Rock Plant Colour Wheel - Flowers Link Map

Click on Number in Colour Wheel or Black sections below:-

Some abbreviations have been used in compiling the list of Rock Plants for small gardens in order to make it possible to provide all the required information at a glance in a condensed form.

Name

First is the name of the genus to which the plant belongs which is given in capitals. Under the generic name the names of the species and varieties are recorded.

Link to photos, cultivation details or mail-order business that sells it.

Link in *** to Rock Garden Colour Wheel Page with photo of the plant at bottom of page. Then, More Photos Page links to further photos / description in its Rock Plant Photos Gallery Page.

Suitability

Details of which container to grow the plant in:-

• A. The plant can be grown in sinks, trough, pans or scree beds
• B. The plant is best accommodated in a trough or sink.
• C. Suitable for peat beds and raised beds (suitable for alpine rhododendrons)

Type

Abbreviated to:-

• B for Bulb
• H for Herb - any non-woody plant that is not a tree or shrub
• HP for Herbaceous Perennial
• S for Shrub
• SS for Sub-shrub

followed by

• E for Evergreen
• D for Deciduous

Height and Spread

The approximate height is given first in inches, followed by the approximate spread, when mature. 1 inch (") = 25.4 millimetres (mm)

Soil

The figures A, B, C and D denote that the plant in question requires one of the following soil mixtures:-

• A. Equal parts of loam, leafmould and sand. This is a suitable mixture for plants which require a light, open, porous soil with good drainage. A good mixture for troughs in a sheltered position in part shade. All bulbs and conifers do well in this medium.
• B. Equal parts of loam, leafmould, peat and sand. This is more retentive of water but is well-drained and will grow all the plants in this Rock Plant List which are suitable for full sun, and it is ideal for woodland plants in part shade.
• C. Four parts leafmould and one part each of loam and sand. A soil for growing dwarf rhododendrons and other ericaceous plants in the raised bed type of trough and peat beds.
• D. Three parts Cornish silver sand and one part flaked leafmould. For all difficult and rare high alpines, including most of the cushion type. The trough containing this mixture is best situated in part shade.

which may be followed by

• N for when a neutral pH medium is required.
• L for when a limey pH medum is required.

Where no additional letter is given, the plant will thrive under either condition.

Position and Protection

The following terms and abbreviations used singly or in combination will minimize the risk of planting in an unsuitable spot:-

• C --- This means that the plant will do well planted on its side in a crevice built up on the rocks for preference.
• P --- This plant requires a pane of glass suspended over it in winter, generally from October to the end of March.
• PS -- A part-shady spot or facing west with protection from the south by a shadow cast by either a rock or shrub.
• SA -- Shady position either facing north or protected by a rock.
• Sun - This means that the plant will require a normal amount of direct sunlight.
• W --- The plant will do well planted in a vertical position in the side of a trough or scree frame.

Flower Colour, Nearest Colour Wheel - Flowers Colour and Months of Flowering

These 3 columns are self-explanatory;
for example, Orange June, means that

• the flowers are orange (if the plant has a Plant Description Page in this website then the link from here will be to that Plant Description Page otherwise to a Plant Description found on the Internet),
• orange3 in the Colour Wheel - Flowers is the nearest colour for the majority of the flower petal (either from a flower image in this website or an image found on the Internet), with link to the Colour Wheel - Flowers Colour and
• the flowering month is June with link to the flower photo on the Internet.

A double entry such as
Orange August
Red October
means that the plant has orange flowers in August and red fruits or berries in October.

Propagation

A general idea to the best method of increasing the stock:-

• C ---- Half-ripened wood at the end of July.
• D ----- Division.
• GC ---- Green Cuttings in late spring.
• L ------ Layering.
• Leaf C - The plant is best propagated by leaf cuttings.
• RC ----- Fully ripened wood at the end of September.
• Root C - The plant is best propagated by cutting the thick root thongs at the end of September.
• S ------- The best method is by seed.

may be followed by

• H - Where this letter is placed after any of the above abbreviations, it means that bottom heat is essential to obtain a fair percentage of strikes.
  The omission of this letter does not mean that bottom heat cannot be employed; in fact, its use will certainly save an appreciable amount of time taken to increase the stock.

A combination of the above will denote that the plant can be increased by all the methods which those abbreviated letters stand for.

Propagation Seed Composts

"I am giving 3 types of composts which will be numbered 1, 2 and 3 so that they will not be confused with the potting mixtures. The number of the compost will be noted under the heading of propagation in the list of plants. These are not offered as the only types in which seedlings may be grown, but they have proved their worth over many years. As it will only be on rare occasions that a bushel of compost of any one of the seed mixtures will be required, I will give the size of the box which can be constructed easily to hold a quarter of a bushel, an amount more in keeping with the average amateur's need. The inside measurements of the box, which is best made of wood are 10 by 10 x 5.5 inches deep (25 by 25 x 13.25 cms). By doubling the depth a half bushel measure is available.

Compost 1
A mixture that has been found suitable for all the ordinary and easy types of alpine seed is the John Innes seed compost.
It can of course be mixed at home as required. Only the amount needed at the time should be made for its lasting qualities are strictly limited. All the following ingredients are mixed by bulk, not weight, and are best used dry after mixing, storing the compost for a day or 2 before use.

• Take 2 parts of medium-heavy sterilised loam from a reliable source, full of rotted grass roots. The soil should be rubbed down between the hands into a light granular texture. All fibrous material must be retained and if large; cut into small pieces with scissors and mixed into the loam. On no account should the loam be sieved. This will spoil the texture of the finished compost and cause it to pack readily, a state of affairs to be avoided, for it is essential that the soil be open and granular in texture.
• Add 1 part of sieved peat,
• 1 part of Cornish sand

and well mix the whole together dry. Afterwards to this is added

• 1.5 ounces of superphosphate of lime and
• 0.75 ounces of chalk

to each bushel of compost. If this mixture is to be used for plants which are lime haters, the chalk should be omitted.

Compost 2
The more difficult and rare plants need a light, open soil in which to germinate and the following has been tried and found suitable. Equal parts by bulk of medium heavy fibrous loam and leaf-mould. Both the loam and leaf-mould should be sterilised and then rubbed down to a fine granular texture. The particles are better if small, but should not be sieved. To this is added 2 parts of Cornish sand, after sieving through a 1/16 inch sieve (2 mm) as the larger particles are not needed.

Compost 3
Shade-loving dwarf rhododendrons and other ericaceous and woodland plants like a more spongy yet still open medium. This consists of equal parts leaf-mould, peat and Cornish sand. The leaf-mould must be sterilised and rubbed down fine, the peat and sand should be sieved though a 1/16 inch (2 mm) sieve, and the wole well mixed together.

