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| The crevice garden of Michael Midgley |
Just a few years old, this crevice garden was designed and built by Michael Midgley, a delightful outdoorsman who hosted Jan and me last week on my tour of New Zealand. Michael and his wife Wilma have operated various businesses in the Tekapo area for decades, and Michael had a large complex of gardens around a guesthouse complex they owned and recently sold: he's concentrated his energies on this smaller, but very densely planted crevice garden and its nearby borders: the nearly 100 pictures that follows were taken literally in a matter of minutes before we sat down to a sumptuous meal. I've had many a tour in many a country--the New Zealanders are second to none in hospitality and generosity. Their gardens are unbelievably diverse: the modified Maritime climate (bordering on steppe here in Tekapo) permits a range of planting options that quite frankly are almost depressing to those of us who live where subzero cold is more common and hotter, drier summers strain true alpines. You really have to be here to believe it!
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| Lewisia cotyledon |
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| Helianthemum numullarium |
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| Rhododendron 'Elizabeth', R. 'Mayday' and others |
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California
iris--mostly I. douglasiana (probably a seedling). He has grown scads
of these: his old house still has vast stands. From a sales
table--labeled a PC.
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| Euphorbia myrsinites: classed as noxious in Colorado, I saw it in a pot in the alpine house at Kew! Invasive is highly relative. |
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| A cross between (Iris 'Los Angeles' x I. aphylla) x aphylla made by Michael Midgley |
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| Dutch iris, Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward' and Rhododendron aff. 'Elizabeth' et al.. I LOVE this color combo! |
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| Michael has nany SDB and other bearded species and hybrids everywhere... |
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| Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward' with Anemone nemorosa behind at left... |
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| Iris tectorum 'Album' |
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| A generous spread of Gentiana acaulis |
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| Tulips still blooming |
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| Raoulia hectori |
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| Penstemon rupicola |
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| Penstemon davidsonii |
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| Phlox--probably douglasii forma |
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| A charming dwarf Primula (Dodecatheon) pulchellum. Yes they're primulas now (DNA doesn't lie) |
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| Riverbed Roulias knitting the flagstone walk |
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| Primula veris |
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| Acaena inermis |
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| At the neighbors next door (the bug is contagious) |
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| A bunch of Camichaelia (not blooming) the NZ broom: Michael collects these and has an amazing assortment. |
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| Celmisia alpina x semicordata |
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| Ranunculus multiscapus |
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| Cytisus x kewensis |
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| Hyacinthoides (Scilla) sp. |
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| Iris innominata hybrid |
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| Iris cristata |
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| Rhododendron cv |
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| An American hybrid Rhody |
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| Kalmiopsis leachiana |
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| Rhododendron augustinii |
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| Ranunculus insignis |
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| Paeonia mlokosewitchii |
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| Clematis paniculata |
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| Cydonia oblona |
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| Phlox subulata cv. |
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| I love the color on this wallflower! |
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| Erysimum sp. |
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| Androsace sarmentosa |
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| One of innumerable New Zealand Clematis sp. in the garden. |
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| Phlox 'Crackerjack' I believe |
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| And yet MORE Raoulia |
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| Paraquilegia sp. |
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| A superb color form of Phlox grayi |
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| Views of the crevice garden |
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| More views of the crevice garden |
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| Leucanthemum (Chrysanthemum) hosmariense |
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| Erigeron aureus self sowing |
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| Primula vulgaris (Semi double) |
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| Myosotis colensoi |
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| Celmisia angustifolia |
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| Hepatica nobilis |
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| More Phlox subulata |
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| Raoulia x loganii (Michael says this is the hardiest) |
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| Helichrysum intermedium |
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| Dryas octopetala 'Minor' |
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| Morisia monanthos |
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| Edraianthus (Wahlenbergia) serpyllifolius 'Major' |
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| Lewisia tweedyi (right) |
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| Saxifrage medley |
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| Saxifaga x urbium cv. |
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| A very good color form of Erigeron compositus on the left, and a superb form of Sempervivum arachnoideum on the right. |
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| A large mossy Saxifrage. |
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| Helichrysum milfordiae. Two days earlier I'd been informed this was impossible to grow in NZ |
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| Celmisia sessiliflora |
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| Leucogenes grandiceps--South Island Eidelweiss--not yet in bloom.. |
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| Ramonda nathaliae 'Alba' |
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| Anchusa caespitosa |
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| A lavender NZ Myosotis (a hybrid produced by Louise and/or Peter Salmon of Hokonni Alpines.) |
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| Gentiana acaulis |
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| A wonderful pink mossy Saxifrage. — in Tekapo. |
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| Cassiope lycopodioides |
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| Rhododendron camtschaticum (pink and white) |
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| Great foliage and flowers to come... |
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| More views... |
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| Salix hylomatica (formerly nepalenss) over yet another Raoulia |
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| Erodium reichardii (or chamaedrioides)--definitely not hardy outdoors in Denver. |
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| A strip of herb garden |
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| A volunteer seedling Raoulia on the driveway. |
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| A glimpse of the side yard |
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| Aloe polyphylla, growing in a container on the balcony year around! |
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| A glimpse of a flower stalk |
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| A wonderful New Zealand clematis |
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| A native NZ clematis with glimpse of mts. beyond |
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| A native NZ clematis |
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| Another native NZ clematis |
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| Cardiocrinum giganteum |
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| Last glimpse at Molly the Witch and the native clematis |
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| One last glimpse |
Simply wonderful, how did we miss this horticultural paradise on our visit?
ReplyDeleteCliff!! Great to see you here. Just missed you..Leigh Blake FB has banned me..alas..
DeleteThis is precisely why I don't want you visiting my garden. It is simply unworthy.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree, James: I know I'd love your garden and undoubtedly blog about it too! I have no doubt that you have oodles of plants Michael doesn't: all gardens are worthy!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous collection. They all seem other worldly to me.
ReplyDeleteI have been planting since ag five. started with sunflower seeds. Now I have almost 50 plants in my apartment and more on my roof.
ReplyDeleteFabulous garden with an incredible range of plants, all grown so beautifully........of course, I admit to being pea green looking at clemisias, lithodoras , raoulias etc etc etc, that can’t be grown here.
ReplyDeleteVery nice garden
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What a wonderful garden...all the incredible plants that I love in Oregon. So happy to see this special plants in NZ!!! Especially the native Iris and Kalmiopsis...GREAT GARDEN Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI love wallflowers! They're such a great way to keep spaces smelling fresh and cozy. Do you have any new fall scents available?
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