Springtime wrap up!

Fritillaria nigra

My favorite fritillaria is F. caucasica, which blooms so early and puts up with Colorado's awful late winter weather with equanimity. Its black Greek cousin has come back strong several years now, and is gaining my favor!

Fritillaria sp

Lost the label on this one that's been multiplying--a good thing in a fritillary!

Fritillaria aff. gussichiae 

I have been so pleased that so many Eurasian fritillaries are settling in here and there in my oldest rock garden. Alas, they don't seem to like my new crevice garden nearly as much!

Rosularia platyphylla

No, Virginia, this is NOT a Sempervivum. So pleased this found a happy spot in my garden!

Erysimum sp.

A mystery wallflower. I'll take it anyway!

You should be able to read the label so beautifully produced by Jan. The penstemon once grew in my vicinity wild. Rare as hen's teeth now hereabouts...glad to get it into my home crevice garden!          

Aquilegia barnebyi

Not the showiest columbine, but one that has tender associations for me: I knew Rupert and treasure his memory.

Camassia quamash

Finally found a spot moist enough to grow camas: hope it comes back strong (my garden is very dry)

Iris wilmottiana 'Alba'

Bought as Iris bucharica 'Alba' this has been the strongest growing Juno for me--alas infested with Stipa extremorientalis which I shall have to dig out when I'm finally in town for a while (late July?)...

Globularia valentinii

I love all globularias.

Cheilanthes wootonii

My favorite of a favorite genus. I love the way the white new fronds unfold among last year's dull green ones.

Tradescantia tharpii

By far my favorite spiderwort....although T. longipes rates pretty high too (forgot to photograph its brief flowering however). T. tharpii lasts much longer.

Asphodeline tauricum

If this turns out to be monocarpic like A. damascena, I shall be annoyed! I've yearned to grow this well since I saw it at Wurzburg botanic garden (one of the five best botanic gardens in the world). That's Paracaryum racemosum growing between them--a new favorite and a gift of Kirby Demott--a talented local rock gardener I'm indebted to!

My esteemed friend and colleague Bob Nold has tactfully informed me that these are in fact Asphodeline damascena and NOT A. taurica as they were labelled. I hope he's wrong!         

Finally broke down and bought a bunch of African goodies...

SOMEone at Proven Winners has been developing heat tolerant Diascia and Nemesia cultivars that are to die for. I wish I knew who it was so I could send them a thank you note: outrageously garish--but stunning performers. If you know the name of that breeder, please tell me.

Nemesia cv.

Nemesia cv.

Dictamnus albus 

The commoner pink form has photobombed its way into my main planting of white gas plant--I must remove it (I have the pink form everywhere). These seed around enthusiastically...the white form of Dictamnus angustifolius always blooms a few weeks later--perhaps I'll add its picture when it finally opes up. One cannot have enough Dictamnus!

Atraphaxis buxifolia (or is it spinosa ?)

I've pulled up dozens (or hundreds?) of seedlings of this out of my new crevice garden that it overlooks..could be a problem. And the flowers don't smell very good (the dwarf autumnal Atraphaxis in Kazakhstan smelled like honey). I did not perceive a fragrance on Atraphaxis pyrifolia which I found blooming all over the Tian Shan a week ago. If you didn't read my prophetic (and a tad poetic) and fatidic blog post I penned (typed?) thirteen years ago, now is the time. By the way, these are the same plants--the Eremurus stenophyllus persist elsewhere and are still budded up to bloom this tardy year.. (those in that blog post were sacrificed for the new crevice garden) And the Atraphaxis is right next to a path now, not 15 feet away!) which is a problem.

Campanula carpatha

This plant is a winner. Astonishing anything from Karpathos will grow in Denver (especially after our last polar winter).

Yet another compact dianthus. Can one have enough?

Xanthisma or Machaeranthera, or let's just say Aster coloradoensis

Delighted this is settling in (I hope). I don't want to be one of those annoying botanist-bashing horticulturists (some of my favorite people are botanists after all). Let's just say Taxonomy is half art and linguistics as well as "science". And DNA is not God. Don't get me started!

Digenea velebitica

A small specimen...but still showing charm..

Penstemon linarioides

Not sure why it's leaning so desperately...

Dichelostemma ida-maia

I don't care what this is called "correctly" at present. If they persist, I shall change its name back to Brodiea! How the Dutch mass produce this is a mystery.

'I love this bulb and hope I found the right spot for it finally...

