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

[krisderaeymaeker]

Ebbie, Carduncellus are wonderful plants. The plant you showed is probably Carduncellus pinnatus, which is flowering here too. The (in my eyes) real C. rhaponticoides I have never seen the last ? 30 years when I lost it somehow. I know that Eugen Schleipfer has sold the plant you showed under this name several years ago.
Here a pic. from an old dia of the original Carduncellus rhaponticoides.

Oh yes they are Luit !  Thanks for this information Luit , very interesting !
Most go to find this plant again , even that pinnatus is wonderful Ebbie.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Another flowering plant from my crevice is Androsace globulifera .

[astragalus]

I have the same experience, Anne - I've tried it a number of times and couldn't ever keep it any longer than 2 or 3 years... I was wondering if it is short lived ??

That's possible, Luc.  I've seen huge mats of Douglasia laevigata in the wild and it took a bit of exploring to realize that the mat was formed of multiple plants.  It appears to seed into itself.  It certainly doesn't make big mats in my garden.  Probably many of the plants on a rock gardener's "want" list are short-lived in nature.  I'm always fascinated on how growers with alpine/green houses improve on nature.  Their plants often look better without being subjected to nature's fluctuating affections - they live without droughts, floods, tearing winds etc., amazing. 

[astragalus]

In his "Alpine Plants of North America" Graham Nicholls says it is prone to sudden collapse and his have never lasted more than 3/4 years. He says it is easy from cuttings though.

I certainly bow to Graham's experience.  I loved visiting Graham's garden and seeing the plants from the American West that he was growing. Also keen in my memory is the ginger cake Iris served at tea - fabulous!

[astragalus]

More color in the crevice gardens.  Everything quite late.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful pictures, Anne !  Androsace villosa is to die for !! 

[astragalus]

Luc, I think maybe I should only whisper this but Androsace villosa seems very happy here and the last couple of years has started seeding itself.  Don't you just love plants that do your work for you?!

[krisderaeymaeker]

Wonderful pictures, Anne !  Androsace villosa is to die for !! 

I agree with Luc ! 

In the tufacrevice : Helichrysum sessilioides - Cheilantes fendleri - Linum cariense. 

[astragalus]

Lucky you, Kris.  I've never been able to overwinter the Linum cariense.
In bloom well now and I'm hoping to be able to get seed this year,
Astragalus barrii

[Lori S.]

Wonderful plants, folks!
Astragalus barrii is a cute one - reminds me of our native Astragalus gilviflorus, with the flowers peeking out of the cushion of leaves.

Linum cariense is a bit of a mystery to me.  It seems to winter over here, but after a few years, when it's just getting quite nice, it's kaput! What's up with that, I wonder?

[astragalus]

When Claude Barr discovered Astragalus Barrii he was in the midst of a colony of A. gilviflorus which is somewhat similar.  A. gilviflorus has larger flowers that are stemless, though.  I find it very very difficult to keep.
Linum cariense is a mystery to me as well.  It does so well in the beginning you think you have a winner, but perhaps the winter combination here of cold, wind and often no snow cover does it in. A pity because it's so lovely in bloom.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Lucky you, Kris.  I've never been able to overwinter the Linum cariense.
In bloom well now and I'm hoping to be able to get seed this year,
Astragalus barrii

It is only the second year  that I am able to overwinter it in the garden Anne ...I put it in a very tight crevice between two tufarocks wich I filled with  a mix of  sand and grit . 
The Astragalus is again very nice ! I want to try this one in the near future in my warmest parts of the tufacrevices .

[krisderaeymaeker]

Linum cariense is a bit of a mystery to me.  It seems to winter over here, but after a few years, when it's just getting quite nice, it's kaput! What's up with that, I wonder?

I think that many Linums are not so long living anyway .......Maybe this is a bit the same in nature , I don't know.
Many years I could not overwinter them in the garden but I keep trying because I had seeds (from different seedlists) and cuttings from my plant in the greenhouse. And now after about 4 or 5 failures I find a spot that maybe is better. Or I have a clone that is better ?
But we need more years of succes to have a party .....

[astragalus]

Kris, it doesn't take that long for me to have a party!  If a plant seems happy and blooms well, have the party quickly because you never know what the next year's weather will decide to do.  Also, photograph often, maybr every day,  something I forget to do.  Good luck on the linums, I think they're all special.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Kris, it doesn't take that long for me to have a party!  If a plant seems happy and blooms well, have the party quickly because you never know what the next year's weather will decide to do.  Also, photograph often, maybr every day,  something I forget to do.  Good luck on the linums, I think they're all special.