Garden Visits - what inspires you!

[cohan]

Among the many cacti, South American Maihuenia spp.:

This is the first I have heard of Maihuenia surviving in Alberta--interesting! Though Calgary is still quite a different climate than here.. Maihuenia poeppiggii actually are not supposed to need dry winters as many cacti do, but we are still that bit colder than you, especially in the city...

Do you have any idea how many years she has been growing this and the Echinocereus? For some in that genus, its not the winter lows that I worry about, as much as lack of summer heat.. I guess she has created a hot micro climate for these? I plan a 'hot' bed for some of those...

Rick-- M poeppiggi needs winter (outdoors or at least a few months) stratification, unlike most cacti, even most cold hardy spp; alternative treatments include GA3, high heat and pricking seed coat, etc.. similar applies to Pediocactus and Sclero

[Spiegel]

Lucky you, Cliff.  There's nothing better than a really good thunderstorm in the mountains.  We only had a little one while we were there - some thunder and lightning but nothing really sensational.  Happy plant hunting!

[Lori S.]

Anne and Cliff, I think there's a big difference in how "enjoyable" alpine lightning and thunderstorms can be depending on whether one is safely ensconced in a cushy chalet or the alternative!!  

[Spiegel]

Agreed, Lori, but the chalet doesn't have to be cushy, just safely enclosed.  One year there was a really strong thunderstorm in Corvara and the hotel temporarily lost electricity, as did the rest of the village.  It just made the lightning that more dramatic.  We spent a lot of time in Colorado dodging thunderstorms and I recall starting early in the morning so that we could be below treeline by 3p.m. or so.  The storms seemed to occur quite regularly about the same time in the afternoon.  The worst was looking up to the ridge and seeing nothing but blue sky half an hour later!

[Lori S.]

Actually what I meant was that the presence of a chalet was cushy...        

[AmyO]

It's so nice to see some of the plants in this fantastic garden after reading about its construction in the latest NARGS journal. I can't wait for the next installation on the Ferguson's adventure in alpine garden building!

[Lori S.]

Do you have any idea how many years she has been growing this and the Echinocereus? For some in that genus, its not the winter lows that I worry about, as much as lack of summer heat.. I guess she has created a hot micro climate for these? I plan a 'hot' bed for some of those...

The best insight you could get on this garden and its plants is from what Amy mentioned... refer to Stephanie's superb article on the construction... to be followed by one (or more?) on the plants! 

[cohan]

Tks, Lori, I don't have any NARGS journals... are the articles online? presumably not.... lol but I can dig around the site later..