Alpine, Rock, Miniature, Bonsai and Railroad Gardens
Showing 81–88 of 97 results
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Semiaquilegia ecalcarata Spurless columbine, Z 5-9
Dainty mauvish, dusty pink columbine-like blossoms, without the tail, dangle above foliage in May-June.
OUT OF STOCK
Dainty mauvish, dusty pink columbine-like blossoms, without the tail, dangle above foliage in May-June.
Size: 6-10” x 8”
Care: sun to part shade in well-drained soil
Native: open woods and slopes in central China & TibetCollected before 1891. Named “Wu ju lou dou cai” in Chinese.
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Sempervivum tectorum Hens and chicks Z 3-10
Rosettes of succulent leaves
Rosettes of succulent leaves
Size: 4” x 4”
Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
Native: Alps & Pyrenees MountainsGrown in gardens for thousands of years. Sempervivum means “live forever.” Romans planted Hens and chicks on their roofs to ward off lightning. As a succulent it holds water and is probably more difficult to catch fire. “This practice was preserved for historians when Charlemagne (720-814), first Holy Roman Emperor and unifier of a large part of northern Europe, ordered that all villagers within his crown lands plant houseleeks on their roofs, presumably as a safety measure. He decreed: Et ille hortulanus habeat super domum suam Iovis barbam. (And the gardener shall have house-leeks growing on his house. Capitulare de villis, about 795, LXX.)”
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Silene alpestris Alpine catchfly Z. 5-8
It flowers in May (through August) the flowers being of a polished whiteness
OUT OF STOCK
“It flowers in May (through August) the flowers being of a polished whiteness, with the petals notched, and abundantly produced over the shining green masses of leaves.” Robinson 1903
Size: 4-6” x
Care: full sun in well-drained soil
Native: European AlpsCollected in Austria by 1773
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Silene schafta Schaft’s catchfly, Moss Z 5-7
One of the spectacular late season blooms –clusters of five-petaled, jagged-edge, bright magenta flowers on short mounds, September to October. Perfect for front of borders or rock gardens.
OUT OF STOCK
One of the spectacular late season blooms –clusters of five-petaled, jagged-edge, bright magenta flowers on short mounds, September to October. Perfect for front of borders or rock gardens.
Size: 6” x Slowly spreading
Care: full sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
Native: Russia
Awards: England’s Royal Horticultural Society Award of MeritIntroduced from its native Russia in 1844. First described by and probably collected by Johann Gmelin (1709-1755) German naturalist who spent years hunting plants in Russia and authored four-volume Flora Sibirica. In Greek mythology Silene was a companion of Bacchus who was covered with foam. William Robinson, father of the mixed perennial border, described the flowers of this species as being “very neat tufts.”
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Sisyrinchium angustifolium Blue eyed grass Z 3-9
Petite iris-like foliage sporting blue saucer-shaped flowers with bright yellow stamens in summer.
Petite iris-like foliage sporting blue saucer-shaped flowers with bright yellow stamens in summer.
Size: 10" x 6"
Care: Sun in moist well-drained to well-drained soil
Native: North AmericaAmerican garden cultivation since 1800’s. Described by Nuttall in 1818, The Genera of North American Plants.
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Symphyandra zanzegur Rock bellflower Z 5-10
Flared lilac bells hang from wiry stems all summer. Self-sows.
Flared lilac bells hang from wiry stems all summer. Self-sows.
Size: 10” x 15”
Care: part shade in moist well drained soil
Native: Mountains of ArmeniaGenus Symphyandra named before 1841. This species so rare that I can’t find historic info. about it.
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Synthyris missourica Mountain Kittentails Z 5-9
Spring flowering, true blue short stalks above leathery, evergreen leaves, circular with tooth margins.
OUT OF STOCK
Spring flowering, true blue short stalks above leathery, evergreen leaves, circular with tooth margins.
Size: 5-12” x 12” spreading into clumps by rhizomes.
Care: sun to part shade in moist to moist well-drained soil
Native: Mountains of northeast CA, Washington, Idaho & west to MontanaCollected by Meriwether Lewis on June 26, 1806 in today’s Idaho near the headwaters of what they named Hungry Creek. Common name kittentails imaginatively named for the flower stalk and its protruding stamens resembling, if you squint real hard and maybe after taking a swig of whiskey, fuzzy, blue kitten tails.
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Talinum calycinum syn. Phemeranthus calycinus Rock rose, Fameflower Z 6-9
Bright mauve flowers dance on wiry stems in afternoons all summer, closing at night. Leaves are succulent.
Bright mauve flowers dance on wiry stems in afternoons all summer, closing at night. Leaves are succulent.
Size: 8-12” x 4”
Care: Sun in well-drained soil
Native: western Plains statesCollected by Dr. Frederick Wislizenus, German immigrant and medical partner of George Engelmann, on an exploring trip of Texas, New Mexico and Mexico in 1846.
