This is a continuation of a thread documenting successes and failures trying to grow a variety of alpines in the humid (definitely non-alpine) conditions of the Midwest.
All the following plants have survived a full year in well-draining large containers left outdoors overwinter. Most are still fledgling, so I can't claim they're thriving.
#1 Saxifraga Winifred Bevington
#2 Saxifraga Southside Seedling
#3 Gypsophila repens
#4 Erodium petraeum ssp crispum
testing, ...
Site won't let me add another set of pictures. I can reply with text, but as soon as I add the pictures, I'm in an endless loop of 'previewing' my post.
Maybe I'll let it rest and try again tomorrow...
This message was edited Jun 3, 2016 5:58 AM
Again can't post. I'll try one at a time, see if it works.
#5 Limonium minutum. Blooms are so tiny, my camera's macro setting isn't adequate. I like this plant.
#6. Armeria maritima Victor Reiter. I've never had armeria survive here, but in this quick draining gritty soil, it has done fine.
#7 Arenaria tetraquetra. Interesting foliage. It was budding up beautifully, but all the buds turned yellow and never opened. So I'm not sure if it will bloom better with maturity or not.
#8 Alyssum ovirense. Again, tiny, tiny yellow flowers which challenge my camera's macro capabilities. The foliage is a beautiful silver which provides a great foil for the bright yellow (tiny) flowers.
Well, looks like you can post pictures singly.
That was Limonium minutum above.
This is Armeria maritima Victor Reiter. I've never had an Armeria survive before, much less flower.
Now I'm on a roll, I'll see if I can post 2 pics at the same time.
First if the Arenaria tetraquetra.
Second is Alyssum ovirense.
A really beautiful androsace opening up now - A. lanuginosa.
The flowers are tiny - this is a super close up.
But check out the multicolored centers.
Limonium minutum has been blooming for past 2 wks,
flowers gradually getting bigger.
That's awsome...you have GOT to be kidding! Androsace lanuginosa has different colored flower centers!!!! How is that even possible? Does a blossom start out at one color and then age to another color, or does each blossom stay its own separate color?
Don't know how it works yet - just surprised by the discovery myself. It's just starting to bloom, but it's such a small plant, only will have a few blooms this year. I'll be interested to see if the other blooms are also multicolored. Also don't know if the colors evolve as the bloom fades - I guess I'll find out. And the blooms are tiny - those pictured are at the highest magnification my camera can muster.
Here's another shot with a couple more blooms open.
Again, a nice mixture of colors.
Unfortunately, picture isn't great ...
I leave for work before sun is up, get home at dusk. Frustrating.
Hopefully the blooms will wait for better daytime photo ops on weekend!
Androsace lanuginosa has different colored flower centers!!!! How is that even possible? Does a blossom start out at one color and then age to another color, or does each blossom stay its own separate color?
Very interesting, Alta - thanks.
After a nice spring, we're suddenly in our classic sultry humid summer - temp was 98 yesterday w/ humidity to match. Supposed to be same thru weekend. It's our first real heat of the season, which often spells the end of flowering for many of my plants. Bummer. Now we'll soon be separating the stalwarts from the weak - some will undoubtedly not be able to stand our summer...
That Androsace is awesome. I'll have to try some.Thanks, alta and wee, for sharing your pictures and expertise.
We are in the doldrums of Junuary, a Western Washington phenomenon where the weather turns cools and it is either cloudy or rains and drizzles for most of the month. (I complain but it has been perfect for our newly seeded lawn.)
Probably the best perennials for the stone nursery are sure assortments of achillea, agapanthus, bellflower, geraniums, kniphofia, sedum and veronica. The irregularity of most perennials implies they are best joined with evergreen bushes to keep away from void spaces being left over the colder time of year.
