Todd, thats good to know about the alliums. stretch out the bloom season. I'm mostly gathering info at this point and hope to really get some plants in next year. I've ordered a few things from Arrowhead Alpines because I was ordering some dwarf conifers and couldn't resist getting a few plants while I was there. no alliums yet, though.
What's blooming in your rock garden?
Todd, to the right of the Zinnia is a lovely prostrate, grey-leaved Lostus labelus with tiny yellow daisy-type flowers. When it dies, I'll dig it up and find the label underneath, probably. Also to the right, is yellow-leaved Berberis thunbergii 'Moulers', a (so far) very dwarf cultivar. The maroon-brown stuff that you see behind is dead flowerheads of Sedum floriferum 'Weihenstephaner Gold'. I really love the way its leaves turn deep red in winter, and it's a mass of yellow flowers in early summer.
Gram, you are so lucky to be able to order from Arrowhead Alpines. Such a great (and quirky) catalog! I had some good stuff from there when I was living in PA.
Most of the plants in the gravel bed have come from either Wrightman Alpines (they ship) or The Country Squires Garden (pick-up only). And there's some from Ontario Rock Garden Society members plant sales or seed.
this is my first time ordering from Arrowhead. definitely quirky. made me a little nervous that they don't have online ordering and won't commit to any shipping date. I called last night and Bob said my order either shipped yesterday or would go out today, so I feel better. I faxed it, so then I start to worry if they even got it. I like those e-mail confimations ;0) but they had dwarf conifers I wanted that were hard to find and they have such a good rep that I decided to go ahead. spent too much $ so they better be good!
I met the Wrightman's last fall when they did a talk at our local chapter of NARGS. They
did a workshop on tufa planting. It was so fun. I stocked up on a number of their goodies too.
Based on what they brought with them, I believe they have a beautiful selection!
I've never tried Arrowhead Alpines. I'll have to give them a try. I ordered from Beaver Creek
Greenhouse this spring and was delighted with the plants too. (Mail order - beautifully packaged).
Tam
I've ordered from Beaver Creek and also highly recommend them. Wrightmans and Alpines Mount Echo are also quite good.
Lostus is not a genus I've heard of....was it Lotus? but then, that's a waterlily isn't it? Hmm.
A dwarf Berberis sounds nice. I have four but none are dwarf to say the least! That Sedum is a new species to me...I'll have to do some research as I have quite a few Sedums but could always use more!
Most of my alliums have been grown from seed. I did not get the seeds as specific cultivars of senescens. It just turned out that different sources flowered at different seasons. Some came as other species but when they bloomed, ended up being more senescens. That species is among the most commonly mis-identified allium!
Lotus is a genus in the fabaceae family - I tried sowing Lotus corniculatus once but when it flowered this summer it turned out to be something else with lavender/white bean flowers instead of the yellow I was expecting - so I'll have to try again! It's really pretty - not too many yellow alpines that grow here .... never heard of Lotus labelus or Lostus genus ....
http://bellquel.bo.cnr.it/scuole/serpieri/erbario/immagini%20erbacee%20spontanee/Leguminose/Lotus%20corniculatus%202.jpg
I was thinking water lotus...the genus Nelumbo, not Lotus. Yes, I now realize that Lotus is a Fabaceae...Lotus corniculatus is a hydroseeded roadside establishment plant locally...its all over the place. Rannveig, you are probably fortunate that yours turned out to be something else as Lotus corniculatus can be invasive.
It's not invasive here - here it's a very good rock garden plant :-)
Ok, I'l try again to post the Allium senescens that is currently open.
Sorry, Rannveig, it was a lame joke: Lostus labelus is the plant that lost its label, and I cannot remember what its real name is. If I find out, I'll let you know.
I'm off to Europe for a couple of weeks now. Talk to you all again when I get back. Bye for now,
June
That is pretty, such a nice color!
