A snapshot of a treasure trove of plant gems in two seasons

Corydalis solida (red and blue-purple shades)

As we enter winter, perhaps it won't hurt if we fast forward a few months (five in this case) to reassure ourselves that there shall be some hope for the return of warm weather...

This blog features one of the most extraordinary private gardens in Colorado. I have not yet gotten permission to use the gardener's name, so a haze of mystery may surround the following pictures. Suffice it to say, I know of no other garden in our state that has so many treasures grown better.

These pictures were taken on two hurried visits over the last few years, one in early April, the other just a week ago in late October. I can't imagine how many treasures lurk between these two extremes poles of the gardening season. But just imagine...

I'm not sure if this is a Thlaspi or Aethionema--there were a lot of plants new to me in this garden....

An overview of the "hell strip" in early spring...

Another mystery crucifer--I think the tag says "Arabis": she grows a ton of stuff from seed...oops I gave away the gender...

So varied, and so many variations on rock garden, scree and woodland throughout the garden: the range of plants she grows is enormous...

In April the Corydalis fill the woody corners of the garden--in a vast range of colors from blue, purple to pink and white.

They make a fabulous foil for a Rhododendron 'P.J.M.'

A closeup of a strangely dark corydalis...

A first glimpse of one of this gardens' special treasures: I have never had success with growing Callianthemum anemonoides: for Mary this seeds all around the garden! Oh no! I revealed her name...

More views..

A closeup of Callianthemum anemonoides

Another

And yet another

Corydalis...

And MORE Corydalis

And MORE Corydalis

And MORE Corydalis

And MORE Corydalis

And even MORE Corydalis

This white with pink suffusion is one I'd LOVE to have!

There are even Corydalis in the FRONT garden

Erysimum amoenum blooming months before it will in our mountains.

A sunny scree that will bloom more in May and June...

A huge clump of a trumpet gentian budding up to bloom in front...

There's even a cactus! Grusonia clavata in a trough...

As you'd expect, the nurseryman* is eyeing the nursery (*Bill Adams, Sunscapes.net)

Acer sempervirens

Fast forward a few years, and nearly six months--I photographed this Cretan maple last week (late October)--not quite as evergreen as it is in Crete. I have a seedling off this that's perhaps a foot tall--it has a way to go. I haven't checked the Champion tree list--I have no doubt this is the champion not just for Colorado, but possibly the country!

Acer griseum

And Mary's paperbark maple is probably the largest in Fort Collins, although we have a few larger ones in Denver...Oh no! Now I've revealed the town!

Callianthemum anemonoides in fall color

The Callianthemum in fall..

One of innumerable clumps of little xeric ferns here and there--not sure which Cheilanthes...

Cheilanthes eatonii on the left, not sure which is on the right...

Just as Corydalis pepper the garden in spring, she has masses of Cyclamen--in this case C. cilicium--rarely seen in gardens--seeding about in Colorado...

Little seedlings here and there...

Cyclamen purpurascens

The cyclamen of the Alps was finished blooming, but the variety of patterning on the fresh foliage was amazing!  The next few slides demonstrate this!

Erodium guicciardii

I arrived on a major cleanup day, and the arborist was here pruning and removing some dwarf conifers that had outgrown their space, creating wonderful new planting beds!

Troughs are there too of course..

Intriguing even in this dark season...

Hellebores getting ready to bloom in a few months!

Spiranthes cernua var. odorata

And a Lady's tresses coming into bloom--even in late October!