  Pot culture is very much an art.  I cannot come close to growing alpines in pots like the UK gardeners do...I am really quite jealous and need to know what I am doing wrong.  I know one problem is that our alpine house freezes solid in winter...that would not be a concern in the UK.  I expect that aspect is my #1 downfall.  I probably do not repot often enough either.

On another topic, I went to a local market today and found potted campanula being sold as a disposable pot plant.  I think it is C. cochlearifolia 'Elizabeth Oliver'.  I picked it up and will plant it in the rockery come May-June.  It's my little piece of spring!


Submitted by RickR on Sat, 03/10/2012 - 21:21

Elizabeth Oliver (or a look-alike) has been sold at our Home Depot now and then for a few years now.  Funny, 'cause usually we in the Midwest are the last to get on board a trend.  Similar to a florist mum, lately they have been selling celosia as an indoor flowering plant! :rolleyes:


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 17:48

Todd wrote:

Well it seems that spring has hit in some parts of the world (or fall in Fermi's case).  My garden is still well buried under snow...we had another 3" today. :(

Funny about the comments being made about potted alpines.  I grow several alpines in pots (excluding the troughs).  Lewisia in particular, are all individually pot grown in my garden and overwintered in a frame, sunken in sand.  We alos have an alpine house at work and grow lots of alpines in pots.  I can admit, I actually have just as much difficulty growing them in pots as I do outside.  yes, I can grow some drylanders in the alpine house that can't be grown outside, but overall, I find alpine sin the open are easier...no restricted roots, no watering concerns, etc.  Pot culture is very much an art.  I cannot come close to growing alpines in pots like the UK gardeners do...I am really quite jealous and need to know what I am doing wrong.  I know one problem is that our alpine house freezes solid in winter...that would not be a concern in the UK.  I expect that aspect is my #1 downfall.  I probably do not repot often enough either.

On another topic, I went to a local market today and found potted campanula being sold as a disposable pot plant.  I think it is C. cochlearifolia 'Elizabeth Oliver'.  I picked it up and will plant it in the rockery come May-June.  It's my little piece of spring!

I wonder if water quality issues play a part with potted alpines? With potted cacti, for example, its been realised by many in recent years that alkaline tap water long term is very detrimental to the plants' health, so people who do not have rain water are acidifying their water and fertiliser with great results..
Nice to get a little potted spring  ;D I've seen similar small bellflowers at florists here, I haven't looked at the species/variety names... I should check them out to see if they could be hardy..


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 17:57

cohan wrote:

Nice to get a little potted spring  ;D I've seen similar small bellflowers at florists here, I haven't looked at the species/variety names... I should check them out to see if they could be hardy..

Cohan, I've yet to come across a Campanula sp. that isn't hardy here, if that helps!  :)


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 18:04

Well, that's encouraging, Lori! I'd have to find it close enough to planting out time ....

Speaking of potted spring, here's a couple from this week here....
Gymnocalycium bruchii (6inch pot)
Weingartia sp (3.5inch pot)


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 18:08

What little beauties Cohan!  I never heard of the genus Weingartia, but I do grow a couple of Gynmocaliciums.

In regards to potted alpines, my water is slightly acidic, not alkaline, so I don't think water alkalinity is a problem.  However, I probably could fertilize more.


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 19:39

cohan wrote:

I wonder if water quality issues play a part with potted alpines?

Ever since Dennis H. (you probably have heard of him, Cohan.  He is well know in cactus circles here.) talked to our group, I've kept that in mind about the water alkalinity.  I've tinkered a little, with white vinegar in the water with my potted collection of alpines, perennials and woody materials, and preliminary results seem to concur.  They all seem to perk up in the same way as when I fertilize when they are in need.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 22:02

Thanks, Todd; Weingartia is a smallish genus from South America, which some authors have lumped into Rebutia (based on seed characters, I think) along with numerous other genera; others do not agree, of course, and another direction sees Sulcorebutia and Cintia(monotypic, I think) being sunk into Weingartia; also considered close to Gymnocalycium by some.
In any case, for collectors, its a fun genus and pretty distinctive- most being floriferous with yellow flowers much like mine, though there are oranges, maybe a red or two, and some variations in flower size, lots of variation in spination, and a division into two quite distinct sub-genera (this plant is from the easier of the two sub-genera).. I have about a half dozen, mostly unnamed, with several that flower from early spring through fall..

Rick, I think the whole point of the acidified water (well, at least a major point) is the absorption of nutrients, so your observation would make sense; many growers are also adding ammonium sulfate to their fertilisation regime in addition to the acidified water..


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 03/11/2012 - 23:48

cohan wrote:

Rick, I think the whole point of the acidified water (well, at least a major point) is the absorption of nutrients, so your observation would make sense; many growers are also adding ammonium sulfate to their fertilisation regime in addition to the acidified water..

So my subtle hint was not lost.  Good pick up on that, Cohan!

I do have one indoor common cactus that put on a fair show last month, despite its obvious bad care that it receives:

             


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 01:15

RickR wrote:

cohan wrote:

Rick, I think the whole point of the acidified water (well, at least a major point) is the absorption of nutrients, so your observation would make sense; many growers are also adding ammonium sulfate to their fertilisation regime in addition to the acidified water..

So my subtle hint was not lost.  Good pick up on that, Cohan!

I do have one indoor common cactus that put on a fair show last month, despite its obvious bad care that it receives:

Nice looking Mammillaria, Rick :) I do like the subtle tone on tone cacti as much as the bright ones (sometimes more, depending...); definitely happy with your care to give you that flowering :)


Submitted by Toole on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 02:28

Saw this on my travels recently in a friends alpine house--South American Nototriche macleanii--largish flowers for the size of its cushion.
Yummy  :P :P

Cheers Dave.


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 08:18

Nototriche is the stuff of dreams!  Love to get my hands on one to give it a try.

Cohan, Rebutia I HAVE heard of...I have one myself.  I guess the cacti are going through the same revisions as many plants with a lot of 'splitting' taking place.


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 08:22

Nototriche, largish flowers, to say the least!  I see so many plants here that I have never heard of before, and they are all so interesting.  It looks as though this one is related to hibiscus, and searching on the web, it is a member of Malvaceae (that includes hibiscus).

From Todd's photo in our Wiki gallery, I see that Nototriche macleanii grows in a Calgary, Aberta garden.  It must be very cold hardy!


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 12:00

Very cool one, Dave! Thanks Rick for looking it up to save me the effort, I was wondering!


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 14:32

What a plant - Nototriche - maybe cold hardy but I suppose not humid and moist hardy :-\ Can't hope of growing this one in my garden!
Nice cacti too, Cohan ;) Can't grow those outside either :(


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 21:38

Thanks, Trond- these tender cacti do not go outside here, either! But, unless I lived in the subtropics or tropics, I'd never want to be without plants indoors...


Submitted by Kelaidis on Tue, 03/13/2012 - 07:01

This picture is of Synthyris missurica, one of my favorite natives. The photo was taken a few years ago at Denver Botanic Gardens, where we have had a patch for some time (usually blooms in late March early April): I post it now because it was in full bloom in Seattle where I just went to the AGM of NARGS in Everett. There were some terrific talks about the plants of Eastern Washington, and some terrific displays and a really wonderful plant sale where this Synthyris was in full bloom. You can read a bit more about the plant on my most recent blog (http://prairiebreak.blogspot.com/2012/03/mountains-kittentails-synaesthetic.html) but the real reason I am posting is to say that it was a treat to see quite a few old friends, and especially to meet face to face with Lori Skulski, whose postings on this Forum are among my favorite. I didn't have a lot of time to visit, but we exchanged greetings at least, and she actually conducted the rather exciting election of new board members for NARGS at the banquet. I was delighted that Stephanie Ferguson, Lori's fellow Albertan (and another top notch rock gardener) got an award at the same time. I had not attended a Study Weekend or meeting of this kind (except for those I have helped host) for some time: one forgets how much fun it is to meet with fellow rock gardeners. Although my bank account is suffering due to aforementioned plant sales and an awesome book sale as well.


Submitted by AmyO on Tue, 03/13/2012 - 07:21

Panayoti...I'm so glad you told us a bit about the AGM. I've been looking forward to hearing about it! I hope more attendees will give us a review here so we can all see what shenanigans went on!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 03/13/2012 - 11:53

Sounds like fun, Panayoti..
I've been looking at Synthyris on Alplains list for a while.. its on my shortlist, but I'm not ordering this year...lol


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 03/13/2012 - 13:23

I am so sorry I can't easily participate in any events over there!
Synthyris has been one of my favorite genera although I have actually only grown one plant! It lasted several years before it made an unwanted sortie. I have tried seed several times but not been lucky.

My contribution today is this Thlaspi - I think it is T stylosum - from seed last year. It has tried to flower from January but the wet and shifting weather hasn't been to its liking. I hope the flowers unfold a little more ...


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 03/13/2012 - 16:21

I'm so jealous!  Wish I could have attended the AGM.  But then, it's difficult to get plants into Canada from the US so I'm glad I didn't have the temptation!


Submitted by Toole on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 01:56

Hoy wrote:

What a plant - Nototriche - maybe cold hardy but I suppose not humid and moist hardy :-\ Can't hope of growing this one in my garden!

It didn't survive in our woodland plot either Trond...

Todd wrote:

Nototriche is the stuff of dreams!  Love to get my hands on one to give it a try.

Will keep an eye out for seed for you Todd.

Cheers Dave.


Submitted by WimB on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 02:21

Kelaidis wrote:

This picture is of Synthyris missurica, one of my favorite natives. The photo was taken a few years ago at Denver Botanic Gardens, where we have had a patch for some time (usually blooms in late March early April): I post it now because it was in full bloom in Seattle where I just went to the AGM of NARGS in Everett. There were some terrific talks about the plants of Eastern Washington, and some terrific displays and a really wonderful plant sale where this Synthyris was in full bloom. You can read a bit more about the plant on my most recent blog (http://prairiebreak.blogspot.com/2012/03/mountains-kittentails-synaesthetic.html) but the real reason I am posting is to say that it was a treat to see quite a few old friends, and especially to meet face to face with Lori Skulski, whose postings on this Forum are among my favorite. I didn't have a lot of time to visit, but we exchanged greetings at least, and she actually conducted the rather exciting election of new board members for NARGS at the banquet. I was delighted that Stephanie Ferguson, Lori's fellow Albertan (and another top notch rock gardener) got an award at the same time. I had not attended a Study Weekend or meeting of this kind (except for those I have helped host) for some time: one forgets how much fun it is to meet with fellow rock gardeners. Although my bank account is suffering due to aforementioned plant sales and an awesome book sale as well.

Wonderful plant, will have to try that one. Not very easy to find over here!


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 03:05

Really like the Synthyris - Elizabeth Strangman at Washfield Nursery grew and sold this plant for many years but I never succeeded with it; my favourite is S. pinnatifida, which occasionally is seen at Shows but I think is even more difficult to grow and flower.

A good North American flowering again on my raised bed - Lomatium columbianum. The flowers are even more richly coloured seen close up, and it looks better this year as the bed has had a good renovation and topdressing with fresh grit. (A few new things being planted). Last year the lomatium set seed well, and these were sown in the autumn outside and are germinating nicely now. A few other umbels are on, or going on the bed, including Cymopterus montanus, which was discovered amongst a batch of old seed pots. This looks equally attractive from images I have seen.


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 04:12

Nice raised bed Tim...that Lomatium has lovely foliage.  I saw a couple of species in Alberta but they had yellow-green flowers...not as showy as yours.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 09:29

Lovely Lomatium, Tim.  May I suggest you try Lomatium grayi?  Will post a picture when it blooms.  Noticed today that the foliage was starting to appear.  Just back from the NARGS Meeting in Seattle where it was very chilly and wet, but the hellebores were spectacular.


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 17:35

Nice Lomatium, Tim.. I had a couple tiny seedlings of Cymopterus planosus last year... hoping they grow.. Alplains has many tempting umbellifers...


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 17:40

Kelaidis wrote:

This picture is of Synthyris missurica... I post it now because it was in full bloom in Seattle where I just went to the AGM of NARGS in Everett. There were some terrific talks about the plants of Eastern Washington, and some terrific displays and a really wonderful plant sale where this Synthyris was in full bloom.

It was a great pleasure to meet you at the NARGS Winter Study Weekend in Everett, Panayoti, and I too wish we'd had more time to chat!  It turned out that there was lots to do with the book sales, plant sales, displays, talks and garden visits there!  
It was terrific too to have gotten to meet and to chat with Peter George and Anne Spiegel... it's so nice to be able to put faces to the names of some of the famous rock gardeners here, and to have gotten to know them a little!
That was the first NARGS event I've attended... it was fun, interesting and educational!


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 19:34

Todd wrote:

I'm so jealous!  Wish I could have attended the AGM.  But then, it's difficult to get plants into Canada from the US so I'm glad I didn't have the temptation!

Not meaning to rub salt in the wound, Todd, but the Western Study Weekend was extremely well organized, with phytosanitary inspections/certificates available for those who needed them!  So, if one could meet the enormous challenge of keeping the number of purchases down to a portable limit, then there would just remain the hassle of wrangling potted plants through cross-continental flight(s)!  I'm sure where there's a will, there's a way!  ;D ;D
Anyway, despite HUGE temptation, I refrained from buying plants (too many seedlings downstairs already!!)  However, don't imagine I got away unscathed... instead, I lugged home about 50 pounds worth of books!


Submitted by Mark McD on Wed, 03/14/2012 - 19:41

Tim, Lomatium columbianum is wonderful, both foliage and flower-wise, looking perfectly at home in your raised bed.  Glad you showed the seedlings, I never would have guessed that Lomatium seedlings look like that :o  Your post is great encouragement to start paying more attention to North American umbellifers.

Panayoti, love the Synthyris missurica, such a fine blue with deeper blue stamens peeking out.  I'm reminded of my many visits to Roy Davidson's garden while I lived in Bellevue Washington (near Seattle), we both lived in the same town, what a privilege. Roy had a remarkable collection of various Synthyris growing happily in his garden, representing collections from many Western USA locales, often several distinct forms of the same species; I was smitten with the genus from that point forward.  Too seldom this fine genus is grown.


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 14:39

Seems I have to consider Lomatiums too but I have to build a proper place for them firstly. The seedlings look like seedlings of other Apiaceae I've seen but the cotyledons were  a bit longer.


Submitted by Boland on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 11:22

Lori wrote:

Not meaning to rub salt in the wound, Todd, but the Western Study Weekend was extremely well organized, with phytosanitary inspections/certificates available for those who needed them!  So, if one could meet the enormous challenge of keeping the number of purchases down to a portable limit, then there would just remain the hassle of wrangling potted plants through cross-continental flight(s)!  I'm sure where there's a will, there's a way!  ;D ;D
Anyway, despite HUGE temptation, I refrained from buying plants (too many seedlings downstairs already!!)  However, don't imagine I got away unscathed... instead, I lugged home about 50 pounds worth of books!

Well if I was there, I'd probably be bringing back 50 pounds of plants despite all the seedlings I currently have.  So I take it you enjoyed your first NARGS meeting.  I've only ever been to one (CRAGS 1999) outside the one we hosted in 2005.  I've been to a couple of winter study weekends too.  All have been wonderful.  I wish I could afford to attend more but flights are outrageously expensive these days.


Submitted by Mark McD on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 14:25

Jasminum nudiflorum is generally rated to USDA Zone 6, but a friend in Massachusetts who has grown this Chinese plant for decades, tells me it is perfectly hardy, and about 5 years ago gave me a start of it.  The buds start showing in January, it opens flowers here and there in February, but really gets going in March.  I don't think I gave it enough room in its current location so will probably have to move it, it is a vigorous grower. So, it is probably safe to call it a Zone 5 plant.


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 22:12

Seems like a cool plant, Mark! Does it leaf out after flowering?


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 03/17/2012 - 06:02

Thanks for reminding me of the Jasminum Mark! I had a fine plant once but had to remove it when I made some changes on the house. It didn't tolerate moving (or the neglect due to I was busy) and died. I've always thought of planting a new one but forget it (it is always something new to consider also).

I know it is hardy in Oslo too and there they can have some pretty cold winters.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 03/17/2012 - 20:43

Todd mentioned earlier buying a potted Campanula as a florist plant, I saw some today at Safeway (supermarket), but these were single flowers, on C portenschlagiana 'Get Mee' ( I think that's right, I didn't remember the exact cultivar name, but remembered the 'mee' part, and that one turns up on google searches...
I didn't buy one today (I'd already picked up a couple of tropicals I'd been wanting at Walmart) but I'm thinking it might be good as an Easter present for mom, then it can go outside somewhere later on- I've seen references to it in z3, so it should be fine.. not my favourite as an exciting plant- a bit too green and purple, but it should be nice as a pretty plant, just have to think where.....


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 04:11

A brief selection of images from the Alpine Garden Society Show at Blackpool yesterday.  Benches full of glorious plants and some classes that were extremely difficult to judge.  The Farrer Medal (for best exhibit in the show) went to, who else, but the remarkable Geoff Rollinson with his spectacular Saxifraga 'Coolock Gem'.
It is our own East Lancashire national show this coming weekend and we hope we can attract just as many beautiful plants to our hall in Whitworth, near Rochdale.


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 04:15

Some more images from Blackpool 2012 ...


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 04:22

... And a final batch from Blackpool show.  Just a selection of the hundreds of exhibits at the show.


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 04:59

Sensory overload Cliff!  How I wish I could be there.  The UK alpinist are leaps and bounds ahead of us in America.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 13:40

Booker wrote:

A brief selection of images from the Alpine Garden Society Show at Blackpool yesterday.  Benches full of glorious plants and some classes that were extremely difficult to judge.  The Farrer Medal (for best exhibit in the show) went to, who else, but the remarkable Geoff Rollinson with his spectacular Saxifraga 'Coolock Gem'.
It is our own East Lancashire national show this coming weekend and we hope we can attract just as many beautiful plants to our hall in Whitworth, near Rochdale.

Some amazing plants- somehow that first white mound is especially cool to me :)


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 13:43

Jandals wrote:

Thanks Cliff . I think I spotted an ex-pat in there

You certainly did Steve ... and what a beautifully grown celmisia it is!   No need to ask the name of the exhibitor?  Alan Furness has always grown NZ plants to perfection.

Thanks Cohan ... I wouldn't like to estimate the number of individual blooms on that saxifraga or on the huge Dionysia bryoides exhibited by Derek Pickard.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 14:01

Fabulous Dionysias and Saxifragas filled to the brim.  Cliff, what is the pale yellow Dionysia, is it a hybrid? (image name = DSC_5506SMALLER.JPG).  Also, whats the Ornithogalum, can't quite make out the name.

I do however have this devilish urge, assuming I had a greenhouse and the skill to grow such challenging plants to perfection (which I don't on both accounts), wouldn't it be whimsical to plant one of those mounding alpines into a square pot, and then systematically keep nipping off the advancing growth in the north-south-east-west directions to coax a square plant.  Not sure why I think of these things, but wouldn't a square mound be awesome?


A pot of Melasphaerulea ramosa blooming in the greenhouse. Only one species in the genus, and easy-peasy under glass ( an apparently in the garden in warmer climates where it can be a pest. As a late blooming South African bulb, it fills a gap between Lachenalia species, and Gladiolus tristis for me. It's so warm this spring, I've moved many of the potted bulbs outdoors, since we've had no frost for a week now.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 19:46

I've not heard of this one before, very different looking isn't it, rather light, frothy, and delightful.  Matt, can you believe this weather, so warm, almost reached 80 F in Nashua, reached 75 F where I am; but keep a close eye on the weather if bringing out your tender treasures to your patio and deck, we still could get whacked with frost; you know, 80 F one day, 25 F the next morning sort of thing ;)


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 20:17

I liked this one, Matt :) I think I've seen it on SRGC before...


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 03/18/2012 - 21:35

Cliff, I am awestruck and dumbfounded!  How can anyone judge those?

My favorite is the Frit, with the twisty bracts like the sparse branching of an alpine fir, decorated with the red bells of frit flowers.


Submitted by Booker on Mon, 03/19/2012 - 02:45

McDonough wrote:

Fabulous Dionysias and Saxifragas filled to the brim.  Cliff, what is the pale yellow Dionysia, is it a hybrid? (image name = DSC_5506SMALLER.JPG).  Also, whats the Ornithogalum, can't quite make out the name.

I do however have this devilish urge, assuming I had a greenhouse and the skill to grow such challenging plants to perfection (which I don't on both accounts), wouldn't it be whimsical to plant one of those mounding alpines into a square pot, and then systematically keep nipping off the advancing growth in the north-south-east-west directions to coax a square plant.  Not sure why I think of these things, but wouldn't a square mound be awesome?

Good morning Mark,
The Ornithogalum is Ornithogalum sibthorpei, while the pale yellow Dionysia is Dionysia monika.
Your idea for a square mound isn't (unfortunately) totally original as we have seen examples on the show benches over the years ... the judges don't seem to agree about the 'awesomeness'.  ;D    What about a pyramid?  :D

Hi Rick,
The diversity of frit's being exhibited is immense and, whilst this hasn't been one of the best seasons for these bulbs so far, we can enjoy an enormous range of shapes, sizes and colours at our shows.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 14:00

Matt, your Mela-something is rather a very special plant! Is it bulbous?
I've moved almost all my pots out now, haven't had frost for a month :-\  - But no warm weather either :-\ :-\


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 03/21/2012 - 16:01

Hoy wrote:

I've moved almost all my pots out now, haven't had frost for a month :-\  - But no warm weather either :-\ :-\

No frost for a month!  I've had nothing BUT frost...dropped to -8 C last night and apparently will stay below freezing at least into early April...this has been one of the coldest March months on record for Newfoundland yet WAY ABOVE normal elsewhere in eatern North America.  Just our luck! Normally my earliest crocus and eranthis would be open the first week of April...still under a foot of snow at the moment. I am living vicariously through the rest of you!


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 03/22/2012 - 01:02

The only time I can say I haven't had frost for a month is likely to be July, if I'm lucky....
Its still been warm for us, much of the time, but the last week or so has been cooler- normal (which was +3C daytime, and has now jumped to +5as a daytime normal, but -9 is still normal for night) or a bit less.. this week is forecast for daytime highs of -1 to +8C, with nights from -4 to -15C.. pretty average stuff for us... still lots of snow around, and possible snow 3 days in the week, with tomorrow maybe 2-4 (5-10)cm.. at least we missed the 25cm some parts of the province got the other day- we stayed sunny and cool that day! Probably Faith got that storm?

