here's what's in bloom now.....Saxifraga 'Winifred Bevington'. This is an unusual hybrid between S. cuneifolia (a dwarf london Pride) and an encrusted species. The rosettes are like an encrusted type but the rosettes are green, not silvery. the flowers are more like S. cuneifolia.
Saxifraga 'Clarence Elliot'. the parent of 'Winifred Bevington' is not unlike this hybrid. You can easily see the similarity.
Arnica lonchophylla, a native Newfoundland alpine.
Penstemon cardwellii 'Roseus'
saxifraga paniculata 'Labradorica' on the left, Saxifraga 'Kathleen Pinsent' on the right
Lewisia columbiana var. rupicola
and finally Dianthis 'Neon Pink'
Wow, Todd. Great looking plants, as usual. The saxifrages are incredible and I love that rupicola.
great pics, as usual! I have a question concerning saxifrages---I have put a few in my garden, inspired especially by your first thread about them in theis forum...calling them the hostas of the rock garden! well anyway, what i was wondering about was soil...i have put them into my basic rock garden area with a sort of gravel/dirt/sand/organics mix and wondering if it is too lean for them...do they want a richer soil. A pot tag that came with one from a local garden center says something to the effect of : plant in a rich, moist soil??? i was surprised by that- but my first thought was- ask Todd, he'll know!
I grow my Saxifrages in regular garden soil to which I have added extra grit...they like a well-drained soil but not too dry. In the wild, they do grow in richer pockets so perhaps your media is a little too lean....thats fine for Penstemon, Sedums, Eriogonums and many other alpines but saxifrages do seem to prefer a soil thats a bit richer, as do alpine primula. The main criteria is a little lime..most sax's love lime.
Having said that, I bought many of my sax's from beaver Creek or Alpines Mt. Echo and they both grow in nearly pure grit...I assume they water daily and feed them with weak fertilizer solution because their media is one I would use for cactus, not alpines!
Todd,
Ahhhhh... I was having "alpine bloom" withdrawl. Thanks for the gorgeous pics.
I'm in love with the saxifrages and am just getting started. Glad Sarah asked
about planting conditions! I thought they would have wanted leaner soil. I've
got a very steep rocky lean hillside I'm planting - thought they'd like it there but
realize probably not. Maybe at the base with some soil amendments?
I'm always amazed at how much color these little alpine jewels can pump out.
How could you not be in love with 'em?
Tam
Thanks for the response, todd- looking at my little babies, i'm thinking they could use a little juicier soil...i'll add compost...s.
