I hope this forum stays around, so I will try and participate once in a while. I'm hoping to learn a lot here. I think I have some plants already that I think will be suitable for a rock garden that I have started, sort of. Well the grass has been sprayed once and I know there are big rocks under there to be lifted up a bit. I think this little Dianthus is Tiny Rubies.
I have a north facing slope, partly shaded from about noon. Not as hot a situation maybe as some plants might like, and need plants that are pretty hardy in my zone. Hoping some alpines will like it there. Suggestions are more than welcome.
I have a few dwarf Irises like this little blue one I could place in the sunniest part.
I'll leave suggestions to the others, because our zones couldn't be more different, but I have to give you some compliments on your pretty Dianthus and your stunning Iris.
Well thanks, I think you're right, we must be growing very different plants. You would probably like this Iris too. Just a little short one.
You could try some choice small plants that like shade such as andromeda, dicentra cucullaria, dodecatheon, jefferspnia dubia, soldanella, ramonda, trillium, corydalis, gentiania, aquilegia viridiflora and shortia. There are some wonderful small ferns too. You'd have to check these out for hardiness in your zone.
Thanks for those suggestions. It's not too shady there, untill the afternoon, but I already have some Dicentra cucullaria, corydalys, gentiana dahurica and septemphida lagodichiana(to late to move, but could seed),a couple of trillium and a few small aquilegias. Had intentions to get dodecatheon and will check out the others you mention.
You're right, Echoes. I do like that iris very much.
Galanthophile, I'm growing all of the plants on your list but the Shortia. I've had incredible difficulty finding it here. The only mail-order nurseries carrying it are on the east coast and will not ship to California. I hope to get a couple of different varieties someday, however, because the pictures I've seen of the plant really appeal to me.
My Jelitto book says Shortia are for the experienced plantsman. I would give them a go later on maybe, but would have to provide lime free soil. Around here that takes work and persistance. Sometimes I run out of that before the jobs are all done.
Shortia might go in the UK but they are not the easiest plants for most gardeners. Ramonda, Andromeda and Soldanella probably would be challenging in Manitoba. based on my brothers rockery in Calgary, some good choices would be Dianthus gratianopolitanus cultivars (includes Tiny Rubies), Dianthus deltoides, many Campanula, Sedums, Sempervivums, dwarf Veronica, Iris setosa ssp. canadensis, dwarf penstemon, aster tongolensis, dwarf geranium, encrusted saxifrage, aster novi-belgii (dwarf types) and aster dumosus. I'd try some cacti if in manitoba as well.
Thanks Todd. I can gather most of those plants from around here, except for the Sempervivems. I have some little seedlings are what I think are saxifrage, but not encrusted. I'll have to put up a pic and see if they can be id'd......something got mixed up in all the seeding last winter.
Think it would be worth trying some Lewisii? Sure like those. And you didn't mention the Jeffersonia. Not sure about it's hardiness either. Depending on snow cover, which is usually good, I can usually grow up to zone 4 without much problem and zone 5 on a few things, but these zone ratings on plants are so variable, depending on who you're buying from.
