Rock Garden Report 6

I was hoping to have the new sections all created before reporting again, but that's not happening any time soon. I need to bring up more rocks, and I've decided that I need logs for the steep part of the edge. I'm "fishing" for some junk logs from my friends. Here's the current staus with the standard view for comparison.

Nevertheless, I've made a ton of progress. And I've got almost everything weeded for the second time, which makes it look a whole lot better. I've ripped out a lot of the purple geranium, but I'll be battling that forever. It has an impressive root system that invades everything. If anyone wants some, let me know! Here's the view from the deck. Even though it still looks like a lot of bare dirt, I think you can tell it's cleaner dirt. And maybe more organized dirt!

You might remember I said I had thought of two plants I could use instead of the one I bought that was so unhappy. (That has been moved to more shade and it's looking quite nice). These are for the top of the rock garden, and I'm willing for plants to be a little taller in that top teir. I was able to find both of the ones I wanted locally, and both on clearance! I've had success with both of these in my soil before. The ones I had finally died from neglect, but not because they were unhappy.

This is Blanket Flower, Gaillardia pulchella, 'Arizona Sun.' It should spread out to fill that space, but even this year it is happily blooming with more buds. Sale table.

The other one I got for the top row is Lamb's Ear, Stachys byzantina. There are a bunch of cultivars, but I don't think this is a special one. It will get spikes with light purple flowers, but it's mainly grown for the foliage. It will also tolerate the full sun. Remember the post I did in North Dakota about white plants? This was a kinda sad 4" pot, and it's looking happier already.

The 'Lime Twister' sedum hybrid is making me so happy I bought another one, this time at half price, and covered with buds. Hooray for end-of-season sales. This one is going to bloom. The first one is very happy, but it might not bloom this year. Again, this is one of those SunSparkler hybrids.

The is another of the sedums I bought early after I started weeding. It's Sedum pluricaule 'Ezawe.' It's very low growing, and likes to trail down things. It hasn't been looking very happy, but it's starting to perk up. I put half in the garden (this picture) and the other half is still on the porch waiting for a space. I wanted to be sure this one was going to make it before I put out the rest.

I'm extremely happy with this one. Sedum takesimense 'Atlantis.' I was not familiar with that species name, but it's the new name for kamtschaticum. That makes sense, since it grows in that pattern. I'm showing it again, because look at the center of the new growth. It starts out as a little salmon rose before spreading to make new leaves with the bi-colors. It seems happy where I put it (getting new growth, duh), and I really love it. I also got it on sale, but pretty far from home, and they were almost out. I'm not going to drive all that way, but I hope I can find another next year, or that this one spreads enough to split.

Finally for today, I'll show you a Sempervivum Betsy gave me. The variety is 'Oddity,' and it's very, very cool. It looks a lot like 'Gollum's Fingers' which is a jade plant not a Sempervivum, and not hardy, but it has those thick rolled leaves. She gave me two rosettes, and I put them in two places. Both seem happy.

OK, I lied. One more picture. I don't mind having non-succulents in the rock garden. It's just that there aren't too many other low plants that will tolerate the really hot sun. However, I was a sucker for this Dianthus (Pink), variety 'Kohari,' at half price for a big pot. It was on clearance because it was sad. I trimmed it up, and look what it's doing for me now. It's really nice to have some color in this expanse of still mostly bare dirt.

This is more than enough plants for today. I do have a few that aren't happy at all. Those stupid starlings pulled up a few things. Two of them seem to be recovering from being replanted, but not another. The "black buttons" plant is a goner, I think. It said "full sun" on the tag, but o well... I'm spending too much money, even with getting things on sale, but so far, I still have grocery money too, so... who cares, right?

I spent today as yesterday, alternating writing with gardening. The weather was absolutely perfect!

See Rock Garden Report 5