Plants flowering in the open rock garden.April May '09

[Sinchets]

Flowering just now:
Sisyrinchium macrocarpum
Calceolaria purpurea (small flowers but a lovely colour)
Eriogonum gracilipes (flowerhead 1cm across on a 5cm 'cushion' of a plant)

[Sinchets]

Also just now:
A Nepeta species growing larger than expected
A Cerastium species (ex AGS SeedEx as Arenaria bertolonii) I planted this in a place I soon regretted in my rock garden in England. When it started to take over, I realised it had to be a Cerastium. Here it is competing with much stronger plants in dry shade.

[Gerdk]

Flowering just now:
Sisyrinchium macrocarpum
Calceolaria purpurea (small flowers but a lovely colour)
Eriogonum gracilipes (flowerhead 1cm across on a 5cm 'cushion' of a plant)

I love the (all) Calceolaria(s) but never thought of it as a rock garden plant. Does it survive because of a reliable snowcover for the whole winter?

Gerd

[Ragged Robin]

Flowering just now:
Calceolaria purpurea (small flowers but a lovely colour)

Simon, I love the colour and shape of the Calceolaria purpurea, it's so deep and although small I really like flowers that are suspended in mid air even if you have to grovel to look at them 

[Sinchets]

The Calceolaria was a trial here. We weren't expecting it to survive as it was rated zone7, but it was under snow for most of the winter. There were af ew occasions where the snow melted enough to expose it, and it looked very sad indeed. It grew back from very small over-wintering rosettes and we are hoping to get seed this year in case an older plant is less likely to survive.
Also from today:
Aquilegia bertolonii (?)

[Gerdk]

Thank you Simon,
Maybe a lot of South American plants are worth to try outside.

Gerd

[Sinchets]

I agree Gerd- I am trying several other South American species outside from ChiileFlora and JJA. Pics to follow shortly for some of these.

[Paul T]

Wow Simon.  I love that Calceolaria purpurea.  Is that one of the bulbous types, or "just" a perennial?  You mention an overwintering rosette, so I am figuring it was not bulbous, but thought I would ask.  I've barely had anything to do with hardy Calceolarias.... rarely ever seen here I think.  Fascinating little flowers though, aren't they?

[Sinchets]

Hi Paul- I haven't heard of any bulbous Calceolaria. This one I think will be a shortlived perennial with us. It flowered last autumn, but there was no seed set. It probably is quite a confusing flower for insects to get into. So I will try to pollinate it by hand this year. Unfortunately it is hard to take a picture that does  the plant justice, as the flowers are quite small and widely spaced.

[cohan]

Also from today:
Aquilegia bertolonii (?)

aquilegias are long time favourites of mine, but i dont have any small ones... something to be rectified..

[Paul T]

Simon,

I've probably got my wires crossed then.  I thought there were some that died back to tubers (rather than bulbs), but I'm probably wrong. 

[Sinchets]

You could be right, Paul. I've only ever grown shrubby or annual ones though.
The Aquilegia is maybe 10-15cm tall, Cohan. Not as dwarf as some of the North American ones, but very nice.
Flowering today:
Scutellaria tournefortii

[Sinchets]

Also from today:
Penstemon mensarum
Penstemon scariosus scariosus
Pyrrocoma clementis
Helianthemum nummularifolium pyrenaicum

[cohan]

Simon,
I've probably got my wires crossed then.  I thought there were some that died back to tubers (rather than bulbs), but I'm probably wrong. 

sounds familiar to me, though i dont know much about the genus..

[Sinchets]

Also from today:
Silene araratica
Silene viscariopsis
Silene caryophylloides subulata
Dianthus pyrenaicus