May 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Maggi, the article mentions Scientists and supercomputers in predicting the changes to alpine plants with the changes to climatic conditions. If those scientists bothered to go and look with their eyes they would not need expensive equipment and a scientific training to see what is happening. I suppose ordinary people are not qualified to have an opinion? Governments do not take any notice of those of us who already know how climate change is affecting our wildlife, so that by the time studies are checked and re-checked it is too late to save species. Our own native upland plants are already reacting to climate change by decreasing in number and variety over the last twenty years or so. That is apparent by nothing more scientific than observation, but what do we know?

[Robert]

Ian,

Your field observations are completely valid! My brother is a retired research scientist. He tells me repeatedly that (good) field observations trump laboratory or computer data. It seems that, in many cases, field observations do not get proper funding these days. The politics of science is very complicated, however there are many dedicated scientist out there! Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is 100% valid. Just because we can not put PhD after our name does not mean that we are stupid or that our ideas are not valid or that we can not understand complex ideas. I guess if such things were true, Charles Darwin (no degree), and Michael Faraday (a blacksmith's son) would be considered idiots and their contributions to science invalid.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, Ian and Robert, very true - there are some who consider that "amateurs" cannot know anything - no matter the breadth of their experience and  knowledge. 
Just thought the article would generate a little interest!

[Philip Walker]

Lewisia columbiana x pygmaea
Ptilotrichum spinosum

[Lampwick]

Pictures taken yesterday and today.

    Asperula suberosa.jpg
    Clematis cartmanii 'Joe'.jpg
    Clematis 'Moonbeam'.jpg
    Erigeron aureus 'Canary Bird'.jpg
    Iris lacustris 'Captain Collingwood'.jpg

[Lampwick]

And another two. . .

    Phlox subulata 'Bonita'
    Phlox subulata 'Holly'

[Maggi Young]

Crumbs, a lot of these lovely flowers are making me think more of Summer than early May!

[Gabriela]

Lots of beautiful species from all!
One day I hope to grow an Asperula suberosa that will look so wonderful

Always interesting to see Iris lacustris sold/cultivated outside Canada - very strange conservation practices forbid the nurseries to sell plants here (even if the stock plants are of cultivated provenience). How this helps with the conservation of this species in the wild is very hard to understand

[Lampwick]

..... and three more.

Veronica austriaca 'Ionian Skies'
Phlox 'Oxen Blood'
an unknown Pink Phlox

WOW! . . . I love that Phlox 'Oxen Blood' David. 
I have Phlox caespitosa 'Zigeunerblut' described on the AGS web site as - a vibrant hit-you-in-the-eyes red.
BUT I ONLY GOT TWO FLOWERS ON IT!!!!

Are you feeding it ox blood David? 

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Gabriela, your comment about Iris lacustris reminds me of a recent enquiry I had regarding Cirsium tuberosum. It is a protected plant here, although it has been cultivated for many years. I found two suppliers and sent for plants. When the first arrived I noticed the leaves did not match those of the illustrations. I made further enquiries and found that one of the native populations has cross-bred with a similar member of the same family and the people that study our wild plants are not sure now if the "true" native exists at one of its sites. Perhaps the cultivated plants are grown close to other members of the Cirsium species. I wonder if the situation would have been clearer had more plants  been cultivated in the past? I am not suggesting that our wild plants should be removed from the wild, or that seed collecting should be carried out without a license. Perhaps if a small amount of seed had been collected in the past and cultivated as a garden worthy plant, there would now be more C. tuberosum for conservation without cross-pollination? I,m sure this is something which will be debated for a long time.

[johnw]

A lurker friend found this red Corydalis solida in his garden this morning.  I'm still in shock, not a hint of pink in that red.  I'd be making certain it selfed by yanking all neighbours out.  Does it measure up with good ones in the UK?

john

[Parsla]

Such delight on these pages!

Leena, the photos of your garden are simply beautiful.

[meanie]

A lurker friend found this red Corydalis solida in his garden this morning.  I'm still in shock, not a hint of pink in that red.  I'd be making certain it selfed by yanking all neighbours out.  Does it measure up with good ones in the UK?

john

That is quite outstanding!

[David Nicholson]

WOW! . . . I love that Phlox 'Oxen Blood' David. 
I have Phlox caespitosa 'Zigeunerblut' described on the AGS web site as - a vibrant hit-you-in-the-eyes red.
BUT I ONLY GOT TWO FLOWERS ON IT!!!!

Are you feeding it ox blood David? 

Nice one isn't it? I bought it a couple of months ago from a garden centre near Bodmin who had a nice range of alpines. It was a similar range we had seen in a small garden centre close to us the day before (we lead a sad life ) All fell into place when I asked Mr Google. First site was the Devon based 'Plants for Small Gardens' which told me that P. douglasii 'Oxens Blood' was a new variety from Germany. The second was the site of 'Craigiehall Nursery' up in Scotland which told me P. d. 'Ochsenblut' was one of several red-flowered P. d. cultivars but stood apart with it's rich, dark-red, almost crimson flowers and that 'Ochsenblut' meant Ox Blood. The third was the site of Devon based Border Alpines who also offered P. d. 'Oxen Blood'. The fourth site was that of Devon based wholesale alpine nursery Carripitt Plants who also list Oxen Blood and is probably the reason why it seems to be fairly well available in retail sources in Devon. Of course that doesn't answer why Craigiehall have it but I'm sure Devon based wholesellers sell very widely.

I like your Asperula suberosa, must get one of those.

[Leena]

Parsla, thank you.

A lurker friend found this red Corydalis solida in his garden this morning.  I'm still in shock, not a hint of pink in that red.  I'd be making certain it selfed by yanking all neighbours out.  Does it measure up with good ones in the UK?

That is a very nice red Corydalis solida!

My most red C.solida is 'Red Lion'.
Also unusual colours are 'Boyar' (C. kusnetzovii x C. decipiens), and C.caucasica 'Borodino', both very difficult to photograph because the colour is so dark. Pictures from yesterday.