July 2013 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Knud]

A new month and new blooms.

This white Edraianthus was in bud for quite a while, before opening properly only this week. Buds were a very rich cream colour, and they opened to large snow white flowers. There are three stems, about 10 cm (4'') long, with four flowers on each stem.

I got the seed for this plant from the AGS in 2011 as E. niveus, but after having read the article on white Edraianthuses in IRG no 20, August 2011, I suspect it might be E. graminifolius subsp. graminifolius ´Albus´.

The Edraianthus pumilio bloomed some weeks ago, with beautiful, large flowers.  Also from AGS seed in 2011.

Knud

[Maggi Young]

Your paeony in http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10274.msg280232#msg280232]this thread [/url]is stunning, Knud.


Isn't it great how such creamy buds  on the Edraianthus can open so white? 

[ranunculus]

A couple of new images from dear Anne Spiegel in the Dolomites ... two of her favourites, Polygala chamaebuxus and Ranunculus alpestris.

Polygala chamaebuxus  Images by Anne Spiegel
Ranunculus alpestris

[Mike Ireland]

Weldenia candida &
Delphinium alpestre both seem to be enjoying the cooler weather this year.

[Maggi Young]

How high/tall is Delphinium alpestre, Mike?

[Mike Ireland]

Delphinium alpestre is 8 - 10 inches tall in the garden.

[Maggi Young]

Delphinium alpestre is 8 - 10 inches tall in the garden.

Perfect for a raised bed!

[Tim Ingram]

There is a little too much going on in this first picture but many of the plants are one's we aim to propagate from. In the background Ferula communis subsp. glauca and in the foreground a medley of 'silvers'. These include such plants as Artemisia alba 'Canescens', Convolvulus cneorum and various pinks.

Eryngium planum 'Jade Frost' is very attractive form of the species, but a difficult one to propagate because neither seed nor root cuttings will perpetuate the variegation.

My favorite plant here though at the moment is Gypsophila 'Rosy Veil'; difficult to photograph well but a myriad of tiny pink flowers. The final picture shows it with Oenothera stricta 'Pallida', the artemisia, and Dorycnium hirsutum.

[Natalia]

Some flowers from my garden ...

Collomia debilis

Dactylorhiza fucsii

[ashley]

Lovely plants and photographs Natalia

Also very fine Tim. 
How tall is your ferrula?  Here plain old F. communis at 3.5 m or so falls just outside the alpine plant range    
Wonderful plants though.

[Knud]

Your paeony in http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10274.msg280232#msg280232]this thread [/url]is stunning, Knud.

Thanks Maggi, it is a nice one. As is the pink one. They were sowed 13-14 years ago. The pink one is a more vigorous plant, and always has more flowers. Both are fragrant, and on still, warm evenings (rare occurrances here) you can smell them from quite a distance.

An alpine classic is blooming now, Leontopodium alpinum, a noble white for sure. And it's iris time, here represented by Iris sibirica, the buds as nice as the flowers.

Knud

[Lesley Cox]

There are so many delightful small-growing Delphinium species, especially from the USA> I lost D. orfordii recently so hopefully it will appear on the seedlists again. And once I had D. balansae from Les Kreeger in Kent or Surrey I think. It was a pure charmer but I've seen no mention of it anywhere for probably 20 years. Mr Kreeger had lovely things - seed - and one I still have is Hypericum kelleri, another precious plant. I have tried in vain to collect seed from it but will keep on trying because I've seen it nowhere else. It grows in a tight matlet just 1 cm high and the starry flowers from red buds are pressed tight onto the mat.

I seem to have lost some pictures as I certainly had a nice one of H. kelleri but it's not there now!

[Irm]

today in flower in Berlin

Romneya coulteri    I saw it in Scottland some years ago, and I love it, and I want it. It's a little bit difficult in Berlin, because the winters are cold, -20° and colder ...

[krisderaeymaeker]

Mr Kreeger had lovely things - seed - and one I still have is Hypericum kelleri, another precious plant. I have tried in vain to collect seed from it but will keep on trying because I've seen it nowhere else. It grows in a tight matlet just 1 cm high and the starry flowers from red buds are pressed tight onto the mat.
I seem to have lost some pictures as I certainly had a nice one of H. kelleri but it's not there now!

What a nice and interesting story about the Hypericum Lesley ! For me it was unknown .....So I "googled" this species and I agree ....very nice thing indeed . And more , it is a native of Crete ! I was there 7 times en we never seen it in the wild 
So you are right to take care of this kind of plants .I never see it on any plantlist ....
Sometimes plants are available (sometimes even in larger quantitys) and they become very general at a certain time ...And then suddenly they disappear ....Only few left are even the become unknown ...

[Hoy]

Some flowers from my garden ...

Collomia debilis

Dactylorhiza fucsii

Your Dactylorhiza fuchsii are very beautiful and special, Natalia! Especially the dark form.

Here are two I pictured on a trip sunday: Dactylorhiza incarnata and D maculata.