The first bits of my new Semp planting started to show today, and one other new planting from last year is mostly bare, as is the spot where I sunk my cactus seedlings.. not sure if that's good or not.. most other spots still well buried


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 03/24/2012 - 02:16

I am beginning to feel a bit mean showing all that is going on in our gardens whilst much of North America is still in the grip of winter... but I just couldn't resist this anemone as an image of the day; incredible colour like the chocolate cosmos, how true is it likely to come from seed? The second picture, by way of comparison, is a more natural colour variant of Anemone coronaria. Both ideal plants for balmy Mediterranean gardens!


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 03/24/2012 - 12:23

Tim wrote:

I am beginning to feel a bit mean showing all that is going on in our gardens whilst much of North America is still in the grip of winter... but I just couldn't resist this anemone as an image of the day; incredible colour like the chocolate cosmos, how true is it likely to come from seed? The second picture, by way of comparison, is a more natural colour variant of Anemone coronaria. Both ideal plants for balmy Mediterranean gardens!

Fantastic colour! Never hesitate to show us flowers to give us hope :) In any case, I don't think its most of North America that is still wintry- seems to be only parts of the West and far East-- just me and Todd  ;D even Lori already has Bulbocodium up!


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 03/24/2012 - 12:30

My only signs of serious spring are indoors, here is Ledebouria galpinii ( a small South African bulb), from seed jan 2010, this is first flowering- so far only on one of several plants in the pot, but they are just emerging from a short winter nap..
Also budding is  L socialis, which has less showy flowers..


Submitted by Fermi on Sun, 03/25/2012 - 16:43

Tim wrote:

I just couldn't resist this anemone as an image of the day; incredible colour like the chocolate cosmos, how true is it likely to come from seed?

How did this one arise, Tim? Was it from seed you sowed or a bought corm?
Definitely worth collecting the seed and segregating it. I can see "Tim's Chocolate Selection" becoming a popular choice! ;D
Incidentally, the foliage of Anemone coronaria and A. pavonina is just emerging here!
cheers
fermi


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 02:01

No - I bought it Fermi! (At our local Hardy Plant Society sale this March). By coincidence the speaker at the day was John Massey of Ashwood Nursery fame and he showed pictures of anemones naturalised in grass. They supply seed of anemone strains in the summer but I've never seen a colour like this! They must be potentially very good plants in Australian gardens.


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 19:06

I know what you mean Lis, same thing here, the wind was gusting so strong this afternoon (29 F) that it was ripping the buds off Magnolia 'Forrest Pink'.  I fully expected this after all that summer in Burmuda weather.

Before the big freeze, Pulmonaria rubra (showing some flowers aging a comely blue), before the freeze ;)  Although, I think the Pulmonarias will take the freezing just fine.


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 20:16

Lis wrote:

We've gone from +20C to -8C in two days.

You folks are getting the sorts of temperature variations that are fairly normal in Calgary!


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 23:55

I used to tell friends in Florida that we had more of a temperature range in one day than they do in a year.... however, we haven't been warm enough (many days up around 10C/50F over the winter, but doesn't matter when the ground is covered in snow and/or frozen) for anything to grow and be in danger yet this spring!
Hope you folks don't have too much damage....
A couple of days ago we had a day or two of -5C/21F or colder daytimes, with -15C/5F nights... and snowing again now.. we'll be back up to 6 to 9C/ 42 to 48F days and lows -1 to -6C/ 30 to 21F in the next few..... still a lot of melting to go....


Submitted by Fermi on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 02:28

Tim wrote:

No - I bought it Fermi! (At our local Hardy Plant Society sale this March). By coincidence the speaker at the day was John Massey of Ashwood Nursery fame and he showed pictures of anemones naturalised in grass. They supply seed of anemone strains in the summer but I've never seen a colour like this! They must be potentially very good plants in Australian gardens.

We saw lovely patches of Anemones naturalised at Ashwood when we visited prior to the Nottingham Conference last year!
[attachthumb-1]
cheers
fermi


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 03/27/2012 - 12:28

That is something to speak of, Fermi! I don't like at all all this talk about freezing temperatures :o The weather forecast says we maybe will have down to 0C Monday or Tuesday next week :-\

This week almost all S Norway has had all time high temperatures for March. Today they hit 22-23C the warmest places and that is a warm day even midsummer!
Here at the coast we don't get that warm weather due to the "cold" sea (it is warmer than normal though). Instead we get a lot of morning and evening fog :( Still the average for this month is +4 above normal and no freezing even at night for 5 weeks now.


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 00:24

Hoy wrote:

and no freezing even at night for 5 weeks now.

Wow, that still amazes me- even though I know intellectually you are so much warmer than us, you are still in the 'north'...lol and we hardly get more than 5 weeks frost free in summer ;)


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 05:27

Fermi, I remember the anemones very well - so colorful and graceful.  Do you recall the "herd of sheep" nearby?


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 14:54

I wouldn't have believed it possible to grow anemones like that without seeing that picture (John Massey showed a very similar one during his talk). There are several plants vying for Image of the Day in our garden at the moment, but I think this Pulsatilla really is the most eyecatching. The flowers don't last long like this, but in combination with that foliage they are a real picture.


Submitted by Mark McD on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 17:09

Tim, fabulously fantastic furry fuzz!  Everyone looking at this photo, be sure to enlarge it by clicking on it to see frothy filagree of feathery involucre fineness... lots of "f" adjectives.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 18:25

I remember (as I imagine everyone does) the first time I grew a pulsatilla for myself.  The "fur" was (and still is) so captivating.  But yours, Tim, is far beyond that!  The shade of lavender of the flowers is quite nice, too.  :o


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 03/28/2012 - 18:58

This time of year, although we've had bare ground under trees for much of the winter, elsewhere there has been and still is a lot of snow since early November, so its exciting just to see bare ground in places it hasn't been seen in months, and to actually see a garden plants is quite a thrill! My first a are a few Semps and Jovis showing in my new bed in front of the house, and the large pot appended to it.. a few bits were starting to show a week or more ago, then we had more snow, now there are bare patches again, and I've started to thin the snow on the rest ( it gets dumped there when we shovel in front of the house) and move some of the snow from the front/bottom, where I stuck some bulbs in last year..
first a view from a couple of nights ago, then a few views from today.. I'll try to put a couple more in the semp thread..

Semp bed, night snow
Jovibarba allioni
Jovibarba globifera
Jovibarba globifera
Semp just emerging...


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 03/29/2012 - 14:21

Tim wrote:

There are several plants vying for Image of the Day in our garden at the moment, but I think this Pulsatilla really is the most eyecatching. The flowers don't last long like this, but in combination with that foliage they are a real picture.

Tim, it is worth growing even if the flowering period lasted but one day!

cohan wrote:

Hoy wrote:

and no freezing even at night for 5 weeks now.

Wow, that still amazes me- even though I know intellectually you are so much warmer than us, you are still in the 'north'...lol and we hardly get more than 5 weeks frost free in summer ;)

Cohan, it's the blessing and curse of the sea!
A blessing in winter but a curse in summer! It almost never gets really cold, however, it never gets really warm either :-\


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 03/29/2012 - 18:00

Spring has finally made an appearance.  Here are the first flowers (nearly opened) of the season.


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 03/29/2012 - 19:50

Wow, it may have taken a while, Todd, but you're way ahead of my yard!!

Bulbocodium vernum remains the winner as the first flowering plant this year, followed today by a couple of snowdrops.
 

This snowdrop seems to have a yellowish calyx and markings... do you suppose I could claim it was a fancy one and sell it on e-Bay for hundreds of pounds?  ???  ;D

Buds on a Draba:


Submitted by Fermi on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 00:00

The Pulsatillas were another group we found enchanting last year in the UK!

The image of the day in our garden has to be this South African Amaryllid, Brunsvigia gregaria, which has just started to bloom - first flower since planting the seedling bulb in this sand-bed about 8 or 9 years ago!
cheers
fermi


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 01:26

Thanks for the kind comments about the Pulsatilla; all plants have that moment when they look really good, but pulsatillas seem to have it more than most! (probably because like peonies they do go over quite quickly). This Callianthemum anemonoides on the sand bed flowers for rather longer and is one of the stars of the bed, but there are a couple of other plants just coming on that will compete with both of these plants - it's a fantastic time of year as these plants start doing their thing!


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 02:04

Todd wrote:

Spring has finally made an appearance.  Here are the first flowers (nearly opened) of the season.

Todd, glad to hear that! It is always the most exciting time of the year whenever it happens ;)


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 06:04

Difficult to believe that something will outshine that Callianthemum, Tim.  Everything here is 3 to 4 weeks ahead of itself despite the
recent cold.  One large trough is in a sunny spot protected from the wind and things are starting to happen already.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 06:10

Don't know why the pictures of the trough didn't come through.

Douglasia nivalis
Veronica caespitosa and Daphne 'Ernst Hauser'
Douglasia nivalis var. nivalis

(Edited to add searchable plant names.)


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 10:18

Fermi wrote:

The image of the day in our garden has to be this South African Amaryllid, Brunsvigia gregaria, which has just started to bloom - first flower since planting the seedling bulb in this sand-bed about 8 or 9 years ago!
cheers
fermi

I have many times been tempted to try some Brunsvigia but never taken the step. I had to grow it in a pot anyway. However when I see yours  I do regret I haven't tried yet ;)

Tim wrote:

This Callianthemum anemonoides on the sand bed flowers for rather longer and is one of the stars of the bed, but there are a couple of other plants just coming on that will compete with both of these plants - it's a fantastic time of year as these plants start doing their thing!

It is a fantastic plant too, Tim!

Spiegel wrote:

Don't know why the pictures of the trough didn't come through.

Douglasia nivalis
Veronica caespitosa and Daphne 'Ernst Hauser'
Douglasia nivalis var. nivalis

It is here now, anyway!
I understand Douglasia is hardy but does it tolerate winter wet?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 13:49

The trough is not covered in any way but it also is very deep and has incredibly positive drainage.  I did lose Townsendia jonesii v lutea in this trough after three years druing a snowless wet winter.  Townsendias in general don't seem to last more than 4 years or so except for Townsendia montana.


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 09:47

Well spring was short-lived...currently have a raging blizzard...70 Km winds and 12" snow!  Drift over snowdrops is now 3 feet high.  Guess it will be another couple of weeks before they see the sun again.
:(


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 10:52

Commiserations Todd - we do get strong bracing winds of the North Sea at times but very rarely snow. Lately the weather has been unusually warm and very dry; I think woody plants will suffer in the summer/autumn.

This is probably the nicest Bergenia, except maybe omiensis which is not really hardy. B. ciliata is very early flowering and characterised by these rather hairy leaves, very unlike all other species that I know. The close up is quite pink in flower, but a second clone is closer to white and works well with the leaves of snowdrops. These are tough drought resistant plants which has always surprised me with such bold leaves, but Beth Chatto has lauded them in her dry garden where the leaves turn wonderful colours in the winter.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 11:56

Tim, I like the commingling idea, the lovely Bergenia and snowdrops looking quite happy together.  It reminds me that this would be an interesting forum topic; plant pairings, like wine and food, certain plants seem to go together well, enjoying a mutual level of growth, location, soil, and spacial needs.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 14:00

Mark, a perfect example of a good pairing would be Dicentra cucullaria and Epimedium grandiflorum in almost any form.  As the dicentra starts to go dormant the yellowing foliage is hidden by the new flower and leaf shoots of the epimedium.  Works quite well.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 14:11

Spiegel wrote:

Mark, a perfect example of a good pairing would be Dicentra cucullaria and Epimedium grandiflorum in almost any form.  As the dicentra starts to go dormant the yellowing foliage is hidden by the new flower and leaf shoots of the epimedium.  Works quite well.

I agree Ann, this is a combo I'm very familiar with.  And toss Corydalis solida & malkensis into the mix, which pop up everywhere.

I love the emerging foliage on Dicentra cucullaria, this view taken a couple weeks ago:


Submitted by RickR on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 19:23

Emerging foliage of Dicentra cucullaria in the wild (Minnesota).  This was a "hope this picture turns out" kind of photo.  The plants were perched on a wooded cliff ledge, and photo taken with arms and camera stretched high above my head.

             


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 01:26

Dicentra cuccularia is a charming plant I have tried several times but it is shortlived here - I blame he slugs :-\

This week we are at our mountain cabin on holiday. We hoped for snow but it is even less snow than last Easter which furthermore was 14 days later too :o The previous 14 days were sunny and mild now it is sunny and cold but no snow.

Pulsatilla vernalis is due to flower whenever the temperature get high enough and the same is Noccaea caerulescens (syn Thlaspi alpestre).
The first picture shows the meadow where it usually is 2 ft snow at this time of the year!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 10:11

Beautiful photos, all!  Another wonderfully furry pulsatilla shot, there, Trond, to add to Tim's beauty from earlier!
Really nice (and serendipitous!) shot of Dicentra cucullaria, Rick - I planted some tiny little rice-grain corms(?) of Dicentra cucullaria many years ago, and I see the foliage every year (1 little clump) but will it ever bloom?!?


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 19:43

Rick, that's too funny about your precarious cliff ledge "hope this picture turns out" photo.  I must admit to never encountering Dicentra cucullaria in the wild, even though native to Massachusetts.  Interesting to see the distribution of this species, largely central-eastern North America, to learn of disjunct distribution in the tri-state area of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=5377&flora_id=1

John Lonsdale found lots of strong pink forms in southeastern USA, a couple photos available here:
http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/plants_album/the%20plants%20-%20%20comple...

Trond, love the golden fluff on Pulsatilla vernalis!

Lori, I actually worry about D. cucullaria becoming a pest; in autumn the bunches of rice grains, looking like dense banana clusters several inches across, rise to the surface and sit there totally exposed, the rice grains spilling about.  I actually scoop them up and replant elsewhere, or rebury them deeper.  The foliage, while ephemeral, is quite robust and lush, and could smother smaller spring ephemerals like Anemonella thalictroides.  But I do love this plant, and feel fortunate to have it romping about making such finely dissected foliage mounds.  In the photo below, this clump appeared a couple years ago, there's a self-sown Pulmonaria there (well, they're everywhere), a yet-to-sprout seedling Epimedium plant, and the amazing ressurection of a pink-flowered Sanguinaria canadensis that went underground for about 4 years and suddenly emerged and produced a small flower, a small miracle.


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 04/01/2012 - 22:14

About Dicentra cucullaria, I have never seen such "rice grains" of any kind.  I have always wondered about the root structure (and of Dicentra canadensis), but would never dream of digging one up, as they are not that common here.  They are a little larger growing in southern Minnesota, and the pic (also from the Hastings SNA) is about 50 miles south of me.  Where I am and to the north, I have never seen them more than five inches tall, although admittedly, I have only found them in 3 or 4 places.  The thought of them smothering Thalictrum thalictroides is quite laughable here.


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 00:30

Unfortunately they don't smother anything here :-\ Are they easy from seed? Maybe seeds should be sown fresh? Corms are rather expensive.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 05:06

They occur naturally here and the easiest method of propagation is to dig up a clump after it finishes flowering and the leaves die down.  The little bulbils fall apart in your hand and you toss them.  Where they land is where they are planted (just sort of scratched in).  Sometimes the squirrels do it for you.  I used to worry about that  but apparently they don't remember where they bury things and instead of Dicentra cucullaria diminishing, it pops up all over the garden.
I also use this method to distribute Eranthis hyemalis and now have a huge swath of it, most welcome in early spring.


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 09:24

Then I need the first clump! Actually I have one in a pot. Thought I should try to propagate it before I planted it out ;)


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 22:03

Nice, Michael.  I am thinking my Clematis culumbiana var. tenuiloba is a hybrid.  It vines up to 2.5ft.

             

The Leibnitzia anandria  beat even the Draba lasiocarpa this season.

       

             


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 23:39

Michel, do you grow your C columbiana in a pot or outside? Clematis is one of my favorite genera ;)

Rick, have you tried Leibnitzia outside? I have them at my summerhouse where they seem to live buy not flower much - not like yours anyway. Maybe they are longing for hotter days :-\


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 04/03/2012 - 07:33

Leibnitzia anandria plants are hardy here, and most years I allow a plant or two in the garden.  But I have ever only noticed flowering on one plant in all those years (about 6 years?), and it was a volunteer in the the grass yard, not the garden.  In pots, flowering seems quite consistent. 

In the photos, the one pot with multiple plants is one where the original (not Leibnitzia) plant died and the Leibnitzia and Melica ciliata seeded in.  The flowers have been open three days now, and I have tried pollinating them with a paint brush.  I never see any pollen on the brush, though. ???

An update on the Clematis ochotensis

             


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 04/03/2012 - 11:27

Trond, love the golden fuzz on the Pulsatilla!

Rick, love the Leibnitzia!


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 01:35

Rick, maybe the Leibnitzia need restricted root run and would do good in a crevice or rock garden.

Cohan, I hope the flowerbuds survive the weather and the trampling here now without snow cover! Pulsatilla vernalis is "mogop" in Norw. if you want to know ;D


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 04:00

My Leibnitzia has never produced a normal flower, just the non-petal form.  Can't show emerging foliage around here as most of the garden is still under snow.  This will be among the latest spring ever in my area.  The rest of North America has sucked every bit of heat from us!


Submitted by Merlin on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 08:52

Here in Southern Idaho we have been cool and rainy, snow is expected this week--again. I did manage to get out and take some pictures in the garden this morning before heading in to the office. Here are my pics of the day.

Phlox sp. almost past its prime.

Astragalus coccineus, just getting started

Jim Hatchett
Eagle Idaho


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 11:28

Jim, glad to see you still have your Astragalus coccineus and that it's still loking fabulous.


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 13:59

Todd, you have my sympathy!

Jim, that Astragalus coccineus is something! What a colour :o

I visited my mum in Oslo today and had a few minutes to spare. I spent the time in the botanical garden at Tøyen. The spring was advanced and some trees, notable the Davidias, had started leafing out.
Here are a few pictures
Adonis amurensis, Erythronium sibiricum and Pulsatilla lutescens flavescens were outstanding among many, many others.


Submitted by Howey on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 15:38

Well, I'm quite excited after seeing 5 little hairy mushroom look-alikes - Saussurea nepalense - have popped up in the garden - overnight?  Was it you Trond who showed pictures of this in its first year which, like mine, didn't look like much?  But now, in its second year it looks very promising.  I'd send a picture but have just bought a new camera and haven't quite learned how to do these things with it.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 16:22

Wow, that lutescens is stunning!  very similar to my flavescens.

Half of my garden is snow-free again...still nearly 2 feet along the back fence.  Despite this, the spring plants want to flower....here is Helleborus Winter Moonbeam


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 04/04/2012 - 17:16

Love that Astragalus, Jim :) I think its rated z5 or 6? but I may try it anyway someday...lol

Trond, the Adonis is wonderful en masse, love the yellow Pulsa, also! I think I have some seed of some yellow ones, I hope!

Todd, don't feel bad- spring is even later for me! (although not abnormally so) I have a couple of spots planted with spring bulbs (just last year) that are bare of snow, but no sign of activity yet! I guess the soil still has not warmed enough... The only plant activity I have seen is a slight greening /opening on a few semps and jovis...

They've changed  our winter storm warning to a snowfall warning-- still 15cm or so, but I guess less blowing snow is the difference, though we are probably on the boundary of those two warnings..


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 00:13

Todd wrote:

Wow, that lutescens is stunning!  very similar to my flavescens.

Half of my garden is snow-free again...still nearly 2 feet along the back fence.  Despite this, the spring plants want to flower....here is Helleborus Winter Moonbeam

Todd, you make me blush  :-[ I made a mistake with that name! Mixed up names in the hurry. It is Pulsatilla flavescens!
Winter Moonbeam is a fitting name, isn't it?


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 00:21

Howey wrote:

Well, I'm quite excited after seeing 5 little hairy mushroom look-alikes - Saussurea nepalense - have popped up in the garden - overnight?  Was it you Trond who showed pictures of this in its first year which, like mine, didn't look like much?  But now, in its second year it looks very promising.  I'd send a picture but have just bought a new camera and haven't quite learned how to do these things with it.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

Hi Fran, think it was Lori ;) I can't remember I did it . . .but I never know these days!


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 04:13

Hoy wrote:

Todd wrote:

Wow, that lutescens is stunning!  very similar to my flavescens.

Half of my garden is snow-free again...still nearly 2 feet along the back fence.  Despite this, the spring plants want to flower....here is Helleborus Winter Moonbeam

Todd, you make me blush  :-[ I made a mistake with that name! Mixed up names in the hurry. It is Pulsatilla flavescens!
Winter Moonbeam is a fitting name, isn't it?

Trond, call it a senior's moment!


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 11:48

cohan wrote:

Love that Astragalus, Jim :) I think its rated z5 or 6? but I may try it anyway someday...lol

Yes, don't we all lust after it!!!
NB.  Perhaps "officially" rated as you say, but being grown successfully by Stephanie Ferguson here in zone 3... not an easy plant.  She describes the conditions that have resulted in success in Volume 69, No. 4 of the Rock Garden Quarterly.


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 15:56

Two days above freezing and Aethionema oppositifolia has managed to open a couple of flowers.


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 17:05

Lori wrote:

cohan wrote:

Love that Astragalus, Jim :) I think its rated z5 or 6? but I may try it anyway someday...lol

Yes, don't we all lust after it!!!
NB.  Perhaps "officially" rated as you say, but being grown successfully by Stephanie Ferguson here in zone 3... not an easy plant.  She describes the conditions that have resulted in success in Volume 69, No. 4 of the Rock Garden Quarterly.

I don't have the quarterly, but I imagined it would want a carefully prepared site- certainly nothing I have now! I'm sure my fall and spring would be too wet without careful attention.. I'll definitely be thinking about a bed or two for the real drylanders..


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 17:17

Yeah, I hear ya - I've killed the small number I've bought or grown from seed.  According to Stephanie's article, for this one, (despite that we are already in a generally sunny and dry climate) think the sunniest, hottest, driest, best drained spot you can make!

Todd, at least the late snows usually melt fast... and you are ahead of us again!  There are a few Corydalis solida emerging as yesterday's snow melts:


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 23:54

Todd wrote:

Trond, call it a senior's moment!

Well, I'm getting more of them than I like ;)

Todd wrote:

Two days above freezing and Aethionema oppositifolia has managed to open a couple of flowers.

Todd, the leaves are more Sedum-ish than kale-ish! An interesting plant.

Lori wrote:

Yeah, I hear ya - I've killed the small number I've bought or grown from seed.  According to Stephanie's article, for this one, (despite that we are already in a generally sunny and dry climate) think the sunniest, hottest, driest, best drained spot you can make!

