What's blooming in your rock garden?

What plants do you grow that flower late summer and early fall? I'm getting bloom from a couple of low-growing Oenotheras, the pale yellow one and the white one that turns pink (O. missouriensis and O. pallida?), Gentiana septemfida, Salvia forskaohlei (light purple & cream), Linum flavum compactum, Campanula carpatica, Pterocephalus pinardii, Silene schafta, Satureja arkansana, a creeping pink Verbena, and Thymus 'Doone Valley'. Oh, and Penstemon hirsutus 'Pygmaeus' is just starting to re-bloom.

The plants are growing in 4" to 6" of road gravel, over sandy loam with pockets of sand and rocks (it's glacial moraine), in full sun, and they never get watered once established.

June

My rockery is mostly Allium flavum and its many colour forms, along with Gentiana septemfida.

Here's A. flavum in orange

and pink

OK, I definitely need some Allium flavum. Todd, did you grow your different colour forms from seed? Please can you recommend a source for seed or bulbs?

June

June, I'm just starting work on a rock garden. can you post any pics of what you have that's flowering now?

gram?

Sorry, Gram, I have no pictures. I'll be buying a digital camera soon, though.

June

June, I did grow them all from seed. They came as Allium flavum var. tauricum from NARGS seed exchange some years ago. Apparently, the originator submitted the seeds as specific colours but the seed 'distributor' put all the seeds in the same bottle, ending up with a mixed bag of colours. I was expecting yellow flowers but as they started to bloom, I ended up with a mixed patch of yellow, white, pink and orange shades. Last year I dug the clump while it was in full bloom and seperated each colour so that now each colour is in its own clump. I plan on collecting seeds based on colours this fall. If you think on it, drop me an email later the fall and I can send you some seeds.

Thanks, Todd. I'd love some seeds. I don't have any experience of growing bulbs from seed (apart from some Pancratium maritimum seeds that were collected at Leptis Magna in Libya last fall, and I sowed them in almost pure sand). What advice can you give me for germinating and growing Allium flavum, please?

They need stratification. Sow them Jan. 1 then put the pot in the fridge for 2 months then expose them to gentle heat. Or sow them the fall in pots left outside for the winter..they'll germinate in the spring. They actually self-seed in my garden. They should flower the second year from seed. Some flavums have lovely blue foliage, although it seems to be restricted to the yellows.

How wonderful to see activity here in Aug! I almost missed it.

Todd - what a nice variety of color for those allium! The pink are
especially pretty.

My little daphne's are still blooming on & off. And geranium nana.
Hardly the big spring show. I'll see if I can get a few pictures
this weekend (assuming there is anything blooming).

Tam

It's nice to see any activity here. It is a slow time of year in the rock garden as far as blooms go though. I rely on the foliage for interest this time of year. I grow more fond of the Acantholomons each year. I do have a few things that are still blooming but nothing like the spring show of blooms. I'm glad to see that Gentian septemfida and Pterocephalus pinardii bloom this time of year. I have seedlings of both that will be going into the garden shortly.

As far as what's actually producing blooms right now I have Oenothera caespitosa, Sphaeralcea caespitosa, Aster coloradoensis, Talinum brevifolium, Othona capensis, Townsendia incana, Erigeron compositus, Andryala agardhii and Erodium carvifolium that has been blooming all year. Petrophytum caespitosum is also sending up it's white/cream bottlebrush blooms right now that the bees seem to enjoy and Eriogonum ovalifolium is still producing little puff ball blooms. Alyssum stribryni(sp?) is looking much better since it's hair cut and producing a bit of yellow bloom (I may keep it another year). I also have a couple of Penstemon that are blooming but I don't know which they are. One is larger and I'm thinking it may be P. laetus the other is smaller with rosettes of bluish foliage and small lavender blooms. A single Castilleja integra is blooming right now situated next to a Salvia dorii. These are planted in a sandy/gritty clay loam mulched with pea gravel and are watered occasionally through the hot dry part of the growing season.

I'll have to check out a couple of the other plants you all have listed.

(edited to correct name of plant.)

This message was edited Aug 13, 2006 4:09 PM

I'm lurking here and making notes. thanks, everyone. :-))

Ally_UT I don't have nearly that much variety blooming in the rockery now. I have about 5 forms of Allium flavum, A. pulchellum, A. lusitanicum, A. senescens, A. cyaneum, A. angulosum, A. tuberosum, Oxalis 'Ione Hecker', O. 'Ute', O. squamata, Platycodon grandiflorum, Campanula patula, Veronica whitleyi and Geranium sanguineum. Cyclamen hederifolium is just starting to bud...the first of my fall-blooming bulbs.

I'm taking notes too Gram. I've added several of the above mentioned plants to my short list.

Todd, I know the rest of your garden is filled with an abundance of bloom that I could only dream of. I look forward to pics of the Cyclamen. I don't have many Alllium but my A. senescens 'Blue twister' is just finishing up and the A. tuberosum are just beginning. I've got another Allium that is blooming but I have no idea what it is.

What about autumn Crocus? or Colchicum? I planted some Crocus boryi that I would have enjoyed seeing but I'm afraid they've succumb to the elements and my ignorance.
When do these start to bloom? I could use some suggestions on ones that might be suitable for a xeric rock garden.

