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

[Lori S.]

That's gorgeous, Anne!  What species are the dwarf zauschnerias? 
Zauschneria garrettii has been hardy here in zone 3 since 2004 (or maybe 2002 - looks like I bought 2 plants, according to my records).  The cultivar is 'Orange Carpet' and it stays very low here, though I'm not sure if the species in general would be considered dwarf?   I tried Z. californica but only once and in a trough, where it didn't winter over. 
Love seeing your garden!!

[astragalus]

Lori, Z. garrettii 'orange carpet' is considered dwarf, growing almost like large ground cover.  I tried that one first because Z. garrettii was supposed to be the hardiest of the lot but much too large for my rock garden.  Z. g. 'Siskiyou Dwarf' has survived here and has bright orange flowers - stays under one foot.  Z. californica 'etteri' is definitely my favorite so far.  The flowers are a blood orange-red and very shiny.  Z. latifolia prostrata might be the best of the bunch if it would only flower better.  The growth habit is wonderful.  It's planted in a wall and is oozing over and under the rocks in the wall, but not much in the way of bloom yet.  Z. garrettii is supposedly Z5, I'm really surprised to hear you say Z3.  Maybe that's why these cultivars are doing so well.  There's another one called Z. g. 'Wayne's Select' that has silver foliage.  Hope to get that one in the spring.

[astragalus]

Lori, you might try tht zauschneria again in the ground instead of a trough.  My experience here has been that you lose at least one zone when planting in a trough, unless it's super insulated during the winter.  If I'm not sure about the hardiness I put it in the ground where it can be better insulated against the cold. 

[Lori S.]

Thanks for the info, Anne.  I will definitely try more of the smaller Zauschneria, now that I have rock gardens to plant them in.  (The Z. garrettii 'Orange Carpet' is not in a rock garden - it's just out in the front yard on a south-facing slope; I moved a few pieces of it around last year, finally, and they have survived as well.  It is very pleasing to have bright orange flowers so late in the season here!)

[Leiomerus]

There are big crevice gardens, small crevice gardens en even very, tiny small crevice gardens like this one in a simple plastic pot.
It is really a 'crevice pot' because the little rocks are sunk into the compost as deep as possible, so most touch the bottom of the pot.
In this way there is more planting space, it looks nicer, you need less expensive growing medium, the plants will of course love to grow between the rocks, I also believe most love to grow together like in nature, it's easy to transport if necessary, there are more 'micro climates' .....

This one provides a little home for two Primula primulina, two Primula integrifolia, two Androsace neuwirthii and one Silene acaulis.
Of course, most are not fast growing, so the pot will be fine for several years.

[fermi de Sousa]

There are big crevice gardens, small crevice gardens en even very, tiny small crevice gardens like this one in a simple plastic pot.

Was this inspired by the trough demonstrations in Tabor?
Might be something we could try here - it would be more portable!
cheers
fermi

[Leiomerus]

Hi Fermides,

Not really, I always make my own recipes.
I'm also lucky to be able to choose between a lot of rock of different calibers and a lot of small ones ....
But I must confirm that all the plants in this crevice pot come from the nice Czech people. 

[astragalus]

I do like your crevice garden in a pot.  Will you sink the pot in sand or something during the winter?  Or is this not an issue in your location?

[Lesley Cox]

Was this inspired by the trough demonstrations in Tabor?
Might be something we could try here - it would be more portable!
cheers
fermi

Even if not more potable.

[Leiomerus]

I do like your crevice garden in a pot.  Will you sink the pot in sand or something during the winter?  Or is this not an issue in your location?

Thanks.
When it freezes a little bit, I will not do anything. I do cover them now till March next year. When it will freeze for a long time, I will put the pots in my unheated veranda.
A trough isn't plunged either and the plants mostly come through the winter unharmed, which is normal since they come from the mountains. Of course, pots are much smaller, so they will freeze more.

I'm also planning a new crevice garden, or I must say I have already begun.
This picture is from the spot where the crevice garden will be, but now it's a complete chaos, because the stones I will use were already on the particular spot.
Of course, when the stones will be arranged, there will still be some chaos, but more a chaos with order ....

[Maggi Young]

I'm also planning a new crevice garden, or I must say I have already begun.
This picture is from the spot where the crevice garden will be, but now it's a complete chaos, because the stones I will use were already on the particular spot.
Of course, when the stones will be arranged, there will still be some chaos, but more a chaos with order ....

Another great new project - we'll look forward to seeing that!

[astragalus]

I hope you will photograph your new crevice garden project as you go along, something I often forget to do.  I look forward to seeing the "process".

[Leiomerus]

I promise to do that, but it should stop raining ....on the other hand the rain is good to wash the stones and see their colors better.
 

[Leiomerus]

Ok, a promise, is a promise ...
Here we go.

In this picture you will notice there's still a lot of work ahead, but the first stones come in place.
Still a big chaos, but I like some chaos, even if the chaos is gone, there is still some in my mind ...
It's like a big puzzle, and you must get puzzled to start with it.
Although there is 'something' in your mind, you never know where you are about to get.
You only have a vague picture.
The best thing to manage it, is to start without thinking and let your 'unconscious rock garden mind'  do most of the job.
 

[Leiomerus]

Here a lot of chaos has vanished.
Most of the stones are arranged, some will be lucky and stay in place.
Others will be moved, depends on my 'unconscious rock garden mind'.