Tulipa turkestanica
There are several fine tulip species, sometimes called Botanical tulips, which are easily grown under garden conditions, and this is one of the most vigorous, especially in a hot sunny rock garden or naturalised in a gravel bed. It is a native of ... [... more]
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Festuca glauca
The truest blue of the dwarf grasses and totally drought-proof once established, this is a gem for a rock garden. The stiff thread-like blue foliage and steel blue flower-heads form dense rather upright tussocks, which look good grown for foliage ... [... more]
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Convolvulus cneorum
An unusual shrubby member of a genus that comprises mostly climbers and scramblers. It is a native of Mediterranean limestone hills, and enjoys a hot sunny position in a rock garden, where fertility is fairly low and drainage efficient. The ... [... more]
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Thymus vulgaris
Common garden thyme is one of the best-known and most widely used herbs, very popular in its basic culinary form and also as several lovely varieties that merit use in a rock garden or as an edging to garden paths. The solid shrubby growth is ... [... more]
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Phlox bifida 'Thefi'
Moss phlox make excellent plants for the rock garden or alpine trough. They have a spreading evergreen growth habit that looks superb trained over low walls and rocks. 'Thefi' is an unusual variety with small dark green leaves and very pale blue, ... [... more]
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Primula auricula
An evergreen, spring-blooming primrose from the mountains of southern Europe, it has scented, deep yellow flowers and fleshy, light green leaves. It ideally needs the sharply drained soil with added grit of a rock garden, though it can also be ... [... more]
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Silene acaulis 'Alba'
A good choice for a gravel or rock garden where it makes ankle-high, tufted cushions of bright green leaves with a show of tiny white flowers in summer. Coming from mountaineous sites where melting snow and rain runs quickly down past the roots, ... [... more]
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Pinus densiflora 'Alice Verkade'
A small bright green dome with packed-tight needles, 'Alice Verkade' is initially slow growing, reaching just 90cm high and wide after ten years, but eventually it will spread out and reach head height. Grow it in a rock garden, and move it out ... [... more]
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Catharanthus roseus
A pretty little spreading evergreen periwinkle with dark green leaves and flowers in white, pink or red. You can either keep it in a pot all year, standing it outside over summer, or plant it out in a free-draining rock garden for summer before ... [... more]
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Alyssum montanum 'Mountain Gold'
This is a useful and easy-to-grow, low-growing evergreen producing masses of bright yellow flowers in clusters in late-spring. It's a perfect companion for spring bulbs or purple aubrieta on a rock garden or bank, but also good in difficult, dry ... [... more]
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Androsace villosa
This attractive alpine from the Himalayas would grace any trough or rock garden. It forms a mound of mid-green foliage with long, silky hairs underneath. Deep pink-purple flowers are produced in spring, each with a yellow or green eye. Fully to ... [... more]
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Anemone multifida
A vigorous perennial for the rock garden which has hairy, much-divided leaves and heads of creamy-white summer flowers. Find out how to grow Anemone multifida Species: multifida Common Name: Anemone [... more]
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