t iny t a xonomy
t iny t a xonomy Landscape Installation in the Jordan Garden MAY 15 – SEPTEMBER 2
Tiny Taxonomy highlights the delicate beauty of
mountain wildflowers and alpine perennials, common to rocky, high-altitude environments, displayed in a field of 25 reflective cylinders. Tiny Taxonomy classifies plants through shared and common traits, derived from micro-characteristics. The plants exhibit taxonomically useful features such as a cushion-like form to resist wind, large flowers to encourage pollination, and densely packed leaves to protect them from frost. Each plant on display is small and tough. Their beauty is best apprehended by intimate observation. Tiny Taxonomy unpacks and represents the garden for our consideration, offering 25 species at eyelevel for viewing the small structures that unite them. ROSETTA SARAH ELKIN, designer of Tiny Taxonomy, is principal of r.s.e. landscape, a design studio based in the Netherlands with a focus on vegetative strategies. Elkin’s current projects are international in scope and include residential, commercial, and installation-based design and consulting. Elkin is presently the 2012-13 Daniel Urban Kiley Fellow and Lecturer in Landscape Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS EVENT SATURDAY, MAY 18, 3:30 PM Calderwood Hall and Jordan Garden Learn about the Gardner Museum’s latest Landscape Installation Tiny Taxonomy with designer Rosetta Sarah Elkin and Charles Waldheim, Ruettgers Consulting Curator of Landscape. Free and open to members and Patrons. Space is limited. Reserve online at gardnermuseum.org/ calendar, or by phone: 617 278 5156. LANDSCAPE LECTURE THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 7 PM Calderwood Hall Rosetta Sarah Elkin in conversation with Charles Waldheim Elkin will present her recent work, including Tiny Taxonomy, followed by a conversation with Charles Waldheim, Ruettgers Consulting Curator of Landscape. Landscape Lectures include Museum admission and require a ticket; tickets can be reserved online, in person at the door, or by phone: 617 278 5156. Museum admission: $15; Seniors $12 ; Students $5; free for members. MEET THE GROWERS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 3:30 PM Education Studio and Jordan Garden Meet with Rosetta Sarah Elkin and the growers who raised the plants for Tiny Taxonomy.
The Museum receives operating support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Free with Museum admission. Space is limited. Reserve online at gardnermuseum.org/calendar, or by phone: 617 278 5156.
t i ny t axonomy
The Idea
Tiny Taxonomy is a little garden with big ambitions, showcasing species that are in cultivation but rarely planted. I have selected a grouping of plants, and categorized them by common traits derived from an evolution towards feature miniaturization. Due to the diminutive size of their features, these plants are often overlooked and therefore tend to be under-specified. It seems that as the world around us gains complexity and intricacy, our biological world is tending towards monotony. As our experiences become more and more uniform, our capacity to apprehend transformation and beauty diminishes. Tiny Taxonomy considers micro-features a design opportunity suggesting subtlety as an attraction while inviting attention, respect, and even delight.
The Species
Each cylinder holds a single species. Each plant is selected for its foliage size, ranging from dwarf cushions and compact mounds to succulent rosettes or grassy fronds. Most of the species on display have a direct correlation with habitat, though it is by no means perfect. Habitat is reconstructed through substrate, as soil texture, lichen, or moss provide context. Taxonomically useful features include three main adaptations that can be understood through form, leaf, and flower. In terms of form, each species has a cushionlike shape, which is actually a collection of thousands of tiny individual plants. Single plants this small could never survive on their own, but by growing in closely packed clusters, they trap warm air and moisture, protecting themselves from wind and ice penetration. Hugging the ground becomes a survival strategy, which alters the soil conditions around each plant, further generating a microclimate that fosters more life. Second, the plants in full sun tend to have small leaves, while larger deeply lobed leaves are found mainly in sheltered habitats. The small leaves make them less susceptible to dehydration and damage. Hairs on the leaves prevent air movement over the leaf surface and protect the leaves from low temperatures. Finally, the plants often have disproportionately large flowers, or flowers that are held out on long stems. This adaptation is extremely attractive to insects and birds that would not regularly pursue small plants. Some flowers persist, but most have specific flowering periods. These combined traits generate a unique taxonomy offered here for consideration.