Both composts 2 and 3 need a very fine sprinkling of superphosphate of lime, just under 0.5 ounce for a quarter of a bushel of mixture or to be more precise 3/8 of an ounce. The superphosphate is needed by the seedlings in their early growth. In fact it is essential as a plant food as soon as the seed starts to germinate, so it must be mixed with the composts, not applied afterwards. " from Collector's Alpines by Royton E. Heath published in 1964 by Collingridge Limited.

Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Garden Society is a club of plant lovers living near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, who visit, study, photograph, draw and grow alpine plants, bog dwellers and woodlanders, whether native or exotic. We encourage the propagation and distribution of plants.

List of Desirable Plants (from Vancouver Island Rock
and Alpine Garden Society)

Asterisks following entries in the list denote plants known to the author from local gardens. Double asterisks indicate species which have done particularly well in the author's rock garden which is located mostly on south-facing slopes. No, or only short-term experience is available for the unmarked species, but they are expected to perform well and should be tried wherever obtainable.

• Acantholimon, various spp. - still being tested; more information wanted*

• Achillea ageratifolia [= Anthemis aizoon] (Greece)**

• Achillea chrysocoma (Balkans, Asia Minor)**

• Achillea umbellata (Greece)

• Aethionema, all spp. (SE Europe, Asia Minor)**

• Allium flavum, A. moly, A. neapolitanum (S Europe)*

• Allium insubricum (Lago di Garda, L.d.Como, Italy)

• Allium moschatum (Mediterr.) white

• Allium narcissiflorum (SE Europe)

• Allium ostrovskianum (Central Asia)*

• Allium triquetrum (E Mediterranean), and many others

• Alyssum argenteum (SE Europe)

• Alyssum armenum (Turkey)

• Alyssum atlanticum (W Mediterranean, Morocco)

• Alyssum cuneifolium (Mediterr.) - very low cushions

• Alyssum doerfleri (Balkans)

• Alyssum lycaonicum (Turkey)

• Alyssum montanum (Mediterranean, Eurasia)*

• Alyssum olympicum (Greece)

• Alyssum saxatile (Europe and Balkans)*

• Alyssum serpyllifolium (W Mediterranean)

• Anacyclus depressus (N Africa)*

• Anagallis linifolia (S Europe to N Africa)**

• Androsace armeniaca var macrantha (Turkey) - monocarpic*

• Androsace villosa (Asia Minor) sun-loving, lime

• Andryala aghardii (S.Spain) silvery-leaved subshrub*

• Anemone appennina (S Europe)

• Anemone blanda, A. coronaria, A. fulgens, A. hortensis,
A. pavonina (all in Greece, Asia M)*

• Anthemis biebersteiniana (Asia Minor)

• Anthemis cretica and subspecies (Asia M.)*

• Aphyllanthes monspeliensis (S France)*

• Aquilegia discolor (Spain)**

• Arabis caucasica (SE Europe to Iran)*

• Arabis procurrens (SE Europe)*

• Arenaria balearica (Sardinia, Corsica, Balearic Islands)*

• Arenaria montana and form 'Grandiflora` (S Alps, Pyrenees)*

• Arenaria purpurascens (Spain)*

• Arenaria tetraquetra (Italy, Spain) sun-loving

• Armeria caespitosa (Pyrenees)**

• Asarina procumbens (Spain)*

• Asperula boissierii (Greece) - v. short, cushion-forming, pink-fl.

• Asperula gussonii (Sicilian mtns.) less compact than boissierii

• Asperula lilaciflora (Mediterranean)

• Asperula nitida (Greece, Turkey)*

• Asperula sintenisii (Turkey) glaucous

• Asperula suberosa (Greece, Bulgaria) white hairy - no winter wetness

• Asphodeline lutea, A. liburnica (Mediterr.)*

• Asphodeline taurica (Taurus M.) - inflorescence w. silvery bracts

• Asteriscus maritimus (Mediterr.) - subshrubby, tender*

• Astragalus angustifolius (Balkans, Asia Minor)

• Astragalus sempervirens (Pyrenees, S Alps, Balkans)

• Aubrieta, all spp. and cultivars (E Mediterranean)**

• Buxus sempervirens (Mediterranean, S Europe, W Asia),
only the dwarf form 'Suffruticosa`

• Campanula andrewsii (Peloponnese)

• Campanula arvatica (N. Spain) - only 5 cm

• Campanula elatines (NW Italy) hot cliffs

• Campanula fragilis (S. Italy) - like turbinata; coastal limestone rocks

• Campanula garganica (SE Italy, Greece)*

• Campanula isophylla (N. Italy)*

• Campanula oreades (E Greece) among rocks, crevices*

• Campanula portenschlagiana (Dalmatia).**

• Campanula poscharskyana (W Yugoslavia) stony places*

• Campanula rupicola (Greece, Mt.Parnassus) limestone cliffs

• Campanula saxatilis (Aegean Islands) limestone crevices*

• Catananche caespitosa (Atlas)

• Cerastium tomentosum (Italy) - may be invasive*

• Chionodoxa gigantea, C. luciliae (Asia Minor)*

• Chrysanthemum hosmariense (Atlas Mts.)**

• Chrysanthemum pallidum ssp. spathulifolium (SE Spain)

• Chrysanthemum radicans (SE Spain) soft yellow

• Chrysanthemum tomentosum (Corsica)

• Cistus: With age, some of the species are too expansive
for small rock gardens

• Cistus albanicus (Albania) white, low

• Cistus clusii (S Spain, S Italy) white, low

• Cistus ladaniferus [frost hardiness marginal] (W Mediterr.)*

• Cistus salviaefolius (Mediterranean)*

• Colchicum, all spp., except C. autumnale (Europe, Mediterranean,
to Central Asia)*

• Convolvulus boissieri (Spain to Greece) - lime

• Convolvulus cneorum (W Mediterr.) - small shrub**

• Convolvulus compactus (Turkey)

• Crepis incana (Greece)

• Crocus, the vast majority of all spp., except C. vernus and
some of its hybrids. (S Europe,

• Mediterranean, to C Asia)*

• Cyclamen, all hardy spp., except Cyclamen purpurascens
(Mediterranean to W Asia)*

• Cytisus ardoinii (SW Alps)

• Cytisus decumbens (S Europe)*

• Cytisus demissus (Greece)*

• Cytisus pulchellus (Albania)

• Daphne blagayana (SE Europe) creamy white, limestone

• Daphne collina (S Italy)

• Daphne jasminea (Greece, N Africa) evergreen,
wh.-fld., purplish buds, borderline

• Daphne oleoides (S Europe and Asia Minor)

• Daphne sericea (Crete) - similar to collina**

• Dianthus, the following and others, except
those from high elevations in Alps.

