Flowering now in the garden March 2009

[maggiepie]

The interesting of Mt. Baldo is that there have survived a lot of plant species the Ice age ....I can suggest all this beautiful area with Lake Garda ,Monte Baldo, Lake Ledro and more ....

Hans

Thanks for the link Hans, is most interesting.

Cliff, the Callianthemum anemonoides is another beauty !!

[Jo]

Sorry, not an alpine but this Magnolia sprengeri 'Marwood Spring' looks absolutely magnificent at Marwood Hill Garden at the moment so I can't resist posting a pic.

[johngennard]

Glad you posted this Jo.I haven't come across this variety of sprengeri and it looks wonderful.Have you any idea as to where I might obtain it from ?

[Maggi Young]

Jo, what a super deep pink that is. What size are the  individual flowers, please?

[Onion]

Helen,
some information about hardiness zones of the world.

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/HardinessZoneMaps

[Onion]

Jo without words. 

Wonderful cultivar never heard before.

[maggiepie]

Helen,
some information about hardiness zones of the world.

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/HardinessZoneMaps

Thanks for the link Uli, I hadn't seen some of them before, it's a very handy site.

[cohan]

Hardiness is a relative issue ... to us here in northern England most of the european high alpines should be bone hardy and I wouldn't dream of giving any of them winter protection, but Canada is a different prospect altogether!  

i'm very interested in this issue, and i'm sure there is no one answer, but most Sempervivums are totally hardy, even here where we are zone 2-3 (lows to -40C and beyond; helen is in a milder but wetter place); they, like other things of course, can succumb for reasons other than strictly cold--moisture at the wrong time, etc...this makes me hopeful that at least some of the other europeans will be equally hardy... i have a tiny Armeria juniperifolia ( i think its european? it was a mainstream garden centre purchase, with no info) that seems to have pulled through the worst of this winter fine--though we are not done yet!

[Lori S.]

Hardiness... a fascinating subject that interests me greatly.  I won't know the answer though until I've tried every plant that interests me!  (Hmm, I wish some of the more accomplished local rock gardeners would jump in here - surely some must be members? - and describe what they are growing!)

Edit:  I am rather amazed at what has seemed to prove hardy here though... or, rather, I am amazed at the actual hardiness of certain plant species.  I would not have thought, some time ago, that Geranium magniflorum, Antirrhinum molle, Helianthemum nummularium, etc. would be hardy here.  And, actually, I wouldn't dream of protecting any of them either - everything I grow has to make it on its own... speaking of cruelty to plants!  (Err, by the way, I hope you all appreciate the risk I am taking in even mentioning these plants on such an esteemed public forum... the plant gods are sure to smite them now!  )

Anyway, back to your regular programming...   

[Jo]

Glad you posted this Jo.I haven't come across this variety of sprengeri and it looks wonderful.Have you any idea as to where I might obtain it from ?

Well I was so impressed I put myself on the waiting list because they get a few graphted each season but was phoned up yesterday to say they had one for me so I was happy. Here is a link to their website http://www.marwoodhillgarden.co.uk/

Googling the name of the magnolia gives links to various images. The flowers are large Maggi but I would need to get up close to really judge, I should say about 8 inches high.

I'll take some more pics when I pick up my baby one.

Marwood is well worth visiting when in the SW, its got a couple of national collections, Astilbe, Iris and Tulbergia and a huge range of trees.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Jo, good luck with the baby.
I thought the flowers might be that large..... how fab!

[Jim McKenney]

Here's a little favorite now blooming in my Maryland, USA garden: Hacquetia epipactis. Very few people in my circle seem to know this plant. And I'm always amused when people ask me what kind of winter aconite it is. Not, of course, that I myself am ever puzzled about the identity of a plant. 

[Carlo]

I've always loved it...are you growing the cultivar 'Thor' as well?

[Jim McKenney]

I've always loved it...are you growing the cultivar 'Thor' as well?

Hi, Carlo
No, I have not grown 'Thor' although another local grower who specializes in variegated plants (variegated poke weed anyone?)  did have it and lost it. Evidently it can be a bit trickier to grow.
I like the typical form for its quiet simplicity. I've never seen 'Thor' myself, and variegated plants always elicit thoughts of the V word for me. Perhaps someone will post an image of 'Thor'.
Mom and pop nurseries take note: I've had an image of the typical form on my website for years. No other plant has generated as many direct requests for information about sources.

[Tony Willis]

Glad you posted this Jo.I haven't come across this variety of sprengeri and it looks wonderful.Have you any idea as to where I might obtain it from ?

Marwood is well worth visiting when in the SW, its got a couple of national collections, Astilbe, Iris and Tulbergia and a huge range of trees.

We have visited Marwood twice and the collection of trees is wonderful. They have been planted a good time and look mature.