Saturday, July 12, 2008

Stony Slope Xeric Garden (Cascadia Garden)


Agave palmeri May 2009

Anthemis biebersteiniana & Campanula carpatica May 2009

Yucca harrimaniae August 2008


Sedum dasyphyllum June 2009

The stony slope was made on dry southeast-sloping ground near the southeast edge of the Cascadia Garden. Sandy native soil was retained with low stone walls. Hundreds of stones, mostly small stones found on site over 40 years, nearly covered the soil. Larger stones were purchased & put in place. An inch of gravel was spread over the planting beds & the path between. The 1st planting was begun in late spring of 2004. Because these were arid plants, the planting was done near the end of the rainy season. Bulbs from western & central Asia were planted in October. The garden was explanded by 6 feet in 2006. Arctostaphylos columbiana was planted at the northern end.  Spreading Epilobium & Veronica pectinata took up most of that space.  Echinocereus showed spectacular pink flowers starting in 2007. Yucca whipplei doubled in size each year until it shot up a stalk 8 feet tall with 100s of flowers in 2007, then died.  It was followed by Agave palmeri which produced a flower stalk 15 feet tall in 2009, then died. Although I knew this was their lifestyle, the large holes they left behind were discouraging.  I replaced the Yucca with a small Arctostaphylos ‘White Lanterns.’   I replaced the Agave with Yucca schottii which lives to flower yearly.

Stony Slope Plant List
Shrubs
Arctostaphylos columbiana (Hairy Manzanita)
Arctostaphylos 'White Lanterns'
Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican Hellebore)

Woody Lilies

Cactus

Perennials
Campanula carpatica (Carpathian Harebell)
Digitalis obscura (Foxglove)
Epilobium californicum (California Fuchsia, formerly Zauschneria)
Erigeron glaucus (Beach Aster)
Paeonia corsica (Peony, formerly P cambessedesii)

Groundcovers & Trailers
Epilobium latifolium etteri

No comments: