Alpine, Rock, Miniature, Bonsai and Railroad Gardens
Showing 57–64 of 117 results
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Edraianthus tenuifolius syn. Wahlenbergia tenuifolius Grassy bells Z 5-8
Clusters of upfacing blue-purple bells in June, with a base of grassy foliage.
OUT OF STOCK
Clusters of upfacing blue-purple bells in June, with a base of grassy foliage.
Size: 4” x 8”
Care: sun to part shade in well-drained soil
Native: Dalmatia in southern Austria (Balkans)Introduced to gardens by M. Fröbel of Zurich who sent it to Kew Botanical Garden where it flowered in 1819. The name Edraianthus comes from Greek meaning “without a stalk.” Tenuifolius means “slender leaved.”
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Engelmannia peristenia syn. E. pinnatafida Engelmann’s Daisy Z 4-8
Clusters of golden-yellow daisy-like flowers, May-August, over an evergreen rosette
OUT OF STOCK
Clusters of golden-yellow daisy-like flowers, May-August, over an evergreen rosette
Size: 18-36” x 15-18”
Care: full sun in well-drained soil. Drought tolerant.
Native: South central US
Wildlife Value: Attracts birds for the seeds, Bees & butterflies for nectar/pollen. Rabbit resistant.First published in 1840 by Nuttal/Gray. Named for George Engelmann (1809-1884) who was born in Germany and settled in St. Louis, Missouri, as a young man. He was a physician and botanist. When he died much of his collection went to Missouri Botanical Garden.
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Erigeron aureus Alpine yellow fleabane Z 5-8
White hairs cover frosted-looking basil leaves making this worthy of any garden even without flowers, but then its school bus yellow daisies flower from spring through fall.
White hairs cover frosted-looking basil leaves making this worthy of any garden even without flowers, but then its school bus yellow daisies flower from spring through fall.
Size: 3-4” x 3”
Care: sun in moist well-drained to well-drained soil
Native: Cascade Mountains from Alberta to State of Washington
Wildlife Value: attracts bees, butterflies and birds1st described in literature in 1884.
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Erigeron compositus Cutleaf daisy, Dwarf mountain fleabane Z 3-8
Petite daisies with cushion-shaped grey, woolly leaves
OUT OF STOCK
Cushion shaped plant with wooly grey leaves topped by small bluish, pink or white rays like a daisy with a yellow center. Flowers in June-July.
Size: 6” x 6-12”
Care: sun to part shade in well-drained soil.
Native: all of western No. America from prairies to alpine slopes.Thompson Indians from British Columbia chewed on the plant then spit on sores to remedy skin ailments. They also made a decoction of the plant, mixed with any weeds for broken bones. 1st collected by Meriwether Lewis in 1806 near Lewiston Idaho. Erigeron comes from Greek er meaning “spring” and geron for “old man” due to some of these species having white downy hair like an old man, in spring.
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Eryngium maritimum Sea holly Z 5-8
Mounds of showy, frosted, holly-like foliage
OUT OF STOCK
Mounds of showy, frosted, holly-like foliage with conspicuous silver veins and prickly leaf margins with round, steel-blue thistles blooming in late summer. Grow at the front of the garden or in a rock garden.
Size: 8" x 8"
Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil. Drought tolerant
Native: Seacoasts of EuropeEryngium is Greek meaning “thistle.” Anglo-Saxons prescribed the root to cure the king’s evil, serpent bites, broken bones, stiff necks and melancholy. During Tudor times the plant, reputedly an aphrodisiac, brought on “kissing comfits.” Garden cultivation in America since 1700’s.
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Galium odoratum Sweet woodruff, Bedstraw Z 4-8
white blooms in spring & whorls of fine textured leaves
Whorls of fine textured leaves, like spokes of a wheel, with white blooms in spring light up the shade. Makes great groundcover, especially under trees & shrubs
Size: 6-12" x 18" spreading
Care: shade to part shade in moist to moist well-drained soil. Tolerant Walnut toxicity. Deer resistant.
Native: Europe and Mediterranean areaCalled “Bedstraw” because, according to legend, Mary rested on hay of Bedstraw on Christmas. Bedstraw made May wine, an ancient herbal remedy: handful of dried and crushed leaves plus fresh lemon juice steeped in wine for 3-4 hours “makes a man merry and (is) good for the heart and liver” per Gerard, 1633. Garlands hanging in houses in summer “coole and make fresh the place, to the delight and comfort of such as are therein.” Gerard. Dried branches give a grassy vanilla fragrance, used in sachets and potpourris, as an insect repellant and to make grey-green dyes.
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Gaultheria procumbens Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Teaberry Z 3-8
Urn-like spring blossoms, fall red berries
“Gaultheria procumbens is in absolute perfection and beautiful – first as regards its bell-shaped blossoms, and afterwards its berries…” The Garden , January 1876.
Size: 4” x 2’, slow but dense groundcover in time.
Care: part shade in moist to moist well-drained, acidic soil
Native: Eastern North America – Canada to Georgia west to Michigan, Wisconsin
Awards: England’s Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit.Named by Swedish botanist Peter Kalm after Dr. Gaulthier, with whom he botanized in Canada and the upper Midwest in 1749. But 1st described as a grape in 1717. Ojibwa made tea from the leaves because the tea “makes them feel good.” Algonquin used Wintergreen to cure the common cold, headaches, grippe and stomachaches. Cherokee used it to cure swollen gums and colds. Wintergreen was sent to England in 1762. Sold in America’s 1st plant catalog, Bartram’s Broadside, 1783. During the American Revolution when tea became unavailable, colonists used the plant to make tea. The tea reputedly relieved pain from headaches, muscle pains and colds. The leaves contain oil effective against pain – methyl salicylate. Pressed specimen in Emily Dickinson’s herbarium.
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Geum triflorum Prairie smoke Z 1-6
Pale purplish to pink cup-shaped flowers in spring
Pale purplish to pink bud-shaped flowers in spring followed by long silky seed heads – like magic.
Size: 12" x 12"
Care: sun to part shade in well-drained to moist well-drained soil, drought tolerant.
Native: all of northern No. America, Wisconsin nativeIntroduced to gardens in 1609. Many Native American medicinal uses. Blackfoot, to cure coughs, skin sores and wounds, swollen eyes, canker sores, and fuzzy thinking. Okanagan-Colville women made a love potion from the roots, and cured vaginal yeast infections.
