Last week, we enjoyed our first flower on our four year old patch of Xerophyta viscosa, growing in our crevice garden. As the Latin root indicates, Xerophyta is the poster child for xerophytes (plants adapted to arid climates). Xerophyta is a genus of 45 species in the Velloziaceae family, native primarily to Africa, with one
What’s in a name – Xerophyta Read More »
We can think of few plants better designed for hummingbirds than our clump of the native Penstemon cardinalis ssp. regalis that’s currently in flower in the JLBG crevice garden. Known as the Guadalupe Mountain beardtongue, it’s hails from the rocky, alkaline slopes (4,500′-6,000′ elevation) of southern New Mexico and adjacent West Texas, in juniper/pine scrubland.
The Crevice Garden is bursting with color for our Spring Open Nursery and Gardens. Below are a few images from this week. We hope you come, meet the rock stars in person, and explore what fascinating plants await in the world of rock gardening, May 10-12, 2024.
Get addicted to Crack Gardening at our Upcoming Open Nursery and Garden Read More »
Below are a few of our favorite ornamental onions for the early spring season…all flowering now. There’s something about alliums in the garden that elicit smiles when they are in flower, compared to tears when we chop up their kin. Most early spring alliums are more bulbous, while many of the later, summer-flowering alliums grow
Funions in Spring Read More »
When we first wanted to trial the incredible Arilbred irises, we were told in no uncertain terms that they wouldn’t share them with us because of our climate here in Raleigh. With some negotiations and sharing that we had built the crevice gardens, we were able to aquire some from Superstition Iris Gardens in 2017
Love is in the Aril-breds Read More »
We’ve played around with the mostly tender, African Iris relative of the genus Babiana for years. So far, we’ve tried 9 of the 93 species of Baboon flower with little success. The one that has survived in the crevice garden for five years is Babiana rubrocyanea, of which Doug caught this beautiful image last week.
Monkeying around with Baboon Flower Read More »
The earliest of the pasque flowers of the genus, Pulsatilla have begun to flower in the crevice/rock garden. The common name “pasque” is a reference to the flowering period, which typically coincides with Passover/Easter. The genus is native to Europe, Asia, and North America, where they reside primarily in the colder, drier regions of each.
Pass the Pasque Flower Read More »
After five failed attempts, we finally succeeded in establishing the rare orange-flowered Adonis ‘Chichibu Beni’ in the garden. It was only after we planted this in a newly installed rock garden crevice, that we finally found the right location. This gem is a triploid hybrid between two pheasant-eye species, Adonis multiflora and Adonis ramosa. Our
Peek-a-boo, Chichibu Read More »
More of the winter-flowering hoop petticoat daffodils continue to open every week in the garden. Below is Narcissus ‘Spoirot’…an exceptional 1998 introduction, that originated at Tasmania’s Glenbrook Farm, as a cross of Narcissus bulbocodium var. conspicuus and N. cantabricus subs cantabricus var foliosus. It’s namesake is Agatha Christie’s detective extraordinare, Hercule Poirot. It was originally
Playin’ Hoops in Winter Read More »
