APEX; re-re-re visited

Bang Wallup

I give in. Delosperma sp. 'Firespinner' is sexy.

Bindweed!  But, the special, hard-to-grow turkish miniature kind. 

Convolvulus boissieri ssp. compactus

Penstemon caespitosus ex Rio Blanco, CO and Lepidium nanum

Har har. I've finally succeeded in blooming the elusive desert adobe salt-pan poisonous-soil loving Xylorhiza venusta,  or, Cisco Woodyaster.  Ok, so it looks like an English daisy and it germinated on its own when I gave up from three years of trying and threw the seed out over the garden, but hey- it's native to the desert here and it's in my garden. So there.

Penstemon acaulis  will not grow for me outside of a crevice. Mama plant still died last year, but she left two kids in her stead, one seen here.

First year Iris iberica ssp. lycotis.

Iris lineolata, a turkestani gift from the Iris-mad John Baumfalk, who is an Iris wizard. A wizard.  

Neohenricia sibbettii is an ice plant relative. I've killed dozens (literally) to find places where they will persist.  First time I've ever seen its flower; a couple years ago one bloomed but the flowers were not open at the specific time of day I saw it. Mesembs are like that.  Close inspection of their roots will show they wear their own little wristwatches and follow them religiously.  By the way, this whole plant is two inches wide. 

This Astragalus spatulatus, 

like my other plant, are in tight crevices.  All the rest I have ever had, not in crevices, died years ago.  Why?  I'm not sure. But it's real.

Mounting evidence for crevice gardens.

Life is full of pleasures which can be a little dangerous. 

Biking, Cacti, and dizzyingly charismatic bulbs.  Iris paradoxa

Tulipa linifolia

At the end of the day, we can get all horny over difficult, exotic, elusive and rare plants, but nothing catches the setting sun like a simple Tulip.  

Rare Plants to be Sold in Denver:

The Plant Hunter's Market:

The Spring Plant sale of RMC-NARGS at Denver Botanic Gardens

April 22 & 23: 
Members: Friday 5-8pm
Public:  Saturday 9am-5pm

This is where perhaps the most exotic hardy plants in Colorado change hands each year.


Cypripedium parviflorum var, pubescens.

I am bringing a glorious, budded plant of our native Lady's Slipper Orchid from the humourous Plant Delights Nursery as well as a very limited number of special rock-garden plants from Arrowhead Nursery, Wrightman Alpines, and Chelsea Nursery.   You know you want it.

In fact, here they are.  The black-blooming Iris paradoxa and purple-blooming Anchusa undulata are to show, not for sale.  Sorry You'll have to beg me something big and go on the waiting list for those. Or, you could steal them and you and I will embark on a high-speed car chase down Denver's York Street, which will surely end in a ball of flames in Northern New Mexico.

A sneak peak of things I've gathered to bring, in no particular order, are:

Silene pattersonii
Catananche caespitosa
Aloe aristata
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa var. thornberi (orange streaked flowers)
Cylindropuntia ramosissima
Fendlera rupicola
Eriogonum corymbosum
Yucca angustissima
Cowania mexicana
Mahonia fremontii
Ephedra minima
Eragrostis trichodes
Atriplex corrugata
Amorpha nana
Begonia grandis
Gentiana farreri
and more...

Come enjoy Denver Botanic in spring and entertain some green avarice. You'll be in good company.