Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Kew Wednesdays, the Rock Garden and Davies Alpine House...

Finally we come to our 7th, and last, installment of Kew Wednesdays. Our wonderful visit to the Kew Gardens wraps up with a walk though the Rock Garden and Davies Alpine House...

I zeroed in on these small Celmisia semicordata (subp. semicordata) right away, I was in love. Little did I know that the next day when visiting Alternative Eden (the garden of Mark and Gaz) I would find another Celmisia to drool over, but for now this one had all my attention....

Why do we not see this plant in the USA? All I could find online were companies offering seeds. Look at that foliage!...

Here’s another interesting plant I've never seen before...‘Horrid Spaniard’ or Aciphylla horrida. Look at them!

A little info I found online: “A. horrida is native to the South Island of New Zealand and found in mountain areas with high rainfall. In cultivation it will do best in cool or cold temperate, oceanic climates, where it requires a sunny or only lightly shaded spot. It does not like high summer temperatures and is a perfect replacement for Agave and Yucca in such climates.” (source) And why have I never seen this plant in Portland?

I know this photo is a little hard on the eyes what with the glare but I wanted you to be able to see the proximity of the Rock Garden to the Princess of Wales Conservatory on the right.

And those aren't just any rocks, they’re big chunky ones…

There’s that Celmisia again…

Although I never could find a tag on this one I'm willing to bet it's a Fascicularia bicolor/Fascicularia pitcairnifolia...

Kind of weedy but I love it!

Here's the Davies Alpine House, imagine one of these in your garden! Yes, with a few modifications I think it would make a lovely greenhouse. Oh I know the heating bills would be horrendous but whose worrying about that?

I wouldn't mind the rocks coming along as well...

You grass lovers out there are going to have to forgive me because this is as close as I got to the Grass Garden. I know, I hang my head in shame...we were simply running out of time!

It looks lovely though doesn't it?

Looking back towards the Rock Garden.

And now we're inside the alpine house. We sort of scurried through there too. I'm sure there were many fabulous small plants I missed.

Sempervivum calcareum...

From the French Alps! I don't know why that cracked me up but it did.

Look a vertical crevice garden!

We just skirted the Aquatic Garden too.

And guess what...just like that Kew Wednesdays are over. I hope you enjoyed our extended trek though this historic garden.

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