Plants flowering in the open rock garden.June '09

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Several pictures which I took in the second half of May:
Aethionema subulata
Centaurea achtarovii
Dianthus alpinus
Edraianthus serpyllifolius
Eriogonum siskiyouense
Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum
Eriogonum umbellatum var. porteri
Oxalis 'Ione Hecker'
Oxalis 'Ute'

An extraordinary selection of true Alpines Zdenek !
The Eriogonums look smashing ! 

[ruweiss]

Zdenek and Simon, thanks for showing us these goodies, the Eriogonum are my
favourites. The attached pictures are from the last weeks. My Eriogonum umbellatum
is a rather lax form, collected near Denver.We like it for its free-flowering habit, it
is also useful for dry flower arrangements. The 2 flowers at the left side of the
Cypripedium reginae group are from the hybrid Ulla Silkens, the malformed flower
on the other picture was on the same stem together with a normal one.
The heavy rainfalls of the last days were not so good for the flowers of
Asperula daphneola.

[Katherine J]

Rudi,
that Asperula daphneola is anyway beautiful. Is it too large for a (not too large) trough?

[Sinchets]

Fascinating malformation on the Cp.reginae, Rudi.

[Paul T]

Excellent pics, everyone.

Simon,

Again I have to comment on one of your Fabaceae... Ebenus lagurroides is just amazing.  I don't think I have ever seen a pea with globular flowerheads like that before. 

[Sinchets]

Paul, I read about the genus Ebenus a long time ago in Will Ingwerson's 'Manual of Alpine Plants'. He recommends growing them in a hot, dry position or alpine house. As I had neither for a long time I never have tried them in Britain, mainly out of fear of them rotting. The two species I have, have both done well here, even in wet weather. So I think they may be more adaptable than they are given credit for.
Flowering just now:
Delphinium sp. (Sajan Mts Siberia)
Penstemon palmeri
Penstemon grandiflorus

[Sinchets]

Also flowering just now in the xeric rock garden:
Delphinium hansenii hansenii
Ipomopsis aggregata
Penstemon pinifolius
Penstemon rostriflorus

[ruweiss]

Kata, Asperula daphneola comes from sunny screes of Western Turkey and is
ideal for a good drained trough in a sunny position. I think, that it will enjoy
your climate. Good luck with it!

[Ragged Robin]

Your Penstemon grandiflorus is a lovely delicate pink/lilac colour, Simon, and your Penstemon rostriflorus looks wonderful with the white Dianthus - Penstemon palmeri looks as if it has raspberry coulis dripping from each flower on the stem 

[Sinchets]

Robin, I hadn't realised just how much 'extra' colour there was in the Penstemon flowers until I did the close up shots. They have a whole 'Mr Kiplings Fondant Fancy' thing going on in there.

[annew]

Yes, the P. palmeri is a stunner. Is it hardy?

[Sinchets]

Yes, the P. palmeri is a stunner. Is it hardy?

It was rated as Zone 4 and was outside all winter in a welll drained soil, Anne.

[Lori S.]

Penstemon palmeri is hardy here too... lovely fat flowers and fragrant, too - most unusual for a penstemon.  It won't be in bloom for a long time yet here though! 

[Paul T]

Simon,

The Penstemon palmeri is amazing.  Such thick flowers for a penstemon species.  Will have to look out for that one.

[Sinchets]

Paul, I'm pretty much smitten with the whole genus but Penstemon palmeri is a beaut- even the leaves made an attractive mound before it flowered.
Flowering now:
what I have been growing as Penstemon whippleanus for a long time
Dainthus oschtenicus
Edraianthus graminifolius