Staying with the theme of the thread I'll add a couple more plants that are blooming. These aren't in my main rock garden but would be suitable for the larger rockery. There is Zinnia grandiflora and Calylophus serrulatus as well as Papaver croceum all of which are producing delightful yellow blooms. Epilopium fleischeri is putting on a nice display of pink gaura like blooms and Dracocephalum ruyschianum is still blooming sproadically as is Antihrinum hispanicum 'roseum' .

The Oenothera minima is blooming now in one of my rock beds. It is a sweet little plant that only grows to about 6" tall and the little yellow flowers are about the size of a pencil eraser. It is well-suited for rock gardens.

Also, the Edelweiss.

Great pics Weezingreens. I've never heard of that Oenothera before. Very cute. Love the Edelweiss too. I thought that I had lost mine this year when it started to look all dry and crispy but it's starting to put on fresh growth now that it's gotten a bit cooler here.

Yes, I imagine the heat of a Utah summer could scare the fuzz right off a little ol' Edelweiss! I got the seeds for this little Oenothera from Emmy in the Netherlands. She has lots of wonderful seeds.

My alliums are still going...here's A. cyaneum in my alpine trough

I love the allium! I've never had much luck growing them from seed. Maybe I just need to winter sow them all.

Weez, I seem to grow them all. Maybe I should be in charge of Alliums... Carol

Yes, you are, indeed the Allium Queen of Seward! I even have trouble getting chives to germinate!

Most Alliums sprout like grass for me but I do have trouble with a few species. A. zebdanense...tried it 5 times and still no luck!...chives self-seed all over the place!

This is an Allium blooming now that came from a gentleman in Latvia. He did not know the species. It is something like A. senescens but paler with a larger head and broader leaves. I can't seem to find anything on the internet that matches.

That's a beauty, Todd! I think I should put out a real effort to get the allium going in my gardens. Ceeads is a master at growing them, and she lives about a mile from me. I'll have to sneak down to her house with a flashlight and a trowel some night! She gave me a lovely little lewisia I mistook for an allium. I believe it is Lewisia pymaea. It seems happy in my wet, cool climate and puts out lots of little babies every summer: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/55583/index.html

My L. pygmaea is nearly dormant...only one of two flowers and leaves left but it produced lots of seeds.

Allium pulchellum 'Album' is just starting.

My L. pygmaea bloomed in the spring, but it retains its foliage all summer long. I've never tried collecting seeds. The flowers grow so close into the foliage! So far, it self seeds so readily, I haven't needed to harvest seeds. Your A. pulchellum is lovely.

Other August bloomers I have to add to the list is :
Talinum calcynum
Mertensia pterocarpa(still blooming)
Inula ensifolia
Scilla scillioides
Petrohagia saxifraga (cut back for second bloom)

I planted these penstemon this spring so I am not sure it is normal bloom time:
pinifolius
pinifolius 'Mersea'
rupestris

Just learned Talinum calcynum has been changed to Phemeranthus calycinus. All those like talinums have a genus change.

Talinum paniculatum (Jewels of Opar), however, remains the same.

Rick

Petrohagia saxifraga - would probably do better in real rock garden soil, but it is in well draining richer garden soil.

Anyone care to take a guess at the plant at the upper left? Planted late this spring, it is obviously not mature.

Rick

Very nice bloom on that petrohagia saxifraga Rick!

My Epilobium fleischeri just started yesterday.

and my Trachelium jacquinii ssp. romerianum is in full bloom.

So cute! How nice to see the season isn't over just yet.
Tam

Rick that Petrohagia reminds me of a sandwort that I grow in my dryland garden, I like it, the Petrohagia that is. So is that an Epilobium in the upper left hand corner?

Todd another great looking plant that I've never heard of. After looking up the Trachelium I see that it's suitable for xeric and alkaline conditions, which got me excited. Then I notice it's not particularly cold hardy. Do you have to bring this inside for the winter?

It should be fine for you area...mine is outside and my seeds originated from a lady who grew it outdoors in Ottawa (Zone 5a).

Gentiana septemfida is also flowering now.

and although not strictly an alpine, I thought I'd share a pic of my willow gentian.

Love the cross effect on that Epilobium, Tammy. I hadn't realized that species was so nice.

The other plant in the Petrohagia pic is a little Penstemon pinifolius. Interesting in that I planted both P. pinifolius and P. pinifolius 'Mersea' at the same time, and which do you think bloomed? The wimpier, yellow flowered Mersea.

Todd and Weezingreens (Gesundheit!): always great plants. I have two G. septemifida in two gardens that bloom in succession. But neither make it to September(!)

Hello everyone
Great thread I just stumbled on - so many plants I've never even heard of! I'm making notes! Todd, love your blue A. cyaneum and the Trachelium! Didn't know A. flavum came in so many colors.

In my small "rock border" my dianthus are still blooming although they're getting a bit tattered.
Also blooming at the moment are:
Geranium dalmaticum
Geranium farreri
Campanula cochlearifolia
Penstemon pinifolia
Dianthus 'Queen of Henri'
Gentiana paradoxa
Erodium manescavi