The History
The history of classification is as old as our collective desire to organize the processes of life. Our capacity to appreciate and catalogue the natural world has been well documented but it is rarely questioned for its cultural value. Creating an altered taxonomy is not a science; it is a design investigation that relates traits that are rarely amalgamated. At the same time, showing and isolating specimens is critical to establishing a link between taxa and their functional record, which is a systematic endeavor. In taxonomic terms, the functional record is a method of storing data, contributing to the refinement of nomenclature while establishing a reservoir of information. A herbaria sample is also a live dataset that can be understood as a mapping between different conditions and classifications. In fact, taxonomy is no longer the science of nomenclature that Linnaeus [1] developed, nor is it the provocative observations expressed by Goethe. [2] It is quickly becoming a system less reliant on rank-based nomenclature (such as genus, family etc.) and more dependent on phylocode. [3] These new forms of delineation are contingent upon statistical and historical databases, which propose complex branching diagrams built through computational methods. If the future of taxonomy lies in a complex arrangement of code, it may only further the loss of common knowledge in favor of a highly specific and inaccessible logic. But no computer can replace tactility, just as a constructed history does not reveal experience. Tiny Taxonomy questions strict classification and reveals the necessity for physical engagement. By isolating each plant, features come into focus and exceptions are appreciated through observation. We are forced to appreciate through engagement. Each species is underscored by its singular location, inviting the visitor to take a moment to consider the beauty of individual specimens.
The Experience
Tiny Taxonomy displays a field of cylinders, designed to reveal each species, creating an extrusion from the ground to eye-level. The ground is critical as a framing device. The first inches of soil, the O-horizon, host the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms. It also forms the critical connection between the roots and the vegetation of each species, stabilizing and gripping the plant from below. The O-horizon has a critical role in ecological sequencing, but remains overlooked, as it exists underfoot. The extrusion from floor to eye-level exaggerates the register of each species as a fragment of the ecosystem. The cylinders are delineated within a small field of grass registering the dimensions of the interior courtyard at Fenway Court. This field is arrayed with a grid of reflective cylinders, rotated 35 degrees, in order to support a dynamic view from the street and the living room.
The Index
An index of each planter highlights select characteristic and captures the beauty of each species. The name of each genus is immediately followed by its natural order (Italics) and its common name. This basic binomial naming is derived from the Linnaean system, as it is used in cultivated plant taxonomy. Some plants are also maintained through active propagation, in which case the name of a cultivar or variety is added. In classifying the plants, I refer to the growers when possible. Additionally, I use the associations that are defined by the renowned nurseryman Will Ingwersen in his Manual of Alpine Plants (1978). [4] This index also provides a brief engaging description, image, or drawing of an attribute, which conveys its place in Tiny Taxonomy.
(1) Carl von LinnĂŠ (1707-1778). Widely regarded as the father of modern botanical and zoological taxonomy, and the author of Species Plantarum (1753) and Systema Naturae (1758). Linnaeus created the binomial system of naming we use today. (2) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). The poet and Author of Metamorphosis of Plants (1790) who was responsible for an essential contribution: the discovery of unity through the great variation of nature, especially in reference to the study of leaves. (3) The International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature, a new set of rules developed in response to earlier rank based systems. Instead, it proposes to define taxonomy through phylogeny or the indication through ancestry or descent. (4) Will Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants (1978). Images courtesy: r.s.e landscape, unless otherwise credited.
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1 Erodium petraeum ssp. Crispum Alpine Geranium 2 Primula auricula ‘ Silverway’ Marginate Primula 3 Epimedium x ‘Sunshowers’ Bishops Hat 4 Linum elegans Toadflax 5 Sarracenia purpurea Purple Pitcher Plant 6 Geranium sessiflorum v. nigricans Chocolate-leaf Cranesbill 7 Epimedium x Omeiense ‘Akane’ Bishops Hat 8 Androsace barbulata Rock Jasmine 9 Vancouveria hexandra White Inside-Out Flower 10 Daphne arbuscula ‘Muran Castle’ Daphne 11 Houstonia caerulea Azure Bluet 12 Lewesia x cotyledon Cliff Maids 13 Gautheria procumbens Eastern Teaberry
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14 Draba bryoides Rough saxifrage 15 Epimedium grandiflorum higoense Bishop’s Hat ‘Bandit’ 16 Ranunculus crenatus Crenate Buttercup 17 Sisyrinchium angustifolium Blue-Eyed Grass 18 Helianthemum apenninum White Rockrose 19 Epimedium sempervirens Bishop’s Hat ‘Variegated #1’ 20 Pelargonium endlicherianum Winterhardy Pelargonium 21 Campanula biebersteiniana Bellflower 22 Oxalis enneaphylla Scurvy-grass Sorrel 23 Sibbaldiopsis tridentata Shrubby Fivefingers 24 Vitaliana primuliflora v. cinerea Goldprimel 25 Vaccinium macrocarpon Native Cranberry
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Erodium petraeum ssp. Crispum Alpine Geranium
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“Erodium, from the Greek erodios, meaning heron. The carpels resemble the head and beak of a heron. A genus related to Geranium, which contains many valuable rock garden plants. They are mostly natives of Asia Minor and Mediterranean areas and are consistently sun-lovers of easy culture. They flower from spring onwards.”
