Alpines in July

A new month with new alpines. I'll start with a few plants from our new crevice garden at work. This first one was sown as Penstemon alpinus but is actually a hybrid of some sort...a little tall but still attractive.

What was sown as Aster himalaicus...can't dispute whether it is correct or not as I can find little info on this species

Our native alpine, Senecio pauciflorus

Campanula cochlearifolia 'Alba' - this was not planted as this species...we may have to remove this rather rampant species!

Heliosperma (Silene) alpestre (alpestris)

In my own garden....I went to get annuals last week and found this beauty at a local nursery...first time I've seen a red Lewisia!

Ouch!

Acantholinum hokanekeri. Taken just before a storm, it's the best I could do.

The papery calyxes are interesting too.

I've never had any luck with Acantholinum...too wet I expect.

Dianthus 'Royal Midget' and Penstemon rydbergii

The trough on my front deck

Campanula barbata and Sempervivum 'Reginald Malby'...I think it's time to place gravel on my crevice garden to finished it off!

Might as well, Todd - looks good!

Vella spinosa has come into its own this year, and is quite floriferous. It seems to defend itself quite well against grazing animals.... not only does it cover itself with a barrier of criss-crossing spikes to protect the leaves below, but each flower has a spike projecting up immediately above it.

Penstemon lyallii.

The acantholimon I've tried have died out over the winter - totally dried out by spring (which I don't understand)... must try again.

Penstemon speciosus var. kennedyi.

Seedpods on Physaria didymocarpa.

Saxifraga cotyledon, out among other perennials in the front yard. It burned a bit through the winter, but is now blooming nicely.

Spiraea decumbens, a very small spirea, though not too exciting otherwise!

Dracocephalum botryoides.

Incarvillea zhongdianensis.

Asperula gussonei

Saponaria suendermannii.

A young Catananche caespitosa.

Silene kantzeensis, not as floriferous this year as last.

I can't remember if I showed this one earlier or not. Sorry if it's a repeat.
Sedum hispanicum var. minus 'Aureum'

Hieracium villosum:

Scutellaria orientalis ssp. alpina, or so I think.

Helianthemum oelandicum ssp. alpestre.

Gypsophila silenoides.

You have so much in bloom!

WOW! Your Incarvillea looks an awful lot like my forrestii....hmmmm. And I didn't know Catanache came in yellow! That silene is definately added to the want list.

Todd, the leaves (visible in the pic) are different on I. zhongdianensis compared to I. forrestii (from what I just read in Eflora of China.... I don't grow the latter myself).

Galanthophile, the cold parts of North America have a brief, very compressed... and colourful... season!

Alta, do you every run out of cool plants to show? (Certainly not complaining!)
Decumbens is very cute. Some of us here have Spiraea 'Golden Elf', about twice as large. IMO it's fairly gaudy, with its yellow/chartreuse leaves and normal rose pink flowers.

Here is my I. forrestii as a comparison...certainly shorter than yours but that may be an age thing. I keep trying to grow your species but I can't get the seeds to germinate.

Hmm, I'll have to find a description for I. zhongdianensis also and compare (and also try to key mine out!) When I glanced thru the one for forrestii earlier I thought it sounded rather different in leaf shape, but reading it again, I'm not sure.

Here's one for I. forrestii:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200021413

well it seems mine is NOT forrestii...maybe I have zhongdianensis afterall!

Oh, okay, as I read it again (for I. forrestii), it says the leaves are simple and not divided, unlike on I. zhongdianensis... that's what I thought I read the first time. I'm not sure if it's my eyes, or my comprehension, that's failing, LOL!

Gee, Rick, here I was thinking I don't have near enough cool plants!

Dare I hope that this might actually be Penstemon whippleanus that's just started opening today... one that's eluded me in the seedex's for years? I haven't keyed it out completely yet, but I'm encouraged!

Looks like the real thing to me! Save seeds! I had this one for years then it died and like you, I kept getting imposters.

I haven't yet keyed out the presumed P. whippleanus (from which I will definitely save seeds, Todd!), but I did this one, though I suppose the exaggerated flowers made it relatively "obvious" (among penstemaniacs, anyway).... P. grandiflorus.

And this photo shows the basics of penstemon IDs... the shape of the anther sacs. The photo shows that the anther sacs are glaucous, navicular (boat-shaped), open all across the connective (the point where the stamen attaches at the back), and out to the tips. Also, the staminode (the thingie in the center) is expanded at the tip (to 2mm), and hand-lens examination shows that it has a stubbly beard.... all of which leads one to the penstemon section, and then eventually to the actual species... P. grandiflorus! The Key to the Genus Penstemon by Robin and Kenneth Lodewick is utter genius! I'm astounded that an amateur (especially a not-very-focused one, LOL!) can do this!

Eriogonum schockleyi... just planted this spring.