Rock garden pics

I like this beautiful scarlet/red colour of your Nandina, Chad! I have one growing in pot but wish planting it outside this spring....

Thanks guys,

Paul, in the 3rd pic is my Montana 'baccarat' which Iis under a tote right now. I have a regular montana, but dug it up due to poor placement. I just need to fine the perfect location for every agave.

Igor, nandina are my favorite hedge plants. I have them all around my house. They provide great winter color and wounderful contrast in summer.

So glad most of your plants are doing well. A plastic cover can go a long ways when it comes to helping plants in a cold spell. 😀

Aaron, I agree those totes make all the difference. But there is still a long way to go and I am worried about the more xeric plants.

But there is still a long way to go and I am worried

I right there with ya. Of course I don't have to worry so much about the wet conditions. Sense we have warmed a bit, I have noticed more and more plants with frost burns.

Excellent plants. Man I wish Agave were hardy here!

Have you tried Agave montana? If not I suggest that you do. I'd say they "almost" survive a zone 6 winter as smallish seedlings. Probably hardy for you.

Coconut Mike in Montreal with Agave Parryi with no heat just covered if I remember right.

I have Agave Americana with a touch of heat hoping like heck they pull through I had the rose cone off a couple weeks back it looked pretty good. I hope to pull off the rose cone again this weekend to peek will snap a picture. I'll give my Parryi another year in the ground before I dare go without heat. I certainly want to get myself a Agave Montana I'll be looking for one a bit closer to spring.

Teebee, that Americana is gonna get big hope it's in a good microclimate. If your looking for a nice montana, check out arid lands or start nursery.

Teebee, that Americana is gonna get big hope it's in a good microclimate.

I just need to put a glass dome over my back yard it would less work than building all of my boxes and such 😉 But seriously with the short growing seasons we have here I hope that will control its growth somewhat my Agave Americana's were 3 gallon plants when I got them last year. I absolutely love the look of the agave its something no one else in the neighbourhood is doing.

But apparently I've been the talk of the neighbourhood for the past year. First it was the massive retaining wall that was built in my back yard. Apparently now from what I've been told by a friend that lives a few streets over he was bringing his son over to a house on the next block for a play date and topic got around to who is that guy with those weird boxes on his yard? Apparently at several points the person was going to knock on my door and ask about them but never did. 😆

If you like the American asthe 'silver sufer' Iis a good 10 to 15 degrees more hardy. I learned by experience.

teebee- If you remind me I can send you seed from the hardiest Agave around, A. utahensis ssp. kaibabensis, from above the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (The North Rim is closed in winter due to snow)... Probably a zone 4. I've not had any luck with them, but they do germinate readily. I also may still have some seeds from an Agave parryi that I found at 7500' in Northern Arizona. Probably the limit for that species too, likely growing in a zone 6b.

I can get them to survive (sometimes) with overhead protection, but was really hoping for something like my Yucca or cacti that I didn't need to worry about.

Chad, those of us in z 4 or 5 will just have to look on with jealousy at your collection!

Unfortunately, because of our high average rain fall cacti and succulents are less hardy here than rated. Which is why I have to cover so many. But that's what we have to do unless we want a yard full of boxwoods and maples.

I have a few seedlings around of parryi flagstaff form and havardiana from high country gardens should be really hardy to zone 6. Never seen any damage here.

We are getting another storm blast this week. Lows in the single digits and windchills down to zero. Starting to be too much for some plants even with protection.

Ouch! I hope they pull out of it! Will be a good winter test, but always sad to lose some. 😐

Chad,

Looking at these pics (when your planets were in better shape) has inspired me. I think I'm going to do a small rock garden out front in the spring. I'm just starting to put together a list of what I want in it. Some of my stuff wont be hardy I'll bury some of the pots and then I can bring some of the more tender stuff in during the winter. I'm certainly excited to have a bit of the southwest look in the north east.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Chad,

I'd throw my body over the Parryi to protect it. 😆

Hope the forecast cold is wrong...

Barb