Image of the day - 2012

[Hoy]

Yes, you have some nice primulas, Krish! And I spot something looking like a P elatior next to the denticulata

[Krish]

Hi Trond the Primula elatior is from NARGS seeds i got year before last. I  have planted 5 of them at different sites and all of them are growing nicely.

[WimB]

Ramonda myconi

[cohan]

Ramonda myconi

Looks great! Is this in your woodland garden, or what kind of substrate?

[WimB]

Ramonda myconi

Looks great! Is this in your woodland garden, or what kind of substrate?

Thanks, it's growing in a small trough, substrate: 1/2 peat-based potting soil, 1/4 leaf mold and 1/4 coarse riversand!

[RickR]

An exceptional number of flowers with a very pleasing color hue, Wim.  Bravo! 

[Weiser]

Here is a little study in contrasting textures.

Pictured are Eriogomun umbellatum, Yucca brevifolia, Hieracium lanatum, Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. coloradensis (larger cactus), Cylindropuntia whipplei (white spined cactus lower center), Penstemon grandiflora
(lilac flowers lower center), Cylindropuntia viridiflora (far left), Crepis bakeri (right side of rock)

[RickR]

An excellent photo for beauty and study, John.  I really like it when the photographer lists what is in the picture.  Otherwise, it's just another photo, colorful and interesting and all, but not nearly as meaningful and with a low education quotient.

And the remnant seed heads that peak up from the bottom of the pic are what?
They still make a nice show!

[Weiser]

Thank you Rick.

Along the bottom edge of the photo are the reminants of Erigeron compositus, the leaf tips of Agave utahensis var. utahensis, and the pad edges with flower buds of a Opuntia phaeacantha.

[cohan]

Great view, John! Some really nice plants there

[Hoy]

John, very impressive! How do you weed among the cacti? 

[Hoy]

The sun and warm weather the last week have caused a lot of development in the garden. A little cooler now but still sunny. Several rhodos are in flower, among them is Rh bureavii. Also the Wisteria do flower now. However, I never get the impressive flowering you sometimes can see on pictures from more southern latitudes. The last one doesn't grow in my garden though. Mountain azalea (Loiseleuria procumbens).

[Weiser]

Trond

How do you weed among the cacti? 

Very carefully!!
I actually don't have much of a problem with weeds. When I started this garden I was very very diligent in killing all the weeds and disposing of the mature ones. Over the years the seed bank has been depleted to the point that very few of the none airborne ones come up. I do how ever have to pull a few of the dandelion relatives especially one we call 'Prickly Lettuce' (Lactuca serriola) and every once in a while  'Annual Cheat Grass'(Bromus tectorum) that got tracked in on my boots.



 

[cohan]

All nice ones, Trond

John, the thought of a mostly weed free garden is very impressive to me! I understand the idea of killing the main weeds, I wonder how long for the seedbank to expire? Dandelions I could never be free of, the countryside is all yellow now, and soon the air will be full of fluff! Also, while I don't consider natives to be weeds, they do still grow places I don't want them too, including poplars and willows that seed in everywhere from blown seed, and many many other things that birds  plant, from spruce through all the native and domestic berries, etc, etc-- so even if I were to wipe out the garden weeds(from the days of livestock), I'd never be free of weeding!

[Weiser]

Cohan
Of course living in a dry climate and in the city limits plays a significant role in the numbers of weeds I have to contend with.