Todd, at least the late snows usually melt fast... and you are ahead of us again!  There are a few Corydalis solida emerging as yesterday's snow melts:
[attachthumb=1]

I am afraid I have killed a lot of seedlings :-\  I left them outside when I went on holiday (the forecast wasn't that bad) but I know we have had serious freezing some nights now - first in 5 weeks. . . I do not hope I'm back to square one :(


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 04/06/2012 - 12:05

Lacking a period of real planning and foresight, its turned out fortunate that its simply taking me a long time to get some rock garden beds built, and I've made more observations of my property meantime-- there are huge differences from one spot to another on my acreage in the amount of snow cover, how long it lasts (many weeks difference, could even be a couple months difference for some spots!) --- discounting the deep shade where snow can last far into May, even from some kinds of sunny spots to others, there is a big difference, and this reflects (causes?) huge differences in moisture as well..
I've also realised sharp slopes are important here to prevent water sitting during spring melt....


Submitted by Boland on Fri, 04/06/2012 - 13:56

Lori, I think we are on-par.  Here is my Corydalis solida, along with Galanthus nivalis Flore-pleno, Crocus tomassinianus and Eranthis hyemalis.


Submitted by Merlin on Fri, 04/06/2012 - 19:06

Still cool here is Idaho but some of the RG plants are getting into the spring thing. From today:
Erythronium grandiflorum, seed collected in Wallowa mountains in Oregon

Erythronium grandiflorum, from seed collected in the Blue mountains of Oregon ground cover Dryas octopetala


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 00:41

Very nice plants, Merlin! Seems to be seeding around a bit too ;)


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 12:23

I know we do this every year, Todd, but seriously, your garden is way ahead of mine!  ;D  Absolutely beautiful clumps of aconite and snowdrops!

Lovely to see those glacier lilies, Merlin!  They look like they're doing great in your yard!  It's not one I've even attempted in the yard (other than fitfully scattering the odd seed pod around); I imagine it's too dry for them to be happy, given that the places in the wild where I see them in profusion are usually rather wettish alpine meadows.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 12:31

Racing right along, Todd! The Eranthis is especially nice :)
Not so much as a nub of anything emerged yet, here...lol

Merlin- is that Jim? The Erythroniums are lovely!


Submitted by Toole on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 04:27

Wonderful to see spring colour folks .

Down here things are starting to wind down ...
Arisaema fruit with a view.

Cheers dave.


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 12:20

Lovely Erythronium...that species is very much a challenge in  my area.  dave, i can't think about the garden 'winding down'...I'm desperate for a 'wind up'!

Hepatica nobilis is just about there and the first Pulmonaria montana are just opening.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 13:49

Perhaps the most beautiful plant in the garden when the flowers open like this - Adonis vernalis. This is slowly forming stronger clumps after sowing seed (from Jelitto) probably seven or eight years ago, and there is slight variation in colour between plants. Although it seems to set seed I have only ever had a few germinate.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 14:18

Wonderful, Tim!
Re. seed viability, in Dr. Deno's Seed Germination Theory and Practice, he reported that he'd planted over 30 samples of various species and had total failure due to a high proportion of normal-sized and completely normal-looking seed having empty shells.  It was said to be, apparently, genetic defects that lead to defective pollen and pistils, and empty shells.


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 14:20

Tim wrote:

Perhaps the most beautiful plant in the garden when the flowers open like this - Adonis vernalis. This is slowly forming stronger clumps after sowing seed (from Jelitto) probably seven or eight years ago, and there is slight variation in colour between plants. Although it seems to set seed I have only ever had a few germinate.

This species perfectly illustrates the north-south divide, Tim ... yours in glorious flower today, mine just showing half an inch of reluctant foliage above the surface of the compost and still weeks away from flowering.  Beautiful image by the way.


Submitted by Merlin on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 18:14

It is delightful to be able to see how spring evolves in other people's garden all over the world. I really enjoy seeing the fine plants that people are able to grow. Spring came with a vengeance here today with temps in high 70's. I see that quite a number seedlings are coming on this year, some from seed sown years ago. I took a few pictures of some plants that are in bloom today(Easter Sunday).
Lewisia tweedyi, this a seedling that volunteered from a group that i had since moved(to their death, as it turned out)

Draba densifolia

Townsendia condensata

Townsendia mensana


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 19:59

An enviable assembly of plants there, Jim.  The townsendias are spectacular - they look right at home nestled in the rocks.


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 21:26

Nice plant, Tiim.  Adonis 'Fukujukai' just finished here. 

Those townsendias really are splendid, Jim.  Isn't it just like lewisias to always want to seed in almost right under a rock.  ;D


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 01:52

Todd wrote:

Lovely Erythronium...that species is very much a challenge in  my area.  dave, i can't think about the garden 'winding down'...I'm desperate for a 'wind up'!

Hepatica nobilis is just about there and the first Pulmonaria montana are just opening.

You are catching up with me Todd! Here (I'm home again) the weather is as it was in December, January and February: Cool and wet. It is almost standstill except for some plants that got a kick in the March warmth which has frozen in the cold nights last week.


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 01:56

Tim wrote:

Perhaps the most beautiful plant in the garden when the flowers open like this - Adonis vernalis. This is slowly forming stronger clumps after sowing seed (from Jelitto) probably seven or eight years ago, and there is slight variation in colour between plants. Although it seems to set seed I have only ever had a few germinate.

Merlin wrote:

It is delightful to be able to see how spring evolves in other people's garden all over the world. I really enjoy seeing the fine plants that people are able to grow. Spring came with a vengeance here today with temps in high 70's. I see that quite a number seedlings are coming on this year, some from seed sown years ago. I took a few pictures of some plants that are in bloom today(Easter Sunday).
Lewisia tweedyi, this a seedling that volunteered from a group that i had since moved(to their death, as it turned out)

Nice plants Tim and Jim! None of those are easy here - that is they are always short-lived. Haven't tried Townsendia yet though.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 04:44

Jim, loved your photo of Townsendia mensana.  It's one of my favorite townsendias but it was never successful in the garden.  Once saw it in bloom on a trip to Duchesne County, Utah.  It was all over one area, an area that was unfortunately slated for a housing development.  There was also an unknown astragalus growing there.  Wonder if any of the plants are still growing there?


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 12:18

I have several Townsendia coming along, including mensana.  Good hints as to cultivation!  I expect only those used in our alpine house at work will survive our excess wet. 


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 12:34

Todd, I sure could use some of your excess water right now.  It's gray today and I thought perfect for planting, but gave it up.  Everything is dry as a bone and it's very windy.  No real rain in sight and all the plants are almost a month ahead.  I have phlox blooming.  Prime phlox time usually is May 7th to May 10th, but not lately.  Many things are budiing despite deep frosts at night still.


Submitted by IMYoung on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 12:53

Todd wrote:

Two days above freezing and Aethionema oppositifolia has managed to open a couple of flowers.

Isn't that just exactly the sort of brave and exciting plant behaviour that so captivates us about alpine and rock gardren plants?
The magic of these little, frail-seeming plants to cope and thrive in harsh conditions... and be so darn cute as they do it! Who could resist?


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 00:20

Hoy wrote:

Nice! Any scent? Do cacti flower have scent?

Some do- especially white ones for night pollinators! If this has  a scent though, I haven't noticed it- I haven't checked, but I'm pretty close when shooting...


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 11:16

cohan wrote:

Hoy wrote:

Nice! Any scent? Do cacti flower have scent?

Some do- especially white ones for night pollinators! If this has  a scent though, I haven't noticed it- I haven't checked, but I'm pretty close when shooting...

I had one night flowering species once, I can't remember scent though, but that makes sense! I have more than once looked for the lesser butterfly orchid (Platanthera bifolia) in the evening following my nose ;)


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 11:38

Moths seem to have a similar taste in fragrance to humans...lol


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 16:01

Well it was the hottest day so far this year...hit 16 C.  The plants are responding to say the least! 


Submitted by Merlin on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 16:07

Todd, all i can say is WOW! Those plants are superb. I look forward to seeing more.


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 17:23

Thanks Jim.....the weather is turning Thursday..back to cold and cloudy so the garden will be on hold for a while I'm afraid.  One more warm day tomorrow so we'll see if anything else opens.


Submitted by Merlin on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 19:31

I took some quick close ups of some of the Astragalus that are in bloom today. I have to admit that most of these I have not keyed out yet so I don't know their names, all come from wild collected seeds that are chucked into the rock pile. I grow things somewhat spartan(no fertilizer and little to no water and "soil" that is almost devoid of organic matter) so it usually takes a year or two (or three) before these darn things begin to bloom before they go dormant for the summer. More or less variations on a theme.






Submitted by cohan on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 20:26

Great stuff, Todd! Especially fond of the pink Hepatica! as well as pink Helleborus, and how can you not love Iris Kathleen H :)
Jim- fantastic peas- and I think variations on a theme are one of the delights of a garden!


Submitted by Lori S. on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 22:30

Fabulous, Todd!  The long weekend remained cool here... warmish periods of sunshine and breezes, interspersed with little snow squalls, so there will be no such sights to be had for time!

Jim, terrific astragalus!  It's interesting to see the foliage variations too.


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 04:05

Ah Jim, your Fabaceae are fabulous! (and the stuff of dreams for a an easterner).


Submitted by Booker on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 08:54

Merlin wrote:

More or less variations on a theme.

... But WHAT a theme!!!  I know a gardener in Wappinger Falls who will be besotted!  :D


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 10:41

Jim, what a selection! I have always had a soft spot for all kinds of pea. My first herbarium contained solely native plants of the pea family - 68 if I remember right.


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 15:06

Another glorious day in Newfoundland and more glorious flowers open!  It comes to a crashing end tomorrow when we get heavy rain and then the possibility of snow on Friday.

(plant names added in the body of text for forum searchability - MMcD)
  Iris reticulata
  Saxifraga 'Gregor Mendel'
  Saxifraga oppositifolia
  Scilla mischtschenkoana


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 04/12/2012 - 01:55

Todd wrote:

Another glorious day in Newfoundland and more glorious flowers open!  It comes to a crashing end tomorrow when we get heavy rain and then the possibility of snow on Friday.

A glorious day, what is that? Yesterday I had sunshine for a couple of hours and the temperature reached +9C for a minute.
Nice to see your plants coming though - you'll soon catch me up ;)


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 15:17

Helleborus 'Pink Frost' is shedding pollen so I guess I can say it is truly in bloom now.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 07:50

Sanguinaria canadensis 'Multiplex' is enjoying the warm sunny weather, presenting a photogenic scene.


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 09:11

McDonough wrote:

Sanguinaria canadensis 'Multiplex' is enjoying the warm sunny weather, presenting a photogenic scene.

So lovely, but so ephemeral.


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 12:41

Mark, you are lucky ;) My multiplex or whatever they are called are completely destroyed by hail and slugs :'(
The hail destroys the petals and the slugs are devouring the mess.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 14:33

That's suuch a shame, Trond.  Slugs always seem to go for the best plants.


Submitted by Merlin on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 14:37

Keep the pictures coming, it's such a delight to see the variety of species as well as the display of excellent plantsmanship. Took a few in the garden today, such as they are.
Lewesia tweedyi at about peak bloom

Eryoginum caespitosum

Trifolium owyheensis

Trillium Chlorapetalum and Asarum hartweggii (both in bloom though you would not know the ginger was)

Astragaulus unknown

Clematis scottii

things are getting ready to take off blooming wise so i will not be able to keep up.


Submitted by Merlin on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 15:59

A few more plants from today that i missed.
Daphne of some sort

Erythronium revolutum

Pulsatilla vulgaris, a pretty weed. As soon as the first seed heads are visible the Weedwhip treatment takes care of seedset and keeps the seedlings down to a level that can be managed with Roundup


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 17:47

Wow, nice, Jim!  You're in a pretty dry climate - do you have to give your erythroniums supplemental water, or do they cope without? 

And I'm sure there's lots of people who would envy you those awful weeds...  ;) ;D 


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 17:58

Nice colours on the Pulsas! I'm surprised they'd spread so much in your climate- or are they in an irrigated part of the garden? I have one little patch expanding, but they are just the basic coloured ones..


Submitted by Merlin on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 19:26

I keep the pulsatillas around because they give a mass of color early in the spring. The red form flowers about two weeks ahead of the purple ones. I made the mistake of letting them go to seed a few times and they come up all over my yard, you cant usually pull them up because they develop a deep tap root that resprouts when you break it off---so Roundup. The plants in the picture have not seen a drop of supplemental water for several years. The part of the garden that they are in is going to be completely remodeled this fall which will be the end of them i am afraid. 


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 09:53

One of the weirdest plants in our garden - Othonna cheirifolia. This often gets battered by the winter but surprisingly was unperturbed by the cold snap we had after Christmas when temperatures dropped well below normal. It is a fascinating plant both for its leaves and flower buds, and I don't remember it flowering as freely as this before.


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 11:43

And the leaf arrangement appears to be two-ranked that adds to the interest, too. From the Plant Delights site:
This evergreen native to the African countries of Algeria and Tunisia is still little-known in the US, despite being used extensively by the late UK garden designer Gertrude Jekyll in the early 1900s.

  Not at all a cold zone plant, but apparently good as a summer container plant.


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 14:01

I have tried Othonna here with no success. They dislike winter wet :-\
Maybe I should try at my summerhouse . . . . It is an interesting and decorative plant.


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 16:22

I too tried Othonnia with similar results.  :-[

What does do well here are our native dwarf willow...here is Salix calcicola about to burst in the crevice garden at work.  I collected this one three years ago.


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 20:11

Such perfect catkins, Todd.  It looks like that one is going to outgrow the bed.
It can't be that old...(?)


Submitted by Merlin on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 20:30

Todd wrote:

I too tried Othonnia with similar results.  :-[

What does do well here are our native dwarf willow...here is Salix calcicola about to burst in the crevice garden at work.  I collected this one three years ago.

The willow is very nice, the garden scene is absolutely deluxe!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 00:27

Interesting to see an Othonna in an English garden- I'm used to seeing/thinking of the genus only in tender succulent and caudiciform collections-- if you think this one is weird, you should see some of the caudiciform species  ;D  does this one have any thick trunk?

Great willow, Todd- I'm still hoping to run into some native dwarf spp with seed- tough timing though..lol.. I've only seen them inside national parks where I wont take cuttings... if I were to find some in forestry lands it would be different... Never see them on seedlists, I guess for viabliity reasons....


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 03:30

No the othonna has very ordinary stems - I've seen other species listed in Silverhill's seed list but know nothing about them. Fascinating to hear that it was used by Gertrude Jekyll!

The salix is very attractive; we are generally too dry to succeed with these in the garden but they must be very fine in association with dwarf ericaceous species and dwarf birch - I remember Todd's lecture at Nottingham and those northern landscapes must have a very quiet beauty.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 12:43

Michael wrote:

Daphne x susannae cheriton

Hi Michael, another beautiful Daphne!

Todd, Salix do good here too but I don't have many in my garden.


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 16:41

Another record temperature today...finding it hard to keep up with the blooms.  Pulsatilla pratensis 'Nigricans' is just about open.


Submitted by gerrit on Sun, 04/22/2012 - 02:37

Some pictures from the bulb-fields in the Netherlands. This is the place, where the famous "Tulips from Amsterdam' comes from. I live here 'round the corner'.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 04/22/2012 - 09:57

A feast for the eyes, Gerrit!  Here, we can enjoy fields of yellow canola and mustard and blue flax but the colour palette in agricultural fields is limited.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 04/22/2012 - 12:14

Todd wrote:

Another record temperature today...finding it hard to keep up with the blooms.  Pulsatilla pratensis 'Nigricans' is just about open.

Scrumptious, Todd!  I kind of think I now have seedlings of this... after drooling over it so often here and at SRGC!... but will have to check my records.


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 04/22/2012 - 13:05

Todd wrote:

Another record temperature today...finding it hard to keep up with the blooms.  Pulsatilla pratensis 'Nigricans' is just about open.

Very promising, Todd!

gerrit wrote:

Some pictures from the bulb-fields in the Netherlands. This is the place, where the famous "Tulips from Amsterdam' comes from. I live here 'round the corner'.

I'm glad I don't have to weed those beds!

Here's my contribution: A strange Fritillaria meleagris, white but on steroids!


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 04/22/2012 - 16:13

Always fun to see those, Gerrit!

Lori- only canola (and dandelions and the d*** buttercup) for colourful fields around here!


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 04:11

Fields of dandelion work here too!

Here is Erythronium sibericum.  Finn Haugli gave me seeds when he spoke at the NARGS meeting our chapter hosted.  Only one seedling came and it took 5 years to bloom.


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 05:10

Although a field of dandelions can be showy, I prefere Todd's Erythronium!


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 07:12

Dandelions: you would think it was a scourge worse than the Black Plague with surburbanites here. :rolleyes:

By the way, Wim: Taraxacum pseudoroseum and T. albidum are coming along nicely. Thanks.

Todd, is the Erythronium sibiricum still one plant, or has it stoloned out?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 07:35

No lawns here.  They are all cut meadows and dandelions, buttercups and daisies are so welcomed in the spring.  They don't seem to object to being regularly mowed.


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 08:32

No Rick, still just a single plant.  I have a E. japonicum that is 10 years old and it also just produces a single growth and flower per year.


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 08:38

Thanks Todd.  I asked because the American natives here are so notorious for "non-bloom".


Submitted by Peden on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 10:42

Little plants amidst the mosses and lichens in this special little place (aren't they all!) in the garden are: Primula 'Peter Klein', behind Peter are Gaultheria hispidula, Arcterica nana, and Cassiope selaginoides var. 'globularis'. At the left is the reasonably rampant Lonicera crassifolia and a nice little "weed" here; Dicentra cucullaria. Individually these tiny scenes don't do much for the garden but they are, none the less, precious.


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 11:43

Bundraba! wrote:

Little plants amidst the mosses and lichens in this special little place (aren't they all!) in the garden are: Primula 'Peter Klein', behind Peter are Gaultheria hispidula, Arcterica nana, and Cassiope selaginoides var. 'globularis'. At the left is the reasonably rampant Lonicera crassifolia and a nice little "weed" here; Dicentra cucullaria. Individually these tiny scenes don't do much for the garden but they are, none the less, precious.

This is a precious little scene- the mosses and lichens make it especially endearing :)


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 11:59

Todd, the Erythronium looks lovely- does it have glaucous leaves?

Trond- nice field- is it now? Ours are still many weeks away.. Would T officinale be native to your area, or is it impossible to tell in Europe?

Rick,  I'm sure there must be people out here who are trying for weed free lawns- poor them, must be stressful! My yard has lots of dandelions and durned clover, but also tons of wildflowers.
The primary model out here though is agricultural, and weeds are mainly defined as things that cattle can't or wont eat or things that interfere with crops.... I doubt dandelions are much on the radar as they are excellent forage and too short to hamper field crops much- though I'm sure they are targeted by those who use broad spectrum herbicides on fields. Most uncultivated pastures are mostly left alone here, and are usually a mix of many native plants with escaped forage legumes, dandelions and agricultural tag-alongs etc. Spraying is most likely (though still not the norm) when there are major infestations of canada thistle or that d***** european buttercup (this is the worst to me, since it is sooo aggressive and takes over wetlands which were mostly safe from the escaped forage crops)..

I also have T pseudoroseum seedlings- didn't flower last year, but I have some in the ground now... T (rubidum) faeroense looks fine after a second winter too... (still owe Lori seeds  :-[


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 13:19

Spiegel wrote:

No lawns here.  They are all cut meadows and dandelions, buttercups and daisies are so welcomed in the spring.  They don't seem to object to being regularly mowed.

Dandelions prefere to be mowed. They actually disappear if a meadow isn't mowed for a while! The same if you spray with weedkiller - you get more weeds as they are  the quickest to reestablish themselves!


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 13:21

Bundraba! wrote:

Little plants amidst the mosses and lichens in this special little place (aren't they all!) in the garden are: Primula 'Peter Klein', behind Peter are Gaultheria hispidula, Arcterica nana, and Cassiope selaginoides var. 'globularis'. At the left is the reasonably rampant Lonicera crassifolia and a nice little "weed" here; Dicentra cucullaria. Individually these tiny scenes don't do much for the garden but they are, none the less, precious.

Very nice! I like it!


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 13:45

cohan wrote:

Trond- nice field- is it now? Ours are still many weeks away.. Would T officinale be native to your area, or is it impossible to tell in Europe?

No, it's neither now nor my field ;) I took the picture last spring when we were visiting our daughter who was in the town of Ålesund farther north along the coast.
However, the dandelions have started the blooming now.

T. officinale doesn't exist as a single species! It is a section with about 200 species!  It's several thousand species of Taraxacum (most are agamospermic) in Europe and in Norway as well. However, a lot of them are native but probably not the common road verge and field "weed" which consists of a plethora of species ;)

Here you find a Norwegian endemic dandelion: http://www.rolv.no/bilder/galleri/fjellplanter/tara_dov.htm
and here's another one: http://floragutt.com/Aursundlovetann.htm


Submitted by Booker on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 14:26

Iris latifolia photographed today in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Southern Spain in the most glorious weather.


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 20:19

That's a beautiful little vignette, Bundraba!  Welcome to the forum!

Trond, I like your woodland full of anemones better than your field of dandelions!  Not to say they aren't both showy.  ;)

Ah, the start of the mountain season in warmer climes, Cliff!  Thanks for posting that wonderful scene!


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 03:46

There are some wonderful plants there - the vignette of primula and cassiope is very fine; beautiful to see plants growing so naturally. The only place I have seen a complete field of dandelions is in Norway (at Geirangerfjord, mixed with the meadow geranium, and they were all in seed!). In the UK such meadows are few and far between.

Most dramatic in our garden at the moment is a plant of Yucca whipplei beginning to flower - a surprise since is only seven or eight years from planting. I am taking a photo every day at the same time to follow its progress and aim to put them together into a short video! How tall will it grow I wonder?


Submitted by Merlin on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 10:22

I Hate it when the garden is really starting to pop and my work schedule is so tight that i can hardly get a look. On the theme of yellows i took a few pictures before heading into the office this morning.
Cypripedium parviflorus, Not quite fully open flowers yet but very close. I have several different collections, they flower at slightly different times even when right next to each other. These tend to seed around alarmingly but i don't usually hinder them.

Dryas drummondii

Eriogonum caespitosa with the weed pasgue flower popping up in the middle of it.

Lepidium nanum, almost yellow flower

Another DYC hymenoxys lapidicola, very slow growing in my garden

Thats all the yellows i had time for before the sun came up this morning. will try to post up some of the non yellow a little later.


Submitted by Mark McD on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 11:19

Merlin wrote:

I Hate it when the garden is really starting to pop and my work schedule is so tight that i can hardly get a look.

