Alpines October 2012

[cohan]

Great Andros, Dave!
I could see growing in pots if winter deep freeze weren't an issue-I have to sink all the pots here- always seem to have leftover seedlings etc!
all safely sunk some time ago..  15C now, but next six days all forecast to be -1 to -3C daytime!

[Toole]

Wonderful photos from the alpine show... I have to admit that I still find the concept of growing plants permanently(?) in pots sort of odd, but I'm warming up to it... 

Thanks Lori
The Androsace were entered from an alpine nursery owner--they may well be her 'stock 'plants . They can be grown outside here in our climate however i find A.vandellii doesn't like my shady wet conditions in winter....

I admit to having a few plants  in pots  --far too many     --mostly duplicates of easy bulbs that grow well in the garden--however a number are more specific and need to be under cover in winter as an aid to control moisture levels---i find pots easier for photographing  -For all of the above though, the main reason is that my garden is 'chocka block',(full),and i haven't yet resolved the battle between purchasing plants/sowing seed verses lack of space--although that day is not far ahead ....

Cheers Dave.

[Toole]

Great Andros, Dave!
I could see growing in pots if winter deep freeze weren't an issue-I have to sink all the pots here- always seem to have leftover seedlings etc!
all safely sunk some time ago..  15C now, but next six days all forecast to be -1 to -3C daytime!

Thanks Cohan ---15c would be nice  --our neighbour informed me this morning we had 11 straight days of rainfall--although i did notice an yellow ball in the sky this afternoon ........ 

Cheers Dave.

[cohan]

See my post from this morning in garden walks-- all is white now!..lol Probably be a while before we see 15 again (actually got to 17/18)..
I can also relate to having things in pots because there is nowhere else to put them- I had my sempervivums in nursery pots for a couple of years before I built beds for them, and by that time they'd already multiplied to the extent I couldn't fit them all in the beds! Other seedlings etc are also waiting for spaces to be prepared for them, that's why this year I spent the whole summer building beds...

[Todd Boland]

I still have a fair number of flowers open in the garden since we have yet to have a frost.  Primula saxatilis is in full bloom...not good!

[David Sellars]

Ipomopsis aggregata is one of our striking native plants in the dry interior of British Columbia.  I grew some from wild seed collected in 2011 and sown last winter.  This one produced a large flower spike in October, about 9 months from germination.

[Todd Boland]

Brilliant David!

Crocus cancellatus var. mazzaricus is blooming here.

[cohan]

Todd- hope your inevitable cool down isn't too sudden! Love the Croci you've shown- I have yet to try any fall bulbs, but I think I'm liking the Crocus in general more than the Colchicums..

David- the Ipomopsis is very nice! I've looked at this or similar on Alplains list, I think...

[Hoy]

David, is Ipomopsis aggregata perennial? A plant I wish to try!

Todd, I think I should have grown my autumn Crocuses in pots as the ones I have outside is always damaged by the strong rain

[David Sellars]

Trond:

Unfortunately Ipomopsis aggregata is monocarpic though there are reports of occasional repeat flowering in the garden. Apart from the striking flowers it is also worth growing for the foliage which forms a large fern-like rosette.

[Hoy]

Trond:

Unfortunately Ipomopsis aggregata is monocarpic though there are reports of occasional repeat flowering in the garden. Apart from the striking flowers it is also worth growing for the foliage which forms a large fern-like rosette.

Thanks David! Have to look out for seed, hopefully some appear in the seedex.

[Howey]

A couple of nice ones - Ranunculus haastii - taken in situ by friend, Chris Smart, Geography professor, who is on his sabbatical in New Zealand at the moment.  He is not a member.  I have tried to grow this from seed several times but no luck at all. Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

[AmyO]

A couple of nice ones - Ranunculus haastii - taken in situ by friend, Chris Smart, Geography professor, who is on his sabbatical in New Zealand at the moment.  He is not a member.  I have tried to grow this from seed several times but no luck at all. Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

Wow! While in bud that ranunculus looks like an alien lifeform!

[RickR]

Agreed!

Now you're going to have competition for the seed...

[cohan]

Awesome, Fran! Thanks for sharing this beauty