Crevice Gardening ......in defence of rock.....

[astragalus]

Spring is finally here.  Each morning the ice in Max's water dish is thinner and this week it will be in the low 60sF or upper 50sF.  Great time for planting and plants are starting.  Most things are weeks behind. Just a few pictures of things starting in the crevices.

    DSC07343 - Copy Astragalus utahensis.JPG
    DSC07348 Astragalus utahensis.JPG
    DSC07349 - Copy Daphne velenovskyi 'Balkan Rose'.JPG

[astragalus]

And a few more.  Astragalus zionis is not impressive in flowering but the pods are wonderful.  I'll try and hunt up a picture showing the pods.
The Oxytropis is loaded with buds.  The last picture shows the next area I'll be developing.  The gravel was finally delivered and I'm raring to go.

    DSC07351 Phlox kelseyi 'Lehmi purple'.JPG
    DSC07353 Astragalus zionis.JPG
    DSC07355 Oxytropis multiceps.JPG
    DSC07354 Future crevice garden.JPG

[Leiomerus]

And I thought I had a large rock garden.
How large is your last wonderful project, Astragalus ?

[astragalus]

I don't really know how to measure it since it will go up the back of the cliff too.  It's a large enough area that I'll be tackling it in more manageable sections to keep it from being overwhelming.  I also have to plan my access routes so every part can be reached safely.

[astragalus]

Work started now on the future crevice garden.  Also, Phlox pulvinata in one of the crevice gardens.  This is a really satisfactory plant.  It has tight growth, pristine white flowers (occasionally an icy blue), and looks good throughout the season.

[David Nicholson]

I think I could get a "thing" about North American Phloxes

[astragalus]

Understandable, David.  There is a wide range of foliage and bloom and some of them are excellent garden plants with a little extra preparation.  Others require very specific placement, or object to northeastern summer conditions, or it's almost impossible to find the seed.  I think they're all worth trying.  Sun is a prerequisite for most of them, meaning sun for a good part of the day.

[David Nicholson]

Understandable, David.  There is a wide range of foliage and bloom and some of them are excellent garden plants with a little extra preparation.  Others require very specific placement, or object to northeastern summer conditions, or it's almost impossible to find the seed.  I think they're all worth trying.  Sun is a prerequisite for most of them, meaning sun for a good part of the day.

Thanks Anne. I think you are right about the difficulty of getting hold of seed. As far as I can remember there were no Phloxes listed in either the SRGC nor the AGS Exchanges.

[Helen Johnstone]

Thanks Anne. I think you are right about the difficulty of getting hold of seed. As far as I can remember there were no Phloxes listed in either the SRGC nor the AGS Exchanges.

Try Alplains - they have Phlox http://www.alplains.com/  I  bought some seed from them this year, not Phlox, good service, took a while to arrive but owner kept me informed.  Good germination so far - though I didnt buy Phlox, more Delphinium

[astragalus]

I used to get phlox seed from Rebecca Day-Skowron when she ran her seed business.  The seed was expensive and you would get a small amount of seed but every one would germinate - really amazing seed.  Alan Bradshaw of Alplains supplies wonderful seed of some really rare species.  I wouldn't count on finding it in Society Seed Exchanges.  I can remember collecting phlox seed, an arduous chore.  So much bloom, such prickly foliage, so little seed.  I understand why it's relatively expensive.

[astragalus]

More happenings in the crevice gardens.
Eriogonum thymoides' pink buds opening to cream with yellow stamens.
Top of the cliff with Phlox borealis spilling over from a crevice and Onosma caerulescens starting to flower in a crevice beneath it.
Oxytropis multiceps having a great year in the crevice garden
Every day something new is happening.  What a great time of year!

[astragalus]

Forgot the last photo - Oxytropis multiceps.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Great plants as always Anne....I stil enjoy this topic very much. The new crevice garden looks exciting.
The Oxytropis multiceps looks super ! 
Here in my little crevice some flowering plants to : Androsace muscoidea 

[krisderaeymaeker]

In the same crevice : Saxifraga retusa

[krisderaeymaeker]

Vitaliana primuliflora subsp. assoana