Jim, I understand perfectly, typically my garden viewings amount to a speedy dash at dawn just before jumping into the car, and at dusk; it's not fair!  Yes, everything is popping here too, all the more frustrating.  Fortunately, today I'm working from home, and can nip out into the garden every now and then ;)

Excellent portraits of Dryas drummondii (my that's a good clear yellow) and Lepdium nanum.  I have two large clumps of Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens (photo of one clump attached), the one shown below is in a similar state of bud.  I counted over 80 pips emerging this spring on this one, not sure whay it doesn't spread, it seems happy to stay as a rather congested clump.  Never has a seedling show up, I wonder if your western form is more free with seeding, or perhaps your garden is more amenable to seedlings self sowing.

Tim, that is one dang impressive rocket shoot on Yucca whipplei, looking forward to seeing the progression of bloom.  Are you taking an wagers on the ultimate scape height?  I see plants and groundcovers under that geometric mass of dagger spears, how do you possibly weed underneath such a Yucca?

Cliff, always great to see fine Iris flourishing in native habitat, a beauty it is.


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 11:50

Trond- those darn composites don't like to co-operate with our tidy classification systems ;) The first native one looks very cute- if it stays small with leaves like that.. second one doesn't show the plant as well...
I would most love a white dandelion, such as the arctic species as found in Svalbard and elsewhere! I've failed twice with seed of albidens from Wim  :(

Jim- wonderful things happening in your garden as usual :)

Cliff- looks like you are on another lovely trip!


Submitted by Lori S. on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 19:21

Merlin wrote:

Cypripedium parviflorus, Not quite fully open flowers yet but very close. I have several different collections, they flower at slightly different times even when right next to each other. These tend to seed around alarmingly but i don't usually hinder them.

Eriogonum caespitosa with the weed pasgue flower popping up in the middle of it.

Wow, I gotta say... you've really got some terrific weeds there, Jim!  ;D ;D  Love the photos!


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 20:17

I don't think it is possible for any of us plant lovers to experience plant overload, but then, there is never enough time for them all, it seems, crazy jobs or not!

Everyone's additions are so nice and interesting.  And I'll single out Jim H., Michael P. and Sharon I. because you are all new participants here on the forum: welcome, and really, really wonderful plants and photos!


Submitted by Merlin on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 20:36

It is nice to see such a variety of plants that people are able to grow, even in challenging conditions. I have a few more from this morning.
collomia debilis, this is the Idaho form i grow the superior Wyoming form but it flowers much later here. This is the perfect example of the much lamented (by Bob Nold, anyway) cottonwood season, if you have sticky plants.

Arisaema ringens

Clematis columbiana, this is the high elevation(non vineing) type, oddly my normal vine type specimens flower at exactly the same time. I know they are not distinct taxonomicly but they seem very different in a number of ways--except flowering time
 


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 04/25/2012 - 04:46

Merlin wrote:

I Hate it when the garden is really starting to pop and my work schedule is so tight that i can hardly get a look. On the theme of yellows i took a few pictures before heading into the office this morning.
Cypripedium parviflorus, Not quite fully open flowers yet but very close. I have several different collections, they flower at slightly different times even when right next to each other. These tend to seed around alarmingly but i don't usually hinder them.

Can anybody tell why the weather is at its best and the flowering is at its peak when you have to work most?

I would never hinder any orchid to seed around in my garden!

Merlin, does your non-vineing C columbiana set seed?  ;)


Submitted by Peden on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 08:45

Hey Rick; thanks for the special mention and Jim... you've been doing that for a long time! I remember attempting to get a garden visit when I was out that-a-way many years back. I called and even "scoped" the area (I have been known to knock on doors to satisfy garden lust!) but saw nothing of a rock garden. I suppose mapping would make it easier today. It is, indeed, nice to be able to see what's going on out there in rock gardening via this forum and its more accessible than Boise, at least from here!


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 11:01

Merlin wrote:

It is nice to see such a variety of plants that people are able to grow, even in challenging conditions. I have a few more from this morning.
collomia debilis, this is the Idaho form i grow the superior Wyoming form but it flowers much later here.
 

  Jim, I really like your Idaho form of Collomia debilis.  How does the Wyoming form differ?  Is either one long-lived?


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 17:46

Spectacular display Jim....my Cyp. parviflorum are only just breaking the surface.


Submitted by Merlin on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 18:15

Todd wrote:

Spectacular display Jim....my Cyp. parviflorum are only just breaking the surface.

Thanks for the kind comment. It's not long to wait for flowers once they cyps have broken dormancy. It's funny, I have some C. parv. that are now in flower and some that are still a ways off (though they are from different collections and probably different subspecies). Another thing that is interesting is how much later the C. reginea go. I was looking at a large clump of this species(C. reg.) that i have that is just about an inch into growth yet there are some seedlings of C. parv. that popped up right in the clump of reginea a few years ago that are now in flower--no chance of hybrids here methinks. I find that in either species the accidental seedlings tend to break dormancy a little earlier than their parents.  Epipactis gigantia is about the same in terms of growth as reginae. Dactyorizas are just now out of dormancy and all the other orchids come later.


Submitted by Merlin on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 18:37

Spiegel wrote:

Merlin wrote:

It is nice to see such a variety of plants that people are able to grow, even in challenging conditions. I have a few more from this morning.
collomia debilis, this is the Idaho form i grow the superior Wyoming form but it flowers much later here.
 

  Jim, I really like your Idaho form of Collomia debilis.  How does the Wyoming form differ?  Is either one long-lived?

You know, Anne, i am a bit surprised that Collomia debilis is not more commonly seen in peoples rock gardens--am i missing something? I find this relative of the Phlox(another of my favorites)is one of the really fine native rock garden plants that is easy to grow---cotton woods notwithstanding. the Idaho form is very long lived, i have some clumps that are many years old. the plant dies to the ground in the winter and looks quite dead but comes up every spring bigger and better. what i really like is that it has a very long blooming period that is almost all growing season long. The Idaho form has blue flowers and is quite compact when grown hard and will almost cover itself with blooms in the early season. The Wyoming form is even more compact and has a reddish tinge to the stems and smaller leaves, the blooms vary from red to pink and are exquisite. the wyoming form is slower growing and germination is more erratic than the other types. i also find that the wyoming form is more selective where it will thrive and i have not really figured out why here and not there yet. If there is a down side of this plant is that the blue form tends to seed around maybe a little to much but that is easy to fix, i tend to give them some leeway. The wyoming form seems to be in no danger of taking over my garden anytime soon as it is a bit shy in it's habits. This is a real two thumbs up plant species. I will try to remember to take some pictures of the wyoming form when it comes into flower.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 22:06

I think your Idaho form of Collomia is really beautiful, Jim.  I've grown the form from the Wallowas and it only lasted a couple of years and died out.  It almost seemed to bloom itself to death one year.  Have you ever tried Collomia debilis v larsenii, a lovely high alpine that I've seen in Washiington near Mt. Rainier?  It grows on very steep, loose screes and makes lovely mounds.  The plants are soboliferous and the anchoring roots can be several feet above in the scree.  Where do you find the Idaho form in the wild?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 22:09

p.s.  Jim, I think your 11" of precipitation might be a clue as to why collomia isn't found in many gardens. at least in the northeast.  We probably get way too much rain for it and maybe at the wrong time of year as well.


Submitted by Merlin on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 22:27

Spiegel wrote:

I think your Idaho form of Collomia is really beautiful, Jim.  I've grown the form from the Wallowas and it only lasted a couple of years and died out.  It almost seemed to bloom itself to death one year.  Have you ever tried Collomia debilis v larsenii, a lovely high alpine that I've seen in Washiington near Mt. Rainier?   It grows on very steep, loose screes and makes lovely mounds.  The plants are soboliferous and the anchoring roots can be several feet above in the scree.  Where do you find the Idaho form in the wild?

The variety trifida (the Idaho form) is found at fairly high elevation in central Idaho(Sawtooth Mountains). It seems to prefer to grow in loose talus type conditions the same as you will find Penstemon montanus var idahoensis (if that is still a valid taxon). It seems that the plant is adapted to being sheered off by sliding talus slopes, thus the vigorous rootstalk.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 02:48

Somehow I missed those amazing peas of Jim's earlier on. Now if I can halve our rainfall and increase our temperatures... I'll still try anyway! If I am correct Alan Furness in Northumberland grows Collomia very well even in his cooler and wetter climate, and they self-sow in a scree, but they must be even more wonderful in a climate that really suits them.

Yucca whipplei in our garden is growing apace - I will string a few images together when flowering really begins to get going, this is the picture taken yesterday.


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 04:42

I have to ask, Tim.  What are the wonderful blues in the background?


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 05:38

Anne - they are great aren't they. In fact it is Polygala calcarea 'Lillet' which has been a star on the sand bed, self-sowing widely and flowering for ages.


Submitted by RickR on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 19:09

I'd love to see more pics of that yucca, Tim. :o  If you could post them in the "Desert 'Alpines' board, rather than here on "Image of the day", that would be fantastic.


Submitted by Mark McD on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 19:25

Epimedium vignette, yellow Epimedium davidii "Wolong Selections", white/pink Epimedium x 'Domino', Phlox divaricata 'Blue Elf', a hybrid seedling Pulmonaria.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 04/28/2012 - 12:38

Several different crosses of the beautiful dwarf Daphne x hendersonii (petraea x cneorum) are growing well on the sand bed. This is perhaps the most striking, 'Blackthorn Rose', named for Robin White's famous nursery. These need a deep scree that stays moist at depth, or do really well in a tufa garden.


Submitted by Merlin on Mon, 04/30/2012 - 19:48

Pictures from this afternoon. Its been a cool spring so far. Last spring was similar, the pollinators never showed up so there was almost no seedset for many of the early flowering plants.
Cypripedium parviflorum

Dryas octopetala

Penstemon rupicola


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 05/01/2012 - 00:23

Great views, Mark and Jim- those Cyps are amazing!

Interesting about the pollinators-- I don't have super early garden flowers to compare, but the 'bugs' in general are out here it seems the second the snow melts- or rather, even when there is still snow over most of the land- various flies, moths, spiders etc are very active. I was just out looking at/photographing willow flowers the other day (among our very first things in flower, and among very few species at the beginning, but there are a lot of them) and around good sized plants- a couple/several metres tall by as wide- you could hear the buzzing of bees from a little distance away...

Here's a view looking up into one of those willows, and a closer crop of one of the buzzing pollinators...


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 11:39

Some of my few alpines are flowering now. For instance Androsace sempervivoides and a Brassicaceae of which I have forgotten the name  (Any suggestions?).


Submitted by Merlin on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 20:24

I agree with Cohan, the Androsace is very nice. I have a great deal of respect for those that can accommodate plants of this genus. I have been something like the "Grim Reaper" for all of the Androsace species i have attempted(unless you lump Douglasia in this taxon, which i do not). I took a few pictures this afternoon of whats going in the garden.
Odds and ends blooming

A variety of plants in bloom

Salvia caespitosa


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 05/08/2012 - 11:01

Merlin wrote:

I agree with Cohan, the Androsace is very nice. I have a great deal of respect for those that can accommodate plants of this genus. I have been something like the "Grim Reaper" for all of the Androsace species i have attempted(unless you lump Douglasia in this taxon, which i do not).

Well Merlin, in my case it isn't my skill to praise! I can't be blamed for my climate! However, quite often it is the skilled gardener's labor that is the key for success.

I think you have done well yourself with plants I couldn't easily grow here ;)


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 05/09/2012 - 14:55

Rick, here is a Thalictrum for you! Thalictrum alpinum today on my shed roof ;) It's 5 cm tall.


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 05/10/2012 - 17:27

Thalictrum alpinum is native here too, but I have never bothered growing it....need a magnifying glass to appreciate it!

Arabis flaviflora...a delicate yellow eye on this basic rock-cress


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 05/11/2012 - 11:09

Todd wrote:

Thalictrum alpinum is native here too, but I have never bothered growing it....need a magnifying glass to appreciate it!

Arabis flaviflora...a delicate yellow eye on this basic rock-cress

I use my glasses ;)

Your Arabis isn't much bigger - but much more pretty ;D.


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 05/11/2012 - 11:40

Very sweet Thalictrum! Looks a lot like our local sp, though much smaller..


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 05/12/2012 - 17:07

Jeffersonia dubia...wish the flowers lasted longer...3-4 days and its over.


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 05/12/2012 - 18:55

Todd wrote:

Jeffersonia dubia...wish the flowers lasted longer...3-4 days and its over.

Todd, for me the flowers of J. dubia are weather-dependant, but typically lasting about 2 weeks here given seasonably cool weather.  J. diphylla on the other hand, has flowers notorious for lasting merely a day or two if warm or hot temperatures arrive while deciduous forests haven't leafed out, although in cool weather, these can last 1 week, but this year with consistently cool weather while they were starting to bloom, they lasted about 1-1/2 weeks; unheard of!


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 05/13/2012 - 07:20

It has been warm here this past few days so I guess that is why the blooming season ws so short this year.  My J. diphylla is still in bud yet.

After 3 years of waiting, Geum reptans has finally bloomed...the flowers are huge for the size of the plant.


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 05/13/2012 - 10:47

A true high-alpine, Todd and an absolute joy in flower.  Rarely seen on the show benches in it's true butter-yellow glory - one of my favourite species of the rarified heights. Many thanks for posting.


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 05/14/2012 - 00:00

Todd, warmth, what is that? Here it still wintry air and most plants are after schedule. My sole Jeffersonia has taken weeks to develop its buds - no flowers yet.
Nice Geum!

Cliff, cute little Shortia! (BTW I've got hold of your book - beautiful!)


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Mon, 05/14/2012 - 06:45

Todd, the Geum reptans is beautiful and worth the wait.  It's one of my favorite high alpines even though  ut's certainly not in the "bun" category.  I love the seed heads too and the color of the stems.  It's really a gorgeous all-round plant.  Did you grow it from seed?


Submitted by Peden on Thu, 05/17/2012 - 08:56

John, I like the news from your little paradise. Sclerocactus parviflorus and S. glauca both look to be well worth trying here in New England (and certainly farther south) as "winter hardy cacti". I have seedlings (one plant each!) from Mesa Garden seed through three winters now. The later looks to probably be the tougher of the two. I'd love to up my odds. Could I beg a few seeds?


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 17:42

Here's a plant you don't see too often...Gentiana striata.  I got this a few weeks ago from Beavercreek...the plant is weak so I don't expect it to survive.


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 21:39

The weather is very wet now. Rain in the forecast for the next two days. I am attaching some pictures taken before.


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Wed, 05/23/2012 - 09:19

Hoy wrote:

Krish, the Primula looks more like veris than elatior.

thanks for correcting Trond.


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 05/24/2012 - 11:46

Good colour, Krish! Some things are growing here now, though we've had some cold wet days too!


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Thu, 05/24/2012 - 20:16

Thanks Cohan. The weather has improved a lot. Frost warning tonight. I went outside and took pictures of the different primulas.


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 05/25/2012 - 00:13

You're doing very nicely with the Primulas, Krish :) P veris red is very nice! I have an auricula flowering now- a sort of faded plum shade; I think somewhere I mentioned planting two last summer, one flowered in fall and disappeared over winter! just about a foot or less away from the plum that is doing nicely now... I'll be looking for more of them...


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 05/25/2012 - 14:43

Yes, you have some nice primulas, Krish! And I spot something looking like a P elatior next to the denticulata ;)


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Sat, 05/26/2012 - 22:38

Hi Trond the Primula elatior is from NARGS seeds i got year before last. I  have planted 5 of them at different sites and all of them are growing nicely.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 10:51

WimB wrote:

Ramonda myconi

Looks great! Is this in your woodland garden, or what kind of substrate?


Submitted by WimB on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 11:36

cohan wrote:

WimB wrote:

Ramonda myconi

Looks great! Is this in your woodland garden, or what kind of substrate?

Thanks, it's growing in a small trough, substrate: 1/2 peat-based potting soil, 1/4 leaf mold and 1/4 coarse riversand!


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 21:20

An exceptional number of flowers with a very pleasing color hue, Wim.  Bravo!  ;D


Submitted by Weiser on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 07:29

Here is a little study in contrasting textures.

Pictured are Eriogomun umbellatum, Yucca brevifolia, Hieracium lanatum, Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensis (larger cactus), Cylindropuntia whipplei (white spined cactus lower center), Penstemon grandiflora
(lilac flowers lower center), Cylindropuntia viridiflora (far left), Crepis bakeri (right side of rock)


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 08:55

An excellent photo for beauty and study, John. :o  I really like it when the photographer lists what is in the picture.  Otherwise, it's just another photo, colorful and interesting and all, but not nearly as meaningful and with a low education quotient.

And the remnant seed heads that peak up from the bottom of the pic are what?
They still make a nice show!


Submitted by Weiser on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 09:47

Thank you Rick.

Along the bottom edge of the photo are the reminants of Erigeron compositus, the leaf tips of Agave utahensis var. utahensis, and the pad edges with flower buds of a Opuntia phaeacantha.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 15:41

The sun and warm weather the last week have caused a lot of development in the garden. A little cooler now but still sunny. Several rhodos are in flower, among them is Rh bureavii. Also the Wisteria do flower now. However, I never get the impressive flowering you sometimes can see on pictures from more southern latitudes. The last one doesn't grow in my garden though. Mountain azalea (Loiseleuria procumbens).


Submitted by Weiser on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 16:02

Trond

Hoy wrote:

How do you weed among the cacti?  ;)

Very carefully!! :rolleyes:
I actually don't have much of a problem with weeds. When I started this garden I was very very diligent in killing all the weeds and disposing of the mature ones. Over the years the seed bank has been depleted to the point that very few of the none airborne ones come up. I do how ever have to pull a few of the dandelion relatives especially one we call 'Prickly Lettuce' (Lactuca serriola) and every once in a while  'Annual Cheat Grass'(Bromus tectorum) that got tracked in on my boots.

 


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 22:50

All nice ones, Trond :)

John, the thought of a mostly weed free garden is very impressive to me! I understand the idea of killing the main weeds, I wonder how long for the seedbank to expire? Dandelions I could never be free of, the countryside is all yellow now, and soon the air will be full of fluff! Also, while I don't consider natives to be weeds, they do still grow places I don't want them too, including poplars and willows that seed in everywhere from blown seed, and many many other things that birds  plant, from spruce through all the native and domestic berries, etc, etc-- so even if I were to wipe out the garden weeds(from the days of livestock), I'd never be free of weeding!


Submitted by Weiser on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 23:27

Cohan
Of course living in a dry climate and in the city limits plays a significant role in the numbers of weeds I have to contend with.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 07:37

Weiser wrote:

Along the bottom edge of the photo are the reminants of Erigeron compositus...

Those old seed heads are very ornamental compared to mine (pictured below), and big, too.

             

(Also pictured is Echinocereus coccineus.)


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 12:25

Your coccineus is looking great :) If I ever manage to keep any Echinos alive here, I'll be happy!


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Thu, 05/31/2012 - 12:46

Here are some plants from the rock garden taken today


Submitted by Merlin on Fri, 06/01/2012 - 19:03

Wow, been away for quite sometime and am just now catching up on the list. Some very nice pictures to drool over. I managed to be gone while many of my favorite plants flowered and went to seed, and even the seed set was not so great on some do to a wet cool spring here. i did go out and snap a few quick pics of what is playing in the garden today.
Dianthus rupicola, enjoying its it's last year infesting my garden(i hope)

DYC, the local form of E. linearis

C. reginae just coming into flower

Sphaeralcea coccinea just getting going

talinum spinescens

there are a bunch of penstemons going too but they are just variations on a theme.
Jim Hatchett, Eagle Idaho


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 06/01/2012 - 19:24

Beautiful, Jim!  So that's what Talinum spinescens is supposed to look like?  Boy, would you ever laugh to see mine. I think it's time I finally give up on it!


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 06/01/2012 - 19:26

Very nice, Krish!  I've never been able to grow Armeria worth a darn (despite soem people in wet climates seeming to be able to grow the same ones even in regular soil - I don't get that at all.)  Yours look great!


Submitted by RickR on Fri, 06/01/2012 - 20:32

Okay, I broke out laughing when I googled what DYC meant - "damn yellow composite". :D :D :D

  Where have I been?  I had no idea horticulturists had their own twitter lingo!
----------------------------------------
Anyway, I really wish I could visit everyone's gardens.  All these photos are so enticing!


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 06/01/2012 - 21:28

Looking delightfully hairy, here is Eremostachys speciosa, today... 

Even the flowers are hairy!


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 06/02/2012 - 13:43

RickR wrote:

Okay, I broke out laughing when I googled what DYC meant - "damn yellow composite". :D :D :D

  Where have I been?  I had no idea horticulturists had their own twitter lingo!
----------------------------------------
Anyway, I really wish I could visit everyone's gardens.  All these photos are so enticing!

You are welcome anytime, Rick!

Lori wrote:

Looking delightfully hairy, here is Eremostachys speciosa, today... 
Even the flowers are hairy!

It really is speciosus, Lori! (And I don't mean the name ;) )

I usually like the normal forms of a flower more than the double ones. But once, many, many years ago, I got some seed of Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow' descendants of which still is "weed" in the garden.  This one is one of the nicest in my opinion:


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 17:18

For those in dry climates , let me show off Primula chionantha subsp. chionantha and P. chionantha subsp. sinopurpurea.  Both grown from seed and now flowering for their 4th year.


Submitted by AmyO on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 19:31

Todd wrote:

For those in dry climates , let me show off Primula chionantha subsp. chionantha and P. chionantha subsp. sinopurpurea.  Both grown from seed and now flowering for their 4th year.

Those are truly lovely Primulas Todd!! And I think I have seed for them from the APS exchange....I see one more pot to sow this week-end! Are they easy growers? And I'm assuming very hardy at least to zone 4?


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 06/06/2012 - 01:31

That Eremostachys is just great Lori. I've sown seed but nothing has come up - I must persist with it. Every year seems to bring different excitements and this year I have a lot of Asclepias species germinating. I'm not sure how easy they will be to grow on but will have to work on finding places likely to suit them.

This Triteleia is flowering on a raised bed at the moment. The flowers, especially those blue anthers, are really appealing and I must remember to collect seed.


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 06/06/2012 - 04:24

AmyO wrote:

Todd wrote:

For those in dry climates , let me show off Primula chionantha subsp. chionantha and P. chionantha subsp. sinopurpurea.  Both grown from seed and now flowering for their 4th year.

Those are truly lovely Primulas Todd!! And I think I have seed for them from the APS exchange....I see one more pot to sow this week-end! Are they easy growers? And I'm assuming very hardy at least to zone 4?

Amy, they are not the easiest...need moist, organic-rich soil and not too hot.  They are hardy in zone 5 for sure...zone 4 probably if suitable snow-cover.  I got my seed from the AGS.