• Dianthus brevicaulis (Turkey) - lime*

• Dianthus deltoides (Europe, Asia)**

• Dianthus erinaceus (Asia Minor)

• Dianthus gratianopolitanus (Europe)**

• Dianthus haematocalyx and
ssp. pindicola (Yugoslavia to Greece)**

• Dianthus microlepis (Bulgaria) no lime

• Dianthus monspessulanus (S Europe)*

• Dianthus spiculifolius (Balkans, Carpathians)**

• Dictamnus albus (N Mediterr.) limestone

• Doronicum columnae (Alps to Asia Minor)*

• Draba acaulis (Turkey, Ala Dag)

• Draba bruniifolia (Asia Minor)**

• Draba dedeana (Spain) white-fl.*

• Draba elegans (Cilician Taurus)

• Draba hispanica (E and S Spain)

• Draba rigida (Armenia)*

• Draba rosularis (Turkey)*

• Echinospartium horridum (Spain, Portugal)

• Edraianthus dalmaticus (Dalmatia)*

• Edrainathus graminifolius (Italy and Greece)**

• Edraianthus dinaricus, E. pumilio**, E. serpyllifolius (Dalmatia)

• Epimedium perralderianum (Algeria) yellow*

• Eranthis cilicica (Asia Minor)*

• Eranthis hiemalis (S Europe)*

• Erinacea anthyllis (Spain and N Africa)*

• Erodium absinthoides (Asia Minor)

• Erodium cazorlanum (Spain)

• Erodium chamaedrioides (Majorca)

• Erodium corsicum (Corsica)*

• Erodium supracanum (Pyrenees) grey finely divided foliage

• Erysimum sp., known mistakenly
as E."kotschyanum" in local gardens - low**

• Erysimum wilczeckianum (N Africa) - low, large pale yellow flowers*

• Euphorbia capitulata (Greece) - lime*

• Euphorbia myrsinites (Mediterranean)**

• Fritillaria, virtually all old-world spp., except F. meleagris*

• Galanthus, all spp., except G. nivalis
(SE Europe to W Asia); G. elwesii most suitable.*

• Genista dalmatica (Balkans) low

• Genista lydia (Balkans, Asia Minor)*

• Genista hispanica (SW Europe) spiny, lower than radiata

• Gentiana: Most spp. demand summer moisture

• Gentiana dinarica, some acaulis-group hybrids
after the roots have reached depth*

• Gentiana olivieri (Turkey to Central Asia) summer-dormant

• Gentiana septemfida (Asia Minor) when well established*

• Geranium cazorlense (Spain) very low

• Geranium cinereum and forms (Spain to Caucasus)*

• Geranium dalmaticum (Dalmatia)**

• Geranium incanum (S Africa)

• Globularia cordifolia (Europe and N Mediterranean)**

• Globularia nudicaulis (Alps to Yugoslavia)*

• Gypsophila repens (Alps and N Mediterranean Mts.)*

• Gypsophila petraea (Carpathians)*

• Haberlea rhodopensis (Balkans) - some shade**

• Halimiocistus ingwersonii - generic hybrid - (Portugal)*

• Halimium lasianthum (Portugal, Spain)*

• Helianthemum appenninum (N Mediterranean to Asia Minor)*

• Helianthemum lunulatum (S Europe)*

• Helianthemum nummularium and
ssp. grandiflorum (Europe, Asia M.)

• Helichrysum frigidum (Corsica)

• Hypericum athoum (Greece)*

• Hypericum balearicum (Balearic Islands) - 50 cm shrub**

• Hypericum empetrifolium (Greece)**

• Hypericum olympicum, H. polyphyllum (Asia Minor)**

• Hypericum repens (Asia Minor)

• Iberis gibraltarica (Spain)

• Iberis saxatilis (S Europe)**

• Iberis sempervirens (S Europe to Asia Minor)**

• Iberis tauricum (Turkey)*

• Iris attica (Yugoslavia to Turkey)

• Iris lutescens [=chamaeiris] (W Spain and Portugal)**

• Iris melitta [=suaveolens] (Bulgaria to Turkey)**

• Iris pumila (Austria and E)**

• Iris reichenbachii (Balkans)

• Iris reticulata -section, most spp.*

• Leucojum autumnale (Portugal, N Africa)

• Leucojum roseum (Corsica, Sardinia)

• Leucojum trichophyllum (Spain, Portugal, N Africa)

• Lilium candidum (S Mediterranean) lime

• Lilium chalcedonicum ? (Greece)

• Lilium croceum (S Alps)

• Lilium pomponium (N Mediterranean)

• Linaria pallida (Italy)

• Linum campanulatum (Spain, Italy) yellow

• Linum capitatum (E Mediterr., S Europe) y.,
woody base, better than compactum*

• Linum "Gemmel's Hybrid", mound-forming

• Linum leucanthum (Greece) white; very short cushion

• Linum punctatum (C and E Mediterr) mat-forming, blue

• Linum suffruticosum (W Meditterr.) pale pink;
'Salsoloides` and 'Prostratum`

• Linum tauricum (Greece +?) yellow, v.delicate,
narrow lvs and branches, short

• Lithodora diffusa (S Europe)*

• Matricaria oreades (Asia Minor)

• Moltkia petraea (Greece)

• Moltkia suffruticosa (N Italy)

• Morina persica (Greece to Iran)

• Morisia monantha (Corsica, Sardinia)*

• Muscari, all spp. (S Europe, Mediterranean, Asia Minor)*

• Narcissus, all dwarf spp. (Portugal to N Africa)
and most others, except some derived from N.

• pseudonarcissus, N. cyclamineus, and N. jonquilla*

• Onosma albo-roseum (Turkey, Iraq, Syria)*

• Onosma frutescens (Greece)

• Onosma nanum (Turkey)

• Onosma polyphyllum (Crimea)

• Onosma stellulatum (W Yugoslavia)

• Onosma tauricum (SE Europe to Turkey)*

• Origanum amanum (Anatolia)

• Origanum dictamnus (E Mediterr.)

• Origanum scabrum v. pulchrum (S Greece)

• Ornithogalum nutans (SE Europe)**

• Ornithogalum sibthorpii (Balkan to Crete)

• Paeonia cambessedessii (Balearic Islands, Corsica)*

• Paeonia clusii (Crete) white, smallest

• Paeonia tenuifolia (SE Europe, Asia Minor)

• Paraquilegia grandiflora (from Afghanistan E)

• Pelargonium endlicherianum (Turkey)*

• Polygala chamaebuxus (Alps)*

• Polygala microphylla (W Spain, Portugal)

• Polygala nicaensis (S Europe to Russia)

• Polygala stocksiana (Turkey to Transcaucasia)

• Primula fedtschenkoi (C Asia) summer-dormant

• Primula juliae (SE Caucasus)*

• Primula kaufmanniana (C Asia) summer-dormant

• Primula palinurii (S Italy) summer-dormant

• Primula vulgaris (W and S Europe, to Asia Minor, Armenia)**

• Primula vulgaris var. rubra [= P. abchasica] (E Mediterranean)

• Primula vulgaris ssp. sibthorpii (Balkans)*

• Prunus prostrata (Mediterranean)

