What a nice beautiful clump of Draba rigida. Do you mix your own planting medium?

Thank you, Chris! Yes, that plant is in a hypertufa trough that was planted up about 15(?) years ago with a mix of roughly equal parts of sand, grit and peat, and it's been happy in there ever since, spreading slowly. Its companions in the trough are an equally old Primula marginata and Saponaria suendermanii, and Phlox hendersonii. I should start using all those plants for propagation, as they are actually starting to crowd one another after so many years.
The photo shown is the plant greening up in early spring; it's completely green again by blooming time in late April through May.
Draba species are easy, undemanding subjects for the rock garden, perhaps just slightly more demanding to grow than sempervivum.
Lori

Thanks Lori. I assume it's growing in full sun? And does it get any type of protection in winter, especially from winter wind?

That trough gets full sun in the morning and a bit of shade later in the day due to the tree and plantings along the driveway, but full sun would be preferable! Draba and other alpine plants are typically adapted to full sun, given that they occur naturally above tree line. (In hotter conditions at lower elevations, some alpines appreciate some shade but Draba are not among those more delicate ones.) Perhaps I shouldn't repeat it here but you can read about our troughs in the Rock Gardening thread about other ways to grow alpines. (To summarize, they don't get or particularly need winter protection.)

I did read everything in the Rock Garden forum this morning. Very interesting information and I'm looking forward to seeing what some other people come up with. In the meantime, I have to put on my thinking cap too. Thanks for all the info!

Nice one Lori
I'd love to see the whole pot.
So it's been in the same pot forever?
Meaning, hypertufa pots endure time?
I made some last summer and I'd like to know I can rely on them for many years... I'm also switching from lilies, irises and the like towards alpines, evergreen succulents and so on.

Hi, Calin,
I'll find a photo of the whole trough and post it in the Rock Gardening forum. Yes, it and the other plants in that trough have been in the same trough for about 15 years or so, since I bought them.
Yes, hypertufa toughs can be extremely durable. Note: That's here in what I refer to as "real" winters, that is, snow and cold for almost half the year, with melting and freezing. (None of that "zone 8, flowers in January" business here! ) Durability depends entirely on the quality of the hypertufa recipe and the handling of it while making the trough.

Edit: I added some photos in the Rock Gardening forum here: http://garden.org/thread/view_...

Oh yes. Saw it. Thanks Lori.
I also have to stay away from Zone8 plants...

It's a good thing that alpines aren't generally zone 8 plants! High mountain areas are cold, windy, harsh places, which means these plants are often extremely hardy.

BUT... I am thinking (now that I find more and more alpines I fancy and therefore buy seeds of) will my summers be OK?
We seem to get really hot and dry summers...
I remember I had some edelweiss, some dianthus, and some other alpine-like plants and they DIED a couple years back. I think the summer heat/drought was the problem.

We get 16" of annual precipitation here (including snow) - dryness is not a problem for a vast number of species of very desirable alpines. (And edelweiss grows easily here - I have it out in regular soil out along the sidewalk - as do various dianthus species.) Heat can be a problem for some species, but I strongly suspect your problem was more likely insufficient drainage...
Are you familiar with the Scottish Rock Garden Society? There is a large number of European rock gardeners participating in it, and you can see what they grow (and how they grow it) by looking at the forum (or better yet, by participating as a member):
http://www.srgc.net/forum/inde...