StonecropNews from Gardens Spring 2011 Going Native Part II: Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for the Woodland

As most gardeners know, native plants are, by design, perfectly suited to local growing condi- tions and a critical part of the habitat requirements for local fauna. Thus, even a few of these species in the garden contribute to a more balanced local ecosystem. In the last edition of our newsletter we looked at some easy-to-grow native perennials for sun. Now, we’ll be looking at plants for the shady or woodland garden, but still using the same stringent criteria: does it perform well in the garden, is it easy to grow, and do the deer eat it? Great natives are often quite common plants you may have in your garden already without knowledge of their regional pedigree. Included here you will also find a few unusual native species that make excellent replace- ments for commonly seen garden plants from Asia or Europe. Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh or Bugbane)— the plant formerly known as Cimicifuga! Tall, 6-foot, branched wands of white, long-lasting, bottlebrush-like flowers in June, make this by far In anticipation of spring at Stonecrop, Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ graces the pond garden with its the earliest of the Bugbanes to flower. A tip to glorious blossoms and magnificent stature. remember this is that A. racemosa races ahead of its fellows. Its extensive native range from plumes in early summer on both male and female plants, Massachusetts to Missouri and south to Georgia demon- though more on the male. This native prefers moist soil, strates a wide adaptability, and it is indeed a plant that partial shade, and will tolerate dry summer conditions will thrive in a variety of difficult garden conditions. but with some browning of the otherwise very attrac- Spectacular bloom, good garden performance and excel- tive, dense fern-like foliage. Astilbe biternata (False Goat’s lent deer resistance mean it’s an easy choice as a must- Beard) is a completely unrelated plant, but still very have plant for the woodland garden. The fruiting species similar in appearance both in and out of bloom. It makes a A. pachypoda (Doll’s Eyes) and A. rubra (Red Baneberry) definitive presence with tall, imposing 4½-foot stems and make good specimen plants as they are less imposing in creamy white flower panicles in early summer, somewhat stature at only 2 feet, and really stand out in late summer more spire-like than Aruncus, and coupled with hand- when the fruit ripens. some, lush, dark green foliage. Dicentra canadensis (left) Anemone virginiana (Thimbleweed) is perhaps the Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger) is one of the most and Dicentra cucullaria easiest to grow of the native windflowers, proving adapt- adaptable and useful of woodland groundcovers. The large, able to deep or partial shade as well as dry conditions. apple green, slightly hairy, heart-shaped leaves form a From basal clumps of toothed, long-petioled leaves the luxurious carpet about 12 inches high in all but the driest stiff, 2-foot, wand-like stems of A. virginiana are topped of conditions. It will grow in dense shade or partial sun. with small, subtle greenish white flowers that do not last For the curious, there are clusters of deep reddish brown, long, but are quickly followed by the fuzzy white ‘thim- urn-shaped flowers that emerge underneath the foliage in ble-like’ seedheads that last from late summer well into early spring and are best viewed from close to the ground the winter, slowly coming apart as the season progresses. on your hands and knees! Native anemones include other excellent plants for the Aster divaricatus (White Wood Aster) is easy to grow woodland garden such as the ground covering but ephem- and easy to overlook, but this tough, durable native simply eral A. quinquefolia or the beautiful A. canadensis, which lights up the woodland with profuse clusters of white- needs moisture and a rich organic soil to thrive. rayed flowers in late summer. Tolerant of both afternoon Aster acuminatus Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s Beard) is a large, shrub- sun and dry shade, its 2-foot clumps of dark green, heart- like show stopper that can dominate the confines of the shaped leaves and dark stems have a welcome ability to garden border, but easily reaching 5 feet in bloom, it fill in even the most difficult spots. Those with smaller or makes a useful and dramatic filler for open spaces in the more closely planted suburban gardens should deadhead woodland. It produces showy, creamy white, feathery continued on page 8 1 Rebecca Dymes and Jason Thomas plant Pieris japonica ‘Dorothy Wykoff’ in the newly renovated section of the Woodland, now known as Remington’s Ridge; replacing a section of Thuja hedge that was destroyed by “Snowicane” in February 2010.

Dear Members and Friends,

Much has been accomplished in the past year at beds in the centre of the FG were replaced with grass to Stonecrop, a good deal of which may not be immediately provide space from which to better view this enclosed evident. To remedy that, I would like to give you a narra- garden, and the Linden Allée was removed to again bring tive tour of several exciting recent happenings on our sun to adjacent beds. Last year, we reconfigured one of the Stonecrop Gardens hilltop. woodland paths and the beds it borders to allow for easier Board Of Directors I am delighted to announce that Colin Cabot, at the visitor access and provide more space for existing plants as Antonia F. Adezio request of his father, has become the Chair of Stonecrop’s they mature. Whilst not as dramatic as some of the afore- Anne P. Cabot Board of Directors. With his experiences running an mentioned changes, renovations in the woodland garden F. Colin Cabot acclaimed theater company, restoring and operating a will be an ongoing labour of love. Francis H. Cabot historic farm where training in traditional crafts is offered, We finished a great deal of building maintenance, Page Dickey as well as his extensive involvement at Les Quatre Vents which included rebuilding 90 feet of cedar fencing and Richard W. Lighty and Stonecrop, where he is one of the original Board two entrances in the Flower Garden. In addition, the Barbara Paul Robinson members, Colin brings considerable business acumen, moon windows in the Wisteria Pavilion and several Howard G. Seitz wide-ranging expertise in public programming, and a windows in the Conservatory were repaired. Caroline Burgess, Director strong sense of stewardship to bear in his new role. For On the subject of growth and change, I would like to this newsletter issue, Colin has written an article on his introduce and welcome new neighbours, the Therapeutic Stonecrop’s mission is to uphold and earliest Stonecrop memories that also captures a bit of his Equestrian Center (TEC). This facility, visible from our demonstrate the highest standards of spirit. garden, aims to provide therapeutic and recreational horticultural practice and to promote the use of such standards among We are lucky enough to welcome a new Board member riding for physically and developmentally disabled chil- amateur and professional gardeners to our midst in the person of Page Dickey. Many of you dren and adults. We at Stonecrop have been busy enhanc- through aesthetic displays and may have read her books and articles, attended one of ing the new road to TEC by cleaning up the adjacent educational programs. the lectures she gives across the country, or visited Duck woodland, adding signage, and layering new shrubs and Stonecrop Gardens Hill, her wonderfully charming garden in North Salem, bulbs along the way. 81 Stonecrop Lane New York. Her wide-ranging perspective will be invalu- With all of this completed and new projects under- Cold Spring, New York 10516 845-265-2000 able to our efforts. To better introduce Page to our larger way, we cannot wait to welcome you back to the garden, www.stonecrop.org Stonecrop family, she was recently interviewed for these be it at our week-long Spring Under Glass celebration in [email protected] pages. late March, our Garden Party in September, or any time in Like all gardens, Stonecrop is always evolving and between. Perhaps our articles on shade-loving natives and along with maturity comes editing. It can take a certain alpine troughs will encourage you to explore parts of the amount of courage to revise one’s garden, and I’ll second garden with fresh eyes. Page Dickey’s advice to fellow gardeners, “Don’t be afraid.” Best regards, The past several years have seen the addition of the Order Caroline Burgess, Director Beds and structural changes in the Flower Garden. Several

Chores around the garden: Thuja hedge removal, cleaning swimming hole, re-attaching vines to Flower Garden fence.

