It’s time to jet off around the rock garden, now that the school holidays are here

The school holidays began in Surrey a few days ago and the weather today was a little overcast, but still pleasantly warm for my walk in the rock garden. I didn’t need to jet off to see something special, there are so many plants from around the world, although many people will be flying abroad for holidays in the coming weeks. All pictures were taken on 27th July at Wisley.

In the rock garden today

Prosartes smithii has the common name of fairy lanterns, with cream flowers in the spring, followed by orange berries that were evident today. It grows in southwest British Columbia to central west California and likes a moist well drained humus rich soil in partial or deep shade. The specific epithet is named for James Edward Smith (1759 – 1828), who was a botanist and a founder of the Linnean Society of London. Tulbaghia ‘John May’s Special’ flowers from June to September, growing to 60 – 80cm. John May raised the plants in Dorset before he retired to Scotland. It is a hybrid of T. violacea x simmleri and more info on Tulbaghia can be found in the link below:

https://www.gardensillustrated.com/plants/plant-profile-tulbaghia

Allium lusitanicum is found across most of Europe in the mountainous regions from Portugal to Ukraine and as far north as Sweden, but not the UK. The specific epithet is from the Latin – from Portugal (Lusitania) or Portuguese. It is onion scented and grows to 30cm. Osmunda regalis grows beside the bottom pond at the edge of the alpine meadow. The roots have been used from Victorian times to grow orchids and other epiphytic plants. An extract from the roots was used since the middle ages as a treatment for throat and head cancers. I’ve seen a report of a trial of a scientific test that was done and it did show a growth inhibiting effect on cancer cells, suggesting it was worthy of further study. It is native to many European and African countries from Norway to South Africa. The genus name has several suggested possibilities, the one I like is – Osmunder – the Saxon name for the Nordic God, Thor. The specific epithet is from the Latin – Royal, Kingly, regal, stately or outstanding.

There are lots of plants in the rock garden that couldn’t be defined in any way as alpines, such as the aquatic plants that are in the pools. An example of this is in the Larix pool, where Thalia dealbata was in flower. It is known as the powdery flag Alligator or hardy Canna. So far I’ve not seen any Alligators in the rock garden but if we get more global warming, who knows. The genus name is to honour Johann Thal (1542 – 1583), a German botanist who wrote a ‘Flora on the Harz Mountains’,  in Lower Saxony, south west of Hanover. The internet also identified that Thalia is a very successful Mexican singer-songwriter and actress born in 1971, but may not be the one I was looking for. The specific epithet is from the Latin – with a white powdery coating or white washed. It is native to wetlands, swamps and ponds in Southern Central USA including the lower Mississippi valley, Texas to South Carolina. Lagerstroemia indica ‘With Love Girl’ (‘Milarosa’) (With Love Series) is a deciduous tree or large shrub and is known as a crepe myrtle. The petals are crinkly like crepe paper. They are in flower from mid to late summer, into the autumn. It comes from the Himalayas to South China and Indo-China. Another feature, it has peeling brown and grey bark. This particular cultivar was bred by Piero Frangi from Italy. The genus name was to honour Magnus von Lagerstroem (1691 – 1759), who was a Swedish merchant and friend of Carl Linnaeus. That would get a plant genus named for you. The specific epithet is from the Latin – from India or from the Orient.

Another plant that is perhaps too big for the average rock garden in Sanguisorba hakusanensis, known as the Japanese burnet, being found in Japan (Honshu) and Korea. The genus name is from the Greek – sanguis – blood and – sorbea – to soak- an infusion was used to prevent bleeding. The specific epithet is Latin – coming from Hakusan. Agapanthus ‘Peter Pan American’ is a selection of A. orientalis var minimus made by Jimmy Giriidlian at his Oakhurst Garden in 1949. It has light blue flowers and blooms from June – August, growing to 45cm.

