Alpines 2018

[kris]

The winter lasted till April end and then without break summer started here. No spring !!
The Townsendia leptotes #1 taken after Sun set
  Townsendia leptotes #2 at day time.
Group of Townsendia leptotes

[Leucogenes]

Incredibly beautiful and very impressive...Kris.

The foliage on the first picture is also fantastic. I love it. I hope there's no storm and you can harvest all the seeds.

regards
Thomas

[kris]

they make thousands of seeds but reseed gently.

[Leucogenes]

Hi Kris

I am always surprised how successful some gardeners are with the different Townsendia. Are you protecting them from wetness from above?

Once again my admiration for this breathtaking group.

Thomas

 

[kris]

Thomas I don't do anything special. Just give them lots of sun, extreme drainage and very lean soil.  I don't cover them  in winter. They are very hardy and even extreme temperature fluctuations in spring do not affect them at all.These townsendias never get any fertilizer . They are in the same location for about 5 years. Every year they flower very nicely.
I can collect all the seeds you want from this one. They make lots of seeds.

[Leucogenes]

Kris. Thank you for the offer. I'd love to.

It's amazing what these little beauties grow so well on you without protection from above. The fact that you have been able to keep this plant alive for five years is also colossal. They are generally considered to be relatively short-lived.

All this gives me courage for the future. 😊

For me the species Townsendia belongs to the most beautiful native alpine North Americans...at least those I know so far.

Thomas

[Rick R.]

Yes, those are pretty incredible specimens, Kris!

I think there is quite a bit of variability in moisture tolerance among the Townsendia species.  Not that I am any kind of an expert, but T. rothrockii is very easy for me, while I've not been able to get T. spathulata  to flowering before it dies.  Kenton Seth confirmed with me that T. spathulata is likely the most moisture susceptipble species.

Incidentally, early last spring I had a hypertufa trough break when I tried to pick it up.  T. rothrockii grew in it. Since townsendias are supposed to abhor  transplanting, I figured this five year old plant wouldn't survive a move, so I decided to wait for it to bloom and set seed before I dismantled the trough plants.

Wrong!

Here you see the plant from the dismantled trough on 28 July 2017 - T. rothrockii on the left.

There was no transplant shock, and didn't even temporarily wilt.

[kris]

As you said Rick they are really tough plant. If pamperd they will certainly die. The only reason for this Townsendia species to thrive is the location. My friend who is an expert gardener tried the same plant but they never flowered like mine. Give the plant maximum baking sun, no fertilizer and extreme drainage.
Like you said the Townsendia montana  and Townsendia condensata needs more moisture compared to this one. They don't grow in the same area as this one.
Kris

[ruweiss]

Campanula fragilis and C. choruhensis in the Alpine House:

[kris]

Astragalus lutosus flowering now in the rock garden .

[kris]

Another group of the Astragalus lutosus just starting to form buds.

[Yann]

a fascinating genius, a shame i can't grow many of them in my "warm" climate