The recent expeditions of Czech seed collectors to China have brought us an explosion of new material that is proving surprisingly growable. Gentians are on everyone's list of desiderata; and, the Chinese species have the added feature of blooming later, which is a reason they are still relatively uncommon in culture. They can still be in bloom when the snows arrive in late September…
This year, I am seeing a spectacular display of bloom in our gardens - partly the result of maturity (both the garden and me), and partly the season we are having, earlier in arrival by ~ 7-10 days and much drier than last year. Dry is not so bad when flowers are considered, as adequate soil moisture and increased light = more energy for the plant. So, ignoring all those wonderful new treats,…
Sedum aff. purdyi - For the most part, Sedum purdyi is lumped with S. spathulifolium, and if you go on the Calflora site, the photos confirm this opinion. However, this collection by Ron Ratko and taken in the Siskiyou Mtns. Of Northern California, is exceptional and differs S. spathulifolium in several ways. Described by Ron as growing on loose, shaley outcrops, it forms, "...domed…
There are so many beautiful plants when Spring finally arrives. Clear, bright colours and the incredibly delicate scents awaken the imagination and bring back the primary child. The time is right to strip away all those years of cultural learning and conformity - do something bold. Why not "wallflowers" - everyone disparages the lowly cabbage family, yet many worthy species of draba and…
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The great thrill of rock gardening is the challenge of the new; and while this applies to other types of gardening, in growing alpines there is a greater variety of novelty. It stirs the competitive urge for sure, but in the way of a child learning about the world. It is the expression and application of intellect to know more about the…
One of the delights of late Autumn is seeing the daphne velenovskyi putting forth a few late flowers for the withering hours of the aniline light of November. Most of its leaves have fallen, but this fading burst of life, can make one stop and admire'so different from the gaudy spectacle of May when it's blooms overpower all the new green growth in a robe of pink. Whatever is the…
Adonis is one of those odd genuses of the family ranunculacaea that murkily sits amongst paeonia, anemone, and ranunculus. The only 2 we grow are A. amurensis, a species from Eastern Siberia, and A. vernalis, which has a wide, though limited distribution throughout Europe. Our original plants are from Czech origin seed (Moravia), and produced ~ 50 plants. These have been raised in an…
Eritrichiums are among the most desired of blue-flowering plants; and, many times with many species have I, along with many others, have sought to find one that would actually last in the garden.
I have seen E. nanum growing high in the Big Horns in endless sheets, as if to challenge where earth and sky meet. Seed raising is…
We were doing the usual summer maintenance on our stock and my daughter Esther commented, "...look at all the androsace. You don't need to bother with saxifrages, the variety here is just as good." And so it is. The Chinese collections have doubled or tripled the number of species. Despite their delicate looks, they have proven surprisingly easy to grow. Their beauty is second to none. Two for…
I was recently asked "How do you make the choices of what seeds to grow for new plants?"
My response: I need something that is easy to grow and attractive in the garden. Further, on a personal level, I want to reach beyond the ordinary and grow those bits of nature that are beautiful, yet not generally found in our gardens. One needs time and experience to make the selections…
We have, over time, chosen to concentrate on growing the best of the seed collections from Western North America, the Middle latitudes of near Asia (Turkey and the Caucasus), and recently, the wonderful new collections from Western China. These areas have conditions similar to our own‚Äîa drier, continental climate with winter cold and…
Mat formers are plants that will cover an area by sending out branches that quickly develop short surface roots. Overall height is low, under 5cm. Having such short stature, many of these plants are able to hold foliage all year and provide some off-season texture and colour for the rock garden. There is also an ability to cover and conform to the contours of rocks, thus softening…