Purple Oyster Plant

I had the name of this once (Scorzonera sp.? Tragopogon?) and was worried as it popped up here and there all over my garden. Down to just one--which I'm letting go to seed.

Aquilegia alpina

I think I need more of these!

Campanula tridentata

Anthyllis montana and unknown Erigeron

Thalictrum tuberosum

Delphinium tricorne

The delphinium is not as gigantic as it appears--the Podophyllum below it is just a tad starved is all...

Androsace sarmentosa

Aethionema subulatum

Down to one plant again: time to grow more!

Geranium phaeum

Just got this last year. I hope it proves as vigorous for me as it is in everyone else's garden!

Allium cv.

I shall have to look up which one this is: I acquired a lot of new hybrids last fall--and this is a keeper!
 

Teucrium pyreneicum

Misplaced the nane (in my brain) of this gorgeous woodland umbel. Please prompt me if you know.

Iris siberica

Allium carolinianum

Pictures do not do this wonderful onion justice: not a weed. Lovely foliage and good seedheads. And long bloom period...from Kazakhstan where I saw it in montane meadows.

Marrubium rotundifolium

The flowers may be 'meh'--but those LEAVES!

Alyssum markgrafii

Two of my xeriscape mainstays (the Vinca major is more of a problem)

Salvia nutans

The whole plant is enormous--just one branch...the heavy rains splayed it a bit. This has turned out to br a gem.

Penstemon hirsutus

I grow several forms of this species--all delightful.

Verbascum x 'Letitia'

I met Letitia in 1976. She wore the same Greek shirt I wore (only not at the same time).  The much premature death of her husband (Ken Aslet) is one of the many tragedies that have touched on my life.

Monardella macrantha 'Marion Sampson'

This past winter from hell killed no end of treasures. It didn't faze my several clumps of this gem--which is notable I think.

Campanula choruhensis

Stachys citrina

I've grown this gem for ages in our OLD rock garden where it looked fine and bloomed a tad. It much prefers the crevice garden--another reason to build one in your garden!

Verbascum 'Governor Aiken'

In addition to being an inspired native plant nurseryman and rock gardener, Governor Aiken was a senator from Vermont representing both parties. He was a key player in ending the war in Viet Nam. If we could only resurrect him today.

Nectaroscordon siculum

Very possibly my worst weed. It ain't going anywhere (whenever I try to remove it more comes back). Sometimes it's easier to just love your weeds and pretend they're intentional.

Aquilegia coerulea

All true blue Coloradoans have to grow this: happily it seems to like this spot.

Campanula portenshlagiana

 I think Taxonomists should restore its synonym (C. muralis) it would sell a lot better!

Dictamnus angustifolius (white flowered)

It blooms a few weeks after D. albus--and is a tad different otherwise. Wish I had its pink sibling with striped blooms.

Salvia phlomoides

Mike Kintgen and Rod Haenni's fantastic introduction from Morocco

Cheilanthes wootonii

Loveliest of dryland ferns. Botanists may have changed the generic--I have forgotten it if they have...

Saxifraga longifolia hybrid

Not the true species--but delightful...

Ligusticum scoticum

Apparently this grows on both sides of the Atlantic--and is a heck of a good woodlander to boot!

Aruncus x 'Zweiweltkkind'

I think I'm growing both its parents too

Forgot the danged name: will add it when it comes back to me: a fantastic woodland mint.

Anthericum baeticum

Blooming months before A. ramosum--and graceful as well. This MAY be A. undulatum. I got something similar under both names.

Anthemis biebersteiniana

This deserves a better spot. A terrific plant.

Alyssum oxycarpum

One of the last "baskets of gold" and possibly the best.

Echinocereus 'Panayoti'

Hans Graf, who owns and runs an enormous hardy cactus nursery in Bavaria named it for me and offered it in his catalog. Alas no longer! Although he has two other plants he's baptised with my name: here's the link to his amazing catalogue: http://www.kakteengarten.de/

Ophiopogon "chingii"

I read somewhere that the name's been changed on this terrific miniature Mondo grass: a pity--Dr. Ching was a giant of Chinese botany, and the teacher of my Pteridologist friend in Beijing, Dr. S.H. Shing...small world.

Iris tenax

I have had this growing (and not blooming) for over a decade. Needless to say, I'm pleased as punch it finally bloomed!

Ramonda myconii

What better way to end? Now...on to summer (which the Weather service predicts will start with a vengeance the day I leave for India/Sikkim.