• Pterocephalus parnassii (Greece)**

• Pterocephalus pinardii (Turkey)*

• Pterocephalus spathulatus (SE Spain)

• Ptilotrichum purpureum(SE Spain)

• Ptilotrichum spinosum (N Spain)**

• Puschkinia hyacinthoides, P. libanotica (Asia Minor)*

• Ramonda myconii (Pyrenees) [Note: Ramondas need shade]*

• Ramonda nathaliae (Macedonia, Albania)

• Ranunculus abnormis (Spain, Portugal) yellow

• Ranunculus calandrinioides (N Africa)**

• Ranunculus gramineus (Mediterranean)**

• Ranunculus kochii (from Turkey S and E) ficaria-type

• Ranunculus millefoliatus (Mediterr)

• Ranunculus millefolius (from Turkey S)

• Ranunculus parnassifolius (Pyrenees)

• Ranunculus rupestris (W Mediterr)

• Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus` (Mediterranean)*

• Rosularia aizoon, R. pallida , others (Asia Minor)*

• Salvia albimaculata (Turkey)

• Salvia blepharochlaena (Turkey)

• Salvia caespitosa (Turkey)*

• Salvia eriophora (Turkey)

• Santolina chamaecyparissus 'Corsica`,
also known as S. incana nana (Mediterranean)*

• Saponaria caespitosa (Spain)*

• Saponaria ocymoides (SW Europe)**

• Saponaria x olivana [infertile cross S. caespitosa x S. pumilio]**

• Saponaria pulvinaris (Asia Minor)

• Saponaria pumilio (SE Europe to Lebanon)

• Satureja croatica (Balkans)

• Satureja montana (Mediterranean to S Russia)*

• Saxifraga canaliculata (Spain)*

• Saxifraga lingulata [=callosa] var. australis (Italy)*

• Saxifraga lingulata var. catalaunica (Spain)

• Saxifraga longifolia (E Spain)

• Saxifraga trifurcata (N Spain)

• Scabiosa graminifolia (Pyrenees to Dalmatia)*

• Scilla hispanica (Spain, Portugal)*

• Scilla sibirica (Balkans, Asia M., to S Russia)*

• Scutellaria orientalis (Balkans,
Asia Minor) [needs scree conditions]*

• Sedum acre (N Africa to N Asia)*

• Sedum album (N Africa to N Asia)**

• Sedum atlanticum (Atlas)

• Sedum brevifolium (Spain)

• Sedum caeruleum (Corsica to N Africa)

• Sedum dasyphyllum (Europe, N Africa)*

• Sedum gypsicolum (Spain to Atlas)

• Sedum idaeum (Crete)

• Sedum jaccardianum (Atlas)

• Sedum laconicum (Greece)

• Sedum lagascae (Iberia)

• Sedum magellense (Mediterr)

• Sedum sediforme (S Europe, N Africa, Asia Minor)

• Sedum sempervivoides (Turkey)

• Sedum tenuifolium (Mediterr)

• Sedum tristriatum (Greece)

• Sedum urvillei (Balkans)

• Sempervivum, all spp. (Mediterranean,
S Europe, Asia Minor)*

• Silene boryi (S Spain)

• Silene caryophylloides (Turkey)

• Silene parnassica (E Mediterr.)

• Silene pindicola (N Greece)

• Silene schafta (E Caucasus, N Iran)**

• Silene vallesiaca (S France to Greece)

• Stachys amanica (Turkey)

• Stachys candida (Greece)

• Stachys chrysantha (Greece)

• Stachys citrina (Turkey)

• Stachys lavandulifolia (Turkey, Iran, Iraq)

• Stachys spruneri (SE Greece)

• Sternbergia clusiana, S. lutea (Mediterranean)*

• Tanacetum pallidum (Spain)

• Tanacetum pulverulentum (N Spain, Portugal)

• Teucrium aroanicum (Greece)

• Teucrium pyrenaicum (Pyrenees, W France)*

• Teucrium polium aureum (Turkey)**

• Thalictrum orientale (Greece, Asia Minor)

• Thalictrum tuberosum (Spain) as above

• Thlaspi nevadense (Spain)

• Thlaspi sintenisii (Turkey)

• Thlaspi stylosum (Appenines)

• Thymus caespititius (Portugal)

• Thymus capitatus (Portugal) small shrub

• Thymus cilicicus (Asia Minor)

• Thymus longiflorus (Spain)

• Tulipa (Mediterranean to Central Asia): Almost
all species tulips are ideal for our conditions.

• Recommended are: T. bakeri**, T. batalinii**,
T. chrysantha, T. clusiana, T. humilis**, T.

• linifolia**, T. pulchella, T. saxatilis**,
T. sprengeri, T. tarda**, T. urumiensis.**

• Verbascum acaule (S Greece)

• Verbascum arcturus (Crete)

• Verbascum dumulosum (Asia Minor) and hybrid 'Letitia`**

• Verbascum pestalozzae (Turkey)

• Veronica armena, V. cinerea (Asia Minor)

• Veronica bombycina (Turkey)

• Veronica caespitosa (Lebanon, Turkey)

• Veronica pontica (Balkans)

• Veronica prostrata (Europe, Asia Minor, Siberia)*

• Veronica saturejoides (Dalmatia)*

• Veronica whittallii (Asia Minor)**

• Viola bertolonii and ssp. corsica (Italy, Balkans)*

• Viola cazorlensis (S Spain) shrubby, beautiful

• Viola crassiuscula (S Spain)

• Viola doerfleri (Yugoslavia)

• Viola eugeniae (Italy)

• Viola eximia (Balkans)

• Viola graeca (Greece, Italy)

• Viola gracilis (Balkans, Asia Minor)*

There are other pages on Plants which bloom in each month of the year in this website:-

• 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index
• Plants Blue, Orange, Red, Yellow, White, Other Colours which lead on to other pages
• Colour Wheel - All Flowers per Month 12
• Bedding
• Bulb
• Climber
• Deciduous Shrub
• Deciduous Tree
• Evergreen Perennial
• Evergreen Shrub
• Evergreen Tree
• Herbaceous Perennial
• Rhododendron
• Rose
• Wild Flower

• Plants for Cut Flowers in
  January
  February
  March
  April
  May
  June
  July
  August
  September
  October
  November
  December
• Climber 3 sector Vertical Plant System with flowers in
  Jan,
  Feb,
  Mar,
  Apr,
  May 1, 2
  Jun,
  Jul,
  Aug,
  Sep,
  Oct,
  Nov,
  Dec
   

• Indoor Bulbs for
  December
  January
  February
• Indoor Bulbs for
  March
  April
  May
• Indoor
  Bulbs for
  June
  July
  August
• Indoor Bulbs for
  September
  October
  November
• Plant Bloom
  Dec-Jan
  Feb-Mar
• Plant Bloom
  Apr-May
  Jun-Aug
• Plant Bloom
  Sep-Oct
  Nov-Dec

THE 2 EUREKA EFFECT PAGES FOR UNDERSTANDING SOIL AND HOW PLANTS INTERACT WITH IT OUT OF 15,000:-

• THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 2 QUARTZ GRAIN SIBLINGS, and
• HOW ROOTS OF PLANTS ARE IN CONTROL IN THE SOIL
• before continuing in this website.

