A few succulent August morsels

Passiflora caerulea

Knowing how they sucker, I hesitate to plant a passioflower in my home garden. But Shane Smith (a friend of many years) had no such qualms. I will be intrigued how this does in the future. Most of the plants I know of in Denver are planted near homes where they get extra warmth in winter--this one is on a fence line far from his house. But Paonia (where this was photographed) is a gentler climate than Denver.

Coryphantha sulcata

I have a hunch most of the plants of this grown in cold regions all stem from collections made by Harlan Hamernik of Bluebird nursery at the very north end of the species range--near Oklahoma. I'd tried growing forms from further south in the past, which were tender. This fantastic selection (which I featured once before on this blog) is tough as nails. It blooms repeatedly through the summer after good rains--a nice trait in a cactus (or any other plant for that matter!)

Hypericum proliferum

Purchased (along with a lot of other treasures) from Missouri Wildflowers Nursery--this has bloomed for the first time ever for me this summer. Plants from this nursery are ridiculously cheap, and arrive in good condition. But I HATE their packing--order and you too will see why.

Allium 'Millenium' and a complementary grass

  

One of my talented colleagues came up with this inspired combination I've been admiring at Denver Botanic Gardens: I must try and recreate it on a smaller scale in MY garden!

"Glory of Texas" Thelocactus bicolor

I overwintered this the winter before last, but our last year's arctic winter did my outdoor plant in this year...I don't think I'll risk this specimen outdoors! It has bloomed repeatedly for me through this summer...

I'm not home in the heat of the day when the flowers open up flat...but they're lovely even this way!

Escobaria leei

I once had a plant of this twice the size which I stupidly allowed to perish. This one is perfectly grown in the magnificent gardens of Glenn Guetenberg and Patrice Van Vleet which I visited with the DBG interns last Friday.

 

An elegant planter with tender succulents at Azura, a spectacular winery/restaurant overlooking the North Creek Valley in Western Colorado where we sipped wine last night before dinner...

Opuntia x coloradoensis

I have not passed this by Donnie Barnett (co-author of Cactus of Colorado) but I think it's our namesake cactus (derived likely from a cross between O. fragilis and O. polyacantha). How such a distinctive and widespread plant in Western Colorado escaped naming until the Barnett's published their book is a mystery--although I'm not sure their name has been adopted widely yet. Photographed in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Juniperus osteosperma

 An enormous juniper (see below for scale) that is Shane Smith's favorite tree hereabouts. Photographed in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

The spot where Jan is leaning showed evidence that generations of visitors had posed in the same spot!

Artichoke in flower (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)

I have a fondness for all things thistly--and I admire the wonderful inflorescences of artichokes...but I also love to eat them. We'd never have this spectacle at OUR house! But this was taken in Paonia--not sure it would grow this well at our house!

Needle Rock

Not a plant, I know. But one of Colorado's little known marvels. I'd driven nearby here over a half century ago and not seen this, and subsequently knew about it because Craig Child's (Colorado's most eminent author) lived near here for a number of years. I'd heard him talk about it on public radio. What a treat to finally confront the giant volcanic plug in person yesterday!

And these are a few of the succulent morsels I've enjoyed over the last half of a month so far...