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 06/06/2012 - 13:29

Todd, impressive primulas! I've tried chionantha several times but they are shortlived here.

Tim, that Triteleia is nice!


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 06/07/2012 - 21:53

I'm envious of your primroses, Todd - I can't even manage to get P. x beesiana into a second season here (though I was again tempted to buy a couple last weekend).

Stunning colour variation on the Tritelia, Tim!


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Sat, 06/09/2012 - 15:37

It is raining all day. Rain in the forecast for tomorrow too.


Submitted by tropicalgirl25… on Sat, 06/09/2012 - 15:39

oops.Forgot to attach the pictures taken today


Submitted by Boland on Thu, 06/14/2012 - 03:52

been miserable and cold here for 2 weeks.  The sun broke out yesrday and the oxalis responded.  Here is Oxalis 'Ione Hecker' and Patrinia siberica.


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 06/15/2012 - 01:27

Been a lot of wet here too, and not actually cold, mostly, but below seasonal often along with the rain for the last several weeks... This morning was pleasant and clear, and managed a quick (before the rain moved in again) bike ride to photograph Dodecatheon flowering in the thousands :) Back to pouring tonight...


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 06/16/2012 - 01:39

cohan wrote:

Been a lot of wet here too, and not actually cold, mostly, but below seasonal often along with the rain for the last several weeks... This morning was pleasant and clear, and managed a quick (before the rain moved in again) bike ride to photograph Dodecatheon flowering in the thousands :) Back to pouring tonight...

Cohan, I can't see the Dodecatheons ???

Krish, I like the Echium! Is it perennial or biennial?

Todd, I have given up those sunloving Oxalises :-\

Today it is raining but that's appreciated as it was getting rather dry (by my standard, not by some of yours though  ;) ).


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 06/16/2012 - 03:22

First flower of Corydalis panda (described as recently as 2006):


Submitted by Merlin on Sat, 06/23/2012 - 17:28

A few of the plants in bloom today out in the garden.
Sphaeralcea caespitosa var. williamsiae

Lilium vollmerii


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 06/25/2012 - 07:50

Trond, I cannot for the life of me grow these blue corydalis...I don't know what I'm doing wrong. :(


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 06/25/2012 - 21:20

Todd wrote:

Trond, I cannot for the life of me grow these blue corydalis...I don't know what I'm doing wrong. :(

Well, if you find out, tell me 'cause I can't grow 'em either!

Pardon the poor quality Blackberry photo, but I was astounded to see a clump of Cypripedium parviflorum along the bike path last week; I've only ever seen a single plant with a single flower in this park system, once, many years ago and miles away.  Other people had noticed this plant too, judging from the bent and trampled foliage around it (after looking at it myself, I fluffed up the yellow sweet clover and various other weeds around it to try to restore its cover a little!)... and so I was even more surprised to still see it intact this morning after the weekend!  

It was particularly surprising to see it in the area where it was... once a  treed coulee with natural springs and a stream, but sadly "improved" many decades ago (i.e. by channeling the springs and stream into a storm sewer, paving it, planting weed trees and lawn grass, and letting weeds take over what was left - yeah, let's hear it for progress!   :rolleyes: )


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 06/26/2012 - 15:09

Todd wrote:

Trond, I cannot for the life of me grow these blue corydalis...I don't know what I'm doing wrong. :(

Sorry to hear that, Todd, but I don't think I can help you :-\  I do nothing special and some grow well and some don't!

Lori, a lovely sight! I have seen the native C. calceolus only twice.


Submitted by RickR on Sat, 06/30/2012 - 22:17

A pink flowering form of Syneilesis aconitifolia

             


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 07/01/2012 - 21:38

RickR wrote:

A pink flowering form of Syneilesis aconitifolia

Cool!


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 07/04/2012 - 15:16

Trond, you couldn't see the Dodecatheon because I still haven't posted photos! I've had so little online time, posting photos has not been an option.. meanwhile the photos pile up...lol
Today I planned a walk and or ride, followed by more digging,  but the rain has been sticking around, and I haven't mustered the ambition to do work indoors I should, an d since my internet connection is somewhat there, I'm doing some catching up!
Love blue Cory!
Jim, love Sphaeralcea and this one is extra nice- is this the really small one that grows with Lepidium etc?

Lori, nice to see the Cyp being unmolested so far...


Submitted by Merlin on Sun, 07/15/2012 - 14:15

cohan wrote:

Trond, you couldn't see the Dodecatheon because I still haven't posted photos! I've had so little online time, posting photos has not been an option.. meanwhile the photos pile up...lol
Today I planned a walk and or ride, followed by more digging,  but the rain has been sticking around, and I haven't mustered the ambition to do work indoors I should, an d since my internet connection is somewhat there, I'm doing some catching up!
Love blue Cory!
Jim, love Sphaeralcea and this one is extra nice- is this the really small one that grows with Lepidium etc?

Lori, nice to see the Cyp being unmolested so far...

Yes, this Sphaeralcea occurs in the same area as Lepidium nanum and Astragalus uncialis  both in the wild and in my garden :-) looks like a lot of seed set from them this year. This has been a good year for germination here it would seem (if not pollination). Lots of seeds have germinated from seeds tossed in the garden years ago. Surprise of surprises is the dozens of Penstemon acaulis seedlings that have come from seeds of their parents a few yards away, the plant i though least likely to take over my garden is at least making an effort.


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:04

We had a nice ridge hike yesterday and enjoyed seeing this spectacular Physaria didymocarpa, among the other alpines:

                 


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Fri, 07/20/2012 - 18:11

Jim, do you have any pictures of Astragalus uncialis you could post?


Submitted by Merlin on Fri, 07/20/2012 - 21:03

Spiegel wrote:

Jim, do you have any pictures of Astragalus uncialis you could post?

i have this picture of a small plant in flower from a few years ago. These plants are much bigger now but are out of flower.


Submitted by RickR on Fri, 07/20/2012 - 23:07

Maihuenia poeppigii, close up.  Without the thorns, it is about a half inch in diameter (13mm).

             


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 07/23/2012 - 19:02

Flowering earlier than normal, is the very late flowering hybrid Azalea, Rhododendron 'Late Date' (natural arborescens x prunifolium hybrid, hardy to -15 F).  Normally flowering in August, this year it started blooming mid-July.  The blooms are richly perfumed, pure white flowers with long red styles and pinkish-red stamens are visually compelling as well.  Stands up well to full sun exposure, planted next to my deck stair to enjoy fragrance and flowers.


Submitted by Kelaidis on Mon, 07/23/2012 - 22:33

I love the eastern Azaleas: amazing to have them so late! I have found they do much better for us than evergreen rhodies, by and large, so have added quite a few the last few years.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 07/25/2012 - 02:21

That is a very beautiful azalea - the Ericaceae are so fascinating but our garden is so dry that we grow very few. It would be great to try this in a pot.

This is a nice plant from Kevock Nursery in Edinburgh - Leontopodium coreanum.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 07/25/2012 - 17:33

Leontopodium coreanum.  Could it be a less fussy Leontopodium for low elevation growers?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Thu, 07/26/2012 - 06:14

Jim, thanks so much for posting the picture of Astragalus uncialis.  I've never tried this one and it looks quite nice.  Can you tell me in general the conditions it prefers?  And its eventual size?


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Thu, 07/26/2012 - 06:32

I don't know the leontopodium's origins Rick - must check in Kevock's list; presumably part of its range anyway is Korea. It does seem a nice vigorous plant and the one or two other species I have tried haven't persisted. Edleweiss is such an archetypal name in the alpine world but I wonder how many people actually grow any? (I do grow the New Zealand leucogynes and, touch wood, these are settling down).

The astragalus is very attractive - I would love to have more success growing these peas!


Submitted by Boland on Fri, 07/27/2012 - 03:59

Still sorting through 1500 images taken in the Beartooth and Bighorn Mountains...what spectacular places.  I have never seen so many alpines.  Here is just a teaser shot of the habitat in the Beartooths...still lots of snow around but loads of alpines as well.


Submitted by Kelaidis on Fri, 07/27/2012 - 16:06

Love the Beartooth: it is rich. And sounds like you hit it perfectly! Bravo.


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 07/28/2012 - 01:08

Todd wrote:

Still sorting through 1500 images taken in the Beartooth and Bighorn Mountains...what spectacular places.  I have never seen so many alpines.  Here is just a teaser shot of the habitat in the Beartooths...still lots of snow around but loads of alpines as well.

Looks very promising Todd! I am looking forward to your photoshow ;)


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 07/28/2012 - 01:26

My contribution today actually is from Thursday when we walked down Aurlandsdalen (the Aurland Valley). It is one of my favorite wild flowers of Norway, Saxifraga cotyledon. They usually grow in cracks in very steep walls from low alpine down to the sea along rivers.


Submitted by Toole on Sat, 07/28/2012 - 03:20

Nice Saxs Trond.

Here's my contribution for the day as well----Moisture on Galanthus.

Cheers Dave.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 07/28/2012 - 11:33

Nice Sax, trond, always extra nice to see things growing out of rock :)

Dave- nice to see your winter blooms :)


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 07/29/2012 - 00:37

Waldheimia tomentosa; from Holubec  oops! Pavelka! seed, 2010, but only planted in the rock garden last fall; I was disappointed the flower is white, hoping for pink as in the photo from habitat on Holubec's site, but its still very cute :) hoping for seed, as this is my only plant, makes me a little nervous! Still small, only maybe 3inches/7cm across; I'll post a full view in the alpines thread..


Submitted by Kelaidis on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 13:34

I think a white Waldheimia would suffice for me! We have tried them again and again, and they melt with the first hint of 90's...

My flower of the day is Platycodon grandiflorus, in a wonderful dwarf form. I have put a number of these strategially throughout my rock gardens (like stiff little sentinels) and they've done a credible job of adding color now in the quiet time of late summer.


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 20:58

Our hottest one or two days were probably just below 90F, but really only for a few hours, and always coolish overnight.. there has been a little damage to the Waldheimia leaves, but I think that's from hail... I'll still hold out some hope for viable seed and maybe pink offspring :))

Late summer colour must be very appreciated in a hot dry summer such as you've had there, Panayoti :)


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 23:20

cohan wrote:

Waldheimia... I'll still hold out some hope for viable seed and maybe pink offspring :))

Or even that later flowers on the same plant may be pinker, who knows?  A first flower can often be somewhat anomalous, and with some plants (though I wouldn't know how likely it is with this), weather conditions can affect flower colour.


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 23:51

The Pavelka description did say white or pink flowers, which I had forgotten since that was read a couple of years ago, and I remembered the more recently seen photo on Holubec's site with pink flowers.. its still fun to have a plant from India growing in front of my house with Sempervivum (and Saussureas!) even if it always flowers white...lol.. Ironically, it is not very tomentose at all, but neither was Holubec's specimen; the green foliage may be just fine with all the coloured semps, anyway!


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 01:05

Cohan, I have to disappoint you! It is very unlikely that a whiteflowered plant should get pink offsprings - however vice verse do happen! Genes for red/pink usually are dominant :-\

Nice Platycodon, Panayoti, I had some seedraised specimens for several years and they flowered themselves to death :(


Submitted by CScott on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 04:58

Lori,
Did you grow the Gentiana verna from seed?
I have obtained seeds, and am wondering at best way of germinating them?


Submitted by Lori S. on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 09:30

Hi, Carolyn,
I got it from Wrightman's in 2008.  I haven't germinated that species from seed, but for gentians in general, I have been using GA-3, though cold stratification is also successful.

Fabulous saxifrages, Trond!

Rick, Leontopodium alpinum is easily grown here in regular soil (it just has to be watched for drying out too much in hot, dry weather) - strange that it does not do well there?  Is it the humidity, I wonder?  You normally get more precipitation than here, but maybe it's the timing of the precipitation (hot, dry periods are too long, too hot and too dry?)


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 11:28

Hoy wrote:

Cohan, I have to disappoint you! It is very unlikely that a whiteflowered plant should get pink offsprings - however vice verse do happen! Genes for red/pink usually are dominant :-\

Oh well! White will have to do  ;D I'll get some more Erigeron and Townsendia for pink..lol


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 15:42

The Balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflorus) are indeed showy.  The double forms are especially fun as they open, but in full bloom, not as much. :-\
I finally got a hold of some from the Astra series.  They bloomed at 5 inches before I got them planted.

Hakone White, a purple double form and a dwarf that is never more than 1 ft high.

       

       

Regarding Edelweiss, Lori, I speak from other Chapter members' experiences.  (Myself, I just don't see the charm of it. ;D)  They tell me it is the heat and humidity that is problematic here.


Submitted by Lori S. on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 17:00

I'm surprised but I quite like the double form of Platycodon grandiflorus... neat and not distorted, unlike some other double forms.  
Yeah, I get what you're saying about edelweiss and agree... (yet, I am, unaccountably growing other Leontopodium species... go figure.  ???)


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 21:26

I'm drawn to many of those Asteraceae with odd flowers, and some in the genus Leontopodium fit the bill for sure.. I haven't tried any yet, but have looked at a number on the seedlists- especially those with white leaves, of course...lol


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 08/08/2012 - 00:10

A brief visit at our summerhouse before going home. Of course, the sheep had gotten through the fence and done some damage to the flowers. Fortunately their freedom hadn't lasted long.

They had trampled in the beds - and not only chewed on the plants. The lilies were almost untouched - just a few leaves nibbled.

Lilium lancifolium is an old garden plant here, growing almost wild many places. The orientalis-hybrid 'Arena' is a newer one though.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 08/08/2012 - 08:01

Oh my gosh, Trond!  I've never seen an Arena so gorgeous!  :o :o :o
Colors are usually much more muted (due to the heat, probably) and the flower count is stupendous!  That would win Grand Champion at any Lilium flower show here in the USA. 

Lilium lancifolium is a mainstay in old gardens here.  They remain in unkempt gardens (along with daylilies and bearded iris) of old houses in disrepair that have been vacated for decades.

So sorry about the sheep.  If you're like me, I just take it in stride as yet another "challenge" in life.  Lilies are the first things, after hostas, that deer eat here.  Fortunately for me in my suburban-like yard, I have had only one deer in ten years.  That was the night after the 4th of July (our Independence Day), and I am sure the poor animal was scared out of its wits with all the fireworks and loud booming going on.


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 08/08/2012 - 14:13

Thanks Rick :) Luckily I managed to remove all the lily beetles - and the sheep seems to dislike lily flowers, but you never know. What they don't eat they trample down. We used to have roe deer here too but they have not been seen this year.
I feed the lilies with seaweed every fall and this summer they have got water too ;)


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 08/08/2012 - 20:43

Gorgeous lily ('Arena'), Trond!  Can't knock the background either - lovely!


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 01:13

Lori wrote:

Gorgeous lily ('Arena'), Trond!  Can't knock the background either - lovely!

Thanks Lori, it's nice when the sea is calm. Not so lovely when the storm comes from north!


Submitted by Merlin on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 16:14

Well, i cant say have sheep romping in the garden, just a new E. pointer pup that finds that my most prized plants are to be chomped and torn up when possible. i transplanted some enormous Camassia cusickii bulbs some weeks ago only to find them dug up and chomped to smithereens in the morning--the puppy was so proud of himself. here are some pics from today
Talinum of some sort(volunteer seedling)
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/large/IMG_1328.JPG 
Oxalis from South America
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/large/IMG_1331.JPG
Daphne jasminea
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/websize/IMG_1332.JPG
Petrophytum caespitosum (Rock Mat), not exactly the finest flowers in the garden
http://photos.imageevent.com/teita/rgmay132011/websize/IMG_1330.JPG


Submitted by Merlin on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 08:32

RickR wrote:

A really choice Talinum/Phemeranthus, Jim.  Perhaps P. brevifolius?
http://nargs.org/nargswiki/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=96&offset=40
here is the Flora of North America key to Phemeranthus
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124954
re all phemeranthus North American?

Jim, I was under the impression that Camassia bulbs were relatively small...
How big is "enormous"?

the Camassia bulb was about the size of a  a big grapefruit.  why the dog chomped it is beyond me. Fortunately, i only transplanted half of them. By the way, these plants were about ten years old.


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 12:11

Trond- glad the damage wasn't too extensive, the lilies are looking good! I'm still mostly ill-lily-iterate despite the bazillions of them grown by folks in a regional (western Canada mostly) yahoo group I'm on- we still have only one patch of 'tiger' lilies (finished some time ago), plus I know our native species..lol.. I'd just be happy to have some not orange, but with all the ailments around, I hesitate to buy any...

Jim, some nice plants- that Talinum has a great form! Behind it is another Talinum with old flower stems?


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 15:17

Unfortunately the danger isn't over yet >:(  Now nobody is there any longer to tell the sheep's owner that his animals are roaming around. They're almost like goats - climbing vertical cliffs and difficult to keep in place by fences.

Merlin, pups are not without trouble either! My niece brought her this summer but it didn't do much damage except digging in the turf.

Nice plants! I like them all  ;)


Submitted by RickR on Fri, 08/10/2012 - 19:32

Merlin wrote:

the Camassia bulb was about the size of a  a big grapefruit.

:o :o :o


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 11:11

Trond that Arena is indeed a knockout!  It would never stand here that close to the sea...hardly stands here miles from the sea!


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 11:17

Leontopodium do well here...I have L. alpinum and here is L. conglobatum.  I started two new species from seed this year.


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 12:23

Todd wrote:

Leontopodium do well here...I have L. alpinum and here is L. conglobatum.  I started two new species from seed this year.

Looking good! Looking forward to seeing the others- I've seen lots of species listed on the Czech seed lists, but don't know much about them...


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 08/14/2012 - 00:07

I have tried several Leontopodiums from seed and the seed germinates well enough. But assuming that Leontopodiums are rock garden plants I have planted the seedlings in too lean and dry soil for their liking. Growth is slow and several have died. Now I have only a few plants left and they sulk.

Todd wrote:

Trond that Arena is indeed a knockout!  It would never stand here that close to the sea...hardly stands here miles from the sea!

Todd, it has withstood pretty strong wind even in summer, and some years ago the pine growing next to it fell down in a winter gale and had to be removed. Seems the lily liked less competition ;)
I am more anxious for the sheep now that nobody looks after the garden :-\


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 14:42

Grown from seed this year and currently blooming is this species obtained from the AGS called delphinium aff. smithianum...which it certainly is not!  Nice enough but with 277 species in China alone, unlikely to ever be named.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 14:56

Looks like they all wanted to be in the photo, Cliff!
  And they've been "captured" perfectly. ;D

  In fact I was just trying to photograph some scutellaria in the wild here, and they did not want to cooperate at all!  :-\


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 16:39

Beautiful, Cliff!
We have a species here, S galericulata, which grows in wetlands- lovely plant but obviously not as compact or dense as the alpine species..
Rick what species do you have there?

Lori- great site!
Todd-- 277! Are they really distinct or in need of some lumping?


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 20:50

Yes Cohan, the species I alluded to that grows here is Scutellaria galericulata, too.  And it seems I did get some nice pics out of the many I took.  (Thank goodness for digital cameras!)  I'll be posting them in the travel section along with many others, once I've gone through them all. ;D  


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 11:41

Looking forward to seeing how the species looks in your area,  Rick :) I've been so focussed on garden building this year, I haven't even been out onto the farm (beside my acreage on two sides) to look at plants in ages :(


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:14

Cliff, perfect picture!
I have tried to grow this species (Scutellaria alpina) from seed but never got germination. Anybody growing it?

G. galericulata grows here too often on beaches. I thin it is a pretty plant. I grow G. lateriflora in my garden (it is called American scullcap (amerikansk skjoldbærer) in Norwegian).

Todd, it's nice, and in some months only! All my Delphiniums grow slowly if they survive - leaves are eaten by slugs.

Lori, just an afternoon walk or a long one?

From the inner wall of my compost bin, possibly a Coprinus: Edit: More likely a slime mold!


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 08/17/2012 - 09:18

Trond, I have several Scutellaria alpina plants, both the usual purple/white-flowered and a white-flowered with only a purple flag... one of these was originally purchased as a named cultivar ('Romana'?)
 
Anyway, if I get out there and collect seeds, I can send you some.  Most of the species I've tried have germinated in a relatively short time at room temperature.

Trond, isn't Coprinus a mushroom?  Or are there fungi with less structure in that genus too?

Another hike photo... I'll post a few photos in the Trips section, and describe it a bit more:


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 08/17/2012 - 10:27

Lori wrote:

Trond, I grow several Scutellaria alpina, both the usual purple/white-flowered and a white-flowered with only a purple flag... one of these was originally purchased as a named cultivar ('Romana'?)
Anyway, if I get out there and collect seeds, I can send you some.  Most of the species I've tried have germinated in a relatively short time at room temperature.

Trond, isn't Coprinus a mushroom?  Or are there fungi with less structure in that genus too?

Another hike photo... I'll post a few photos in the Trips section, and describe it a bit more:

Lori,

- yes please, name doesn't matter!

- yes, Coprinus is a mushroom; and if you look close you can see the small "bulbs" which are the initiated young mushrooms or to be precise: the fruiting bodies. The weft is the mycelium and hence the mushroom.
As said it is more likely a slime mold as the "slimy" outer edges (feeding plasmodium) suggest. The threads are mature plasmodium and the "bulbs" are maturing sporangia. 

- please do ;)


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 08/18/2012 - 08:14

Todd wrote:

Grown from seed this year and currently blooming is this species obtained from the AGS called delphinium aff. smithianum...which it certainly is not!  Nice enough but with 277 species in China alone, unlikely to ever be named.

Todd, beautiful color on that Delphinium, whatever species it is, an elegant slender spire.  The few species I have in the garden are typically chewed up by rabbits, possibly by a marauding woodchuck (ground hog) that I battle with.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 08/18/2012 - 16:32

trond- cool mushroom- it's interesting to see what would usually be going on below ground out of sight.. there are a lot of fungi and mushrooms here, of course you typically see only the fruiting body, I imagine the undisturbed soils are full of them..

Lori, the Scutellaria is looking good (both forms).. is it growing in the border as opposed to rock garden, or does it just look that way from the photo?
Behind one of the new rock beds I'm building, I have another 'ridge' which is just a berm of soil, and will have a bit of gravel in the top couple of inches only, I'm planning to put some things there (like Hieraciums for example) which don't seem to need the rock garden (and/or may be too tall in flower) but will still be raised for display and drainage, so I'm thinking of things I can stick in that sort of planting too...


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 08/18/2012 - 16:44

Yes, very educational about the mushroom... I would have guessed it was a slime mold or some such thing.