Printed on 100% recycled paper

2 When Is A Chair A Sofa?

Change in organizations, as well as in gardens, is inevita- ble, and so, when my father asked me to step into his shoes as chair of the Stonecrop Gardens board, I welcomed the opportunity for a closer association with a project I’ve been involved with since its beginning. By way of intro- ducing myself to the members of the Stonecrop commu- nity who read the garden’s newsletter, I thought I would document a few of my memories of what Stonecrop was like before and as it became a garden, and also how the Colin and Currie Cabot (Robin Hood and Maid Marian), 1959 garden has shaped me. As a small boy, watching the house being built, wherein the pumpkins would drink the milk through the moving into it, and doing chores around the place, I think string inserted in their nutritive stem thanks to the miracle I developed a rapacious appetite for big and complicated of capillary attraction; we were trying to grow giant pump- projects. I also know that I am genetically predisposed to kins. Our plans were foiled by the raccoons who drank the suffer from this particular obsession, so continuing in situ, milk before the pumpkins could get to it. Not wanting to in a place recently vacated by my father, comes naturally be outdone by mere animals, I literally decamped into the Colin Cabot, like his father, to me. Stonecrop is, as it always has been, a wonderfully garden to protect my pumpkins. I remember how surpris- graduated from St. Bernard’s big project. ingly cold the nights were towards the end of summer, and School in New York City, Groton School in Massachusetts, and I have a clear childhood memory of my father building how damp my sleeping bag became in the heavy morning Harvard College, rumored to a paper model, the kind that architects used to make, dew that presages autumn as the days grow shorter. consider itself the center of of a summer house to be built atop a hill adjacent to my Kids in summer are a handful for parents unless they the universe. Unlike his father, Colin emigrated to Milwaukee, grandparent’s farm in the Hudson Valley. I must have can be cajoled into being useful. I was paid 25 cents an Wisconsin with his family which been six at the time. I remember him demonstrating it to hour to be useful as a mower of lawns and a washer of eventually included his daugh- me on the floor of our living room overlooking Central pots. The potting shed was home to a limitless number of ters Anne and Marie-Christine, following the muse Thalia. Park. It amazed me because he had built the model in terra cotta pots, all seemingly in need of being washed. More than twenty years later such a way that you could take the roof off and see rooms These were the days when Stonecrop was a commercial he and his wife Paula moved to inside. The bedroom at the south end on the second floor nursery for alpine rock plants. It fell to me to provide the Sanborn Mills Farm in Loudon, New Hampshire. They now split was to be mine. perfect container for saxifrages of all sorts, and I relished their time between restoring the My first memory of the place that was to become the opportunity to make money for as long as it took me farm’s water-powered sawmill Stonecrop was on a windy morning early in the spring of to realize that scrubbing terra cotta pots is tedious work and gristmill, providing work- shops in traditional crafts on the 1958, visiting the site where stakes in the ground demar- indeed. Another salient memory of summers at Stonecrop farm, caring for the Cabot family cated the foundation, itself just-laid concrete blocks insu- is the relish with which I approached a glass of milk and an property in La Malbaie, Quebec, lated by hay bales. Later that spring, on another visit, I entire sack of Oreo cookies after mowing the lawn in high and keeping up with the family’s century old legacy of conserva- remember the consternation caused when I fell into the summer. Alas, I have not lost my enthusiasm for cookies in tion and preservation. hole for the footing under the living room chimney. I any form since. wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about, but I knew I was I was lucky to learn at an early age that digging in the in trouble. ground is its own satisfaction. In the January 2011 issue of But not in as much trouble as the throngs of deer Gardens Illustrated, author Frank Ronan writes: “Gardens, browsing through the landscape. Another early memory gardening, gardeners are not improved by abstract reso- is of the enormous deer fence that surrounded the lution, but only by more time spent in the activity.” After garden area next to the house. The criss-crossing paths retiring from a life in the theatre, my wife Paula and I find of the vegetable garden were repeated in the fence which ourselves spending more and more time in our gardens in stretched up into the sky. My first memory of actually New Hampshire and in Canada—though sometimes we digging in the earth was in a little plot of my own where characterize ourselves as chasing weeds in two countries at I was to grow vegetables that would later grace our table. the same time. For some reason my plot was located outside the deer Recently, I discovered an acronym for myself that fence. It was next to a small building that also served as a perfectly resonates somewhere between my urge to vege- horse stall. (The building, now the tool shed in the Flower tate on the couch in front of bad TV and my tendency Garden, remains but my vegetable plot was for years a towards things that are “comfy as an old shoe.” (Having cherry blossom display that has yielded to spring bulbs been born in 1950, I am, as are all baby boomers, slither- as the cherries have been overshadowed by the line of ing towards senescence as the twenty-first century emerges maples that lead from the potting house to the driveway from its toddler stage and approaches its teen years.) I am, courtyard.) happily and gratefully, a SOFA (son of Frank and Anne) Later still, I remember my mother suggesting a trick and proud to be the new chair of Stonecrop. with a saucer of milk, a string, and a slit in a pumpkin vine —Colin Cabot 3 Page Dickey Joins Stonecrop’s Board