In the Alpine Display House

I’ve featured a number of Rhodohypoxis in my last few diaries and there were different cultivars on display today. Rhodohypoxis ‘Pink Ice’ has large pink flowers with white tips. I wasn’t able to find any certain details on the internet for xRhodoxis ‘Bilbo’, but we can still enjoy the flowers.

Campanula moravica is native to the Balkan region, from Austria to central European Russia. It flowers late spring and summer and is known as the Serbian bellflower. The specific epithet is from the Latin – from Moravia – the historic region in the east of the Czech Republic. xRhodoxis ‘Fairytale’ was introduced to the US by the Philip van Hilst company. It can re-bloom in the autumn, something I’ll try to watch out for and to confirm, so it might yet get a second chance to display this year.

I’ve also included some House Leeks over the last few diaries and I’m including a few more in this diary. Sempervivum ‘Reinhard’ was given an AGM following the RHS trials in 2005 – 2008. It was bred by Martin Haberer from Germany in 1979. It has emerald green leaves with distinctive black tips. S. ‘Purple Beauty’ was named by Sandy MacPherson from USA in 1972.

Sempervivum ‘Hayling’ was the first of many hybrids by David T. Ford. This one was introduced in 1966, and I mentioned David in earlier diaries. It has large glossy-leaved rosettes looking like an improved ‘Commander Hay’, which would be a useful remark if I knew what that one looked like. The second S. ‘Jungle Fires’ was introduced by Kevin C. Vaughn from the USA in 1970. On the Craigiehall Nursery site they describe it has having excellent colour all year, especially in spring and summer when it can be a glowing pink colour. The nursery is closing soon due to retirement, so this link will only work until the beginning of 2026.

https://www.craigiehallnursery.co.uk/advice/read_184545/sempervivum-all-about-these-intriguing-adaptable-plants.html

The next two are from Edward L. Skrocki (1930 – 2010), who has also been mentioned in previous diaries. The first, Sempervivum ‘Hester’ was introduced in 1980. The second, S. ‘Greyolla’ was introduced in 1981.

Mother nature can also produce worthy hybrids. Sempervivum x barbulatum ‘Hookeri’  is a natural hybrid of S. arachnoideum x S. montanum and occurs frequently in the wild where both parents are growing together. The parents are found across the Alps, Pyrenees, Corsica and the Apennines. The hybrid was first described in 1853 and the cultivar selection was to honour the Director at Kew Garden. The first two holders of this position were Sir W. J. Hooker (1785 – 1865) who was followed by his son Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817 – 1911), and I’m not sure if it was for the son or the father it was named. Hosta yingeri was identified in 1989 and named after its collector, Barry R Yinger. It has been found on the Islands of Taehuksan and Sohuksan off the coast of Korea. It is rock dwelling on shady hillsides in pine forests.

The ferns were not just outside, there were a couple inside as well. Polypodiodes formosana is known as the caterpillar or grub fern and is an epiphyte. Some authorities have this as a synonym of Goniophlebium formosanum. Keeping with the RHS recognised name, the genus is from the Greek – poly – many -and – pous – a foot, many feet, referring to the creeping rhizomes and from the Latin – oiodes – resembling a Polypodium. It comes from China, Taiwan to Japan. The specific epithet is from the Latin – from Formosa (Taiwan).  Onoclea sensibilis ‘Hortus Skeleton’ has the common name of Sensitive fern. It has two distinct areas in which it is found, Central and East Canada to North Central and East USA, and another separate area in Southeast Siberia to Japan and China. It is deciduous and likes light dappled shade, growing in humus rich soil with plenty of moisture. The genus name is from the Greek – onos – vessel and – kleio – to close – the leaves roll up into the resemblance of berries, capsule like fructifications. The specific epithet is from the Latin – sensitive to the touch – this refers to the fronds being very sensitive to frost, and they also scorch easily with direct strong sunlight.