Cohan, those scutellarias are in the border, as they don't need the rock garden conditions (and predated having any rock gardens  ;) ).  I imagine they would be very nice in the rock garden or berm, and I haven't seen any undesirable habits (e.g. excessive self-seeding or spreadiness).  I can send you some seed if you like.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 08/18/2012 - 16:49

Seed would be nice if you end up with spare, though really not necessary: I think it will take all winter/spring to get through my backlog of seed- I thought I was doing well this year at sowing, but Philippe sent me so many things I could never catch up!
Good to know there is another thing I could use in that sort of planting :) I guess a lot of the things that are sub/alpine meadow plants would work in that kind of setting...


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 08/18/2012 - 18:36

Since there has been some talk about "scoots" (Scutellaria species), it reminded me to go check my planting of Scutellaria incana.  This one is proving to be better and better every year, climbing to the top of my favorite perennials list, as it has no bad habits.  Growing about 3-1/2' tall, it does not run or sucker, slowly builds in size over the years, is totally drought tolerant, has very attractive leaves and sturdy stems that don't flop, and long period of late season bloom with masses of crisp blue flowers, then with wonderful ornamental pinkish-red seed "box" structures.

It is flowering a little bit later than normal this year; took a couple of photos which didn't turn out great but I include one anyway, check out the links from previous NARGS topics for better profile pics.

Scutellaria incana, NARGS topic with good photos:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=88.0

Scutellaria incana - ornamental seed heads:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=336.msg4438#msg4438

Scutellaria incana, USDA plant profile - 3 varieties:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SCIN


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 08/18/2012 - 23:56

Lori, maybe you are right! I jumped to the conclusion it was a Coprinus since that one is the common mushroom in my bin and its mycelium is found all over the contents. I found this one when I emptied the bin and assumed it was the same but when I look at it now I doubt it. It looks more like a slime mold at the edges. The edges escaped me, I was looking at the mycelium-like weft but now I think it is the mature plasmodium of a slime mold with developing fruiting bodies called sporangiums. In my defence I have to tell that the mushroom Coprinus sp usually cover all the content of the bin! The mycelium looks very similar on some stages.

I have emptied the bin so it is impossible to take a new look at it.


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 08/19/2012 - 13:06

I am looking for meadow rues with big flowers although they are hard to come by. Thalictrum chelidoni is in that category and very lovely. A peculiar trait is the bulbils that form in the leaf axils.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 08/19/2012 - 17:23

That 'scoot' is nice indeed, Mark, (and a good list of positive characters) :) as is Trond's Thalictrum- our local species is one I like a lot, but you could not call the flowers showy even being generous (I've always assumed it to be T venulosum, but looking at the maps right now, there are two other species not that far away, I haven't really keyed them..)


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 14:26

What an intriguing Thalictrum!

It is not often I buy alpine plants in local nurseries but this Sedum was just too unusual top pass up.  Sedum hakonense 'Chocolate Ball'


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 22:08

Way cool thalictrum, Trond!  8)  Does it have individual male and female plants?

Really dark color on that sedum, Todd.  What time of year was the pic taken?


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 08/22/2012 - 17:54

The Sedum was shot a couple of days ago.  It is much smaller than the lanceolatum types.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Thu, 08/23/2012 - 12:14

Nice little collection of plants - Scutellaria incana does look a nice thing and a lot larger than species I am used to; should suit our dry garden I imagine. The Thalictrum is very delicate and beautiful; for a short time I grew diffusiflorum which has very large flowers on a short plant, but it didn't prove easy. For us the dry tolerant orientale and tuberosum do well, especially the former.

The genus Diascia was all the rage here some years ago, but few proved really hardy and persistant. This is one of the best and has probably been in the garden for 10 years or more, D. fetcaniensis. They are all wonderfully long flowering and make great container plants mixed with other things.


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 08/23/2012 - 14:29

Todd wrote:

What an intriguing Thalictrum!

It is not often I buy alpine plants in local nurseries but this Sedum was just too unusual top pass up.  Sedum hakonense 'Chocolate Ball'

Todd, I had bought that Sedum too! I've never seen it for sale here.

RickR wrote:

Way cool thalictrum, Trond!  8)  Does it have individual male and female plants?

Agree to both of you  ;D
The thalictrum has perfect flowers, Rick, and makes seed but i don't know whether they contain embryos.

Tim, I have tried Th diffusiflorum twice but it is very shortlived here. Don't know whether it is the winter or slugs that  destroy it. I have tried neither Th tuberosum nor orientale but would love to!

I have a Diascia which looks very similar to yours but it isn't so floriferous. I have had it for many years (from Silverhill).


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:54

Yes agree, but I don't want any frost yet! The latest rhodo (R auriculatum) has just started flowering. The flowers are nicely perfumed :)


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 08/28/2012 - 23:36

Is that a Castilleja, Lori? Nice colour, there are a few here that colour, but of course, taller plants... Rocky Mtn House has had frost warnings several times already, but we haven't seen any yet, wont likely be long though!


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 08/29/2012 - 12:43

Yes, Castilleja.  Interesting, I've only seen the orange-red flowered ones below the subalpine in this area (and further east in the parkland and boreal forest).


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 08/30/2012 - 01:03

It was suggested to me last year by a Castilleja guy from the U.S., on flickr, that these populations (there was someone else who'd photographed similar, I forget the spot now, but I'd say Sundre-ish) were likely hybrid populations, possibly between C miniata and -I forge- lutescens? which is interesting, since in my area there are only miniata and the 'hybrids' no other stands of another clear species; however, miniata is also supposed to have colour variations, and from palest salmon through scarlet are very common here, and creamy colours are not at all unusual. I'm not sure where the boundary of miniata ends and the 'hybrids' start, since the colours I mention above I've seen in a number of places, and then just the one colony I've shown before with the wild mixed bi/tri colour plants  which I've shown here in the Castilleja thread(I'm sure its not the only colony, just the only one I've seen-- hundreds of miles of back roads and farmland, I just happen to have passed that site).
Here's the old thread, which I added some more images to just now, and a couple pics from there as a teaser...
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=592.msg19524#msg19524

There is another varied population close to me, but not as varied as that one, I'll try to add some pics of that later..

 

Just found an album of the second colony I mentioned, this one is right up the road from me...
https://picasaweb.google.com/111492944361897930115/July102011Castilleja


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 08/30/2012 - 14:10

It seems to be two or more pairs of genes controlling the production of red pigment in those plants.


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 08/30/2012 - 17:00

Something interesting going on, though I don't know what it is :) There are a couple of yellow-ish flowered species that I have not seen in my area but by the map are not that far away, so miniata could have mixed with one of them..

I should point out that in some of the pics it may look like two differently coloured flowers- eg pale and orange- are on the same plant, they aren't, there are just a lot of plants growing very close at times..


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 09/01/2012 - 13:27

Last week we visited a friend's garden. This lily was impressive! 2 m tall and 1m wide (started with one bulb some years ago). No name though.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 09/01/2012 - 13:40

Impressive for sure!  :o

A different kind of impressive- near the Athabasca Glacier, Columbia Icefields, swathes of Dryas, Arctostaphylos and Arctous..


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 09/02/2012 - 09:31

Really interesting to see the Castilleja in your area, Cohan.  The leaves on some of the light coloured ones in your album look very distinctly different (broad and rounded)... I'm surprised that they would not be a different species?

Fabulous lily, Trond!  With the continuing onslaught from lily beetles here (it seems they are able to get through at least 2 cycles, or at least were able to in this warm summer), I'm starting to consider getting rid of mine... not that I ever grew any so well as that anyway!

Great view, Cohan. 


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/02/2012 - 12:51

I really don't know more about the Castilleja, Lori, I was hoping for more input from the guy in the U.S., but he probably forgot and I haven't got around to pestering him..lol. There is a lot of variety in those populations, and I haven't actually tried to group other characters with flower colours. It doesn't seem the pale ones could be a distinct species, since they only occur (that I've seen) in these mixed populations. When I see scattered plants or small groups of plants, they tend to look like plain miniata. Perhaps, if they are hybrid, the leaf character goes along with flower (bract) colour.. checking now, miniata leaves are said to be 'narrowly lanceolate to ovate, 3-nerved, usually glabrous or sparingly pubescent, entire or sometimes shallowly 3-lobed above' lots of room for variation in that!
Looking now at C occidentalis, it seems a likely candidate in the hybrid- pale yellow bracts, often with purplish bases, as in my mixed plants; 'leaves linear to lanceolate, entire or sometimes with 1-2 linear lobes' . this species appears on the map farther to the west of me, but I have never seen a population of all yellow plants. It is said to intergrade with rhexifolia (also a range of colours including possible bi-colours, varying leaves and hairiness), which also intergrades with miniata and hispida!
Interestingly, Flora of Alberta says occidentalis' relationship to elegans (not described for Alberta) remains to be established- images on Google show some bi-coloured bracts also, though mostly they are much to red-violet for anything here..

Also interesting, hispida (rather scarce on the map, and farther southwest of me) shows quite a range of colours; bracts typically more cleft, but it is supposed to intergrade with rhexifolia which intergrades with miniata and occidentalis...

So I'm not really any farther ahead...lol While miniata is the only species clearly in my area according to the range maps, occidentalis, lutescens, hispida, rhexifolia and sessiliflora are all no farther away than other plants that I have definitely found... Of those, occidentalis and rhexifolia at least look like possibilities in the mix.. I guess next year I have to measure flower parts, and pay closer attention to amount/type of hairiness..


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 09/02/2012 - 14:22

You know, Cohan, the different forms could have had overlapping distributions earlier.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/02/2012 - 15:45

Yes, exactly- the distribution maps are only as complete as the groundwork- just in my small area there are roads every 2 miles north/south and 1 mile east/west and I've travelled many but not all of them around here, and find different things in many places, besides which its all private land, and no idea at all what grows away from the roadsides! I have no idea what botanising the maps are based on, no doubt pieced together from many different people's work. I've found a number of plants in my area not showing right here on the map, and the situation is changing over time: before european settlement, the natives burned the forest here to draw in grazing herds, obviously encouraging a flora suited to that pattern, later farmers and oil work create another patchwork of vegetation types, and it seems some plants follow the roadways in from the foothills and prairies in what would otherwise be mostly boreal forest..
All of which is a longwinded way of saying- other species could have been here before, and both species and hybrid populations are still on the move.. I'm pretty sure these hybrid plants are  derived from other hybrid plants rather than directly from the parents, - I imagine the 2 or more species coming together in the foothills and their hybrid progeny spreading from there, but it's only speculation on my part..


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 09/11/2012 - 18:52

That Lily is spectacular!

Todays image is a Rhododendron at our Botanical garden.  It is an unregistered hybrid we called Frilled Ivory.  Currently, the plant has nearly 30 trusses open!  Almost as many as it did last May.  Bizarre!


Submitted by RickR on Tue, 09/11/2012 - 20:14

So Frilled Ivory saves some flower buds for spring bloom, or is it just weird this year?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 05:19

Everything seems to be weird this year.  Any number of plants have been blooming at the wrong time.  Do you think this will spoil the spring bloom on the rhododendron, Todd?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 05:21

Blooming now and label gone.  Can anyone i.d. this for me?


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 16:06

Frilled Ivory still has tight buds so it will still have a decent spring display.  last year it produced one out of season bloom but this year, nearly 30 trusses is outrageous!


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 09/17/2012 - 12:37

Yesterday, just out back of the house, only a few feet from the mowed zone.. fall colour on Epilobium angustifolium


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 09/18/2012 - 12:22

This shot was in full shade, so not very exciting lighting, but a nice combination of plants for early  fall--
Maianthemum stellatum, Symphoricarpos albus, Petasites palmatus behind, which will turn its own subtle colours; Cornus canadensis and Pyrola asarifolia behind..  this is in the woods behind my house..


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 09/18/2012 - 14:14

Nice vignette of foliage just spiced up by those two berries! Autumn is a great time to catch pictures like this if you are lucky enough to find them. We are surrounded by housing and fields with little natural vegetation so it must be nice to walk out of your back door and find plants like this.


Submitted by Howey on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 05:39

Prettiest flower today in the Western University greenhouse is something called Orthosiphon  - a medicinal plant from South Asia.  Did this from a cutting a couple of years ago.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 10:46

Love the subtle colours, Cohan... and what a contrast with the exotic flower you are showing, Fran.

Here's some fall colour from along the Clearwater River in NE Alberta, east of Fort McMurray... Autumn has been very mild all over the province - we were told there has not even been frost up there yet!  (The presence of a goodly number of blackflies seemed to support that!)

Here, we had our first frost in the third week of August - on the roofs only, not on the ground - followed by a frost hard enough to kill tender annuals in the second week of September.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 00:37

Thanks, Tim- yes, tons of beautiful close images out there right now, and an overall golden glow. As Lori mentions, we, like the rest of the province, are having a very warm September, as well as, for me, the driest spell we've had all year, and the driest fall we've had in several years- good for farmers needing to harvest! The warm weather is a bit of a comfort for me, since I did some rather late plantings, and was hoping things would have some time to get settled in- the irony is that I've had to do some watering of new plantings, when I scarcely watered all summer, even small seedpots stayed moist...
I thing we've had enough frost to kill tender annuals too, though I don't really have any to be sure- in town there are still flowers looking undamaged, though we've definitely had rooftop frosts and several nights reportedly below 0C- enough to encourage the trees to turn, native plants to colour and garden plants to show a little extra foliage colour, though Geranium, Achillea, Cyclamen have still been flowering, as are some native asters, with others in seed..

Nice view, Lori- were you up there for work? Thank goodness the blackflies don't make it this far south! And mosquitoes have finally settled down in the last couple of weeks, not gone, but no longer overwhelming..

Nice flower, Fran- were you just visiting there, or do you have a work connection to the greenhouse? Nice to have access to some kind of indoor greenspace as the days get shorter and cooler...

Another couple shots from the acreage, Viburnum edule lovely in its fall colour, even if the smell of the plants in fall is less than sweet-- they are common here, and a patch can scent the area for some metres around them; All our fall reds are in the understory,and there are some good ones, but all the deciduous native trees turn  yellow, just the occasional aspen partly/barely hitting orange..
Cornus canadensis (just can't remember that new name yet without looking it up) These are common enough to dot the forest floor with red in some spots without a lot of taller understory, and to shine through the grasses, shrubs and forbs in other places..


Submitted by Lori S. on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 20:34

cohan wrote:

Nice view, Lori- were you up there for work?

Yes, a geology field trip... and from our hike this weekend, here's a glimpse of larch season in the mountains:


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 09/25/2012 - 12:19

Great view! The tamaracks are just barely starting to turn here, usually they are the last of the native trees to do so..
Here's an aspen in the yard...


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 09/25/2012 - 13:33

That Orthosiphon (never heard of the genus though) reminds me of a Cleome  :o Very nice!

You seem to have some great colours yourself, Cohan ;)

Lori, nice view and walk! We have no native laches in Norway but several species are planted. It is a small larch wood not far from here. It always gets nice yellow colour in fall - but later!


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 09/27/2012 - 00:33

Thanks, Trond- I always wish we had more red and orange in the fall colours ( I loved the fall colours when I lived in Toronto- many more colours, and it lasted much longer)- lots of colour in the understory here, but only yellow for the native trees, and I have no red exotics either.. I have some Acer rubrum planted, but they are only a few inches tall, and other things even smaller...lol
We don't have many exotic trees, and my favourite is Tilia cordata for its shape, but that turns yellow too...
Things are fairly glowing right now though with many of the poplars at full gold..

More yellow, a Salix sp, growing wild in the strip of land (road allowance) between us and the neighbours
And a different fall colour- white! Viburnum edule, in a paler colour than the usual pink and red.. judging by the holey leaves, the slugs had a good year not only  in my yard-many/most of the plants in the forest seem chewed up!
Hieracium umbellatum (if I've correctly id'd this common plant here) may be showier in its fall guise than at any other time- especially in the shady places it often appears.. still haven't got a photo I really like, but you get the idea of the ghostly foliage floating above the carpet of dark clover (dang weed), moss and aster foliage etc..
Finally, a Petasites I always hesitate to name them, since all leaf forms from pure arrow to fully palmate occur in great numbers here, often very close to one another.. this is an intermediate shape; all these photos are on our 6 acres..


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 09/27/2012 - 04:26

Whitish colours are rare here although I have seen it. The commonest colours are yellow-brown.
Cohan are you sure it isn't caterpillars or beetles gnawing on the leaves in the wood?


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 09/27/2012 - 12:07

Trond, no I'm not sure what is gnawing on the plants, and likely it's many things! but the plants do have the overall look that some plants in my garden got when I finally realised the slugs were going crazy when it was so wet in mid-summer-- usually I wasn't outside in the evening since the mosquitoes would be unbearable as soon as the sun goes behind the trees (or a cloud), but when my sister's family was visiting I was out later once, it had rained in the afternoon, so it was nice and damp and the slugs were out in droves, crawling all over the rock gardens and up plants several feet off the ground etc... that's when I got the slug pellets...lol

Here are some more whites- provided mainly by Equisetum..


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 09/27/2012 - 13:18

Cohan, that forest floor looks very alien! But it makes me think of a song by Mike Oldfield: "Moonlight shadow" ;D


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 09/29/2012 - 00:56

It is rather like moonlight, isn't it? The horsetails in this little patch of woods are quite charming at several times of year- it's a very nice effect in green, too.. here are a couple of summer views, not exactly the same spot, but nearby, the second one is a bit farther back where it's wetter, the horsetails are taller...


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 09/29/2012 - 01:53

Which species of horsetail is it?
The butterbur seems to have a spreading habit but I like the ground covering effect of it. Have you showed the inflorescence somewhere?


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 09/29/2012 - 19:32

Smilacina racemosa spreads into sizeable colonies, making gorgeous clusters of fruit on cascading stems.  When the berrirs first color up, they are richly speckled.  These photos were taken mid September, a couple weeks ago, now the fruits are blood red.  I pull out lots of seedlings as they spread a bit too easily, but since they're slow to get establish and grow to any significant size, they don't pose any real risk of weediness.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MARAR


Submitted by RickR on Sat, 09/29/2012 - 21:24

I really like the speckled stage of the berries.  They were common in the woods where I grew up and survived in the soil between the forks of the root flares of old trees in the yard... With his lawn mower, Dad couldn't get them there! ;D


Submitted by Mark McD on Sat, 09/29/2012 - 21:43

RickR wrote:

I really like the speckled stage of the berries.  They were common in the woods where I grew up and survived in the soil between the forks of the root flares of old trees in the yard... With his lawn mower, Dad couldn't get them there! ;D

Too funny... this species can be considered weedy, and can flourish even in very dry root-ridden shade, but when one considers its overall attributes, it really is a fine plant, one of those that will grow, flower, and fruit in dry shade, conditions that are normally considered hopeless by the general public.


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 00:47

Smilacina racemosa/Maianthemum racemosum is a favorite of mine! I have two clones but neither get berries :-\ Not strange though as on colony has dwindled and not flowered the last years, seems it doesn't like competition from Ichtyoselmis macrantha (Dicentra m.) and Impatiens omeiana.
Maybe I should try to increase the genetic diversity! Anybody who has berries to spare ;)


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 01:07

Trond, no idea of Equisetum species! There may well be a couple in those woods- at least there are the very dwarf woodland ones, and not sure if these larger bodies are related to them or something else, and taller still in the wetter places, but that may just be the conditions....

Nice Smilacina/Maianthemum, Mark, this one occurs in Alberta, but I haven't seen them personally; I have naturally occurring canadense, stellatum and trifolium ( the last I guess being real Maianthemum, and not Smilacina) all on my acreage,they all have nice speckled berries when immature. It would be nice to get some racemosum sometime as well, since the flower clusters are so different..
I did succeed in getting seed of trifolium this year, last year just could not find or missed it- I think Trond wanted some? Anyone else? I could possibly still collect seed of canadense if anyone asks for it, though it would need to be soon... I think stellatum has already dropped berries, though there might be a few around, so speak up now if anyone is interested  ;D


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 02:47

Here is a picture taken today of the Impatiens omeiana, swamping its neighbours! It is very late flowering and buds have barely formed. Usually they open in October. This year it is very late due to the rainy and cool weather we have had the last months.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 11:19

Trond, that Impatiens is a tremendous sight - it seems to be all the while wilting with us. It really doesn't look as though it would be hardy. I have grown Dicentra macrantha fleetingly; it is a very beautiful plant but again needs more moisture than we can give it - its new name makes it sound like a dinosaur!


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 12:33

Trond, I'll stick some bags in my pocket when I go out this afternoon and watch for Maianthemum seeds; Looks like our free ride of a warm dry fall is about to end- Monday 20C, then Tuesday 6C as a high;Thursday morning low of -6, and rain several days, possible snow Wed; I've still been our digging and moving soil and rocks etc, that will have to end very soon as I'll have to get at cutting firewood!
I forgot to answer earlier about the Petasites- as I've mentioned, we have plants that look like sagittatus, plants that look like frigidus v palmatus, and and every variation between the two. The 'pure' sagitattus tend to be in more open (though not always, they still take some shade at times) and wet areas, the 'pure' palmatus are in woodland areas, not really dry spots, but not necessarily wet, and the intermediate forms can be in open wet places through the wetter edges of mesic woods; Flowers of all are similar, though there are variations between plants with more or less female/male flowers, and some plants that have more purple on backs of ligules etc; I haven't clearly tied those flower differences to leaf differences, except that the mesic woodland (palmatus forms) plants don't flower much, just the occasional inflorescence, which is usually more open and less showy than the others...
here are a few photos of flowers, showing some of the variation- some of which is also age of inflorescence of course; these are mostly sagittatus types, still digging for a palmatus inflo..
I'm going to copy this over to a new Petasites thread with more pics...
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=1169.new#new


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 12:35

Great foliage on the Impatiens, looking forward to seeing it in flower too..
Lori, nice flat dense rosette on the Carduncellus!


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 15:03

Lori wrote:

Symmetry... Carduncellus pinnatus:

Symmetry - and very disadvantageous for the any neighbours ;)

Tim wrote:

Trond, that Impatiens is a tremendous sight - it seems to be all the while wilting with us. It really doesn't look as though it would be hardy. I have grown Dicentra macrantha fleetingly; it is a very beautiful plant but again needs more moisture than we can give it - its new name makes it sound like a dinosaur!

It is quite hardy but very late flowering! Some years it don't reach to open the flower buds before the onset of winter.
- and Ichtyoselmis sounds very fishy in my opinion!

Cohan, hope you find some ;)
Thank you for the info about the Petasites. I have been afraid of that genus as the species I know get too big and invasive, but your species seems to behave itself!


