NARGS: Good Rock Garden Plants

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Part II: Good Rock Garden Plants

by NARGS contributors

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Talinum okanoganense [tah-lye-num oh-kah-no-gahn-en-see]. Prostrate succulent with gray-green leaves, needle-like and fleshy, forming mats on which sit almost stemless satin-white flowers with prominent stamens. Not long-lived, but seeds freely. Likes gravelly, well-drained soil and sun. 'Pink Pearls' is a good selection. Washington and British Columbia in Okanogan Mts. Zones 4-8.

Thalictrum kiusianum [tha-lik-trum kee-you-see-aye-num]. Stoloniferous, low-growing, purple-leaved plant; the flower has no petals, but with its pinkish sepals and bright blue stamens, functions as a ground cover. Grow in light shade with humus-rich soil. Japan. Zones 5-8.

Thymus serpyllum [tye-mus ser-pill-um]. Downy gray-green leaves. Wide-spreading ground cover. Low evergreen with tiny aromatic leaves; pink or purple flowers in small terminal heads in late summer. The cultivar 'Coccineus' has bright red flowers. Europe, northern Africa. Zones 5-8.

Tiarella cordifolia [tee-ah-rell-ah kord-eh-fo-lee-ah]. In May, spikes of dainty white to pink flowers on 6-12" stems rise over a rosette of maple-shaped leaves, which turn red in the fall. A woodland native, easily grown in the garden. Eastern U.S. Zones 3-8.

Tulipa tarda [too-lip-ah tar-dah]. Starry, white 2" flowers with a central yellow eye on a 5" stem in early May. Full sun, scree. Central Asia. Zones 4-6. T. linifolia, brilliant red with a jet-black center, is better in the Southeast, up to Zone 8.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Vancouveria hexandra [van-koo-ver-ee-ah heks-an-drah]. Grows as a ground cover in the redwood forests, preferring deep shade and moisture. It has small feathery leaves and panicles of small pointed white flowers resembling epimedium. Blooms May to July. Pacific coast. Can be invasive in the Northwest. Zones 5-7. V. planipetala is excellent in Zone 8.

Veronica liwanensis [veh-ron-eh-kah lye-wan-en-sis]. Very prostrate foliage, dark green and glossy. In late spring, blue flowers with white centers. Full sun. A recent introduction from Turkey. Zones 4-7.

Veronica prostrata [pro-strah-tah]. (syn. V. rupestris). Tufted peren-nial with heavy gray stems, small leaves one-half to 3/4" long. Spikes of cobalt blue flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Several color forms in white, pink, and purple are available. Excellent ground cover in bright shade. Europe. Zones 5-8.

Veronica spicata [spih-kah-tah]. Neat lance-shaped leaves about 2" long on a 15" plant. Profuse blue or pink flowers on compact spikes from June to August. There is a very dense dwarf form 'Nana'. Northern Europe and Asia. Zones 3-8.

Viola pedata [vee-oh-lah peh-dah-tah]. As its name indicates, the finely divided leaves resemble a spread-out bird foot. Its spurred blue (or blue and violet) flowers are borne on 8" stems. Blooms from April to June. Will grow in sandy spots and rock crevices. Many violas are weedy and invasive; this one is not. Eastern U.S. Zones 4-9.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Zauschneria californica [zowsh-ner-ee-ah kal-eh-for-neh-kah]. California Fuchsia, Hummingbird Flower. Tubular red, 1¹/2-2" flowers grow in racemes on tall stems. Spreading by underground stems and not demanding a steady water supply, this plant sprawls over banks and rock walls, attracting hummingbirds from August until frost. Coastal California. Zones 7-10. However, the subspecies latifolia from the mountains of Oregon is shorter and hardier, to Zones 5 or 6 with perfect drainage.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Talinum okanoganense [tah-lye-num oh-kah-no-gahn-en-see]. Prostrate succulent with gray-green leaves, needle-like and fleshy, forming mats on which sit almost stemless satin-white flowers with prominent stamens. Not long-lived, but seeds freely. Likes gravelly, well-drained soil and sun. 'Pink Pearls' is a good selection. Washington and British Columbia in Okanogan Mts. Zones 4-8.
Thalictrum kiusianum [tha-lik-trum kee-you-see-aye-num]. Stoloniferous, low-growing, purple-leaved plant; the flower has no petals, but with its pinkish sepals and bright blue stamens, functions as a ground cover. Grow in light shade with humus-rich soil. Japan. Zones 5-8.		Thymus serpyllum [tye-mus ser-pill-um]. Downy gray-green leaves. Wide-spreading ground cover. Low evergreen with tiny aromatic leaves; pink or purple flowers in small terminal heads in late summer. The cultivar 'Coccineus' has bright red flowers. Europe, northern Africa. Zones 5-8.
Tiarella cordifolia [tee-ah-rell-ah kord-eh-fo-lee-ah]. In May, spikes of dainty white to pink flowers on 6-12" stems rise over a rosette of maple-shaped leaves, which turn red in the fall. A woodland native, easily grown in the garden. Eastern U.S. Zones 3-8.		Tulipa tarda [too-lip-ah tar-dah]. Starry, white 2" flowers with a central yellow eye on a 5" stem in early May. Full sun, scree. Central Asia. Zones 4-6. T. linifolia, brilliant red with a jet-black center, is better in the Southeast, up to Zone 8.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Vancouveria hexandra [van-koo-ver-ee-ah heks-an-drah]. Grows as a ground cover in the redwood forests, preferring deep shade and moisture. It has small feathery leaves and panicles of small pointed white flowers resembling epimedium. Blooms May to July. Pacific coast. Can be invasive in the Northwest. Zones 5-7. V. planipetala is excellent in Zone 8.
Veronica liwanensis [veh-ron-eh-kah lye-wan-en-sis]. Very prostrate foliage, dark green and glossy. In late spring, blue flowers with white centers. Full sun. A recent introduction from Turkey. Zones 4-7.
Veronica prostrata [pro-strah-tah]. (syn. V. rupestris). Tufted peren-nial with heavy gray stems, small leaves one-half to 3/4" long. Spikes of cobalt blue flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Several color forms in white, pink, and purple are available. Excellent ground cover in bright shade. Europe. Zones 5-8.		Veronica spicata [spih-kah-tah]. Neat lance-shaped leaves about 2" long on a 15" plant. Profuse blue or pink flowers on compact spikes from June to August. There is a very dense dwarf form 'Nana'. Northern Europe and Asia. Zones 3-8.
Viola pedata [vee-oh-lah peh-dah-tah]. As its name indicates, the finely divided leaves resemble a spread-out bird foot. Its spurred blue (or blue and violet) flowers are borne on 8" stems. Blooms from April to June. Will grow in sandy spots and rock crevices. Many violas are weedy and invasive; this one is not. Eastern U.S. Zones 4-9.

Part II: Good Rock Garden Plants