Our Miniature Rock Gardens

We have had much snow and also some thaw and even sleety rain this week. The air is quite wet now, this can be seen on the rocks of the miniature rock gardens. These stones are dark grey now as used to be when they are wet, though they get no precipitation at all under the roof of the balcony. This is not too well for the alpines but I can't help it.

The drips are glittering on the foliage of the Draba polytricha:

Draba polytricha

The two flowers on the Draba imbricata are still holding theirs own, though a little anguished by the frost:

Draba polytricha

Draba polytricha

Surprise

This one had never flowered for us until now, neither in spring, nor in autumn. We bought it in Prague 3 years ago.

Draba imbricata

Draba imbricata

Draba imbricata

Some months ago I made a test. I pulled the yellow leaf rosettes from the cushion.

Well, the yellowing has stopped, the plant recovered and now is looking as I would expect. I hope for flowers next spring (it never had until now). I gave to it liquid feed with K 3 times after flowering time. We will see...

Others Coming and Going

The Armeria juniperifolia is nice also when fading. This is a white form or subspecies or cultivar – Hungarian garden shops don't have information about such trifles.

Saxifraga cochlearis minor – will flower for the first time for us. I bought it in Prague in 2008. It was just flowering at that time, but in my opinion not the flowers are its utmost beauty. There are some dull, little white flowers on a loose panicle. But the cushion is nice, that's why I like it. Yet I let it to flower. Here it is with buds:

It lives in an artificial crevice in a trough. The compost is almost pure sand, only with a little peat. Its cushion is growing rapidly but is nice, compact and tolerates very well our hot summers. I water it regularly and abundantly from early spring to autumn. In wintertime it gets no water at all.

Here is the Dryas octopetala, and in the background Androsace villosa, in a trough in the garden. In the same trough lives a Pinus mugo, but it behaves itself very well. 

The first Lewisia cotyledon flower has opened. And what a beautiful color! There are countless buds on every plant, so in a few days will be a real flower feast. Especially if also Androsace sarmentosa begins to bloom...

And now a test.

In the cushion of Draba imbricata (also from Prague, 2008) are some yellowing rosettes:

With tweezers I pulled out those yellow leaf rosettes:

The cushion is tight, compact, we will see if the yellowing stops now.

The First Real Spring Day

We have every year the First Real Spring Day (though it may be followed by winter days again).
I think that from now on we will have every day some news in the "garden".

The Androsace is still sleeping wrapped up in hairy leaves. Besides can be seen the ugly brown foliage of a Potentilla nitida. It will never be as on its habitat in the Dolomites but I hope for green leaves soon. This plant was bought in a nursery and until now it has give us three flowers only once.

Androsace sarmentosa, Potentilla nitida

This last year's Aquilegia seedling (seeds came from the SRGC as Aquilegia scopulorum but I think it is not), gets dressed for the Spring Feast.

Aquilegia sp.

Draba imbricata

This is also a seedling from last year, I think:

Draba lasiocarpa

The Eranthis is already fading, the Hepaticas just in bloom:

Hepatica nobilis, Eranthis hyemalis

Its pollen is already ripe:

Also the first flower of the Saxifraga x elisabethae cv. has opened, 10 days later than last year:

Saxifraga x elisabethae cv.

Sedum sieboldii shoots with Tulipa dasystemon in the background:

The color of the houseleeks is most beautiful now, at the end of winter. In summer they become dull green.

Sedum calcareum 'Griggs's Surprise' (maybe)