The Omni-gardener of Prague: Jiří Papoušek (a name to remember!)

Haberlea rhodopensis (albino)

I know the lavender form is pretty hard to beat...but OH, I have a think about virginal white flowers--and this form that goes as 'Virginalis' fits the bill!

I'm getting ahead of myself: a glimpse inside a special tunnel with very cool rock work featuring tufa stone combined in a style far more characteristic of the Czech gardens we visited than the highly stratified upright stones we all think of when "Czech rock garden" is mentioned--more on that theme...what is significant about this garden is that this may be the most ambitious tufa cliff garden anywhere--just one of innumerable features in what may be the most spectacular garden I've ever seen.

Jiří Papoušek

Here is the Man on the Mountain (featured in detail at the very end) greeting us as we arrived. This truly crevicy crevice garden had just been completed and not yet planted. I should underscore that Jiří was one of the prime movers who made the wonderful conference where I spoke happen: I owe him a debt of gratitude for that! I was also impressed that his wife and children were some of the main actors orchestrating the event--his wife was the chief registrar and computer source of all information! They do things as a family--and I know the family is very engaged in the garden as a whole.



Around the corner from the new garden was this "tunnel"--a greenhouse attached to the north side of Jiří's home: Notice also the elegant pathway: everything in this garden is truly over the top...I don't know how long this wall is--but it seemed interminable! Chockablock full of the choicest of the choice--plants virtually impossible to grow. There were dozens of Dionysia sp. and cultivars: I don't know a botanic garden in America that has more than one or two. Do correct me if I'm wrong!

There were Edraianthus galore--as there were in every Czech garden. They're all stunning (and there seem to be new species being bred yearly and planted out in nature!)

I'm reasonably sure this is Dianthus microlepis--which even I can grow!

I believe this is an Arabis--perhaps androsacea?

One of the many choice miniature Rhamnus (likely pumila)

Daphne malyana

Moan.

I know this silver saxifrage had a great story...I believe it was a recently discovered species...

Draba ossetica--a relatively recently introduced Caucasian draba that's, well, to die for!

A Dionysia with just spent bloom...

Centaurea achtarovii

One of the choicest bachelor's buttons--not easy to tame! Ask me how I know...

A chinese Gesneriaceae: Coralodiscus?

People gawking in the tunnel...

Ramonda nathaliae with her diagnostic four petals...

Jiří posted pictures of Jankaea heldreichii in bloom a week or so ago. Enough said!

Gentiana acaulis and Saxifraga longifolia--two aristocrats with an Androsace to boot!

For an utter contrast, there's a newish woodland bed...

And then one of the more mature rock gardens...

And now some closedr looks...

A stunning Aethionema new to me.

Haberlea by the bucketload...

MORE gentians...

Potentilla porphyrantha

Polygala calcarea peeking out

A lovely waterfall of Haberlea rhodopensis

A much larger mound of Polygala calcarea--a real show stopper!

A perfect little daphne--not sure which one (too early for oleioides I would have thought)

Can't keep away from that calcarea

The next few are just shots of the garden filled with gawking visitors--for scale and to show the wonderful disposition of plants and beds...

Daphne kosaninii (or whatever they're calling it now)

Arenaira purpureascens

Probably Erigeron leiomerus--or perhaps ursinus?

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Lots more random shots...

A wonderful pale Geum.

A compact Pulsatilla albana

Lots of plants for propagation and sales! I wish transporting across boundaries wasn't such a hassle!

A marvellous little Aethionema

Did I mention they have a wonderful Alpine House as well full of treasures?

A choice Androsace!

The great Dieter Zhummel, admiring one of his many rare introductions

Draba ossetica again as we leave

I'm back to that amazing Centaurea achtarovii on the  way out...

And a pale yellow Daphne once in another genus.

The brand spanking new rock work at the front--not a plant in it and it's beautiful Check out the path as well...

Perhaps we'll be lucky enough one day to return and see this planted with even more treasures.