Explanation of Structure of this Website with User Guidelines Page for those photo galleries with Photos (of either ones I have taken myself or others which have been loaned only for use on this website from external sources)

or

when I do not have my own or ones from mail-order nursery photos , then from March 2016, if you want to start from the uppermost design levels through to your choice of cultivated and wildflower plants to change your Plant Selection Process then use the following galleries:-

• Create and input all plants known by Amateur Gardening inserted into their Sanders' Encyclopaedia from their edition published in 1960 (originally published by them in 1895) into these
  • Stage 1 - Garden Style Index Gallery,
    then
  • Stage 2 - Infill Plants Index Gallery being the only gallery from these 7 with photos (from Wikimedia Commons) ,
    then
  • Stage 3 - All Plants Index Gallery with each plant species in its own Plant Type Page followed by choice from Stage 4a, 4b, 4c and/or 4d REMEMBERING THE CONSTRAINTS ON THE SELECTION FROM THE CHOICES MADE IN STAGES 1 AND 2
  • Stage 4a - 12 Bloom Colours per Month Index Gallery,
  • Stage 4b - 12 Foliage Colours per Month Index Gallery with
  • Stage 4c - Cultivation, Position, Use Index Gallery and
  • Stage 4d - Shape, Form Index Gallery
  • Unfortunately, if you want to have 100's of choices on selection of plants from 1000's of 1200 pixels wide by up to 16,300 pixels in length webpages, which you can jump to from almost any of the pages in these 7 galleries above, you have to put up with those links to those choices being on
    • the left topic menu table,
    • the header of the middle data table and on
    • the page/index menu table on the right of every page of those galleries.

I hope that you find that the information in this website is useful to you:-

I like reading and that is shown by the index in my Library, where I provide lists of books to take you between designing, maintaining or building a garden and the hierarchy of books on plants taking you from

• the coffee-table book where different blue primrose cultivars occur in the prose on pages 17, 90 and 202,
• to ones where there is a table of primrose cultivars with blue flowers on a single page,
• to what plants to associate with those blue primroses and
• companion plants for them.

There are these systems for choosing plants as shown in

• Plants topic
• Garden Style Index Gallery
• Colour Wheel of All Flowers 53 flower colours
• Colour Wheel of All Flowers per Month 53 flower colours
• Flower Shape
• This All Bee-Pollinated Flowers gallery compares 13 flower colour photos per month for many plants from the other Galleries, by clicking on the 1 in the relevant Flower per month Colour in the Colour Wheel down on the right,
• the Bee-pollinated Index Gallery provides the tabular index of another 264 plants with the relevant colour in that respective month:-
  • 51 ANNUALS
  • 2 ANNUAL - VEGETABLE
  • 4 AQUATIC PLANTS
  • 11 BIENNIALS
  • 21 BULBS, CORMS, OR RHIZOMES
  • 4 CLIMBERS
  • 31 DECIDUOUS SHRUBS
  • 26 DECIDUOUS TREES
  • 9 EVERGREEN PERENNIALS
  • 22 EVERGREEN SHRUBS
  • 2 EVERGREEN TREES
  • 2 GRASSES which cause hayfever
  • 4 SEMI-EVERGREEN SHRUBS
  • 66 HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS
  • 9 PERENNIAL HERBS

82 rock garden plants (with photos) suitable for small garden areas; split into:-

2 ALLIUM and ANEMONE Bulbs

3 BULBS - Spring Catalogue. For planting in February/ May

2 BULBS - Late Summer Catalogue. For planting in July/ September

7 BULBS - Autumn Catalogue. For planting in September/ November

2 Bulbs - Winter Catalogue. For planting in November/ March

35 COLCHICUM AND CROCUS BULBS.

0 DECIDUOUS SHRUBS

30 EVERGREEN PERENNIALS

1 EVERGREEN SHRUBS

0 HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

0 ROSES

in the Rock Plant Flowers Gallery.
All the remaining rock garden plants detailed in the Rock Garden Plant Index pages in the Rock Plant Flowers are waiting to receive photos, before they can be added to the 1 of the 52 Rockgarden Colour Wheel - Flowers Pages and then the above list.

I am taking photos of rock garden plants suitable for small gardens and if they do not have their own Plant Description Page in this website, then each photo of each plant will be located at the bottom of the relevant 1 of 52 Rockgarden Flower Colour Wheel pages. Usually a link in *** to that page of 35 will be included in the Name field of the respective Index Page, for:-

15 BULBS, CORMS and TUBERS

4 EVERGREEN SUBSHRUBS

7 EVERGREEN PERENNIALS

2 EVERGREEN SHRUBS

7 HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

Then a link using More Photos Page links to the Rock Plant Photos Gallery for each of the above 35 Rock Garden Plants

Ivydene Gardens Rock Garden Plants Suitable for Small Gardens in Colour Wheel Gallery:
Rock Garden Plant Index: A

Botanical Plant Name

Suit-ability

Type

Height and Spread in Inches

Soil

Position and Pro-tection

Flower Colour / Nearest Colour Wheel - Flowers Colour

Months of Flowering

Propa-gation

ACANTHOLIMON

Acantholimon is a genus of dwarf perennial plants with hard, usually grey, spiny leaves and tufted cushion-like growth. Natives of hot dry countries from Asia Minor eastwards, they need a sunny, raised position, and very sharp drainage. They are attractive at all seasons because of their tufts of needle-like leaves, and habit of remaining neat after flowering, owing to the persistent calyces. Acantholimon is from the Greek words akantha, a thorn, and limonium, sea-lavender, to which the plant is related.

androsaceum (syn. A. echinus) ***

A

SSE

6 x 6

A

Sun

Pink

......

June

CH

armenum ***

creticum ***

A

SSE

3 x 4

A

Sun

White

June

CH

glumaceum

A

SSE

3 x 6

A

Sun

Pink and purple

......

July

CH

huetii ***

libanoticum

A

SSE

3 x 4

A

Sun

White

......

June

CH

oliveri

A

SSE

6 x 6

A

Sun

Pink

......

June

CH

venustum

A

SSE

6 x 6

A

Sun

Pink

......

June

CH

ACHILLEA

Yarrow or Milfoil species suitable for the rock garden owe much of their value to their finely cut foliage. The name achillea honours the Greek hero Achilles, who was taught in his youth the healing properties of this plant by his tutor Chiron the Centaur. Requires sunny positions in any good, well-drained soil. They may live longer and certainly flower more freely in soil which is poor rather than rich.

ageratifolia

A

E

4 x 6

A

Sun

White

June

C

chrysocoma

A

E

8 x 12

A

Sun

Yellow

......

