Alpines - Image of the Day 2012

[Lesley Cox]

Snow gentian it may be but it seems to be reaching for the sky.

[ranunculus]

A natural rock garden in the Dolomites - so many species growing in happy association.

[jandals]

Really like the Gentiana nivalis picture Cliff . Arrived back home today and suffering from temperature withdrawal . Will post pictures this weekend hopefully 

[Maggi Young]

A natural rock garden in the Dolomites - so many species growing in happy association.

The Dowers and the McLoughlins weren't there, have they? Last time I saw a garden like that............

[astragalus]

A day in the Dolomites - great hike, great company (Joe plus Sue and Cliff Booker), and great plants (Papaver rhaeticum).  We came to a limestone rubble area and it was mostly populated by hundreds of Papaver rhaeticum - in the standard bright yellow, pale yellow, some going over with orange tones, and the best find ... a pure white form (several).  This is also an area where I've seen the white form of Thlaspi rotundifolium.

[ranunculus]

We remember it well, Anne ... what a day and what a location.

[zvone]

Hi!

Some flowers from Muntain of Velika planina (Slovenia): 







More pictures: http://zvone.blogspot.si/

Best Regards!  zvone

[Tim Ingram]

This is the first time Gentiana depressa has flowered in the garden, despite growing surprisingly well on the cooler edge of the sand bed. What a wonderful flower, and how would it look if flowering freely?! (The plant came originally from Pottertons Nursery).

[ranunculus]

Isn't that just the sweetest little gentian?  Congratulations, Tim.

[Lesley Cox]

This is what it's like when it flowers freely Tim. I have this particular shot as my wallpaper when I turn on the computer. It's still not as good though as the one I was able to post on the old original Forum whose archives we can no longer access and I can't find the original. It had over 100 flowers out at once. I've only once had fertile seed from it, and just a single pod but it had more than 100 seeds in it, all fertile. After potting, they quickly went to the great rock garden in the sky and no amount of hand-pollinating since has achieved another pod except a single one this year, which was eaten by something before it fully matured.

I have not grown it under glass and find it does best for me in a raised bed or a trough.

[ranunculus]

Mag...ruddy...nificent, Lesley!!!!!!!!!

[Tim Ingram]

I don't what to say Lesley, except that on NARGS I expected someone in Scotland to show a picture like yours! What a sight! I shall hide my light under a bushel from now on!

[Maggi Young]

Here, for G. depressa, we have only managed foliage.... and that not in the best of condition ....

G. depressa and G. urnula are two of the most attractive little flowers I can imagine .... andd that's all I can do - imagine.

[Lesley Cox]

I don't what to say Lesley, except that on NARGS I expected someone in Scotland to show a picture like yours! What a sight! I shall hide my light under a bushel from now on!

No Tim, don't hide your light. You have so many wonderful things that I can never hope to grow at all let alone well. This one just happens to have done well for me. Many others have not. I bought it from a local nursery but don't know where her plants came from. I once had G. amoena  also from a local source, and I believe it is close to G. urnula. It too flowered well for me in a raised bed, the flowers a lovely violet shade and stemless and tubby as well. But I lost it when we moved house and it had to be lifted.

Maggi, it must be possible to grow G. depressa well in Scotland surely. At one time I sent a small piece to Anthony and I believe it established OK for him. If I get fertile seed again..... but I've said that too many times already and have a small queue waiting.

[Maggi Young]

I would hope it is possible to grow G. depressa well somewhere in Scotland, Lesley - it's just not here, chez nous!