Alpines. Piccies of

Hiya Mike, how are you?
last year, online supplies of white lewisias were not available. .I will be first in line this year though.
Mind you, I have a couple of good colours!

 

Sedum "Cherry tart"


Gentiana.


Rosa rouletti (only grows 8" high) from China.


Gaultheria "Pearls"

 

Freesia laxi (from South Africa)


Origanum.


Lewisia Cotyledon
Sedum cauticolium

 

I truly admire and envy Kindredspirit for growing and sharing these little beauties with us. Thank you.

Life is so short and more than perhaps ever before in mankind's history, have we really burned the candle at both ends. Our lifestyle today is. I want it done yesterday. Tiny, small plants so sadly go unnoticed by the many. However, stop and take a closer look. Tiny, yes. Beautiful.....out of this world.

A well known verse, saying by William Henry Davis. We have no time to stop and stare.
Mike's saying. Stop! and stare. Look closer and enjoy within this tiny plant. The marvel of creation.

 

Thank you Mike.

You are very right to take time to "Stop and stare" or "Stop and appreciate".

 

On Tuesday I visited one of my local garden centers, Ruxley Manor. It had been a blustery day and many larger plants, trees etc had been blown over. Although close to closing time, I picked out a few packs of bulbs and then had a look at their selection of alpines. Strange when you come to think about it. 'Alpines'. We immediately think about tiny plants to put on the rockery or display as a mixed collection in a sink garden. Alpine actually relates to, plants growing between the geographical tree line and the low snow like zones.

Gardeners tend to perhaps put plants into just two classes. Cultivated plants and weeds, often applying perhaps a few expletives to weeds. However often what we might call a weed, is treasured by another keen gardener as, a little gem. For instance. I have carefully removed from between the joints of paving slabs, tiny Erodiums, taken them home and grown them on. In the past. Val & I caravanned in the New Forest. Val would take a few novels to read. Me! I'd take a few reference books and a basic microscope, plus a kind of field collecting kit. Suddenly I would become young again...............................................'Young' what's that?

As Val & I had both studied Homeopathy and became practitioners, I was delighted to find lots of, the alpine plant/weed Euphrasia. This plant really does have such a tiny minute flower. When out in the field, I always have my loop with me. Sorry, my loop is a jewlers magnifying glass. My interest in plants extends to looking deeper. The loop enabled me to see deep inside the fower and observe the beauty and finness of the markings. This tiny plant plays a huge part in medical science. It has many properties that help in the treatment of eye infections and diseases. It's common name is. Eyebright.

So friends and fellow gardeners I simply like to share my hobby, interest with others. My apologies if I tend to bore you. Mike.

 

Truly a wonderful experience for you both.

Amazing. Probably to many, it was just a vast landscape of nothing. Then to learn of the hidden secrets of the wonders of the plant kingdom. I've often envied some of the plant hunters and individuals like Chris Grey-Wilson.

 

Friends. I feel that I must clarify something. In my recentpost, I said that Val & I both studied homeopathy and became, 'Practitioners' I must make it clear that we never took our final exam so never received that scroll or whatever.
'Practitioners' in our case simple meaning we as anyone else could legally practice homeopathy, consult, diagnose and prescribe. At no tome could we cahrge for our services. Medication could be charged for. My sincere apologies if I mis-led anyone.

 

Meant to ask you Vedun. Do you grow your alpines under glass or in the open. I am not familiar with the climate in your neck of the woods, for outdoor growing.
Throughout my gardenig life. I have always tried something new, including taking the plants in part or as a microscopic specimen. I love alpines as can be seen from my posts on the forum. I have been a member of the AGS for many years. This is where I have to openly admit. Having grown and lost many a collection under glass, I haven't had much success in the garden.

I have a large raised area. Actually it is builr upon a large pile of ballast left over form concreting paths etc. A generous soil/compost covering. Many perennials do well on it. I have set alpines out so as to appear as natural as possible. Despite most being classified as hardy, come the spring and no alpines. In the garden, I have even constructed various forms of protection. Zilch. Under glass, perhaps I may have been a bit to loving and overwatered. Sad to say but true. Poor health often plays a part.

 

My alpines are out in the open subject to rain (lots of it) wind (lots of that too) snow and sun and don't seem to mind.

Treat 'em mean and keep 'em keen!

 

Allium thunbergii




Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora




Lewisia cotyledon


Primula capitata



Rosa roulettii


Gentiana

 

Is that Allium blooming at the right time of year?

 

Dunno. I've two plants of them blooming at the moment. Situated at the bottom of tufa rock in a trough.

EDIT. It's correct. See here.

Allium thunbergii - Plant Portraits - Alpine Garden Society