Her very own mountain! Anne Spiegel--mega rock gardener.

Iris tectorum fringing the driveway

I don't know another gardener in North America (nor perhaps in the world) who possesses such an ideal site for growing alpines. Too big to show in its entirety, you will catch glimpses here and there of a mountain sized rock that rises next to the Spiegel's lovely stone home, here caught at the perfect moment with roof iris blooming exuberantly.

Perhaps Anne will identify the wild-looking rhododendron at the corner near the front of the house--which so perfectly complements the iris. (She did: it's Rhododendron kiusianum)

Lomatium grayi

I couldn't resist showing the wonderful gray mound of foliage this wonderful Western umbel makes in the garden. Widespread in nature, it's woefully rare in gardens. Anne's (and my own) are the only gardens I have seen it in.

Raised beds formed with stacked stone hold wonderful specimens, like this Viorna section Clematis--not sure which species...

A trough with Lewisia x longipetala hybrids from Jelitto

Asarina (Antirhinum) procumbens

This grows everywhere for Anne--but I struggle to get it established: there is no justice!

Even out of bloom, Androsace ovczinnikovii is enviable...to have been here a week earlier!

The androsace shares a trough with a wonderful silver saxifrage (S. paniculata) and Minuartia sp.

More cool troughs--here with Alyssum sp. and Lewisia x longipetala

Globularia sp.

And even rugged conifers

Mini meadows on the terraces slopes

I have a hunch the Iris tectorum germinated from seed here...

One can never have enough roof iris. 

And even MORE

I was a week early to see the Oxytropis in bloom. No one grows the choice pea family plants like Anne!

A garden of great contrasts!

Waldsteinia fragarioides

I believe this is our native American species--very similar to W. ternata from Eurasia.

Primula (Dodecatheon) meadia

In a great white form...

Sempervivum in a crevice

Campanula (Symphyandra) wanneri

Ramonda sp.

Valeriana supina

Convolvulus compactus in a pink form.

Eriogonum umbellatum v. porteri

Aquilegia canadensis

Primula sieboldii

Asarina procumbens

There she is! Lots of exercise...

 

Iris tectorum (AGAIN! I love it)

And even a bog garden

Leucojum aestivum and Primula japonica

Erigeron compositus

A white ramonda...

Anne looking about the same as when I first met her 35 years ago! Gardening keeps you YOUNG!

Woodlanders: Polygonatum humile and lenten rose.

Our wonderful hosts. The dog is as delightful as he is sleek and beautiful.

A visit to the Spiegels in high spring exceeds all expectations.