GOLD MEDALS, SUPERB PLANTS AND RUNNING AN ALPINE NURSERY

 

Penstemon francisci-pennellii a nice dwarf Pent for the trough as is Penstemon uintahensis

 

This talk is the favourite of all those on the list and is continually asked for by AGS and NARGS groups. Although initially presented at the North American Rock Garden Society Annual Conference at Ashville in 1994, it is continually updated and always fresh.

In 1990, after taking early retirement, I started a nursery here at 'Southcroft'. I had no formal training in the nursery business, but I was an enthusiastic grower who enjoyed propagating plants. I know there are a great number of people who have often felt that they would like to do this also. Here in this illustrated talk I show how I did it. For example, how did I suddenly drop everything to start a business? How did I decide what plants I should grow? How did I go about selling them? Many other questions are answered during this talk.

 

Penstemons are quite popular amongst my customers and I always try to ensure stocking a range of the best species. Penstemon hallii that you can see on another page of this web site is absolutely fantastic as a trough plant or in a pot. The two Pents above, P. francisci-pennellii and P. uintahensis, are extremely rare and although grown here at Southcroft are difficult to propagate as very little seed is set. Some years none at all. I intend to keep trying though so keep a lookout in my future catalogues. However Penstemon eriantherus, that appears on the right, is quite different. A lovely plant that sets seed regularly and it is always listed in the catalogue.

However this talk isn't a dry, fact filled lecture. It's a fun thing, sprinkled with amusing anecdotes, beautiful plants such as

Eritrichium nanum above and Phlox kelseyi 'Lemhi Purple' below, plus of course, lots of propagation advice. It's a talk for anyone to enjoy whether a hardened plant exhibitor, potential nursery people or someone just interested in gardening.

 

 

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Phlox kelseyi 'Lemhi Purple'

 

Bulbs can also be grown from seed and although it may be a 3-5 years wait for some to flower, especially Calochortus, if you sow your seed continuously year after year, eventually you will have a fine selection tof bulbs hat will give you pleasure for a long long time. In this talk you will hear how I grow and propagate bulbs.

 

 

 

Calochortus gunnisonii

 

Calochortus lutea