July

D

clavennae

A

E

6 x 6

A

Sun

White

July

RC

umbellata

A

E

4 x 6

A

Sun

White

July

RC

ADONIS

These Adonis species have leaves divided in 3, with each segment much subdivided into linear divisions to the base. They are entirely herbaceous and the first sign of life in the New Year is the fat flower bud guarded by the under-developed leaves. The flower opens before the leaves are fully developed, and is a conspicuous feature in early spring with its ample yellow petals and boss of golden stamens. The following are both under 6" when the flowers first open, but later the leafy stems develop to their full height, forming a densely feathery clump. They can be increased by seeds or by division in the early spring as soon as growth begins.

"Habitat in gardens
If it can be arranged, matching up the natural habitat of Adonis with the same conditions in the garden works best, such as a location on the north or east side of a deciduous small tree or shrub in somewhat acidic soil. Avoid heavy clay soils. Adonis wants all light it can get without full afternoon sun until the tree or shrub leafs out, then a cool root run with an organic mulch.
Companions
Any tree or shrub that does well in acidic soil works well. My choices are witch-hazel, deciduous azalea, or rhododendrons. Since Adonis bloom in late winter, hellebore of color choice, primrose, snowdrops, and Eranthus or winter aconite." from Munchkin Nursery and Gardens.

amurensis

A

HP

9 x 9

AL

Sun

Golden

March

S

vernalis

A

HP

9 x 9

AL

Sun

Golden-Yellow

April

S

AETHIONEMA

These little sub-shrubs have a neat, bushy habit, the much-branched stems bearing many narrow, rather succulent little leaves, usually of a lovely blue-grey. The individual flowers, in shades of pink, are small, but they are borne in many headed clusters at the ends of the branches. They are easy to grow in any light, well-drained soil, in full sun. They are lime-lovers but will tolerate neutral soil. Propagate by seeds or by cuttings made from soft growth tips before flower buds are formed.

armenum

A

SSE

4 x 8

A

Sun

Pink

......

May-July

GC

coridifolium

A

E

6 x 8

AL

Sun

Bright Pink

May

GC

grandiflorum

A

E

10 x 12

AL

Sun

Deep Pink

......

June

GC

iberideum

A

E

6 x 12

AL

Sun

White

March

GC

kotschyi

B

SSE

3 x 4

A

Sun

Pink

June

GCS

pulchellum

A

E

8 x 9

AL

Sun

Pink

May

GC

schistosum ***

A

SSE

4 x 8

A

Sun

Pink

June

GC

warleyense 'Warley Rose'

A

E

4 x 20

A

Sun

Pink

......

May-August

GC

ALECTORURUS

From alectryon, a cock, and urus, a tail. A reference to the arching panicle.
A monotypic genus of 1 Japanese species from mountain woodlands. From the thick rootstock of Alectorurus yedoensis rises tufts of long and narrow leaves; and fairly tall stems bearing panicles of white bell-shaped flowers.

yedoensis
platypetala ***

"A plant of the local race (var. platypetala) of Alectorurus yedoensis, a liliaceous plant with flower stems 10cm tall bearing very small brown-tinged white flowers." from Plant Hunting in Yakushima in Barnes-Botany.

ALLIUM

The majority of the onions are too large for alpine house or frame culture. The smell of garlic is hardly ever noticeable unless the plant is bruised. They can bridge the flowering gap between the spring and autumn bulbs. Most have narrow, linear leaves, and have flowers in umbels held well above the leaves, which are visited by bees for the nectar.

anceps

A

B

5 x 4

A

Sun

Pale Pink

August

S

cernuum ***

cyaneum ***

A

B

6 x 3

A

Sun

Blue

......

July

S

mairon var. amabile
***

"Allium mairei  H. Léveillé.韭 Dian jiu (Chinese).  Dainty rose-pink flowers  bloom for weeks in July-August amid grassy foliage. Sometimes called A. amabile  or A. mairei var. amabile. Amabile is Latin for "pleasing," and that's what this little clump-former is, both in moist areas and in the rock garden, as long as it gets sun. Native to SW Sichuan, SE Tibet [Xizang] and Yunnan provinces in China. Introduced from NY Yunnan by George Forrest, who found it in high alpine meadows. Our stock is from garden seed. Height 10-15 cm (4-6"). Zone 6." from Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery in Canada.

narcissiflorum

A

B

6 x 3

A

Sun

Pink

August

S

platycaule

A

B

6 x 4

A

Sun

Pink

August

S

sikkimense (beesianum) ***

A

B

6 x 3

A

Sun

Blue

July

S

ALYSSUM

Leaves are small and often silvery hairy. The 4-petalled flowers are almost invariably yellow. Alyssum is from the Greek a, not or against, and lyssa, rage or madness. This herb was sometimes thought to be a specific against madness and rabies. They are avid sun-lovers and tolerant of any reasonably good soil as long as the drainage is good.

alpestre

A

SE

3 x 6

A

Sun

Yellow

June

C

idaeum

A

SE

2 x 6

A

Sun

Yellow

May

C

montanum

A

SE

3 x 6

A

Sun

Yellow

......

June

C

serpyllifolium

A

SE

2 x 9

A

Sun

Golden-Yellow

June

C

tortuosum

A

SE

6 x 4

A

Sun

Yellow

May

C

wulfenianum

A

SE

2 x 6

A

Sun

Yellow

May

C

ANACYCLUS

Anacyclus depressus is a native of the Atlas Mountains, which makes prostrate, large rosettes of fine much cut, ferny light green foliage and radiating stems bearing the large single, white daisy-like flowers with bright red backs in May. Anacyclus is a shortened form of the Greek Ananthocyclus, from an, without, anthos, a flower, and kuklos, a ring. The following plant should be Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus

depressus

A

E

3 x 9

A

Sun

White, red reverse

May

S

ANAGALLIS

"These plants are fabled as having the power to banish melancholy - in fact Linnaeus derived the name from the Greek anagelao - to laugh. For each square inch (2.5 cms x 2.5 cms), I know of no plant which gives a greater display of colour." from Alpines in Colour and Cultivation by T.C. Mansfield. First published in 1942 and reprinted in 1947 by Ben Johnson Limited.

collina (Syn.
Anagallis monellii, Anagallis linifolia) ***

A

E

3 x 9

AN

Sun

Orange-scarlet

May

GC

tenella

A

HP

1 x 10

BN

Sun

Pale Pink

June

D

ANDROMEDA

Native to the Arctic and temperate regions of the northern hemishphere. Polifolia compacta and Polifolia minima have been introduced to the UK from Japan. Named by Linnaeus after the mythological maiden who was chained to a rock as an offering to a sea-monster and rescued by Perseus.