Selaginella moellendorffii is native from Indo-China to the Philippines. It was collected by Otto von Moellendorff (1848 – 1903), who was a German natural historian and diplomat. He collected plants in China while he was working in the German consul in Hong Kong. The genus name is from the Latin – diminutive of Selago – the ancient name of a Lycopodium.

Humata tyermanii is the name recognised by the RHS although some authorities have it as a synonym of Davallia tyermanii. Its common name is the Rabbit foot fern or Bear’s foot fern, due to the furry, silvery rhizomes that creep across the surface of the container it is grown in. It is a tender epiphyte and is found in South-Central and Southeast China, Myanmar and Taiwan and was first collected in 1873. It is most commonly grown  as a house plant. The specific epithet was to honour John Simpson Tyerman (1830 – 1889), who was a British botanist and curator of the botanic gardens in Liverpool (1860 – 1871), and was a keen collector of ferns as well as shells. He was a Kew trained horticulturist and conversed with Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker on new plant introductions, the second mention of Sir J. D.  Hooker in this diary.

Some general views of the main rock garden

Even on a cloudy day the rock garden looked splendid, in my opinion at least.

On this day 27 July 1949

The world’s first jet powered airliner, a De Havilland DH106 ‘Comet’ 1 (prototype) completed its maiden voyage on this day. Sir Geoffrey de Havilland OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS (1882 – 1965) conceived the idea in 1943, and design work began in September 1946. It carried between 36 – 44 passengers, compared to a Boeing 747 / 400 today that carries 421 passengers. The final  passenger flight was in March 1997 with 114 being built in total between 1949 and 1964. The design evolved over time with four design types being built. The first design had large square windows and a pressurised cabin with the planes being built at Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire. There were several fatal crashes as the square window design and position of rivet holes on the fuselage caused high stress points that led to structural failures. The issue was quickly designed out. It was the cycles of pressurising and de-pressurising the cabin that caused the fractures from the high stress points, something that had not been envisaged. The test flight was undertaken by John ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham CBE, DSO & 2 bars, DFC & bar, AE (1917 – 2002). He was an RAF night fighter ‘Ace’, flying Bristol Blenheim bombers in 1940 and Commanded 604 squadron flying Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter’s, then 85 squadron flying de Havilland Mosquitos. He held the ranks of Squadron Leader, Wing Commander and Group Captain, serving from 1936 – 1967, and finally retired from test flying in 1980. He was also the test pilot who flew the first British Trident jet built by Hawker Siddeley, the HS-121 in 1962. These planes were in service until 1995. Hawker Siddeley had bought de Havilland in 1960. John got his nickname from the Air Ministry who wanted to cover up the use of AI (Airborne Interception) radar on the Beaufighter from the Germans. His success was hidden behind a cover story that he ate lots of carrots to improve his night vision and also to promote the value of vegetables in the diet of a population of a country at war. Being a test pilot was very hazardous and still is. Geoffrey lost two of his sons, the first test flying a Mosquito in 1943, and another in 1946, Geoffrey Raoul de Havilland (Jr), test flying the DH 108 ‘Swallow’, the first British jet to break the sound barrier. Three Swallows were built as test beds with a futuristic tailless design, all three being lost in fatal crashes. People can jet around the world these days, thankfully without incident due to these heroic early pioneers. Jetting around the rock garden at Wisley can be undertaken with minimum risk, just be careful on those steps and watch out for Alligators. I’m not aware of any alpines that can help your vision but I’ll keep it on my radar as I do my research for these diaries. Information can sometimes be misleading online, even from official sources, whether by accident or deliberately, in the example of the Air Ministry. I’m conscious that AI now has a new meaning with Artificial Intelligence generating information that can be wrong or misleading. I try not to use it knowingly unchecked. If some facts have been mangled in my diaries I apologise in advance. Hopefully the majority is correct and you will be able to do your own research to confirm, if needed. Why let a few facts spoil a good story.