Image of the day - 2012

[Lori S.]

I'm so jealous!  Wish I could have attended the AGM.  But then, it's difficult to get plants into Canada from the US so I'm glad I didn't have the temptation!

Not meaning to rub salt in the wound, Todd, but the Western Study Weekend was extremely well organized, with phytosanitary inspections/certificates available for those who needed them!  So, if one could meet the enormous challenge of keeping the number of purchases down to a portable limit, then there would just remain the hassle of wrangling potted plants through cross-continental flight(s)!  I'm sure where there's a will, there's a way! 
Anyway, despite HUGE temptation, I refrained from buying plants (too many seedlings downstairs already!!)  However, don't imagine I got away unscathed... instead, I lugged home about 50 pounds worth of books!
 

[McDonough]

Tim, Lomatium columbianum is wonderful, both foliage and flower-wise, looking perfectly at home in your raised bed.  Glad you showed the seedlings, I never would have guessed that Lomatium seedlings look like that  Your post is great encouragement to start paying more attention to North American umbellifers.

Panayoti, love the Synthyris missurica, such a fine blue with deeper blue stamens peeking out.  I'm reminded of my many visits to Roy Davidson's garden while I lived in Bellevue Washington (near Seattle), we both lived in the same town, what a privilege. Roy had a remarkable collection of various Synthyris growing happily in his garden, representing collections from many Western USA locales, often several distinct forms of the same species; I was smitten with the genus from that point forward.  Too seldom this fine genus is grown.

[Hoy]

Seems I have to consider Lomatiums too but I have to build a proper place for them firstly. The seedlings look like seedlings of other Apiaceae I've seen but the cotyledons were  a bit longer.

[Todd Boland]

Not meaning to rub salt in the wound, Todd, but the Western Study Weekend was extremely well organized, with phytosanitary inspections/certificates available for those who needed them!  So, if one could meet the enormous challenge of keeping the number of purchases down to a portable limit, then there would just remain the hassle of wrangling potted plants through cross-continental flight(s)!  I'm sure where there's a will, there's a way!  
Anyway, despite HUGE temptation, I refrained from buying plants (too many seedlings downstairs already!!)  However, don't imagine I got away unscathed... instead, I lugged home about 50 pounds worth of books!

Well if I was there, I'd probably be bringing back 50 pounds of plants despite all the seedlings I currently have.  So I take it you enjoyed your first NARGS meeting.  I've only ever been to one (CRAGS 1999) outside the one we hosted in 2005.  I've been to a couple of winter study weekends too.  All have been wonderful.  I wish I could afford to attend more but flights are outrageously expensive these days.

[McDonough]

Jasminum nudiflorum is generally rated to USDA Zone 6, but a friend in Massachusetts who has grown this Chinese plant for decades, tells me it is perfectly hardy, and about 5 years ago gave me a start of it.  The buds start showing in January, it opens flowers here and there in February, but really gets going in March.  I don't think I gave it enough room in its current location so will probably have to move it, it is a vigorous grower. So, it is probably safe to call it a Zone 5 plant.

[cohan]

Seems like a cool plant, Mark! Does it leaf out after flowering?

[Hoy]

Thanks for reminding me of the Jasminum Mark! I had a fine plant once but had to remove it when I made some changes on the house. It didn't tolerate moving (or the neglect due to I was busy) and died. I've always thought of planting a new one but forget it (it is always something new to consider also).

I know it is hardy in Oslo too and there they can have some pretty cold winters.

[Todd Boland]

Didn't survive in my zone 5b I'm afraid.

[McDonough]

Seems like a cool plant, Mark! Does it leaf out after flowering?

Yes, it has smallish three-part leaves, here's a link showing Jasminum nudiflorum foliage:
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=47708&flora_id=1001

[cohan]

Todd mentioned earlier buying a potted Campanula as a florist plant, I saw some today at Safeway (supermarket), but these were single flowers, on C portenschlagiana 'Get Mee' ( I think that's right, I didn't remember the exact cultivar name, but remembered the 'mee' part, and that one turns up on google searches...
I didn't buy one today (I'd already picked up a couple of tropicals I'd been wanting at Walmart) but I'm thinking it might be good as an Easter present for mom, then it can go outside somewhere later on- I've seen references to it in z3, so it should be fine.. not my favourite as an exciting plant- a bit too green and purple, but it should be nice as a pretty plant, just have to think where.....

[Booker]

A brief selection of images from the Alpine Garden Society Show at Blackpool yesterday.  Benches full of glorious plants and some classes that were extremely difficult to judge.  The Farrer Medal (for best exhibit in the show) went to, who else, but the remarkable Geoff Rollinson with his spectacular Saxifraga 'Coolock Gem'.
It is our own East Lancashire national show this coming weekend and we hope we can attract just as many beautiful plants to our hall in Whitworth, near Rochdale.

[Booker]

Some more images from Blackpool 2012 ...

[Booker]

... And a final batch from Blackpool show.  Just a selection of the hundreds of exhibits at the show.

[Todd Boland]

Sensory overload Cliff!  How I wish I could be there.  The UK alpinist are leaps and bounds ahead of us in America.

[Hoy]

Why do the plants never look like that in my garden?