polifolia

C

SE

6 x 9

CN

S

Pink

May

GC

polifolia compacta

C

SE

6 x 9

CN

S

Pink

May

GC

polifolia minima

C

SE

2 x 6

CN

S

Pink

May

GC

ANDROSACE

A genus of over 100 species, extending throughout Europe, Asia and Pacific North America. Androsace is from the Greek aner, a man, and sakos, a shield, a name used by Dioscorides for another plant. The floral structure is that of a primrose in miniature and are attractive. The very high alpine species, mostly European, are strongly saxatile, and make dense cushions of tightly packed leafy stems, bearing in the centre of each terminal rosette a single white or pink flower, sessile or on a stem up to 0.5 inch. In the mountains, the cushions are firm and often so crowded with flowers that these cannot open fully. In cultivation, however, it is by no means easy to keep them healthy and in character, so here is 3 cultivation hints for after the 3rd season of growth:

• 1. Freedom from pests hiding in the tight cushions - A constant watch must be maintained and some form of spraying or fumigation carried out at least every fortnight, and weekly if the weather is warm and moist, during the growing season. A pocket lens should be used occasionally, just opening the rosettes with a pair of forceps to see if there are pests lurking inside.
• 2. All dead flowers should be removed - a tedious job but one that pays dividends - for unless this is carried out there is a possibility of the decaying blooms becoming infested with fungi, and this will quickly spread to the rosette from which the flower stalk arises and in its turn adjacent rosettes soon fall an easy prey, resulting in the destruction of part of the cushion if not in total loss. Any dead rosettes must also be removed as soon as noticed, and forceps should be used to carry out this delicate operation. Gaps caused by the removal are best closed by using chippings and working these on the outer edge of the cushion until the pressure closes the gap.
• 3. Watering. During the growing and flowering season water is required in quantity, especially if the plants are growing in Compost D which is an extremely rapid draining medium. The water is best applied at these periods from a can with a curved spout and start from the edge of the cushion. If the plants are growing in any other medium, once a week the pot should be immersed in a tank containing enough water so that it reaches to within an inch or so of the rim of the pot and then left, until the chippings darken with moisture, when the container must be removed and stood to drain. A light overhead spray is beneficial late in the evenings and early mornings during hot periods, but this should cease by the beginning of September whatever the weather. From the end of September until growth begins in early spring a dipping in a tank containing 2 inches of water once a month should suffice. Naturally if plunged in sand and gravel on the staging in the Alpine House no water need be given during winter for the bulk of material will retain sufficient for the plant's purpose. Underwatering is less harmful at this time of the year, but keep a watch on the cushions as these have a tendency to become lax and open when dry. At this stage watering is necessary and should be given as advised by immersion in a tank. Foggy weather provides a difficult time, but the object here should be to keep the air moving as much as possible during its presence, so that the cushions do not absorb too much moisture. Individual composts will be noted in the Alpine House Cultivation row of the plant description page in the Evergreen Perennial Gallery A-L , but where it is decided to use Compost A in place of D; 2 extra parts of small chippings should be added to ensure rapid drainage.

Winter damp is fatal and overhead protection is then essential, although they are impervious to cold. A meagre, very gritty soil and a position in a chink between rocks helps to keep the plants compact. Seed germinates well, although sometimes tardily. Single rosettes of the cushion androsaces will strike as cuttings.

"The book "Androsace - The Genus" by G.F.Smith & D.B. Lowe - This is the first modern comprehensive guide to the genus Androsace.  Each species is fully described and painstakingly illustrated. The cultivation of androsaces is described and each species has a map to show its distribution in the wild. In addition, there is a series of accurate keys to enable the species to be identified.  The authors were both well known and respected writers and lecturers on alpine plants, with a special interest in the family  Primulaceae, of which Androsace is a key genus for alpine enthusiasts." from the Alpine Garden Society Bookshop.

How to grow Androsace vandellii by Geoff Rollinson as an article in Page 295 of The Alpine Gardener Journal of the Alpine Garden Society Volume 81 No. 3 September 2013.

aizoon coccinea (Syn. A. bulleyana)

A

HE

6 x 6

A

Sun

Scarlet

......

June

S

alpina

B

E

1 x 4

D

PS

Pink

April

S

brevis (Syn. A charpentieri)

A

HE

1 x 3

A

Sun

Pink

May

S

carnea

A

HE

3 x 4

A

Sun

Pink

May

S

carnea brigantiaca

A

HE

3 x 6

A

Sun

Pink

May

S

carnea halleri

A

HE

3 x 6

A

Sun

Pink

May

S

carnea laggeri

A

HE

2 x 4

A

Sun

Pink

April

S

chamaejasme

A

HE

2 x 3

A

Sun

White

May

S

chumbyi

A

HE

2 x 6

A

Sun

Rose

May

S

ciliata

B

HE

0.5 x 3

D

Sun C P

Rose

April

S

cylindrica ***

B

HE

2 x 4

D

Sun C P

White

April

S

cylindrica x hirtella

B

HE

1 x 4

D

Sun C P

White

May

GC

geraniifolia

B

HE

6 x 8

D

H S P

Pink

June

SL

hedraeantha

B

HE

1 x 4

D

Sun

Rose

May

SL

helvetica

B

HE

2 x 3

D

Sun C P

White

April

SL

hirtella

B

HE

2 x 4

D

Sun C P

White

April

GC

lactea

A

HE

6 x 6

A

Sun

White

April

S

lanuginosa

A

E

3 x 9

AN

Sun

Lilac

......

June

GC

mathildae

B

HE

1 x 4

D

Sun C P

White

April

S

pyrenaica

B

HE

1 x 4

D

Sun C P

White

......

April

SGC

sarmentosa

A

E

3 x 9

AN

Sun

Bright Pink

......

July

GC

sempervivoides

A

HE

2 x 6

D

Sun

Pink

......

April

GC

spinulifera

B

HE

6 x 6

D

Sun C P

Lilac

......

June

S

vandellii

B

HE

1 x 3

D

HS

White

......

April

S

villosa taurica

B

E

1 x 6

D

Sun

White

April

S

villosa

A

HE

2 x 4

A

Sun

White

......

April

D

villosa arachnoidea

A

HE

2 x 6

A

Sun

White

April

D

ANEMONE

The Windflowers are mostly herbaceous, tuberous or rhizomatous perennials inhabiting the temperate regions of the world, also at higher altitudes in the warmer climates, their natural distribution being the Northern parts of South America, South Africa and Asia. Their cultural needs differ. The name Anemone may be a corrupted Greek word borrowed from the Semitic and referring to the lament for the slain Adonis, or Naaman, whose scattered blood produced the blood-red Anemone coronaria.

apennina

A

HP

4 x 8

A

Sun

Blue

April

DS

baldensis

A

HP

3 x 6

A

Sun

White

......

May

S

blanda
See
blanda,
'Blue Shades', 'Charmer',
'Pink Star',
'Radar',
blanda rosea,
'Violet Star',
'White Splendour'

A

HP

4 x 8

A

Sun

Blue, purple, white or pink

.....