Stonecrop is delighted to welcome pool—is very special. It is so wonderfully crafted and very Page Dickey—author, lecturer and much of the place, the local rocky hills. The veg, with gardener extraordinaire—to our Board its wonderful colors and textures, is wonderful and has of Directors. In addition to many maga- certainly influenced my own plot. zine articles, her books include the KK: Do you have any plants from Stonecrop in your just released Embroidered Ground; as garden? well as Gardens in the Spirit of Place; PD: I have grown lots of things with seeds from Duck Hill: A Year in a Country Garden; Stonecrop—too many to remember off hand, but my real Dogs in Their Gardens; Cats in Their treasure comes to me from Stonecrop rather circuitously. Gardens; and the award-winning My friend, Hitch Lyman, gave me some Narcissus eystet- Breaking Ground: Portraits of Ten tensis, a miniature with a small, lightly double cup of Garden Designers. Page is a founder of soft yellow about the size of a quarter. Hitch got it from the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Caroline Burgess, who told him that it had originally Program and her garden, Duck Hill, in come from her friend, Valerie Finis. It blooms now on my North Salem, New York, will be open little woodland path among cowslips. through the Garden Conservancy on Sunday, June 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 KK: What are you planning for your own garden this p.m. with several other nearby gardens. year? Page Dickey recently spoke with PD: To start simplifying it! In the more complicated Kate Kerin, our newsletter editor, about portions, I want to use more shrubs in place of the high- Stonecrop and her own gardening life. maintenance perennials. Work will continue on the Page Dickey with her Dachshund, Noodle, and Their interview is shared below. woodland. I have been struggling for a bit with a native Scottish Deerhound, Posey meadow, and I will continue that struggle. KK: Why did you decide to join the Stonecrop Board? PD: Stonecrop has been a favorite for many, many, many KK: Are you the type of gardener that enjoys the winter, years, so of course I was going to say yes when asked or are you always impatient to be back out with your to take a more active role. A wonderful benefit is that I hands in the soil? will go to Stonecrop much more often. Frank Cabot is a PD: I love winter. There is time to read and cook and Embroidered Ground great hero of mine. He is both a dirt gardener and a man enjoy family and friends more. In truth, though, I’m still Page Dickey lives and gardens of big ideas. I just love what he’s created, and I love his gardening. We—my husband Bosco and I—force bulbs in with her husband in the spirit. At Stonecrop, Les Quatre Vents, and the Garden the cold frames for winter bloom, fuss over indoor plants company of assorted dogs, cats, Conservancy, you can see that he had a vision and just (streptocarpuses, begonias, clivias, etc.) and start vegeta- and chickens at Duck Hill. In her most recent book, Embroidered made it real. That fearlessness is a good model for all ble and annual plants from seed. Ground, released at the end of gardeners. KK: What books are you reading this winter? February, Page writes about the KK: What do you think makes Stonecrop special as pitfalls, challenges, successes PD: I always have at least two books going at the same and pleasures of the thirty-year- either a garden or institution? time: fiction rests on the bedside table and non-fiction long process of making this PD: garden, about gardening with There is so much imagination and a sense of fun, is elsewhere in the house. I’m reading Robin Lane Fox’s a husband and animals. And which I love in a garden. Think of Miss Jekyll, in scare- new book of essays, Thoughtful Gardening, and Antonia she also shares her views on crow form, keeping watch in the Flower Garden! As an Fraser’s memoir, Must You Go? My Life with Harold what contributes to a garden’s success—structure, fragrance, institution, Stonecrop is such a good learning place where Pinter. I have also read Adam Nicholson’s Sissinghurst: atmosphere, the play of light and one can study garden design and a remarkable collection An Unfinished History; Brooklyn and The Master by Colm shadow, patterns and textures, of plants, from alpine to tropical. The School of Practical Tóibín; Paul Greenberg’s Four Fish: The Future of the Last multi-seasonal plants. Horticulture is honing wonderful gardeners. Every year, Wild Food; Keith Richardson’s Life; and, for laughs, Nora interns are learning the best kind of gardening, which is Ephron’s I Remember Nothing. Not too many garden shared with members but also elevates the garden profes- books on the list, I am afraid. sion here in the U.S. KK: Are you working on any new writing projects? KK: What is your favorite part of the garden? PD: I just finished my book, Embroidered Ground (see PD: Selfishly, the Woodland because it is a new interest sidebar), so I am not in the midst of a major project right of mine. I am trying to develop a small woodland garden now. I will be contributing to a book edited by Thomas C. at home, so I am always jotting down notes at Stonecrop. Cooper and published by Timber Press in which twenty The rock and water garden area—from the raised alpine gardeners discuss what their garden means to them. beds through the Gravel Garden, the Rock Ledge and A few book ideas are germinating, I always keep a garden pond, down the Himalayan Slope to the swimming diary, and, with less regularity; a personal diary. 4 KK: What advice would you like to share with other gardeners? PD: Don’t be afraid. Get out and create the garden you want, one that inspires you, because gardening should be a personal expression. Be imaginative, as Frank Cabot and Caroline Burgess are in their efforts. With age and its inevitable wisdom, I think of structure and foliage as essential to good design. Structure is provided by the elements that don’t go away in a week: paths, rooms, trees, hardscape, and garden structures. As Edwina von Gal once told me, “Flowers are the pillows and ashtrays.” Because it creates long-term effects, don’t underestimate the role that foliage—its color, texture, and scale—plays in a successful garden scheme. Fearlessness, good bones, Page Dickey’s garden, Duck Hill, will be open through the Garden Conservancy (www.gardenconservancy.org) and a deft use of foliage are all evident at Stonecrop. on Sunday, June 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

2011 Stonecrop Interns

Cecilia Hernández gradu- ated Cum Laude last year with a Left (left to right), Adrienne Juby, Rebecca Dymes, Audrey bachelor’s degree in Landscape Froats (Philipstown Garden Club Architecture from Florida summer intern), Julie Sauer, International University in Miami. Chantal Ludder and Devin Short (2010 interns) plant stonewall As part of her studies, she spent with alpines. several semesters in Italy and France. Cecilia comes to Stonecrop Stonecrop Internships to ground her design education The structure and character of Stonecrop’s internships are with a foundation in practical horticulture. Her hobbies modeled after Director Caroline Burgess’s horticultural education and experiences in England, which included a include reading, theatre and playing the violin. long working relationship with Rosemary Verey at Barnsley Paul Miller, a Hudson Valley House and completion of the three-year Diploma in native, found his true calling Horticulture at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Stonecrop working at a local nursery subse- offers one and two-year internships as well as shorter “Gardens, gardening, quent to completing his degree in internships, including one for local high school students gardeners are not Humanities and Social Sciences co-sponsored by the Philipstown Garden Club. The improved by abstract several years ago. His home garden purpose is to improve the calibre of horticultural profes- is his laboratory where Paul grows a resolution, but only sionals, and thus of gardens both public and private, by variety of berries and experiments by more time spent in providing an intensive horticultural training program. with everything from bonsai to The primary emphasis of the Stonecrop Internship is the activity.” tender shrubs, but he reports that —Frank Ronan on practical horticulture: to know, grow, and use plants. To he can’t wait to dive into the gardens at Stonecrop. develop the specialized skills necessary to a professional in Laura Wyeth, from Levittown, the field, interns work in all areas of the garden throughout Pennsylvania, has spent the past ten the year, tending diverse collections alongside professional years working in garden centers and horticultural staff. To facilitate a broad understanding of for florists, and studying horticulture both the art and science of garden making, hands-on work on her own and as a member of the is supplemented with extensive independent study, regular Master Gardeners of Mercer County. field trips, and wide-ranging critical discourse. She looks forward to advancing her For detailed information on Stonecrop’s year-long career by formalizing her training internships, please visit our website (www.stonecrop.org). at Stonecrop. We look forward to Laura’s enthusiasm for For the summer internship, please contact our office at hands-on gardening and her fondness for weeds. (845) 265-2000. We welcome your inquiries. 5 Stonecrop Gardens Schedule of Events Visit www.stonecrop.org for a Bloom Calendar 2011Visiting hours 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday, and the first and third Saturdays of the month. Open every Friday until dusk, May–September