Here's one that's flowering at the moment, Primula capitata 'Noverna Deep Blue' - this one flower head has been in bloom, since the beginning of August - there are still a few buds up on the top that haven't opened yet. I noticed today a new flowerstalk, but that one probably won't start to flower before the first frost. I really like this primula, it's one of my favorites - maybe because it's borderline here - the ones I planted out in my perennial bed last year didn't make it. I had a spare in my cold frame and decided to plant it in my alpine border since it has better drainage. I sure hope it'll survive the winter!
Ah, ok - I probably got a few of those too! Have a nice trip!
This message was edited Sep 19, 2006 11:25 PM
Have a great time in Europe, June. I love "Lostus labelus," by the way. I have so many of them growing here.
I'm amazed at the range of growing conditions for those "Lostus Labelus"!!! We've got a lot of them
growing here in my Zone 6b too. LOL
Rannveig - I tried P. Capatita a few years ago but its a Deadus Primulus now. That blue is remarkable!
Todd - my Allium Senesces bloomed in July. I love their folliage.
Tam
I don't have any Deadus Primulus, but my Lostus Labelus is invasive.
I need alliums....why, oh why didn't I order some when I had Arrowhead in front of me?
Maybe I'll go to Europe with June.
I have some semps I need to get planted. I've gotten fascinated with them and there can't be too many.
Have you ever started the semps from seed? I start mine indoors in early spring, having collected seeds in the fall. The seed is like powder, so I mix it with coarse sand.
Tammy, I sure hope mine won't turn out to be a Deadus primulus as well, I got two of those last year!
Wheezin I've tried starting semps form seed - only one species though. I haven't been able to find seed of the ones I'd like to grow. The seed germinated easily and I got far too many plants - it flowered this summer. Here's a photo - it's Sedum aizoon I think (to lazy to look it up ;-))
Rannveig, my Primula capitata is just starting to go by. I guess mine bloomed about 3 weeks before yours. I've triedit many times and last winter was the first that I was successful in getting it to overwinter. I inverted a large pot over the plant to keep off the excess rain and snow and that seemed to work. Otherwise, they rot over the winter.
Weezing, I have grown Semps and Jovibarba from seed...dust is right! Some did well, other were no shows. They can grow surprisingly fast from seed.
Thanks for the tip Todd! I've used that method on many borderline plants with fair success - I got a bit lazy last winter with the pots. I thought I'd covered the P. capitata plants but it turned out to be P. cockburniana that got covered up! Probably needed it too - it lived the others didn't. I've collected the christmas trees around the neighborhood and used the branches to cover up my alpine bed - it's worked pretty well - not many losses so far :-)
My semps are pretty new and none have flowered so no seed to collect yet.
good idea on the pots for winter protection. the christmas trees, too, Rannveig. they suggest using evergreen branches to cover heather over the winter if you don't get enough snow cover. unfortunately, I didn't have enough of either last year and my new heaths & heathers suffered for it. didn't occur to me to collect old xmas trees.
My neighbors probably think I'm crazy - but they're (x-mas trees) thrown out on the sidewalks to be collected in January after Christmas so I thought why not use them? We usually don't need to shelter the plants until after christmas anyway. Some x-mas trees are too dried out to be very useful though and drop all their needles. My older daughter was very helpful last year - I think she came home from school with three trees that she and her friends dragged home! Burlap can also make a useful shelter - I use that for my rhododendrons. Had to look up heathers wasn't sure what they were :-) I've managed to overwinter a few Calluna plants - tucked inside the burlap with the rhododendrons.
