Best Rock

They may even be familiar with its common names, mouseear cress or thale cress. However, scientists in at least three continents can spell its name forwards and backwards. Why is this boring weed so fascinating to scientists and botanists?

Read on to learn more about this ultimate alpine symbol. Most gardeners have heard of them even if only a few actually grow them. They detest hot, dry sites. For rock gardeners, they are indispensible but many lend themselves to woodland gardening as...

White is the most common colour. Most of these are either alpine or woodland garden subjects. In part 2, I will discuss some of the fibrous-rooted anemone. Several are dainty species with exquisite blooms, choice plants for the discerning gardener.

One of my favourite groups of plants are alpines. They are well prepared for an alpine climate, but cannot cope in our warm, lowland gardens. Some arctic-alpines blossoms go as far as turning on their stalks to follow the sun, maximizing the exposure...

Zone 5-8 is ideal, but they can survive zone 4 if protected by boughs in winter. They are among the most wet-tolerant penstemon making them suitable for climates where the other dryland types are challenging.

While the hybrids are most popular, there are also some species that are ideal for the woodland/shade garden or even for rock gardens. Avens or Geum are not the most showy of garden perennials but do possess a certain charm.

They are easily grown from seed and can be directly sown into the garden in early spring or started indoors four to six weeks before the date of your last expected frost.Rock cress prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade, especially in warmer climates.

The Zen garden needs to be clean, manicured and weed-free. If you want to have some small evergreen shrubs or alpines you can add those to the list. Finally you will need a small rake.This will take some thought.

Commonly known as Hens and Chicks or Houseleek. One of my all-time favorite plants in the gardens of my lifetime has been the adorable, easygoing Sempervivums ? Thought to heal burns, scalds, corns, calluses, warts, ringworm, shingles, insect stings,...

They are particularly well suited for mixing among Sempervivums and other low stonecrops in the rockery, front of the perennial border or alpine troughs.In the garden, provide them with sun to part-shade and well-drained soil.

Even when not flowering, the neat and tidy habit of these plants is very desirable. Look for them in your local garden center or through specialty alpine plant nurseries. Sea pinks or thrift are one of the most satisfying perennials due to their carefree...

Seeds need stratification so sow them in the fall and overwinter in a cold frame or place pots in a cool garage or fridge for 6-8 weeks to simulate a winter.Above: C. Provide them with well-drained, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil and at least...

In this article I will introduce you to their other close cousin, the soapworts. Previously I described the campions and catchflies from the genera Lychnis and Silene. While they are also mostly pink-flowered, they have the added bonus of fragrant flowers.

The genus Erigeron, commonly called fleabanes, is quite large. Appearing much like asters, they bloom earlier in the season, helping to extend the 'daisy' season. The taller cultivars provide wonderful, long-lasting cut-flowers and all the fleabanes are...

Do you live in a wind-swept area where gardening is a challenge? Many are easy to grow while others are very challenging. If gardening in acidic areas, you can also lightly dust the entire surface of the rock garden with lime in mid to late September.A...

Rock ‘gravel' or dust is found in the bottom of creek beds, and pond settlings. The dust alone may be added and raked in, or tilled in. If this sounds too good to be true, try an experiment at home with potted plants: take a 6” pot filled with half...

The best primroses for a rock garden are the auricula group. Primroses are best divided after flowering. In more exposed areas covering plants with evergreen boughs, leaves like oak or beech or dry straw will help prevent these problems.

It is a very carefree groundcover for shady spots. However, it does have a certain charm and close examination of the flowers will show their exquisite beauty. In the UK, you may find up to 40 named selections! The British love their London Pride! Perhaps...

The backdrop to this garden is a quiggly fence, a traditional nail-less fence made from spruce and fir saplings.The peatbed is home to our acid-loving plants, in particular, ericaceous shrubs.

Often flaunting dark "beauty spots" at the bases of their petals, those blooms unfurl in the morning and drop by mid-afternoon.Rock rose bushes vary in height from 1 to 6 feet. And, being native to the Mediterranean, they actually prefer poor and gritty...

Vulgaris, although some can self-seed to a certain degree. If so, then try your hand at dwarf columbines. Many of the species about to be described are not available at local nurseries, but are often found among offerings of mail-order alpine specialist...

For xeric gardens, they make a bold splash of colour all season, but even gardeners as far north as zone 5 can enjoy these South African succulents. One group of plants from this region that are proving to be wonderful garden plants are the hardy ice-plants...

In the garden, provide them with well-drained soil that is not too acidic. In the wild they grow in full sun on gravelly, limestone soils often in alpine zones. Full sun is best but in hot regions, protection from midday sun is often advantageous.

After blooming, shear off the old flower stems. Some of the more popular cultivars include(more correctly known as ‘Blutenteppich'; carmine-pink fading to light pink on 15 cm stems), 'Peter Pan' (carmine-red with 10 cm stems).

Hardiness is not a problem; they can be grown in zones 2 to 8. If you wait too late to prune, only one bud might form at the cut point, which will not really help thicken up the plant in subsequent years.

Plants from the mountain West need water in late spring and summer and they bloom in the summer and are dormant in the winter. These charming flowers form a cluster at the end of a leafless stem and can be from a few inches to two feet tall.

These hardy African violets are not easy to find. As it happens , there are several hardy gesneriads (African violet relatives) that will surive outside in zone 5, and maybe even lower! Read on to learn more about these hardy Mediterranean "African violets,"...