March 26 May 28 August 13 Members’ Preview Party: Spring Under Glass Open Saturday Open Saturday 12 p.m.–4 p.m.* Free admission for Putnam & Westchester Free admission for Rockland & Orange County March 28–April 2 County residents residents Spring Under Glass Week, open to the public May 29 August 14 10 a.m.–5 p.m., $5 (members no charge) Holiday Weekend Open Sunday Garden Conservancy Open Day featuring April 1 June 4 & 18 Tea in the Garden from noon–4 p.m. Stonecrop Opens for the Season Open Saturdays August 18 April 2 & 16 June 9 Guided Garden Tour: Natives in the Garden 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., $10 (members no charge) Open Saturdays Guided Garden Tour: September 3 & 17 April 9 & 10 Shrubs & Vines in the Garden 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., $10 (members no charge) Open Saturdays Trough-making Workshop 9 a.m.–1 p.m. each day June 11 September 4 $80 ($60 members) Registration required. Secret Garden Tour (to benefit PARC) Holiday Weekend Open Sunday Please call (845) 265-2000 10 a.m.–4 p.m. September 10 Please call or visit our website for more April 14 Annual Members’ Garden Party information Guided Garden Tour: Spring Bulbs 1 p.m.–5 p.m.* June 12 6 p.m.–7 p.m., $10 (members no charge) September 15 Garden Conservancy Open Day featuring April 23 Guided Garden Tour: The Flower Garden Tea in the Garden from noon–4 p.m. Alpine Plant Sale with Wrightman Alpines, 6 p.m.–7 p.m., $10 (members no charge) June 25 Evermay Nursery and more September 18 Open Saturday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., $5 (members no charge) Garden Conservancy Open Day featuring Free admission for Dutchess & Ulster County April 28 Tea in the Garden from noon–4 p.m. residents Guided Garden Tour, Alpines October 1 & 15 June 28–August 30 6 p.m.–7 p.m., $10 (members no charge) Open Saturday April 30 Yoga in the Garden every Tuesday 9:30 a.m.–11 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. October 8 Garden Conservancy Open Day featuring $15/drop-in, $130 for a 10-class card Open Saturday Tea in the Garden from noon–4 p.m. July 2 & 16 Free admission for Connecticut, New Jersey May 6 and Pennsylvania residents Open Saturdays Evening in the Garden October 15 July 3 Garden open until dusk every Friday through Terrarium Workshop Holiday Weekend Open Sunday September 9 a.m.–12 p.m., $50/$40 members May 7 & 21 July 10 Registration required. Open Saturdays Garden Conservancy Open Day featuring Please call (845) 265-2000 May 8 Tea in the Garden from noon–4 p.m. October 20 Garden Conservancy Open Day featuring July 14 Guided Garden Tour: Fall Foliage Tea in the Garden from noon–4 p.m. Guided Garden Tour: Systematic Order Beds 5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m., $10 (members no charge) May 12 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., $10 (members no charge) October 22 & 23 Guided Garden Tour: Woodland Garden July 23 Trough-making Workshop 6 p.m.–7 p.m., $10 (members no charge) Open Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m. each day May 14 Free admission for Metro NY residents $80 ($60 members) Registration required. (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Please call (845) 265-2000 Spring at Stonecrop: Garden Walk with Wine Island) & Cheese Reception October 31 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m., $25 ($20 members) August 6 & 20 Last open day of the season Open Saturdays Registration required. * denotes events open only to Stonecrop members Please call (845) 265-2000 Rock Gardens In Miniature: Alpine Troughs

Alpine trough gardening is well suited to both the novice Alpine Plants and expert alpinist with either a tiny terrace or acres of From a botani- space in which to garden. Troughs allow one to grow cal perspective, true alpines without a rock garden or alpine house, and to alpines grow between the grow and experiment with alpines having a wide range tree line and the perma- of cultural requirements within the confines of a single nent snow line on garden. scree slopes or cling- Troughs themselves can be constructed in nearly ing to rock cliffs, any shape and size, and planted with a single specimen, wedged in cracks a special theme, or a re-creation of the Swiss Alps! These and fissures. Growing miniature gardens can stand alone as a focal point or conditions include be arranged in a group to define a garden area. Owing extreme moisture to the fact that these contained plants are more isolated levels, low nutrient and nearer eye-level, they can be readily tended and levels, wide tempera- appreciated. ture ranges, shifting The Trough substrates, grazing The first trough garden ingeniously and beautifully by animals, exposure to C

wind, and high light levels. ar planted with rock garden plants was exhibited at the Royal o Adaptations to such conditions include lin Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show in 1923. e B small size, shapes that minimize expo- urg

Alpine plant advocate Clarence Elliott (1881-1969), owner e ss of Six Hills Nursery, Hertfordshire then popularized the sure to the harsh wind and cold, dormancy growing of alpine plants in troughs. Clarence Elliott wrote under snow, mineral encrustation and crystal many articles on the subject in the gardening press and growths, foliage colouration, extensive roots to sold ready-made trough gardens at his nursery and at cling to mountainsides or seek water and nutrients, hairs Chelsea. for condensation, or spiny growths to deter grazing. The stone trough has made its way from the grave- From a gardening perspective, true alpines and rock yards of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome where they were garden plants are drawn from a range of native habitats— used as sarcophagi, to Europe where they became utili- from the tundra, steppes and prairie, to cool forests, alpine tarian vessels used to hold liquids and feed livestock, into valleys and high peaks. There are many permutations of the 20th century. As farming began to modernize during alpine and sub-alpine climates and not all rock garden the 1920’s and 1930’s, the old stone troughs were replaced plants are from alpine regions or grow amidst rocks. with steel. Gardening enthusiasts coveted these old stone Instead, gardeners use these terms to refer to any plants troughs for their aesthetic and practical use as planters. suitable for growing in a rock garden based on size and Many of the Old World stone troughs were carved growth rate, hardiness, compatibility with other plants, from blocks of limestone, marble or tufa. These natu- and appearance. Newly constructed troughs rally occurring stones high in calcium carbonate formed With numerous exceptions, alpine plants need excel- an excellent foundation for growing alpines. However, lent drainage, bright light, protection from winter mois- stone troughs were increasingly difficult to find, and ture, and low nutrients. Most alpines grow in high light tufa, which was ideal for garden use as it contained many due to direct sun exposure and lack of competition from voids, making it lighter, more breathable, and aestheti- other plants. Many alpines become dormant to survive cally appealing in a venerably worn fashion, was expen- winter and will die if exposed to excessive moisture during sive and often hard to obtain. A new material was needed, dormancy; snow cover can provide an added benefit of thus hypertufa was born. Made from peat moss, perlite, keeping the plants relatively dry. Typically, alpine plants vermiculite, and cement, hypertufa is a light and econom- are adapted to dry or fast-draining soil and hence are The fruits of your labour… an established trough ical alternative that captures the weathered look of an old susceptible to root rot in overly wet conditions at any time stone trough. throughout the year. Lastly, as many alpines grow in low Whilst any number of means can be used to create a nutrient substrates, excessive nutrients or organic matter hypertufa trough, including sand-casting, Stonecrop uses may cause irregular plant growth. solid inner and outer forms to create rectangles, squares, The Planting Medium ovals and circles. The advantage of this method is that the The potting mix used in troughs must have excellent wet hypertufa mixture can be compacted evenly within drainage, good aeration for the roots, and adequate nutri- the mould so that the finished trough has no areas of ents. Based on plant needs and growing conditions, there unequal density, areas which are more prone to damage is a delicate balance between the amounts of organic mate- during freeze and thaw cycles. continued on page 10 7 Going Native Part II: Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for the Woodland continued from page 1

