Trough Jewels

It's that time of the year...when the alpines in the troughs really shine.  It makes sense that a lot of these plants are spring bloomers.  They have such short growing seasons in their native habitats that they need to get on with the business of reproduction before winter returns.  Above is taxus cuspidata 'Nana Aurescens', a dwarf Golden Japanese Yew.  The new growth is so yellow that it looks like it's blooming.

 

In the same trough is veronica whitelyi, having its blue moment.

Aubrieta x cultorum 'Joy', a purple rock cress.  I've got to remember to take cuttings of this one for insurance.

Genitana acaulis (thanks, Ray!)

This is lewisia cotyledon 'Little Mango'.  I've gotten smarter about growing lewisias and now give them a really lean, mean mix of gravel and granite chips, some sand, a handful of Turface, and only a little topsoil.  I also cover them in the winter to keep them from getting soggy.  It's always a treat to me to get a lewisia to re-bloom.

I experimented with planting a lewisia vertically last year, in a hole that I cast in the side of a rectangular trough.  It seems to love this situation and is gearing up to bloom soon.

Light pink phlox and a darker pink saxifrage from Home Depot.

Pass-along draba from Ray.

Red pulsatilla vulgarism with new blue growth of sedum sieboldii behind.