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 15:20

Here is the fishy plant now - or some of it, among ferns:


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 16:35

Hoy wrote:

Cohan...
Thank you for the info about the Petasites. I have been afraid of that genus as the species I know get too big and invasive, but your species seems to behave itself!

No, they sure don't!  I have grown it (twice... I'm a slow learner  :P) and pulled it all out after it started popping up everywhere.  They seem to be just as invasive as the rest of their kind.

Cohan, the jays and squirrels have disposed of all the bur oak acorns already here but perhaps it would be too big for your liking anyway?  Ours is "a small tree" though definitely tree-sized... about 20' now.  It was here when we moved in, so is probably 18-20-ish years old.  Our neighbor's, across the street, is slightly larger... about the largest I've seen here.  At the western edge of their range, in Riding Mt. N. P., Manitoba, they were quite small, maybe 10' in the competition of the hardwood forest.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 17:03

Trond, Lori is right, our Petasites still spread- I have never yet had or seen one in a garden situation, but where they grow naturally there is never just one  ;D I am going to try some in some plantings, of both species/forms, but they will not be close to anything delicate, and I will probably have them with either wild and/or mowed areas next to them..
I sent some pieces to Stephenb a couple of years ago, you could ask him how/what they are doing!
I think some bits of palmatus might be okay in one of your semi-wild woodland areas where they'd have enough competition- and they do not get as large by a long shot as the Japanese species- although I haven't measured, the largest leaf span for palmatus here is maybe something like 20cm, usually less, sometimes much less, and not very tall either. sagiattatus leaves probably get to around 30 cm long

On my wishlist is small northern frigidus/palmatus with actually pink flowers.... I've seen pictures..

Lori- 20 feet would be okay in some spots here,  though 10 feet would be even better :) I wouldn't mind a few small trees of various sorts in that 10-15 foot range!


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 10/08/2012 - 18:43

I'm watching the seed "cone" development on Arisaema sikokianum carefully, as my two largest plants set impressive spires of developing seed. These plants miraculously survived the storm-induced felling of an enormous sugar maple tree that caused considerable damage of nearly trees and plants, additional damage from unavoidable trampling by expert tree cutters.  But now I have a new fear, with the demise of this tree, and a whole swath of screen plants and younger trees alongside the country road where I live, these plants are now plainly in view from the street.

This afternoon I noticed some people who were walking by, they stopped and were pointing to something in the garden; when I approached they quickly continued on their walk; when I looked around to see what might be catching their attention, surely it is these large corn-like fruit structures, plainly visible now that the foliage is dying off.  Once these turn brilliant red, my worry is someone will help themselves.

One whole cone is allocated to my friend who gave me this species in the first place. She became ill and gave away most of her plants when she planned to move away, but fortunately she recovered, decided to stay where she is, and now would like to grow these plants again; she's a terrific grower of woodland plants including Arisaema.  Myself, I am going to make a dedicated sowing on the other seed "cone" to make a major increase in how many plants I have, a one-time push for significant plant increase.


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 10/08/2012 - 19:13

Those fruit cones certainly are impressive, Mark.  I think your fear is well founded.  It just amazes me that people think that picking flowers out of someone else's yard is not stealing, let alone a woodland garden.

You'll never stop people who really want to steal, but I think your only option is to cage them in with chicken wire (over the top, too) to show that they are for you only.


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 10/08/2012 - 20:08

RickR wrote:

Those fruit cones certainly are impressive, Mark.  I think your fear is well founded.  It just amazes me that people think that picking flowers out of someone else's yard is not stealing, let alone a woodland garden.

You'll never stop people who really want to steal, but I think your only option is to cage them in with chicken wire (over the top, too) to show that they are for you only.

I think you're right... this afternoon I was totally out of wire-fabric, need to buy more.  I definitely will do exactly that, wire them in to show they are protected and not for general picking.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 00:09

Mark, are the two plants one clone or different specimens? If they are different I would keep half of each cone and give away the other half of each to increase genetic diversity.
Hopefully nobody steals any!
Occasionally kids pick flowers along the road but only once to my knowledge, did somebody pick seed. And those were from a special peony; they weren't ripe either :-\


Submitted by HeLP on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 09:02

Mark-A. consanguinium grows quite well in full sun so no worry there, also you will find that they produce copious numbers of side bulbs , more than enough to replenish your needs and those of friends and family.


Submitted by Mark McD on Tue, 10/09/2012 - 19:33

Harold wrote:

Mark-A. consanguinium grows quite well in full sun so no worry there, also you will find that they produce copious numbers of side bulbs , more than enough to replenish your needs and those of friends and family.

Harold, sadly I can't grow Arisaema consanguineum (thus far), I tried several times, both from seed and as tubers.  In my latest experiment, I planted out about 50-60 seedlings in 2011, and this spring just 3-4 seedlings showed up very late (in late June or July), and quickly either went dormant or died off.  Maybe as you suggest, I should try them in full sun, I had planted them in shade.


Submitted by HeLP on Wed, 10/10/2012 - 06:21

A. consanguinium emerge late here also, but immediately reach full size, often four feet or more.  They remain green and handsome up to hard frost.  I have them in a variety of situations as they reproduce so rapidly I always have many to give away.  They seem to thrive in average garden soil with decent drainage, not particularly well drained necessarily-good luck.  I always have corms to spare so if we cross paths sometime I will gladly pass a few on-I attended one BNARGS  meeting this year and plan to attend a few next year also- will let you know and perhaps we can meet there.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 10/10/2012 - 20:42

Definitely more artistic, and a perfect image of the day!
Great color hue.

I really like photos that show clearly parts of the plant, too, and this one is both. :)


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 10/11/2012 - 12:41

Thanks, Rick! After the white flowers on my Waldhemia (right beside this plant, actually) I was happy to see a nice strong colour on this one :) Of course if it flowers in better weather in spring I presume stems will be longer and the flower will get paler as its open more..


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 10/23/2012 - 12:14

A view outside the house last night... this snow was several days old, it's whiter now, as we've had another 10cm or more today and still coming down..


Submitted by Booker on Wed, 10/24/2012 - 00:48

As an antidote to the snow ... Gran Paradiso Alpine Garden, Italy this summer.


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 10/24/2012 - 20:55

And the Edelweiss photo has such detail.

  I've never looked "into" one before...

Thanks, Cliff!


Submitted by Booker on Fri, 10/26/2012 - 07:54

Thanks guys.

Ranunculus glacialis and Myosotis alpestris co-habiting on an exposed ridge overlooking the Marmolada glacier and Lake Fedai at Porta Vescova, Arabba, Dolomites. Italy.


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 10/26/2012 - 12:12

Excellent pictures as usual, Cliff! Make me long for summer :)

Got some hail and sleet last night and I was awakened by thunder early this morning.
Some plants still keep going though like this Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple'.


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 10/27/2012 - 05:31

I wish Fuchsia were hardy here...I tried magellanica one year but no go.

Campanula makaschavilii is still blooming....we still have not had a frost or any sort so many spring bloomers are starting to flower again...not good.


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 02:02

Trollius Europaeus (Globe Flower) at Cinque Torre in the Dolomites.


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 03:28

Tiny gentian in a hollow in a limestone boulder, Dolomites.


Submitted by Howey on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 04:34

Todd:  I, too, have a Campanula makaschavilii? flowering out of season.  At least it looks like that is what it is.  Cliff, like the way you have whited out the corners of your flower photos - makes the flowers look even more precious.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 11:16

Frances, nice to have such a pretty wand of campanula bloom so late in the season. Not familiar with the name Campanula makaschvilii, I looked it up; listed as a species from the Caucasus in Graham Nicholls "Dwarf Campanulas" book, stating "it resembles a smaller less hairy C. alliariifolia", and The Plant List considers it a synonym of C. alliariifolia.  Here are a few links to photos of C. alliariifolia.

http://www.robsplants.com/plants/CampaAllia
http://jardinsmichelcorbeil.com/images/camp.%20alliar.jpg
http://luirig.altervista.org/cpm/albums/bot-units04/campanula-alliariifo...

My guess is your plant is actually Campanula punctata, particularly the form going around as C. takesimana, considered a synonym of C. punctata by both Graham Nicholls and The Plant List.  I've grown many forms of C. punctata, which took me a decade to eradicate (mostly), but I fear I have lost the battle with C. "takesimana"; the only way to deal with it invading my lawn and garden and surrounding woods, will be to move to a new location.  It is most floriferous, with voluminous showers of big white pink-tinged bells, a beautiful plant but an aggressive invader all the same.  I consider this the most invasive plant I have ever witnessed in my near half century gardening in New England.  The slightest piece of the stringy white roots and runners left behind when digging out the plant, gleefully sprout many new plants. The dust like seed wind-disperse far and wide, germinating most anywhere too. So watch your plant very carefully for signs of spreading, you might want to take drastic action.

Campanula "takesimana" seeded into a lawn area, then spread into an are under a large Katsura tree.  I've not been able to eradicate it once it gets into the lawn, it has been impossible to remove when entwined through the tough surface roots of the Katsura tree.

Campanula "takesimana" will show some variation in color (white through pinkish and lavender shades), degree of color spotting, flower shape and degree of petal tip flaring. Beautiful in flower, but I shudder when I see the wands of bloom, and all the seed and runners it'll be making.

Campanula punctata alba, that sowed itself in front of the stone wall that fronts my property and the street.  There are numerous color deep forms of punctata, all are beautiful, all are to be avoided.  Even when grown in pots, the roots will come out of the drainage holes and invade any nearly soil medium.


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 12:39

I too do grow Campanula takesimana (I believe it was from Thompson & Morgan seed with that name). However, it is not as aggressive here. I have other Campanulas which is much worse!

Still summer in your World, Cliff?


Submitted by Howey on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 14:59

Mark - Ahhh..  Anyway, I have not collected seeds for the seedexes and my single plant is quite a distance from the lawn - however, I'll keep my eye on it.  As you say, it is probably Campanula punctata.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 10/31/2012 - 03:02

Crocus are such ephemeral but beautiful plants and I am still surprised to see them in the autumn despite having grown this one, C. speciosus, for many years. These are growing in a bed strongly devoted to bulbs and because it changes so much during the year I have started taking daily pictures with the idea of putting them together as a video. Does anyone have any experience of doing something similar? I think this will probably be a strong learning experience.


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 10/31/2012 - 06:58

Very nice, Tim! 
Reminds me of my pitifully small number of Crocus speciosus which have been snow-covered for the past couple of weeks.  It's supposed to melt off this weekend (though the timing for this return to more normal temperatures keeps getting pushed further and further out!) and I'll have to see if they've shown themselves yet.  It won't be much of a display even so.  ;D


Submitted by Booker on Wed, 10/31/2012 - 12:58

Quote : Cliff, like the way you have whited out the corners of your flower photos - makes the flowers look even more precious.  Fran

Thanks Fran ... it works with some images but, unfortunately, ruins others. LOL.

Thanks Trond and Cohan for your very kind comments.


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 10/31/2012 - 13:10

Tim wrote:

Crocus are such ephemeral but beautiful plants and I am still surprised to see them in the autumn despite having grown this one, C. speciosus, for many years. These are growing in a bed strongly devoted to bulbs and because it changes so much during the year I have started taking daily pictures with the idea of putting them together as a video. Does anyone have any experience of doing something similar? I think this will probably be a strong learning experience.

I can't advice you, Tim, but here are two similar videos (maybe I have shown one before) but not as nice as your bed will be!

And here is the receipt how to do it (in Norwegian)!

http://nrkbeta.no/2010/01/05/hele-2009-paa-120-sekunder/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOF42_OcZ3Q&hd=1


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 03:00

Thanks Trond! Those are tremendous - I particularly like the children coming through the snow at the end of the first one. If I could set a camera up in our local woods and follow the anemones and bluebells flowering in spring that would be something else; those have given me more food for thought. Will see if I can discover more advice in English before I delve into Norwegian!


Submitted by Booker on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 04:21

These vidos are superb, Trond. The site must be very secure and preferably on one's own land - a camera wouldn't last twelve hours in the woods near us, let alone twelve months - and the individual images seem to be taken when the weather conditions are clement i.e. no 'active' precipitation.

An image from 2004 now - Globularias & Violas, Wengen.


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 16:17

Tim wrote:

Thanks Trond! Those are tremendous - I particularly like the children coming through the snow at the end of the first one. If I could set a camera up in our local woods and follow the anemones and bluebells flowering in spring that would be something else; those have given me more food for thought. Will see if I can discover more advice in English before I delve into Norwegian!

You are welcome! I would love to see your local bluebell wood through a year - or at least a spring ;)

Booker wrote:

These vidos are superb, Trond. The site must be very secure and preferably on one's own land - a camera wouldn't last twelve hours in the woods near us, let alone twelve months - and the individual images seem to be taken when the weather conditions are clement i.e. no 'active' precipitation.

An image from 2004 now - Globularias & Violas, Wengen.

Cliff, I think he places his camera on his balcony ;D

More nice summer reminder!


Submitted by Lori S. on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 19:42

Beautiful, Cliff! 
I enjoyed the time lapse videos, Trond.  Sometimes, I think time really does flash by like that... or is it just me?  :)

A couple of mountain pix - Salix sp. in bloom and dramatic scenery:
 


Submitted by Mark McD on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 20:07

I love when in nature plants intermingle; the view of the dwarf pink-flowered salix (any idea about what species it is?) and the leaves of Dryas mixed in, give inspiration to try emulating the combination in the garden.

As usual, the vastness of mountain scenes in your area leave me breathless, it would be superb to have such access to remarkable mountain terrain.


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 11/02/2012 - 03:58

Lori wrote:

I enjoyed the time lapse videos, Trond.  Sometimes, I think time really does flash by like that... or is it just me?  :)

No, it is not just you, Lori :-\  The time is accelerating!

Nice scenery - hope I sometime get the time to view it in person!


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 11/02/2012 - 18:43

Tim wrote:

Crocus are such ephemeral but beautiful plants and I am still surprised to see them in the autumn despite having grown this one, C. speciosus, for many years. These are growing in a bed strongly devoted to bulbs and because it changes so much during the year I have started taking daily pictures with the idea of putting them together as a video. Does anyone have any experience of doing something similar? I think this will probably be a strong learning experience.

I know there is some sort of software on my computer for making short animated gifs from  series of photos, but I have not used it personally.. if you do find something that works, let us know- I regularly take photos on daily drives and around home from the same spots (though maybe not exact enough?) through the year - and years! would be interesting to put them together somehow..
Lori- I was wondering if the fall blooming Crocus would flower earlier here to avoid early winter, but based on your comments, I guess not...lol.. This has been a long/early bit of winter- interesting to know what will happen in weeks to come.. We are also still waiting for that long delayed warm up.. wondering how much of the snow will melt- in spite of some warm forecasts, snow will be slow to go in shady places...


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 11/03/2012 - 10:30

McDonough wrote:

...the view of the dwarf pink-flowered salix (any idea about what species it is?)...

Mark, I'm pretty hopeless with willow IDs but I've been put onto the names of a couple of willow experts recently!  I will send some of my better photos off to see if it's possible to ID them.
I'm still hopeful that if a few can be positively ID'd, then I can read the key in relation to those species and then be able to understand the differentiations better.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 11/03/2012 - 16:26

Cohan - we have something similar on our computer for putting pictures together in a video. My wife has tried it with the first batch of photos I have taken. But even with a tripod permanently positioned I can't leave the camera in situ and the smallest difference in the image each time shows up. I hope we can get round this by adjusting the images individually so they line up correctly? I am already learning!


Submitted by Peden on Sat, 11/03/2012 - 16:43

McDonough wrote:

I've grown many forms of C. punctata, which took me a decade to eradicate (mostly), but I fear I have lost the battle with C. "takesimana"; the only way to deal with it invading my lawn and garden and surrounding woods, will be to move to a new location.

Interesting that a genus producing some of the most obstinately demure little plants is also capable of producing these "superplants". We have C. rapunculoides (?) here for decades, if not centuries, but I haven't yet seen the little beauty you describe. Probably best left that way! C. rapunculoides came to my garden on some daylily roots more than a dozen years ago and I have kept it in check -until, perhaps now. it does not prefer acid sand but since I have been modifying areas of the garden (and the garden has gotten bigger LOL!) I fear it is getting loose! I still think that someday I will just be able to go in and redo the entire area where it is beginning to spread and, in so doing, remove it. Errr... Is this folly?


Submitted by Booker on Tue, 11/06/2012 - 07:37

Eritrichium nanum - 'King of the Alps' - Dolomites, Italy.


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 11/06/2012 - 12:06

Love this shot- I love the context shots as much as the close-ups :)


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 11/07/2012 - 00:22

Some shots from several days ago, after several days of fog...


Submitted by RickR on Wed, 11/07/2012 - 08:24

We never used to have winter fog that lasted more than a day (and even that was rare), until about ten years ago.  Now we get these magical, multiple winter day stretches every year. 

The best part is near the end: the hoar frost has built up so much that the weight the fragile crystals makes them break off and fall, and it is so silent out that your can hear the tinkling symphony of musical notes that they produce.


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 11/07/2012 - 12:23

Having been away for so many years, I don't know what the norms have been recently here- I have only more or less childhood memories, and they tend to have a totally different focus: I didn't think much about weather, for one thing, this was the only climate I knew then, and I didn't question it!  My mother, however, doesn't remember any fog at all growing up here and for many years after, now it's not uncommon through the year, and more common fall through spring..
I also find these landscapes magical- some of my very favourite landscapes of the entire year- the drives to and from work and to town for shopping are beautiful..
Some images shot as we drive (not me!)

1- almost across the road from me
2-poplar saplings looking like a negative image
3-a load of hay on the highway
4-highway scene on the way to work
5-highway scene on the way to work
6-highway scene on the way to work
7-Sorbus in Rocky Mountain House


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 11/07/2012 - 14:30

Cohan, I recognize that kind of weather! It's not uncommon around Oslo where I grew up. Here at the west coast fog is more common in spring when the land is warmed by the sun while the sea still is cold, and sometimes in the autumn when the sea and lakes are warm (relatively) and the temperature decrease on cloudless nights. However hoar frost of that kind is rare. Another kind of weather which is common at this season is very fine rain and lowlying clouds as it is today - the temperature is 10C.

Cliff, I do recognize the kind of weather in your picture as well - but it is rare - at least here ;)


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 11/07/2012 - 17:24

We also get some odd fog especially in late summer/fall when the evenings are cooling after warm days: patches and strips of fog very localised over low damp/wet areas; you can see them hanging in the air from a distance- often a couple of feet above the ground and only a few feet high, the patches can be sizable of very small..

I'm not sure of the mechanism of this winter fog, but I think it may involve different temperature layers in the air itself, plus lower temperatures at ground level. There was warmer air higher up and they kept forecasting that we'd see those warm temperatures, but it just couldn't make it to ground level for many days..


Submitted by Booker on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 04:29

High above Chamonix, France ... stand of Gentiana purpurea (few in flower).


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 11:37

Beautiful spot! Is the Gentiana the largish leafy plant? Nice foliage combination with the ferns (?)


Submitted by Booker on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 12:16

Hi Cohan,
Gentiana purpurea is, as you suggest, the large foliage ... see attached image.


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 11/10/2012 - 10:13

Cliff, a perfect setting! It is a familiar plant but the surroundings are not ;)


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 11/10/2012 - 17:25

Cliff, now I remember both you and Tond showing the species before, I liked it then too :)


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 11/13/2012 - 12:57

The last months have been very rainy and it is almost impossible to do anything serious in the garden as the soil is completely soaked.
Yesterday the sky cleared a little for a while and the sun shone through and created a double rainbow which lasted a couple of minutes. I barely had time to take some pictures before the motif disappeared.


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 11/14/2012 - 15:40

Always nice to see the sun! My it looks mild there- like summer here almost  ;D


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 02:35

cohan wrote:

Always nice to see the sun! My it looks mild there- like summer here almost  ;D

Mild, yes; but summer, NO!!
It's mild and wet. 8-10C and rain.


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 11/17/2012 - 08:05

cohan wrote:

10C sounds almost like summer to me  ;D

Well, maybe the temperature is more like summer (in fact it isn't much colder than in summer) but the torrental rains make me feel like it is the Great Deluge! I wouldn't be surprised to see Noah's Ark any day now. What save us is the steep landscape that effectively drains the water.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 12:02

I'm sure- with your rainfall we'd have standing water all over the place! I am teasing about the temps of course- there are things other than high temperatures to make it feel like summer vs fall/winter- daylength etc; Even on our warmer days in winter, those warm temps are only for a very short time..

Here is a shot taken from the car, just up the road, some days ago...


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 14:17

We did see the sun for a couple of minutes today! But more rain tomorrow . . .  Better rain than snow though at this time of the year although a snowcovered world is calming (when it doesn't storm)  :D


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 15:29

This snow has stayed early for us, but other than that, it's been okay here- not much new snow lately, highways are completely dry, sideroads are cleared (but still packed snow covering, normal winter driving), very little wind etc..
Another shot from Nov 10, in Sylvan Lake, one of the towns where we usually shop (26miles/42km)  that was just after the last fresh snow..


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 18:28

Arisaema sikokianum "fruit cone" has taken forever to ripen, but it's ready now, giving away this impressive harvest to a friend this week, so that she can re-establish the plant in her garden.  The 2nd head behind still needs more ripening.

 


Submitted by RickR on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 23:13

Yes, as impressive as I imagined they would be when you first showed them, Mark. :o

Once the stem creases naturally, I wonder how much or even if there is any advantage to leaving the berries connected to the ground anymore.  If the stem cells are senescing what kind of conduction through the crease could there still be in an herbaceous stem?  I wonder, would the same ripening occur if the stem was detached at the crease (given other conditions being the same)?

Does anyone have any insight on this?  I'm just thinking out loud, should there ever be a need for after ripening inside, for instance, or in case of marauding animals (including the two legged type).


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 11/19/2012 - 06:53

Rick, you're correct, after a couple weeks nightly freezing, the stems are mush at this point, I'm sure of no real conduction of fluids inside the stem to the fruit, yet while a mushy stem, it is also tough and stringy, and will not fall off with being cut.  A couple years back I finally had seed set on A. heterophyllum after not setting seed for almost 10 years. The seed ripened so late; I went out mid-winter and shoveled snow and chopped the red seed head out of the ice, cleaned seed inside and sowed it, put flat on a windowsill and they came up. 

I have worried about leaving the seed out there in direct view of the street and passersby, one never knows.


Submitted by Glover on Mon, 11/19/2012 - 14:01

Mark,

I have harvested the seed clusters from Arisaema sikokianum and A. consanguineum when they were still green due to predictions of a hard freeze followed by a winter storm.  I just laid them on my workbench in the garage and within a few weeks the 'berries' were bright red.  I cleaned the seed and sowed them with a very high percentage of germination. I have a cluster of A. consanguineum 'Perfect Wave' ripening that way right now.