Aster cordifolius Actaea rubra Anemone canadensis Chelone glabra

plants in the fall, as they are inclined to self-sow. This can deer. Even so, this is a lovely and useful native. be an asset for the less formal garden or managed wood- Heuchera americana (Alumroot) was not considered land. Other shade-loving asters include the slightly taller, garden-worthy for many years, but thanks to the pioneer- blue-floweringA. cordifolius (Heart-leaved Aster) and ing work of Dale Hendricks at North Creek Nurseries, the the charming if less exuberant A. acuminatus (Whorled horticultural world has long since embraced the varie- Aster), bearing open panicles of purple-centered, white gated and silvered foliage of his seedling selection known flowers on top of upright, wiry stems in July and August. as ‘Dale’s Strain’, and the countless hybrids and named Chelone glabra (White Turtlehead) is a good candi- cultivars that followed. In the wild, H. americana can date for naturalizing in any swampy woodland, bog or be found in both moist and dry woodlands, on exposed pond-side area. The white blooms appear in tight termi- rocky positions and outcrops. Well-drained soil is key, as nal clusters in August through September, whilst the they rot easily. The flowers are delicate rather than showy, Geranium maculatum upright 3-foot clumps of dark green, lance-shaped, being clusters of fringed yellowish or brownish green sharply-toothed foliage look attractive throughout the blooms on slender stems in early summer. Even without year. Importantly, it is one of only two larval hosts to the the striking colouration of recent selections, the glossy lovely Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly. C. lyonii (Pink heart-shaped, lobed and coarsely toothed, mottled, dark Turtlehead) is more amenable to deeper shade and has green foliage is superb. H. villosa (Maple-Leaved Alum less of a requirement for constant moisture, making it Root) and H. richardsonii (Prairie Alum Root), two other perhaps a better garden specimen. excellent native species, offer the gardener options for Chrysogonum virginianum (Golden-Star) is not sunnier and drier locations respectively. strictly native to the Northeast—its natural range is forest Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny Spurge) was clearings from Pennsylvania southwards—but as it is long overshadowed by its brassier, faster-growing cousin tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and almost P. terminalis (Japanese Pachysandra). The latter’s suscep- universally avoided by browsing deer, it would be impos- tibility to pests and diseases, its monotonous ubiquity sible to leave it out of any list of useful native woodland in the landscape, and a growing interest in native alter- Tiarella cordifolia plants. Upright, flowering stems grow to 12 inches and natives has allowed this delightful plant to come into its produce masses of rich golden yellow, five-petalled, daisy- own. In early spring new foliage emerges a bright, almost like flowers in spring, sporadically through the summer, chartreuse green—soon followed by the ephemeral but and often again in the fall. Plants spread by stolons, enchanting short, bottlebrush spikes of white flowers. As making a tight groundcover in a relatively short time. the days lengthen into summer and the foliage matures, Great References for the Native Woodland Whilst easy to grow and quite adaptable, C. virginianum it becomes a strikingly rich mottled bronze and bluish dislikes an acid soil. green. Slower growing than its Asian counterpart and, in Bringing Nature Home, Douglas Tallamy Dicentra eximia (Wild Bleeding Heart) is a classic hard winters, not reliably evergreen, it nevertheless makes (Timber Press 2007) beauty which, unlike its native cousins, D. canadensis an attractive and trouble-free addition to the woodland The American Woodland Garden, (Squirrel Corn) and D. cucullaria (Dutchman’s Breeches), garden. Rick Darke does not go summer dormant. Given adequate mois- Phlox divaricata (Wild Phlox) brings colour to the (Timber Press 2002) ture, it keeps its ferny, deeply dissected, blue-green foliage spring woodland with its spectacular drifts of soft laven- Native Plants of the Northeast, through the fall. Its many pink, heart-shaped, pendant der-blue flowers, forming dense mats to about 14 inches, Donald Leopold (Timber Press 2005) flowers are carried in spring on arching 12-to-18-inch spreading slowly in open deciduous shade where given Ferns for American Gardens, stems. There are numerous excellent garden cultivars in adequate moisture. P. stolonifera (Creeping Phlox) is but John Mickel many shades of pink, white and even rosy red. This is a 8 inches tall and often has darker, violet-blue flowers. It (Timber Press 2003) superb plant for any woodland, native or otherwise. blooms even in quite deep shade and is more tolerant of Geranium maculatum (Wild Cranesbill) can quickly drier conditions. colonize bare spots in the moist soil of a woodland Tiarella cordifolia (Foam Flower) makes an excellent garden, spreading by both creeping rhizomes and seeds. creeping groundcover with attractive, rich green, maple- It is perhaps not the best choice for smaller gardens but shaped leaves heavily puckered and creased along the a great asset in a more relaxed or informal setting where main veins. New spring foliage is often outlined in red. its large, 1-inch, bright rose-purple blooms in late spring In late spring and early summer, racemes of small, starry, add a splash of colour to any shady corner. The lush, leafy, fluffy white, almost feathery flowers rise delicately above 18-inch-tall clumps of deeply lobed, often purple-spot- the foliage. Numerous outstanding cultivars are available ted foliage stay attractive during the warmer months of with striking foliage patterns and pinker flowers. Where a 8 summer, but occasionally attract the attention of hungry spreading plant is not wanted, the more southerly species Stonecrop Gardens 2010 Events Dicentra canadensis Polypodium vulgare