April-May

DS

blanda atrocaerulea

A

HP

4 x 8

A

Sun

Blue

April

DS

magellanica

B

HP

6 x 6

BN

Sun

Cream

May

S

magellanica lesseri

B

HP

6 x 6

BN

Sun

Red

April

S

obtusiloba

C

HP

3 x 9

C

PS

Blue

June

S

ANTHYLLIS

A genus of sun-loving plants, natives of Central and Southern Europe. Well suited to any average garden soil.
"This is a genus of low legumes with good-sized heads of flowers, rather like a high-quality clover. It is most usually encountered as Anthyllis vulneraria, the kidney vetch, a widespread species in Europe, including Britain." from Kevock Garden.

montana

A

SE

3 x 8

A

Sun

Rose

May

C

montana rubra

A

SE

3 x 8

A

Sun

Red

May

C

AQUILEGIA

Seed is the only practical method of increasing the dwarf 'Columbine' but unfortunately all the species readily hybridise with each other so that where a number of different plants are grown together, steps must be taken at flowering time to isolate the flowers required for seed. The majority of the species vary in height and are best purchased as adult flowering plants so that plants of dwarf stature are obtained.

90 minute DVD/video demonstrates sowing and growing, pests and breeding with data on cultivars by Carrie Thomas - holder of 2 National Collections of Aquilegias - from Touchwood Plants and Seeds.

akitensis

A

HP

6 x 5

B

A

Deep Blue

May

S

bernardii

B

HP

4 x 4

B

Sun

Blue

May

S

bertolonii

B

HP

4 x 4

B

Sun

Blue

May

S

canadensis

A

HP

6 x 6

B

Sun

Scarlet sepals, yellow petals

......

June

S

discolor

A

HP

6 x 6

B

Sun

Blue sepals, white petals

May

S

flabellata

A

HP

6 x 6

B

Sun

Blue

May

S

flabellata alba

A

HP

4 x 6

B

Sun

White

May

S

flabellata nana

A

HP

4 x 6

B

Sun

Blue

May

S

flabellata pumila

A

HP

4 x 6

B

Sun

Blue

May

S

jonesii

B

HP

3 x 4

A

Sun

Blue

June

S

jonesii elatior

B

HP

4 x 6

A

Sun

Blue

June

S

laramiensis

B

HP

2 x 3

A

Sun

Cream

May

S

moorcroftiana

B

HP

6 x 6

B

Sun

Blue

May

S

pyrenaica

A

HP

6 x 6

A

PS

Blue

May

S

saximontana

B

HP

4 x 6

A

Sun

Blue sepals, white petals

June

S

scopulorum ***

B

HP

4 x 6

A

Sun

Flax blue

June

S

ARABIS

Useful in growing in sunny walls along with alyssums and aubretias.

"Arabis, or rock cress, is a large genus of mainly small plants, many of them very suitable for sunny, well-drained places in rock gardens. They have four petals, usually white but sometimes pink or other colours. They come from the northern hemisphere, and recent research has indicated that most species from America are genetically distinct, and the name Boechera is now recommended for these species." from Kevock Garden.

androsacea

B

HE

1 x 4

D

Sun

White

June

GC

bryoides ***

B

HE

2 x 4

D

Sun

White

April

GC

bryoides olympica

B

HE

1 x 3

D

Sun

White

May

GC

carduchorum

B

HE

2 x 5

A

Sun

White

April

GC

cypria

A

HE

6 x 6

A

Sun P

Pink

April

S

ARCTERICA

nana

C

SE

2 x 8

CN

S

White

April

GCL

ARCTOSTAPHYLOS

alpina (Syn. Arctous alpinus)

C

SD

2 x 9

BN

S

White
Black

May
September

GC

alpina ruber

C

SD

2 x 9

BN

S

White
Red

May
September

GC

nevadensis

C

SE

3 x 12

BN

S

Pink

May

GC

nummularia

C

SE

8 x 8

BN

S

Pink

May

GC

ARENARIA

From the latin arena, sand, an allusion to the fact that many of the family grow in sandy places, thus the common name of Sandwort.

grandiflora ***

ledebouriana

A

HE

4 x 6

A

Sun

White

May

GC

montana ***

norvegica (Arenaria norvegica anglica is one of the globally threatened plant species which occurs in Britain from the 33,798 flowers, trees, grasses and ferns in the Red List of Threatened Plants published on April 8 1998 out of a world total of 270,000)

A

HE

2 x 4

A

Sun

White

May

GC

tetraquetra

A

HE

2 x 6

A

Sun C

White

June

GC

tetraquetra granatensis

A

HE

1 x 4

A

Sun

White

June

GC

ARMERIA

"A genus that includes our native sea pink or thrift, often seen on coastal rocks. They make mats of bright green grassy foliage, with lots of pink or white button flowers, usually on short stems." from Kevock Garden.

juniperifolia

A

HE

2 x 6

A

Sun

Pink

May

GC

juniperifolia 'Bevan's Variety'

A

HE

2 x 6

A

Sun

Deep Pink

May

GC

ARTEMESIA

glacialis

B

HE

1 x 6

D

Sun

Silver foliage

May

GC

schmidtiana nana

A

E

3 x 9

A

Sun

Silver foliage

May

GC

mutellina

A

SSE

2 x 6

A

Sun

Silver foliage

May

GC

ASPERULA

lilaciflora

B

HE

0.5 x 6

A

Sun P

Pink

June

GC

nitida puberula

B

E

1 x 6

A

Sun

Light Pink

May

GC

suberosa

B

HE

2 x 8

A

Sun P

Pink

June

GC

ASPHODELUS

acaulis

B

HE

2 x 4

A

Sun P

Pink

March

DS

ASTILBE

Further data about Astilbes.

"There are tall astilbes for herbaceous borders and small ones of rock garden stature, but all prefer cool and damp conditions. They are clump-forming perennials with branched spikes bearing a multitude of tiny flowers, usually pink or white, sometimes red, closely packed together into a fuzzy mass. The multiply divided leaves are also attractive, opening with bronze colouring, and the dried flowers stems can stand through the winter, adding structure for many extra months. " from Kevock Garden.

x crispa

A

HP

6 x 8

B

Sun

Rose

July

D

glaberrima saxatilis

A

HP

3 x 6

B

Sun

Rose-pink

July

D

What is a proverb? A piece of wisdom or advice, expressed in a short and memorable way.

Actions speak louder than words / Fine words butter no parsnips:-

In other words, never mind the pretty speeches, let's see you do something about it. The New Testament epistle of James tells us, 'Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only'. In the 1970's the Polish-born mathematician Jacob Bronowski expressed the same idea as, 'The word can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation ... The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.'

Almost anyone who is anyone has had something to say about actions speaking louder than words, and sitting here thinking about it wont get those parsnips buttered.

Fresh food for lunch?

(from National Geographic's best photos for 2010!)