Cushions

[Alex]

I have hardly any of these - I mostly grow bulbs, and I don't think the cushions like me that much - but I love them so I persist. I have a small corner devoted to them at the moment, here is Dionysia khatamii in flower and Androsace helvetica on its way. But the main point of starting this thread is, who else has pictures? I know there are some serious cushion aficionados out there...

Cheers,

Alex

[Lori S.]

These will not be in bloom for some time yet here, but I suppose the cushion-form does come across at this time of year.
 
Acantholimon trojanum
Lesquerella arizonica
Draba acaulis

[David Nicholson]

Good thread idea Alex. Like you I mostly grow bulbs but would like to try a few cushions (if only I had the room!!)   

[Lesley Cox]

I think there was another Cushion thread a while ago and surprisingly, it was only partially supported. They are, to my mind, the most endearing of plants, begging to be patted or stroked and many people grow them so the thread should be a flourishing one. The German and Dutch Forumists, and the Czechs, seem to do cushions very well.

[Alex]

Thank you Lori, I do like that Draba acaulis, a lovely tight cushion.

Lesley, not flourishing quite as much as I imagined - I am a bit surprised not to have garnered a bit more interest actually, when the current Crocus thread will probably have grown by ten posts today alone! Not complaining of course, it just must be a very bulb-centric group of people who gather here (and I'm as bulb-centric as anyone). Perhaps bulbs are more popular overall now, since really choice cushion plants need so much attention all year round - you can't forget about them for 4 months like some other things...

Alex

[Lori S.]

I'll have to pay attention this year and try to collect seeds.

[tonyg]

Lesley, not flourishing quite as much as I imagined - I am a bit surprised not to have garnered a bit more interest actually, when the current Crocus thread will probably have grown by ten posts today alone! Not complaining of course, it just must be a very bulb-centric group of people who gather here (and I'm as bulb-centric as anyone). Perhaps bulbs are more popular overall now, since really choice cushion plants need so much attention all year round - you can't forget about them for 4 months like some other things...
Alex

Alex that is exactly how even a careless gardener like me can keep bulbs growing.  You, on the otherhand, are clearly a dedicated and expert gardener.  I too love cushion plants, still have Dionysia aretioides descended from original plant acquired nearly 20 years ago.  But .... Androsace helvetica, Dionysia khatamii ...... I bow before you
Looking forward to more cushions and more info on how to grow them better!
Below a picture from acouple of years ago of two clones I grew.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

They seemed to be ok at the time Tony !! 

You're absolutely right Alex !  Cushions are very much what brought me to growing alpines at the time !   Not having a greenhouse or Alpinehouse, difficult items like Dionysia's are out of the question.
Saxes, some Draba's, etc... are among my favourites though !
I hope this becomes a very succesful thread !! 

[Maggi Young]

Over the years of the Forum we have made so many pleas to the cushion specialists to share at least pictures of their plants with us, but there has been very limited response.
Looking at any show bench around the UK there is always a large number of bulbs on display, so the  huge popularity of those plants is obvious..... and it seems bulb growers are more likely to use a forum, such as this one or the PBS discussion list, to share their experiences than the cushion growers.
A disappointing result from the cushion specialists and those seeking inspiration, but simply a fact.
It would be wonderful if the instigation of this thread were to be the start of something big! 

[Tony Willis]

I love cushion plants but can utter only two words on the subject-holiday watering!!

[Darren]

My two words are: rapidly dead

To be honest I can keep some cushions going under glass: Primula allionii, Draba longisiliqua, Androsace vandellii, Dionysia aretioides, Trachelium (now campanula?) asperuloides, and even Kelseya uniflora, but they will never be show quality. Out in the garden virtually all saxifrages do well, as do some Dianthus such as erinaceous.
Other dionysias actually seem to die before i get them home from wherever I bought them    I often look longingly at the Aberconwy stand at shows and would love to grow some of the Dionysia afghanica hybrids such as 'Judith Bramley' but common sense and compassion for the poor little plants prevents me from buying.

[Darren]

Having said that - here are some cushions:

Androsace delavayi has been in flower for two weeks already - well ahead of the few others I have. This is its first flowering with me and may well be the last...

More certain prospects here are the saxes - here are 3 growing in our sort of morraine/stream bed/path, planted directly into limy stony subsoil beneath a cooling layer of pebbles. They love it and even seed around 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Small but beautiful - Saxifraga 'Jozef  Karel Capek' in the garden :

[Alex]

Tony, you are too modest! That's a very nice pic, what others are in the background?

Alex

P.S. The two i posted are very new so can take no credit at all I'm afraid...

[tonyg]

Hmm - have you seen my untidy garden?
The two in the background are 'Monika' and a viscidula x freitagii (pink) that I managed to keep alive for a good few years.  Sadly the pink one has now departed but 'Monika' is tolerant of my habits and the plant pictured is now 5" or so across although past die-back means it has an eccentric shape!