T. wherryi is a good candidate, non-stoloniferous and showier, although marginally less hardy. Both prefer rich moist soil and tolerate a good deal of shade; however flow- ering will be heavier with sun during part of the day. Ornamental grasses include a few choice species which thrive in shady woodland conditions and add inter- Alpine Plant Sale est, texture and habitat for birds and small mammals. Chasmanthium latifolium was featured in our last news- letter as an outstanding plant for sun, but it is tough as well as lovely and will tolerate some shade, as does Hystrix patula (Bottlebrush Grass) that easily reaches 3 feet in height, even in shade. Other good candidates are Deschampsia caespitosa (Tufted Hair Grass), which prefers damp, bog-like woodland, or for drier sites, the dainty but tough D. flexuosa (Wavy Hair Grass), which seldom reaches above 12 inches. Both form densely tufted mounds and produce billowing masses of flowerheads in midsummer. The best grasses for deep shade are the Spring Open House Guided Garden Tours sedges, like the delicate Carex pensylvanica, at home even in dry, sandy woodland, or the broad-leaved C. plantag- inea, which requires some moisture and combines well with native ferns. Ferns must be included in any discussion of wood- land plants. North America is blessed with a great variety of beautiful, adaptable and easy-to-grow native ferns for nearly any woodland situation. A few outstanding species are the evergreen, clump-forming Polystichum acrosti- choides (Christmas Fern), the tough Polypodium virginia- Seed-sowing Workshop Trough-making workshop num (Rockcap Fern), which is a great choice for dry, stony conditions, and the exquisite, airy form of Adiantum Terrarium Workshop Garden Party pedatum (Maidenhair Fern). The genus Dryopteris, often known as Wood or Shield Fern contains numer- ous garden-worthy species—D. marginalis, D. interme- dia and D. goldieana are just a few of the best. For wetter gardens or boggy areas the beautiful Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern) and its cousin O. cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern) should be top choices, and where space allows, the magnificentMatteuccia pensylvanica (Ostrich Fern). Dry, difficult sites are best left to Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Hay-scented Fern) and Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York Fern). Both are able to tolerate sun and are poten- tially aggressive colonizers in open, cleared spaces. Whilst this list is but a cursory review of the many Yoga in the Garden Tea in the Garden wonderful and easily grown native plants available today, we do hope it inspires you to include some of these species in your own shade garden or woodland. To explore these plants in greater detail, please join us for a guided Garden Walk in the Stonecrop Woodland on Thursday, May 12, from 6–7 pm. Admission is free to members and $10 for the general public. We hope to see you there! —Michael Hagen, Staff Horticulturist 9 Rock Gardens In Miniature: Alpine Troughs Trough-making workshop with continued from page 7 Steve Johnson (instructor), Monty Effinger, Claire Cornish, Tamara Toledo, Paul Henderson, Wendy Malone, Barbara Toledo-Buglione