I have some new calluna and ericas that I put in spring '05. most made it thru the winter. I lost a few. they are in a very wind-swept location and I think I may try some wilt-pruf on them this year
this is Erica cinerea 'C.D.Eason' (bell heather) that has been blooming since June, looks pretty sad. I have 3 of these and they really took a beating last winter
The ericas and callunas are sold here in autum for autumn color in tubs and baskets - there's no chance of overwintering the ericas here. Your's is real pretty :-) It would be nice if we could just get a nice blanket of snow around late november to keep our tiny gems warm and cozy until march!
the ones I have are all winter hardy to z4 or 5. what I think did some of them in is the drying out from the winds. most of the ericas I have are winter bloomers (e. carnea). here's c.d.eason from it's first spring. the color is great.
the autumn color on some of the callunas is amazing. these are still young plants, but this one looks like it's on fire...c. vulgaris 'Wickwar Flame'. the blooms are nice, but a somewhat insignificant pale lavender. the foliage on this one is pretty bright all year round.
edit for spelling
This message was edited Sep 20, 2006 10:46 AM
a few of the callunas (Scotch heathers) in bloom for the first time this year
edit to add: snuck in a Cornish heath (e. vagans 'Lyoness', one of my favorites)
This message was edited Sep 20, 2006 10:54 AM
and a few more...
ok, I'm done. hope nobody minds. my heather garden and rock garden are attached and one kind of flows into the other
Great heather collection! We grow many heaths and heather in the Botanical garden...in fact I struck cuttings of about 25 different cultivars today for sale next fall. Rannveig, I'm surprised that Erica would not grow in Iceland...they do better here than the Callunas.
Erica cineria is a bit finicky here too and can get damaged some winters. We also try E. X stuartii and E. X watsonii...they also are touch and go. But E. carnea and E. X darleyensis are easy.
Gram those are beautiful! So many different kinds and colors !
I don't know the name of the Erica they sell in the garden centers every fall - it's bright pink. There is no way to overwinter it here .... hence you have to buy new ones every fall. They only have that one kind for sale and the Callunas in different colors. I've also seen some types of Hebe for sale, but they too are tender. I often feel that they should try to import plants that have a chance of doing well here - but then they'd probably sell fewer plants ;-) Calluna vulgaris grows wild here - it's really pretty and gets very nice fall colors - don't have it growing in my garden. Can they be raised from seed?
Erica carnea's are easier than Calluna's here in Minnesota too. But both are difficult for most gardeners.
I've been busy lately getting all my plants trimmed and ready to winter over in pots. After the first hard freeze I'll be mulching them, then covering them with plastic. Yesterday, I trimmed all my sedums, and it occurred to me that I should be sending all those cuttings out to people that have a longer season than I do. There is hardly time to root anything here.
Yes, I started aizoon from seed last spring and it did quite well. Sedum acre is quite easy, as well. There are several others I've started from seed, and some that I just keep rooting from original plants. I also started Sedum pulchellum from seed this spring. It is quite an interesting form. This picture was taken in July, and now it is getting ready to bloom.
Finally ... I've got a cyclamen that came back & bloomed!!!! This is a real triumph for me... I've been
starting seed & nurturing them 'til I put them into their final resting place. Lots of Deadus Plantus! But
I got one to come back this year.
And another shot by this proud moma!
The colchicum are finally blooming here. The waterlily are the prettiest!
These sternbergia didn't show up last year - I guess they needed to take the year off?
Beautiful photos, Tammy. I love your waterlily colchicum. I've got to plant some of those. The cyclamen's leaves are gorgeous. Which cyclamen is that?
Congrats on the cyclamen...they are beauties indeed. I wouldn't be without mine. Wish Sternbergia were hardy here but alas :(
I just bought Waterlily last week. No signs yet but it did have 2 strong shoots just emerging when I planted it.
thanks Zuzu & Todd! The cyclamen is hederifolium. And I suspect the Sternbergia are only marginally
hardy here.
Tam
As the season ends, your garden still looks gorgeous! And you certainly should be proud of your cyclamen!
Bravo!
Aw shucks. Thanks!
Oh, Tammy your cyclamen are so pretty! I tried raising Cyclamen hederifolium from seed a few years back, but they all rotted during the first winter so they never amounted to anything. I'd really like to try again - they're sooo pretty! No wonder you're proud!!! Congrats!!
Love the waterlily Colcicum - I planted some last year or the year before - they haven't flowered properly for me yet. My "regular" Colcicums are starting to peek up - no sign of the "waterlilies" yet.