Alpine, Rock, Miniature, Bonsai and Railroad Gardens

Showing 65–72 of 85 results

  • Sagina subulata Pearlwort, Irish moss Z 4-7

    Tiny white flowers in summer on extra-miniature grass-like leaves

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    Tiniest of white flowers in summer on mound of extra-miniature grass-like leaves.

    Size: ½” x 8”
    Care: sun to part shade in moist well-drained soil
    Native: Corsica

    Sagina subulata was discussed in Revue Horticole in 1896.  The variety aurea extensively used for carpet bedding.  H.H. Thomas, 1915.  Perfect for rock gardens, between stepping stones on a path or as a groundcover.

  • Saponaria ocymoides Rock soapwort Z 4-9

    Small bright pink flowers bloom along dense, creeping branches hugging the ground in late spring into summer.

    $10.75/bareroot

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    Small bright pink flowers bloom along dense, creeping branches hugging the ground in late spring into summer.

    Size: 3" x 18"
    Care: Sun, well-drained soil
    Native: Spain to Yugoslavia
    Awards: Received England’s Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit.

    Both the botanical and common names come from the plant’s use as soap, the leaves “yeelde out of themselves a certain iuice when they are bruised, which scoureth almost as well as sope.”  Gerard (1633).  Soapwort is still used today by antique and art restorers for its gentle cleaning: chop dried leaves and roots, boil in water for 5 minutes, and then agitate to make suds.    William Robinson, father of today’s mixed perennial border gardens, praised this as bearing “masses of rosy blooms.”

  • Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ syn. Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ Spruce-leaved stonecrop Z 4-8

    Chartreuse, turning red-orange in fall, needle-like leaves blooming with yellow flowers June-August but the leaves are the feature.

    $10.25/pot

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    Chartreuse, turning red-orange in fall, needle-like leaves blooming with yellow flowers June-August but the leaves are the feature.

    Size: 4-6” x 1-2’ spreader
    Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil.
    Wildlife Value: Rabbit and Deer resistant. Drought tolerant.

    Species grown at America’s 1st botanic garden, Elgin Botanic Garden 1811

  • Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’ syn. Phedimus spurius ‘Dragon’s Blood’ Caucasian stonecrop Z 4-9

    Mat-forming evergreen. In spring red encircle its fleshy, green, round leaves. In summer leaves turn bronze and in fall deep burgundy. Small, bright pink, star-shaped flowers.

    $9.25/bareroot

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    Mat-forming evergreen. In spring red encircle its fleshy, green, round leaves. In summer leaves turn bronze and in fall deep burgundy. Small, bright pink, star-shaped flowers.

    Size: 4-6" x spreading 12-18"
    Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
    Native: Caucasus Mountains
    Awards: Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit; Great Plant Pick

    Franklin Gardens in Big Springs Arkansas sold this in 1948 for 50 cents calling it “a new sedum. . . “Called “a new Sedum that will surely become popular” New and Noteworthy Hardy Plants Spring Flor-Acres’ Perennials 1950 p. 13

  • Sempervivum tectorum Hens and chicks Z 3-10

    Rosettes of succulent leaves

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    Rosettes of succulent leaves

    Size: 4” x 4”
    Care: sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
    Native: Alps & Pyrenees Mountains

    Grown in gardens for thousands of years.  Sempervivum means “live forever.”  Romans planted Hens and chicks on their roofs to ward off lightening.  As a succulent it holds water and is probably more difficult to catch fire.  “This practice was preserved for historians when Charlemagne (720-814), first Holy Roman Emperor and unifier of a large part of northern Europe, ordered that all villagers within his crown lands plant houseleeks on their roofs He decreed: “Et ille hortulanus habeat super domum suam Iovis barbam. (And the gardener shall have house-leeks growing on his house. Capitulare de villis, about 795,  LXX.)”

  • Silene schafta Schaft’s catchfly, Moss Z 5-7

    One of the spectacular late season blooms –clusters of five-petaled, jagged-edge, bright magenta flowers on short mounds, September to October.  Perfect for front of borders or rock gardens.

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    One of the spectacular late season blooms –clusters of five-petaled, jagged-edge, bright magenta flowers on short mounds, September to October.  Perfect for front of borders or rock gardens.

    Size: 6” x Slowly spreading
    Care: full sun in well-drained to moist well-drained soil
    Native: Russia
    Awards: England’s Royal Horticultural Society Award of Merit

    Introduced from its native Russia in 1844. First described by and probably collected by Johann Gmelin (1709-1755) German naturalist who spent years hunting plants in Russia and authored four-volume Flora Sibirica.  In Greek mythology Silene was a companion of Bacchus who was covered with foam. William Robinson, father of the mixed perennial border, described the flowers of this species as being “very neat tufts.”

  • Sisyrinchium angustifolium Blue eyed grass Z 3-9

    Petite iris-like foliage sporting blue saucer-shaped flowers with bright yellow stamens in summer.

    $10.25/bareroot

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    Petite iris-like foliage sporting blue saucer-shaped flowers with bright yellow stamens in summer.

    Size: 12" x 6"
    Care: Sun in well-drained soil
    Native: North America, Wisconsin native.

    Mahuna Indians of So. California made a tea from the entire plant to expel stomach worms. In cultivation by 1732. Named by Philip Miller, gardener of the Chelsea Botanic Garden, in Gardeners’ Dictionary .

  • Symphyandra zanzegura syn Campanula zanzegura   Ring bellflower, Rock bellflower    Z 5-10

    Flared petal ends of lilac bells on wiry red stems over soft, velvety leaves bloom much of summer.

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    Flared petal ends of lilac bells on wiry red stems over soft, velvety leaves bloom much of summer.

     

    Size: 15” x 15”
    Care: full to part shade in well-drained soil
    Native: mountains of Armenia, Eastern Europe
    Wildlife Value: attracts bees

    Described and published by Ukrainian botanist Vladimir Lipsky (1863-1937) in 1894. Reclassified as a Campanula in 1980.