rial and drainage materials. Plants with a good organic • In these miniature gardens simplicity is best; too base and poor drainage may thrive in the summer, only to much detail quickly becomes fussy. die in winter due to excess moisture. Generally, the drier • Patience helps greatly; many of the plants grow your winter, the more organic material you can use in your slowly and take at least one or two growing seasons mix. to spread or fill out. Some plants may need to have an A blend of humus, sand, and grit is the most popular established root system to really flourish. Do not be combination for a lean rock garden planting medium, but dismayed if your first attempts do not yield the effect there are almost as many alpine planting mixes as there are you envisioned. alpine gardeners. At Stonecrop our alpine potting medium has provided an excellent foundation for our alpine plants Planting Your Trough A happy alpine enthusiast with and includes the following ingredients: Once you have your trough, plants, appropriate plant- her purchases. ing medium for your plant selections and growing condi- • 4 parts humus tions, and general design (including rocks), you are ready Sources of information • 9 parts sand to plant. Note that it is advisable to plant a larger trough in Two societies dedicated to alpine • 2 parts peat (sift through ¼-inch screen) plant growing are the North situ as it can be quite weighty once complete. • 2 parts perlite American Rock Garden Society • Place a piece of screening or landscape fabric to cover (NARGS) and the Alpine Garden • 2 parts vermiculite the trough’s drainage holes to contain materials. Society (AGS) of Great Britain. • 1 3-inch pot of organic based fertilizer such NARGS has a local chapter in the • Half fill the trough with potting mix. A leaner plant- as Electra (5·10·3) Hudson Valley, and both societ- ing medium may be used toward the bottom for ies are excellent sources of infor- The Design mation, quarterly journals, and improved drainage if your plants require particularly seeds. There are many excellent When planning your miniature garden, options are endless sharp drainage or you experience wet winters. books on alpine gardening and and depend upon your own creativity and preferences, as • Tamp the mix down lightly to avoid creating air alpine plants. Here are a few: well as the growing conditions in your garden. Possible pockets. Alpine Garden Society design themes one might consider are: • Encyclopedia of Alpines, Place your rocks. As in a full-scale rock garden, rocks AGS Publications (1993) • Plants from a specific country in trough plantings should look as though they are Alpines in Sinks and Troughs, by • Plants chosen for specific colours still very much a part of the earth and not simply Joe Elliott, The Alpine Garden • Single genus troughs perched on top of the ground. Each rock or stone Society (1974) • Plants of architectural shape should appear to be emerging from the soil at its Creating and Planting Garden • Silver-leaved planting schemes widest diameter. Troughs, by Joyce Fingerut and • Rex Murfitt, B. B. Mackey Books • Ericaceous-only troughs Add more potting mix to within an inch of the top of (1999) the trough. Here are some general guidelines: Manual of Alpine Plants, by Will • Position plants in the trough according to your Ingwersen, Cassell Publishers • Combine and space plants with their ultimate size in design. Limited (1991) mind. Avoid plants that will outgrow the trough or • Plants may require minor preparation before plant- Miniature Alpine Gardening, by grow out of scale with the other plants. ing. Carefully pick out any weeds, moss, or liver- L. D. Hills, Faber & Faber Limited • (1945) Take advantage of contrasts in the shape, colour, wort around the plant. For plants that are root-bound in their growing pots, it is often necessary to tease Rock Gardening by H. Lincoln texture, and bloom cycle of the plants. Foster, Timber Press (1982) • Consider using one or more dwarf conifers or shrubs, out the roots to ensure new root growth. Plant the Rock Garden Plants, by Baldassare mounding plants, and mat-forming plants. This varia- alpines at the soil level in which they were grown and Mineo, Timber Press (1999) tion in height will create visual interest. If the size of make sure to firm in the soil around them. The Collingridge Guide to your trough allows, you may try tucking in a clump of • A layer of top dressing, such as fine gravel or pumice, Collectors’ Alpines, by Royton E. miniature bulbs such as dwarf narcissus, galanthus, or thin sheets of rock should be applied next. This Heath, Collingridge Books (1981) iris or allium. will help retain soil moisture, prevent “neck rot” by The Rock Garden and its Plants, • In addition to plants and soils, rock placement can preventing direct contact between the above-ground From Grotto to Alpine House, by Graham Stuart Thomas, J. M. be an important element. Rocks in a trough fulfill portion of the plant and the planting mix, prevent Dent & Sons, Ltd. (1989) the same role as in nature; they create small-scale compaction of the soil surface from rain or the hose, ecosystems. Their presence improves growing and help to suppress weed germination. conditions by slightly moderating extremes of • Place the trough in a location that suits the cultural temperature with their mass and provides the cooler requirements of the plants. The plants may need to root run that most plants enjoy. Rocks channel be hardened off before and/or after the planting by valuable rainwater down their sides directly to the leaving plants outside in partial shade. If the plants roots of the plants. Use rocks that are suited to the were raised in a colder climate, plants may need to cultural needs of the plants. The appropriate rock to acclimate to the new light and temperature range. 10 use is either found in your own locale or the plants’ If the plants have limited root growth (e.g. young native habitat. Mark your Calendar Trough Favourites at Stonecrop Two trough making workshops this year at Stonecrop: April 9–10 and October 22–23 Perennials Aethionema oppositifolium (Brassicaceae). Our first alpine to bloom braving the long-awaited snowmelt. The round, glaucous, grey-blue leaves are cuttings) or suffered root damage in the transition, succulent in appearance and form a dense, 2-inch the roots need to be established before exposure to high mat smothered in tiny maroon buds that open strong sunlight. For example, many dwarf conifers to four-petalled, pale pink flowers in early spring. Definitely one of our favourites. can tolerate strong sun, but only with an extensive Campanula cochlearifolia ‘Fairies’ Thimbles’ root system. (Campanulaceae). This tiny treasure is 4 inches • Water well. in height. Spreading mats of shiny, green leaves are covered in summer with wands of the dainti- The (Desirable) Look of Age est, nodding, blue bells. This is a must-have for the With time, a patina of moss and lichen associated with old trough and does wonders in the crevice of a wall. troughs will naturally develop as airborne spores come to Dianthus pavonius syn. neglectus rest on and colonize on the trough’s moist walls. However, (Caryophyllaceae). A charming old variety from the eastern Alps. The leaves are narrow, grass-like, and it is possible to accelerate this process by combining bits glaucous green, forming tiny hummocks only about of moss in a base of acidic liquid such as buttermilk or 2 inches in height. For a long period in midsum- yoghurt in a blender and mix until a slurry is formed. Paint mer, the plants are totally covered with quite large flowers that bloom on stems 3 inches above the this on the exterior walls of the trough, and then store it in foliage. The serrated petals vary from palest pink a shady, moist spot. This will help encourage the growth of through rose to carmine, each with a contrasting moss and soften the look of your new trough. greenish white eye and a buff underside. The Maintenance Regime Draba rigida (Brassicaceae). A very tight, green bun, only 2 inches tall, hails from Armenia. Tiny four- Once established, alpine troughs are relatively low mainte- petalled flowers of cheery yellow on delicate stalks nance. Regular care includes watering, weeding, control- rise 2 to 3 inches above the foliage in April and May. Delicate sprays of Saxifraga hostii This bun will cling tightly to tufa or porous rock, (foreground) with floriferous Dianthus ling aggressive or out-of-scale plants, protection from pests forming undulating mounds like a solid moss, giving arenarius ‘Snow Flurries’ and diseases, and winter protection. year-round interest. Watering should be regular, but not excessive. Gentiana acaulis (Gentianaceae). This classic Dwarf Conifers alpine beauty forms attractive evergreen mats of Generally, the growing medium should be damp, but not Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ (Pinaceae). The popular glossy, dark green leaves and blooms for an age in Dwarf Balsam Fir has glossy needles that emerge a soggy. With established roots, many alpines can grow in late spring. The pièce de résistance, however, is the soft light green in the spring and become a deep, deep blue, 2-inch, funnel-shaped blossoms with fairly dry conditions, although some alpines thrive with rich green as the season advances. Needles are interior green spotting, resembling antique Victrola frequent watering in the growing season. Given the lean short and flattened. It is a Bird’s Nest Spruce look- horns, that are held aloft on ¾-inch stems. potting mixture, the plant should not be allowed to dry out alike that eventually grows to about 18 inches high completely. During winter dormancy, plants should not be Gypsophila repens ‘Rosea’, “Dwarf Baby’s by 2 feet wide. Breath” (Caryophyllaceae). This trailing peren- Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’ (Cupressaceae). watered from overhead and should be kept relatively dry. nial with glaucous, grey foliage produces airy 8-inch A sculptural, loosely pyramidal evergreen, which sprays of delicate, five-petalled, rose-pink flowers. Winter is often the test will eventually reach 12 inches high and 18 inches A long bloomer that is perfect for hanging over the for alpine survival in a trough. wide. The dark green foliage forms twisting fan- edge of your trough. Winter protection is required shaped branchlets in dense tiered layers and Leontopodium alpinum (Asteraceae). “Edelweiss, releases a sweet fragrance when crushed. for certain plants that are Edelweiss, every morning you greet me. Small and Juniperus horizontalis ‘Pancake’ (Cupressaceae). white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet normally dormant under snow This slow-growing, spreading variety is aptly me…” The large, distinctive, star-like flowerheads cover or live in otherwise dry named, topping out at 2 inches but spreading to 2 are formed from tight terminal clusters of small, feet or more. The greyish green, feathery, scale-like winter climates. We protect whitish yellow, dense florets surrounded by white, foliage turns a light purple hue in winter. We love petal-like, woolly bracts. These beloved flowers are our troughs by covering them ours as it drapes over the edge of its trough and held on 4-inch, erect stems above a tufted clump of after Christmas with recycled crawls onward. linear basal leaves. Truly a gem in a trough. evergreen boughs to prevent Pinus strobus ‘Sea Urchin’ (Pinaceae). This superb Phlox subulata ‘Coral Eye’, “Moss Phlox” cultivar of the Eastern White Pine stands out as one frost heave. We secure the (Polemoniaceae). This charming Lincoln Foster of the finest dwarf conifers. It has short, soft, bluish boughs with string and typically remove them in mid-to- selection is a gorgeous dripper with white-blushed- needles and forms a neat ball. Slow growing, it pink, five-petalled flowers with a bright coral eye. It late March, weather permitting. reaches 2 feet high by 3 feet wide in 10 years. forms a gently spreading mat of evergreen, needle- The Troughery at Stonecrop like foliage. Phlox ‘Coral Eye’ blooms for a good few Thuja occidentalis ‘Tiny Tim’ (Cupressaceae). Stonecrop has a large collection of planted troughs, some weeks and joins its friends for a “Phlox moment” at This American arborvitae cultivar is a very slow- our alpine plant sale in late April. growing, globe-shaped, dwarf evergreen with a decades old, and others newly made. Most of these are finely-branched habit. The scale-like, medium green Saxifraga x apiculata (Saxifragaceae). We could foliage grows in flat sprays. At maturity ‘Tiny Tim’ is located in front of the Potting Shed and in a new area near not live without this eye-catching early bloomer. a 12-inch-tall mound with a spread to 18 inches. the Horse Barn. We invite you to visit for ideas and inspi- The tight, bright green, spike-like, lightly lime-pitted ration. Handmade hypertufa troughs can be purchased at foliage forms attractive rosettes. In time the rosettes Tsuga canadensis ‘Essex’ (Pinaceae). This petite, develop into an undulating cushion which matures upright dwarf forms an irregular cone of dense Stonecrop or created during Stonecrop’s trough-making to a height of approximately 4 inches and can reach green foliage. Extremely slow growing, reaching 1 workshops (to be held April 9–10, as well as October 22–23 12 inches across. The 2-inch flowering stems are foot by 6 inches in 10 years. this year). Please contact us for details at garden@stone- covered with tiny, adpressed leaves giving them a —Caroline Burgess rope-like appearance, and terminate in clusters of 10 crop.org, or 845-265-2000. to 12 soft primrose-yellow, five-petalled flowers. 11 NONPROFIT Stonecrop Gardens ORGANIZATION 81 Stonecrop Lane U.S. POSTAGE PAID Cold Spring, New York 10516 NEWBURGH, NY 12550 PERMIT NO. 8604 Join us for the North American Rock Garden Society’s Alpine Plant Sale at Stonecrop Gardens on Saturday, April 23, 9 a.m–3 p.m., called… “A burgeoning rite of spring and the only reason for any gardener with a growing ‘punch list’ to abandon their own back yard on a gorgeous weekend in the momentary hiatus when ephemerals have been overtaken but fiddleheads are still unfurling and tulips continue to bloom.” —Abbie Zabar, artist, author and gardener