Ed Glover
Mount Horeb, WI


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 11/19/2012 - 16:49

We got our first killing fost two nights ago when it dropped to -4 C...not bad considering it's past the middle of November!  Suppose to be sunny for the next 6 days...VERY unusual for us considering November is one of our wettest months.

Just got back from 10 days in Brazil...no frost there I can say!  Hot and steamy was the norm.


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 11/19/2012 - 16:52

Here is a pic of Iris sari...a dream iris I could never grow in my area.  This was photographed at the International Alpine Conference in Nottingham 2011.


Submitted by Mark McD on Mon, 11/19/2012 - 17:37

Glover wrote:

Mark,

I have harvested the seed clusters from Arisaema sikokianum and A. consanguineum when they were still green due to predictions of a hard freeze followed by a winter storm.  I just laid them on my workbench in the garage and within a few weeks the 'berries' were bright red.  I cleaned the seed and sowed them with a very high percentage of germination. I have a cluster of A. consanguineum 'Perfect Wave' ripening that way right now.

Ed Glover
Mount Horeb, WI

Thanks Ed, that's good to know about cutting the seed structures off in the green. I suspected they might ripen on their own regardless, as the stems go mushy after frost, but the fruits still ripen regardless.  I have always had lots of self-sown Arisaema seedlings from just letting the fruits develop and drop on their own, but now looking to harvest some of the more choice species to bulk up my supply.  I'll keep this in mind.  I'm envious of your germination on A. consanguineum 'Perfect Wave'; thus far I've not had any form of this species last more than 2 years.

Todd, love Iris sari, had it bloom for a couple years in the garden, from a piece John Lonsdale shared with me some years ago.  Then after a few more years of dwindling and no flowers, it died out.


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 11/20/2012 - 11:51

Beautiful Iris, Todd! Is this one of the hot/dry summer types?

Brasil! Was there botanising involved?


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 11/20/2012 - 15:02

Brazil was a birding trip...botanizing was incidental.  Saw five species of orchids blooming and an Alstroemeria of some sort.


Submitted by Hoy on Tue, 11/20/2012 - 15:14

More likely a Bomarea, Todd! I found similar ones in Ecuador.


Submitted by Boland on Tue, 11/20/2012 - 17:22

I tought that too, but this one was not vining...simply a stem to 40 cm with whorls of leaves....I was told by a local Brazilian it was indeed an Alstroemeria.


Submitted by Hoy on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 07:44

Todd wrote:

I tought that too, but this one was not vining...simply a stem to 40 cm with whorls of leaves....I was told by a local Brazilian it was indeed an Alstroemeria.

OK, didn't know they grow that far east.


Submitted by Boland on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 14:03

Trond, it was a surprise to me as well...apparently there are about 10 species that occur in Brazil! (and here I thought they were only in Chile and Argentina)

Cohan, I saw 243 species of birds in 7 days...121 were ones I had never seen before so a successful trip!


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 17:30

Todd wrote:

Cohan, I saw 243 species of birds in 7 days...121 were ones I had never seen before so a successful trip!

I'd say!


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 12/01/2012 - 06:41

The reverse is the most attractive feature.  I grow this one in a cool greenhosue since it is not reliably hardy in Newfoundland.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 12/01/2012 - 11:40

That's a beauty, Todd! How warm is the greenhouse kept in winter?


Submitted by Boland on Sat, 12/01/2012 - 14:31

No extra light....the greenhouse is set at 8 C as the minimum.  I'll be starting meconopsis seed soon...they germinate best at 10 C so this greenhouse is perfect in Dec-Jan.  BTW, the greenhouse is at work...I only wish it was mine, but I have pretty much free run so it is almost like having my own.  LOADS of alpine seeds will be started early in the new year (the only thing that keeps me sane in our long winters)


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 12/02/2012 - 00:31

I can't believe you still have plants blooming outside, Todd!  There's been snow on the ground since late October here.... it's going to be a long winter.  :P

Anyway, a photo from warmer times... Epilobium latifolium:


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 12/02/2012 - 04:45

Todd - curiously Crocus laevigatus 'Fontaneyi' is about the only species I grow that was not munched by rabbits! It's a lovely thing - with us it flowers in late December and is especially welcome, but we are lucky that we rarely get snow until the New Year and then usually intermittant. (We are hoping now we are rabbit free that some of the other species might start to do their thing).


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 12/02/2012 - 06:24

Although the fall as a whole has been mild we have had more frosty nights than last year. The first week of December seems to be very cold too (maybe down to -6C/21F). Now we have gotten a couple of inches of snow too :o

Penstemon 'Rich Red' flowered nicely last summer and tried to produce some new flowers in the fall. here is the result: August and December.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 12/02/2012 - 16:16

Lori wrote:

I can't believe you still have plants blooming outside, Todd!  There's been snow on the ground since late October here.... it's going to be a long winter.   :P

It already has been!  ;D Usually we'd just be getting started on snow cover by now, but we have from a few inches to a foot or so already established and piles of a couple feet around the driveway...


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 12/03/2012 - 14:20

Lori wrote:

I can't believe you still have plants blooming outside, Todd!  There's been snow on the ground since late October here.... it's going to be a long winter.   :P

Lori, that crocus was in a greenhouse.  I did have plants still blooming up to a week ago but 5 days ago we got 15 cm snow then the temp dropped to -7 C.  It may be melted by the end of this week but -7 C will have taken care of anything with a bloom!

I'll be experiencing your snow and cold soon enough...I am spending Christmas in Calgary this year!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 23:47

Well, Calgary was +7 today! We didn't get nearly that high- somewhere around 0 or just below..

I've had some plants here still with flowers after as low as -20C- garden Violas and native Asters come to mind...


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 12/05/2012 - 06:23

Yes, I have lots of freeze-dried flowers too.  ;D

Townsendia parryi and Androsace chamaejasme:


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 12/05/2012 - 12:01

Lori wrote:

Yes, I have lots of freeze-dried flowers too.   ;D

Townsendia parryi and Androsace chamaejasme:

Here is my Townsendia parryii, during  a brief melt on Nov 04- it was soon after covered again, and will likely be so now till spring..


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Wed, 12/05/2012 - 12:51

Taken today on the cliff above the crevice gardens, a Phlox, probably pungens, but label is gone.  It's been frosted but the flowers are still pretty good.  One of the joys of the western phloxes is that they have repeat flushes of bloom if the weather is to their liking.  Probably the record here is held by Phlox kelseyi, which bloomed 5 times with the last bloom late in the fall.  That's really getting your money's worth from a plant.  It was grown from Alplains seed.  Also looking good is a very nice onosma in the latest of the crevice gardens.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Wed, 12/05/2012 - 16:00

Having said we don't normally get snow until the New Year, of course now we get snow! (Only a few centimetres but it really does brighten the garden up and cover up all those parts which need a good tidying).


Submitted by Lori S. on Wed, 12/05/2012 - 22:38

Amazing to hear about the performance of Phlox kelseyi down there, Anne.  One bloom is all I expect in this short season.


Submitted by Boland on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 17:52

Well the snow is all gone again...three days of 7-9 C will do that!  Arum italicum is looking pretty good at the moment.  I've had it for years but only once did it bloom and that was three years ago.


Submitted by Toole on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 22:52

While out in the garden this morning i inadvertently managed to alter my SLR camera 's settings for the following pic ,(i was playing around using full manual ).

Obviously i've been a few steps high on the resolution side however an edit of contrast and colour has resulted in hopefully an acceptable image. :-\

Arisaema sps.

Sunglasses required  ;D

Cheers Dave.


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 12/08/2012 - 00:16

Todd, I had a few little bits of Arum- I think it was italicum, though maybe not- from a friend to try, but to no great surprise, there was no sign of them in spring.... We had a few days up to those sorts of temps after our snow, but not sufficient duration to cause overall melting, especially in shade, though many places were bare.. that's a few snows back, though...

Dave- nice image! Sometimes a less technically accurate or complete photograph tells us something interesting about a plant..


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 12/08/2012 - 01:20

Todd wrote:

Well the snow is all gone again...three days of 7-9 C will do that!  Arum italicum is looking pretty good at the moment.  I've had it for years but only once did it bloom and that was three years ago.

Todd, my plant is still covered by snow - so far December has been extremely cold :( I've never gotten flowers though, maybe it is to shady where it is growing.

Dave, you have caught the spathe well enough. Looks like the plant is growing on a sunny beach!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 12/08/2012 - 11:45

Arum italicum is beautiful.  I've tried to grow it here with no luck at overwintering.  Funny sort of behavior for a plant to generate new leaves just before going into winter!

A short-lived beauty, Braya linearis:


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Sat, 12/08/2012 - 20:50

Lori, I think it's not about how often the phloxes will rebloom in one season, it's the fact that they have the ability to do so.  Would that more of my favorites would do this.


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 12/09/2012 - 14:02

That Braya is far more attractive than our native endemic Braya fernaldii and B. longii, but ours can be long-lived if grown VERY lean!


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 12/09/2012 - 17:10

Lori wrote:

A short-lived beauty, Braya linearis:

The efloras of NA distribution map was amusing-one dot in the middle of Greenland!


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 12/10/2012 - 02:29

cohan wrote:

Lori wrote:

A short-lived beauty, Braya linearis:

The efloras of NA distribution map was amusing-one dot in the middle of Greenland!

Seems unlikely although it prefers alpine habitats here. The flowers are less showy than on Lori's specimen.


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 12/10/2012 - 12:31

I think the dot is only meant to indicate that  it occurs within the political boundaries of the state, but it does look funny in this instance..


Submitted by Boland on Mon, 12/10/2012 - 15:15

cohan wrote:

I think the dot is only meant to indicate that  it occurs within the political boundaries of the state, but it does look funny in this instance..

Especially when the middle of Greenland is nothing but an icecap!


Submitted by Gene Mirro on Mon, 12/10/2012 - 20:39

Tim wrote:

(We are hoping now we are rabbit free that some of the other species might start to do their thing).

Tim, how did you achieve rabbit-free status?  My rabbits are much too clever for the Havahart trap, and I don't have a rifle or shotgun.  They also appear to have a peace treaty with the many predators in my neighborhood.  A few days ago, I stepped out onto the porch, and one cat took off east, another took off west, and a rabbit headed north.  When did cats start schmoozing with wild rabbits?  


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 01:52

Gene - our garden is on the edge of town with fields on several sides and we made the effort 30 years ago to put a rabbit fence all around it because we have a big collection of fruit trees. This lasted OK for 20 years or so and then we had the opposite problem that rabbits got in to the garden and started to breed, and then couldn't get out! The next step was to get a Jack Russell, who certainly kept the rabbits out but kept escaping over the old fence. So now we have a five foot fence to keep the dog in and the rabbits out and it works well! If you do grow a wide range of especially choice plants this does become a good option, even if expensive, just for peace of mind. We used to catch them with a trap but once they take up residence it's a losing battle.


Submitted by Steve Newall on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 09:58

Gene-putting up a rabbit fence was the best thing we ever did . Like Tim , we are surrounded by fields and many of our plants are in raised beds with sand or compost mulch . During the winter and early spring when the plants are dormant these beds became rabbit magnets . Lots of digging and browsing on new spring growth and lots of frustration and hair loss on my part . The fence fixed all that ( once I got rid of the pesky wabbit that I built the fence around ) and brought great peace of mind .


Submitted by cohan on Wed, 12/12/2012 - 15:35

The slugs went crazy this summer with our cool wet weather, so I bought some iron based slug bait and sprinkled it around a few affected plantings- it worked very well! I think if you put it out at the right time, you can put it in a ring around beds to keep out the slugs... They still have most of the acreage to do their thing naturally :)


Submitted by Hoy on Thu, 12/13/2012 - 12:57

I've tried the kind of slug bait which is possible to get here but it hasn't worked - or the slugs have managed to destroy many plants before they died :(


Submitted by cohan on Thu, 12/13/2012 - 13:01

The next day there were lots of little dessicated slugs ( I felt a little guilty!) and then the plants were able to recover :) next year I will spread it sooner!


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 12/17/2012 - 12:14

Yesterday in the woods here..


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 12/17/2012 - 12:51

cohan wrote:

The next day there were lots of little dessicated slugs ( I felt a little guilty!) and then the plants were able to recover :) next year I will spread it sooner!

I think your climate is drier. Here the stuff quickly moulds or disintegrate due to rain.

What delicate little bird do the dancing in the spruce? Nice shooting, Cohan!


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 12/18/2012 - 00:32

That was during a wet summer period- that's why the slugs were doing so well! I can't say whether it was as wet as your weather, but we did have nearly daily rain at some points, and I didn't even have to water 3 inch seed pots outdoors more than a couple of times in as many months...
I don't think those pellets broke down that fast, maybe yours are different? Anyway most of the effect was in the first night!
Most evenings I was indoors as soon as it was dusk since the mosquitoes were unbearable as soon as the sun began to set, but I happened to be out a bit later one evening, and after an afternoon rain, the slugs were out before dark crawling over everythingand on plants several feet off the ground- I bought the bait the next day  ;D

The bird(s) is a black capped chickadee- the spirit of the boreal forest here, and common around the yard year round, along with their less abuncant cousins, the boreal (brown headed) chickadee.. They rarely sit still for even a few seconds, as they constantly flit about to comb every inch of the forest for insects summer and winter! They also love the sunflower seeds I give them at the feeders and nyjer seed when I have it...
When I go out to fill the feeder in the morning, they start flying around the yard and making noise in anticipation, and fly from bush to bush with me as I approach...


Submitted by Hoy on Fri, 12/21/2012 - 08:20

I assumed they were a kind of tits as they look similar to the marsh tits (Poecile palustris) and relatives which frequent my feeder. I give them sunflower seed too and sometimes peanuts.

Today the weather is very calm and cold - no wind, almost no clouds but not much sun either as it is the winter solstice. The forecast isn't good, a winter storm is brewing in west and reach us Saturday evening. We have planned to drive to Oslo Sunday but have to hasten the departure to cross the mountains before the bad weather reach us.

A few pictures taken this shortest of the days, -5C. Mostly different saxes but a few Primulas too.

   


Submitted by cohan on Fri, 12/21/2012 - 21:16

I think Lori got to -5 or better for a day or two, but we haven't seen that for a while.. The rest of this week is forecast to be -12 to -21 daytime..


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Sat, 12/22/2012 - 05:56

Beautiful pictures of the saxes.  The rosettes are lovely at any time but with frost on them they become works of art.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 12/22/2012 - 15:38

Nice capture of the chickadee, Cohan, and beautiful frosty vignettes, Trond.  :)


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sat, 12/29/2012 - 15:33

What a plant Brian! I found an old article by Dwight Ripley in the AGS Bulletin where he describes this plant beautifully and ends by saying 'I won't call it a bun because no patisserie known to man could ever produce such a titanic cookie as this'. I wonder how old that plant must be?


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 12/29/2012 - 23:44

A bun :o I would never mistake it for a bun but a kind of mossgrown stone ;D It is a gemstone though!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 12/30/2012 - 11:50

Terrific photos, Brian!  You got big pollinators around there!  ;D

Eriogonum umbellatum var. subalpinum:


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 12/30/2012 - 17:36

Awesome Kelseya!
Looks like the bulldog 'fly' knows just where to be to get into the photos ;)


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 12/31/2012 - 08:44

A beautiful greeting, Cliff! And an awesome Penstemon Michael!

Happy new and fruitful year to forumists!

Picea abies


Submitted by Steve Newall on Mon, 12/31/2012 - 14:14

All the best for the new year everyone .
Ours has started a little damp as we get some spillover from the storm in the mountains

Anisotome latifolia


Submitted by cohan on Tue, 01/01/2013 - 18:38

Thanks for the greetings all, and a New Year of personal and garden growth to all!
I don't generally care much about New Year's celebrations, but for once we actually have better weather after Christmas and into January than before!
Here's a view of Castilleja sp and Dryas drummondii in seed, in the mountains in August...

(and a closer view added)


Submitted by Booker on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 05:03

It never ceases to amaze me how alpine species exist in the most inhospitable of habitats.  This image was captured in the mountains near Grindlewald, Switzerland of a sheer and barren cliff face that supports this thriving plant in such a small indentation in the rock.  The odds against a seed settling and growing in such a perpendicular location must be phenomenal. I suspected that the plant was a Silene acaulis, but a VERY poor close-up reveals a Salix sp. or similar.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 12:57

Wonderful pix, everyone.  These photos show that wherever life can exist, it will.
There is more evidence of the same in these photos of lichens from my files, which seem worth reposting...  

Cetraria cucullata(? or maybe nivalis?) is the yellow one, which occurs mainly in arctic and alpine tundra on soil.  The weird white tentacles are Thamnolia subuliformis(?), also common on soil, humus and decaying vegetation in arctic-alpine areas.  Silene acaulis and Smelowskia calycina are in the background.  Here, they are shown on karsted limestone.

A common and widespread crustose lichen, Icmadophila ericetorum (I think), occurring on rotting vegetation and trail banks, is shown here growing on a well-decomposed log in the subalpine forest with Polytrichum moss:

Quartzite boulder with rich patterns of encrusting lichens:


Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 01/06/2013 - 19:41

I agree Lori, great pics all around in this topic.  The yellow (lichen?) mounds look like Dionysia mounds gone bad ;).  One thing that I love about our native gray granite rock, is the lichen encrustation, similar to what is shown in your last photo.


Submitted by Tim Ingram on Mon, 01/07/2013 - 03:33

Lichens are fascinating aren't they? Lori's last picture reminds me of some trees lining the river at Bethgellert in Snowdonia - their trunks are completely covered in a patchwork of various lichens, almost like an Impressionist painting. But why do they grow on some plants and not others? Lichens are less obvious in our dry climate in Kent but for some reason they do very well on azaleas in a local garden in Canterbury.


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 01/07/2013 - 12:06

Cool stuff!
Cliff-The Salix on the cliff is interesting- must get water sittng at times..
Brian-Those Kelseya clumps are always amazing!
Lori- great lichens- lots here too on live trees and dead wood as well-- not always easy to find great undisturbed patches on the ground on properties where there are cattle trampling around, but sometimes good sized stumps get nice growth..
Digging for pics, but I'm running out of time...lol- so just a few pics, mostly moss and a tiny patch of lichen at the foot of a spruce tree.. nothing dramatic, but these are in fairly tough dry shade under trees and/or spots that are overgrown with other vegetation in season..


Submitted by cohan on Mon, 01/07/2013 - 12:20

A few more- these 'lower' plant forms are always especially welcome at seasons when there is not much else looking alive!
Plus, growing nearby, a bonus- Calypso bulbosa


Submitted by Hoy on Sat, 01/12/2013 - 01:20

Lichens are very interesting things! Unfortunately I'm not good at their names but that doesn't hinder me to look for them when out.

Calypso bulbosa is a native of Norway too but very rare and I have never seen it :(  But others have: http://www.pbase.com/alb123/image/31814271

Cohan, does it grow on your property?


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Sat, 01/12/2013 - 09:06

Warm weather has melted some of the snow and the deer are back.  Chased two out of the garden in the middle of the night.  They really don't like disembodied voices yelling at them and they take off.  Motion detector lights are great, but not for a sound sleep!


Submitted by cohan on Sat, 01/12/2013 - 11:53

Hoy wrote:

Lichens are very interesting things! Unfortunately I'm not good at their names but that doesn't hinder me to look for them when out.

Calypso bulbosa is a native of Norway too but very rare and I have never seen it :(  But others have: http://www.pbase.com/alb123/image/31814271

Cohan, does it grow on your property?

Same for me with lichens- and mosses!

Calypso is not exactly common- in  a place where so many of our species are found everywhere!- but not all that rare either- hard to spot is another issue though: out of flower, you really need to know exactly where it is or be very lucky to see it, at least in my area where it grows in areas with a lot of other vegetation on the forest floor ( I saw it in the mountains in quite bare woods), and even in flower, although it is bright pink, the forest floor is carpeted with  old poplar birch and willow leaves which can have pinkish tones, as well as a lot of other vegetation, some of which is taller than the flower stems even so early in the season.
This plant is not  on my acreage, but maybe 50 metres past my fence,  on the farm.  I think it may be starting another crown, but only one flower so far, and it has not set seed. I used to know of colonies of at least several plants in two different places on the farm, but since I moved back I have not found any plants in those places- again, it's hard to be sure whether you miss them, but they are growing in unstable woods with birch that fall down/apart often and spruce can grow in blocking light, other vegetation grows etc etc and there are also cattle at times...

Anne- hope the deer don't do too much damage! The moose visited very early this year, to prune all our woodies,  before I could take any repellent measures I meant to, and we also had early snow that has never left, so ditto for vole repellent- hope they are not doing too much damage under the snow!!


Submitted by Anne Spiegel on Sat, 01/12/2013 - 17:00

The deer do a lot of damage, but it could be worse ... they could be moose.
A friend told me she had heard a talk by some woman who told her that deer won't touch daphnes.  The deer here think they are caviar and decimate them.
There isn't one they haven't browsed, even tiny ones.  I think they are permanently dwarfing some of the survivors.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/13/2013 - 01:03

If you pick the right woodies- tasty to deer yet fast enough growing to survive- you could get some great 'deersai'!

The moose aren't too bad here- they just pass through a few times over the winter- there is some overpruning of apples and the (shrub type ) cherries which can reduce yield-- and they kept our Mountain Ash as a multistemmed shrub for a long time, as well as shaping all the native dogwoods and saskatoons etc- but they don't kill anything. there is definitely a tendency to keep those things low which can't grow really fast (Cornus), and those that can put up really long shoots in one year may eventually end up with one or more trunks that get out of reach and can then grow unmolested- so you may end up with a very skinny  shrub/tree (as with Amelanchier) or a tree with a wide skirt of lower stems (Sorbus), or tightly pruned lower parts and shoots in the middle racing for the sky- this is what our apples are trying to do, but I don't want them tall. Luckily they have not so far done to any planted woodies what they do to native poplars in the bush-break young trees at about 6 or 8 feet above ground so that the tops bend over and they can eat the tender tips....
Luckily neither the moose nor deer have paid that much attention to any garden plants so far, apart from woodies...


Submitted by Hoy on Sun, 01/13/2013 - 14:30

The European elk is a nuisance for the forest industry as they browse the buds on young pine trees, especially in winter. My father in law however had more trouble with roe deer in his garden. They could damage an orchard in one night.


Submitted by cohan on Sun, 01/13/2013 - 20:03

Some of my relatives have a tree farm on part of the family farm- they have deer fence around some areas where small trees are grown- I think there is no option here if you have a lot of valuable trees or fruit/berry trees.