International Rock Gardener e-magazine

[IMYoung]

The October issue of  International Rock Gardener is online on the SRGC website:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Oct261351277977October_IRG_34.pdf

This month is a real celebration of the many talents of SRGC Forumists (many known here as NARGS members, too!) as their (present day) photos  of seasonal colour are used to illustrate  both an old SRGC Journal Article from 1953 about Autumn colour in the Scottish garden of the Knox-Finlays at Keillour Castle and also some Spring joys in the southern hemisphere.
 
 "Enjoy!"

Maggi Young
www.srgc.net

[McDonough]

As usual, another excellent edition, the homage to autumn is timely and inspirational.  I was particularly taken by the variability of autumn leaf color on Viburnum alnifolium taken by Kristl Walek, most illuminating.

[IMYoung]

November issue of International Rock Gardener -

Online now: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Nov291354225242IRG35_November2012.pdf


As gardeners we can sometimes be accused of creating unnatural settings for our plants:
the first article this month shows how well nature creates “real” rock gardens, surely we can do no
better than follow her example!
Cliff Booker, who has also contributed the cover picture, shows a selection from various locations.

 Zdeněk Zvolánek abandoned the Beauty Slope this summer for some plant hunting excursions –
he shares with us a  brief trip to Italy's Apuan Alps.

For some growers, their interest lies in working to produce hybrid plants which they hope will be
easier of cultivation or more floriferous: In the world of saxifrages we are aware of the immense skill
of the Czech growers - Adrian Young highlights for us the work of a British grower, Ray Fairbairn,
who has done a lot of work with both Saxifraga and Primula.
Photos for this article are from Adrian Young and David Hoare.


photo below: Saxifraga 'Allendale Fairy'

[Spiegel]

The November Issue is another feather in your cap, Maggi.  I don't know how you manage to keep up the incredible quality.  I do know that towards the end of each month I start checking to see if the latest issue has come.  I reread all of them during the long winter months, thanks so much for all the work from the "International Rock Gardener" team.  You are all so appreciated.

[IMYoung]

Anne, thank you for your very kind words - the IRG is in the hands of our super contributors and the IRG team is most thankful to them for their generosity in sharing their thoughts, experiences and fab photos.

Contributions are more than welcome for future issues -
contact via editor@internationalrockgardener.org       

[IMYoung]

IRG  #38 February 2013

Ian Christie has been lucky enough to travel to see plants in nature in many parts of the world but he never loses sight of the beauty that is available in his own country, Scotland. Scottish Mountains may not be the highest, but the landscape can be dramatic and plants of the mountain and woodland can be found even almost at the edge of the sea. Ian shares his delight in such plants from the Sutherland area..
We hope it lets  anyone  contemplating a visit to that part of Scotland know that  there is much to enjoy there!

Ian Young, writes for the ‘world of bulbs’ on one of his favourite tubers, Corydalis solida and the garden forms of this plant that do well in North East Scotland. Ian has documented his experiences growing bulbs corms and tubers every week since 2003 in his Bulb Log Diary on the SRGC Site.


http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2013Mar011362129867IRG38Feb2013.pdf

maggi young

[McDonough]

Splendid article on Corydalis solida! And of course, the IRG in general, aways informative and eye-catching. Back to Corydalis solida, rather than pay for fancy named forms, I like the approach of hand cross-pollinating color forms to come up with one's own rainbow.  I also didn't know about sowing the seed more deeply; good stuff. The bicolor forms, and the "pink clone", oh my what a sheet of color. Send my congrats to Ian on that article.

Now if only this 1' (30 cm) crust of snow would go away, I might start seeing my C. solida color forms; although, snow is predicted for this weekend.

[IMYoung]

Thanks Mark, I will pass your comments to Ian Y.

We are in a similar position here- while the weather was quite  sunny earlier in the week it is getting colder again and we expect some more snow over the weekend. Luckily most of the Corydalis solida forms are only just emerging through the ground so they should not get too much of a shock - well, that's the theory, anyway.  Temperatures today, aided by windchill, have not done the local gardeners much good!

[Hoy]

Excellent as usual! And I am amongst those who declare C solida as the  favorite spring "bulb"

[Lori S.]

Great issue!  It's a treat to get a glimpse of nature in Scotland and I enjoyed it very much... and what a fabulous garden you have, Maggi and Ian!

[IMYoung]

Thank you for the kind words to the IRG.

The SRGC site and forum is currently offline for essential security upgrades but I hope many more will enjoy the IRG etc when "normal service is resumed"  as they used to say !

MY

[IMYoung]

Friends :  normal service is now resumed from the SRGC site and Forum 

[IMYoung]

Dear Friends, first I must make my apology for not reminding you of the March issue of IRG  - I hope you found it and enjoyed it, nonetheless .

The April issue is now online .

Plant hunters have always been intrepid souls, venturing into areas where all sorts of unknown tribulations lurked. Happily, the fate of David Douglas – who died in a pit trap in Hawaii in 1834 - has not befallen any recent plant explorers.

The Latvian nurseryman, bulb expert and author Jānis Rukšāns is a valued contributor contributes to the  SRGC forum. Last month he made a trip to North West Turkey. This issue of IRG  includes much of that story but a great many more photographs can be seen in the SRGC Forum along with other references.

Jaroslav Baláž, a Czech grower  who has a small alpine nursery in  the village of  Dolní Rožínka, writes about Ranunculus seguieri - Some super photos of this plant can also be seen here in the NARGS Forum, from Anne Spiegel. (  http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=705.msg9954#msg9954   )

This photo of Ranunculs seguieri in the wild is from the SRGC Forum by "Ranunculus" himself, Cliff Booker.

[IMYoung]

Jānis Rukšāns is very much an international figure  - here he and his wife Guna (both dressed in national costume from around the 10th century, reconstructed from archeological researches) are pictured with a gathering of Irish AGS Dublin Group who have just been visiting  their nurseries and enjoying some of the historical treasures of the Riga area.

Many alpine enthusiasts from around the world, including quite a few NARGS members, will be meeting up next week for the  Second Czech International Rock Garden Conference - the IRG Team will be  there and we look forward to seeing many friends old and new.
 
 http://czrgs.cz/conference.html
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8484.0

Maggi Young

[McDonough]

For the general index of  The International Rock Gardener e-magazines, here's the link:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=international