Erodium petraeum
“From S. France and Spain. Tufts of softly hairy and segmented leaves and six inch stems bearing several flowers of soft pink, gently veined with deeper color. Erodium is acaulescent, a botanical term, which suggests a habit of growth that lacks a stem, or is without any above, ground trunk.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants) “Approximately 60 species of annuals, biennials, perennials and subshrubs, widely distributed around the Mediterranean and eastward across temperate Asia as far as India, Australasia, North and South America with a major concentration in North Africa. Closely related to Geranium (and formerly included in it), but differing in having only five fertile stamens (and five infertile staminodes) and in the spiral twisting of the ripe seed-awns. The leaves of most species are opposite, though often crowded together so as to form a basal rosette; usually pinnate to pinnatifid and hairy. The flowers, in an umbel, are almost regular except that the upper two of the five petals may have a basal color-blotch. The five seeds are contained, usually singly, in a structure (mericarp) consisting of a non-dehiscent carpel with a long awn, and these are joined together to form a beak, (hence the popular name storks bill). On ripening they separate from the base upwards, and with changing humidity the awns twist into a spiral, driving the seeds into the ground. Some species are dioecious.” (encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/ plants/Erodium/petraeum)
Primula
“A contraction of the medieval name primula veris for the daisy, meaning ‘firstling of spring’, a diminutive of the Latin primus, first used for early-flowering plants. A genus of more than 500 species, widely distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone, but with some outliers in S. America, N. Africa and even Java. To describe in detail such an important family undoubtedly deserves, of all the species, forms and hybrids of interest to the rock gardener, so much space that this manual would need an additional volume. Botanically the genus is divided into 30 sections.”
Primula auricula
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Primula auricula ‘Silverway’ Alpine primrose
“European Alps. Rosettes of rather fleshy leaves, with or without farina and heads of a few or many rather tubular bright yellow, white-throated flowers. It is extremely variable, with many geographic variations throughout its range of distribution.”
Primula marginata
“From the Maritime Alps. Usually a cliff and crevice dweller. It makes long, woody stems surmounted by rosettes of deeply jagged, silver-edged leaves and carries good heads of sizeable flowers. The color is variable, ranging from pale lavender to shades of blue and purple. Selected forms have been given clonal names, such as ‘Beamish Variety’, ‘Prichard’s Variety’, and best of all, ‘Hycinthia’ and ‘Linda Pope.’ ” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants) Image courtesy: top, Laura Silburn.
“Epimedium is also known as rowdy lamb herb, randy beef grass, barrenwort, bishop’s hat, fairy wings, horny goat weed, and yin yang huo in Chinese. As a dried herbal remedy, it is prescribed for its alleged sexual potency.” “Epimedium flowers comprise two main parts, the inner- a petal-like, and four in sepal number (the four outer sepals are small, insignificant, and rapidly shed as the flowers open) and the petals, which are held within the sepals. In some species these petals have developed long spurs and in such plants they greatly exceed the size of the surrounding sepals, producing a flower shaped like an inverted crown, and also giving rise to one of the common names for Epimedium - bishop’s hat. In other species, however, the petals are reduced to tiny spurs, and it is the greatly enlarged and highly colored sepals that have expanded to catch the attention of the wandering insect.”
