The other Adonis....

Adonis annua

Rock gardeners always associate Adonis with the giant flowered, early spring flowering perennial species that spread across Eurasia in a narrow band from the Pyrenees to Japan...but there are a few rebels in the clan. A handful of scarlet and orange annuals exist in the genus--the one above grew in my garden for years...

Not as large flowered as the perennials, these annuals bloom for a long time in the right spot--and their color knocks your eyes out!

Here are a few shots of Adonis aestivus, which we found again and again last May all over Armenia...

This shows the habit of a single plant...

Loved how they combine with Geranium tuberosum--commonly sold by bulb companies...

Adonis davidii

Another departure for the genus: I grew this a few times under the name Adonis brevistyla. Mine did not persist: I want to try again now that I've seen it in the wild. Smaller flowered than its yellow cousins, it blooms later. I photographed this in a gully half way to Lake Tianchi in Yunnan (from where the road there branches away from the main highway).

Although I've been in China (and Tibet) five times, this is the only place I've ever seen this Adonis.

Lots of shots showing it in different combinations...what a remarkable spot this was!

A giant specimen!

Growing with Salvia flava and Primula secundiflora...

 How I long to return to China! Who knows what the next few darkling years will bring. Good thing we have our image galleries and memories...