Reprinted with kind permission of the author and artist, Stonecrop Alpine Plant Sale, 2010, ©Abbie Zabar, 2010, for The Urban Rock Gardener, (A Newsletter Publised by the Manhattan Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society), May/June 2010.

Plant Profile Exposure: Snowdrops perform best if they erect at first but quickly becomes pendant and are free from overbearing neighbours that hangs freely on a slender 1" pedicel. might out-compete them for nutrients and Each flower is composed of six petal-like Galanthus elwesii ‘Paradise Giant’ light. perianth segments (tepals). Attached to the plump, green ovary, the perianth segments Common name: Elwes’s Snowdrop, Greater Snowdrop Form: Bulbous perennial are arranged in two whorls of three in alter- Soil Requirements: Easily grown in well- nate inner and outer whorls. The outer drained soil, although they do not like very segments are bowl-shaped, measuring 1" long Scientific name: Galanthus elwesii is named acidic or very alkaline soils, and will not and ½" to ¾" wide. The inner segments are for Henry John Elwes (1846-1922). He first grew survive in perpetually wet soil. ½" in length with a central notch. The green Galanthus elwesii in the 1870s. When he later markings cover 2/3 of the segment, outlining inherited the family seat at Colesbourne Park, Growth Rate: When happy, Galanthus multi- the notch at the bottom with a blurry notch at Elwes amassed what was then considered to plies freely. Hitch Lyman of The Temple the top, resembling a vague, fat H-shape. be the best collection of bulbous plants in the Nursery gave us one precious Galanthus Shorter than the inner perianth segments, world, and is still renowned as a place to see elwesii ‘Paradise Giant’ bulb, which has spent the six stamens with yellow anthers form a large groups of choice snowdrops. Galanthus its life potted in our Pit House, too dear to ring around the style. The style is cylindrical, elwesii ‘Paradise Giant’ made its debut at the plant out. 13 years and several re-pots later we slender and slightly longer than the anthers. 1993 RHS Spring Show and continues to be now have 23 clumps and will begin to put a At the base of the style and stamens is the quite rare, especially in the United States. few outdoors. nectary, barely visible to the naked eye. The Family: Amaryllidaceae Height: Our pot of G. elwesii ‘Paradise Giant’ ovary is inferior and consists of three locules grown under glass is approximately eight (chambers) which contain the ovules/seeds. Common Name: Elwes’s Snowdrop or Greater inches tall. Snowdrop. The generic name Galanthus, from Fruit: The fruit of Galanthus is a capsule, For further reading, the Greek gala (milk) and anthos (flower), was Leaf: G. elwesii ‘Paradise Giant’ often produces spherical to ellipsoid, green to glaucescent. we recommend: given to the genus by Carl Linnaeus in 1735. three leaves from a single bulb. The greyish It splits into three when mature, revealing green leaves are ¾" wide and 6½" long. A whitish seeds which turn pale to dark brown The Genus Galanthus Native Habitat: Galanthus elwesii grows in conspicuous mid-rib runs the length of both when ripe. woods, scrub, banks and rocky meadows from by Aaron P. Davis sides of the leaf and appears most promi- east and southeast Europe, extending into Propagation: Division is the easiest way Snowdrops, A Monograph nently toward the outer base. west Turkey. to increase your collection, especially as of Cultivated Galanthus Flower: In Galanthus the inflorescence (flow- Galanthus will multiply more readily if the Cultivars: G. elwesii is extremely variable with by Matt Bishop, Aaron Davis, ering part of the plant) consists of a single clumps are regularly divided. Traditionally this regard to size, flower shape and markings. John Grimshaw scape (stalk), spathe, pedicel and flower. G. is done “in the green,” when the plant is in There are currently about 100 named cultivars elwesii ‘Paradise Giant’ has an 8" leafless scape full growth, but the current trend is to lift and Sources of G. elwesii, organized into six divisions with that ends in a 1¼" spathe enclosing a single divide as the leaves begin to die back or when Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, 26 subdivisions to accommodate the range flower bud. The spathe is composed of two the bulbs are dormant. Remove the small www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com of novelties in flower formation and colour bract-like spathe valves that are connected offsets and replant each bulb individually at combinations. The Temple Nursery (Hitch Lyman), by a translucent membrane. This membrane the same level as before, in holes sufficiently Box 591, Trumansburg, NY 14886 Hardiness Zone: Zones 4-7 breaks apart as the bud matures. The flower is wide to prevent congestion.