Epimedium x ‘Sunshowers’
“This is a diminutive but fast growing cultivar, created by Kelly Dodson of Far Reaches Farm. Cheerful, medium sized, light yellow flowers with straight outfacing spurs, backed by short pink sepals. Numerous erect flower panicles are held high above the foliage to 8”. Small spring leaflets are showered with red speckles. Re-blooms with secondary flushes of flecked growth for added appeal. This semi-evergreen clone literally rains flowers. Speckled and very rounded leaflets. Very floriferous- light yellow flowers with abbreviated spurs.” (Garden Vision Epimedium Catalogue, text by Karen Perkins) Image courtesy: Karen Perkins.
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Epimedium x ‘Sunshowers’ Bishops Hat
4 Linum
“From linon, the ancient Greek name used by Theophrastus.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
“A large family of sun-loving annual or perennial herbs and shrubs. Widely distributed in temperate regions but rarely found in the tropics. Those appropriate to this Manual like any good, well-drained soil and are highly valued and decorative plants.”
Linum elegans
(iberidifolium) “Best in the alpine house. From Greece and Asia Minor. Woody stems and low tufts of glaucous, rather fleshy leaves and short-stemmed cymes of large rich yellow flowers. This is a very desirable species and rare in cultivation.” “A tufted woody perennial with stems reaching up to 15cm tall. Basal leaves in rosettes obvate* to spathulate**. Leaves are thick textured and with narrow transparent margins. Flowers 2-2.5cm in diameter, yellow, summer. Origin: Balkan Peninsula, on rocky mountain slopes. Essentially a dwarf L. *Obvate: egg shaped with the small end at the base. ** Spathulate: shaped like a spatula: having a narrow base and a broad rounded apex.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
Linum elegans Toadflax
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Sarracenia purpurea Purple Pitcher Plant
“In 1999, Sarracenia purpurea subsp. venosa var. burkii was described as a species of its own: Sarracenia rosea. This re-ranking has been debated among carnivorous plant enthusiasts since then, but further morphological evidence has supported the split. The following species and intraspecific taxa are usually recognized: Sarracenia purpurea subsp. purpurea Sarracenia purpurea subsp. purpurea f. heterophylla Sarracenia purpurea subsp. purpurea f. ruplicola Sarracenia purpurea subsp. venosa Sarracenia purpurea subsp. venosa var. burkii [=S. rosea] Sarracenia purpurea subsp. venosa var. burkii f. luteola Sarracenia purpurea subsp. venosa var. Montana” “Pitcher plants have adapted to growing in nutrient-poor bogs by developing leaves in the shape of pitchers that hold water and by secreting enzymes that digest insects. Unsuspecting insects are lured to the patterns, colors and rich nectar atop the pitchers. Once inside the pitcher, the insect finds thousands of downward pointing hairs that prevent it from climbing back up. Eventually the insect slides down a waxy smooth surface and drops into the water where it is digested, providing the plant with most of the nitrogen it needs.” “Visit a bog in New England and you may find Sarracenia purpurea, the only pitcher plant native to this region. It grows in bogs up and down the eastern side of the US and north into Canada. The flowers, which also have developed interesting devices for temporarily trapping pollinators, appear in the early season before the new pitchers form.” Image courtesy: bottom; The North American Sarracenia Conservancy.
Geranium
“The classical Greek name, from geranos, a crane, an allusion to the long beak of the carpels. A large family of plants, widely distributed over temperate regions of the world. They vary from small alpine plants to tall-growing herbaceous perennials and only those fitted for rock gardens or alpine houses are included here, and even so, some are marginal cases. A long-standing devotion to the entire family makes exclusion of any a matter of some difficulty.” “Generally speaking the cultural needs are simple. If good garden soil, well drained and an open position can be given they will thrive. Particular instances requiring different treatment will be dealt with in individual descriptions. They are spring and summer flowering, often extending their blossoming over a long period. It is scarcely necessary in a manual such as this to mention that the hardy species here described have nothing whatever to do with the so-called ‘Scarlet Geraniums,’ which are correctly Pelargoniums.”
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Geranium sessiflorum
Geranium sessiflorum v. nigricans Chocolate-leaf Cranesbill
“From South America and Australasia. Dense mats of grey-green leaves among which nestle almost stemless small white flowers. The variety nigricans is similar but for the leaves, which are almost chocolate-brown in color and lend more importance to the white flowers. There was a recorded hybrid between this species and G. traversii, which seems, most unfortunately, to have disappeared from cultivation.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants) Image courtesy; bottom, geraniumpage.com.
7 “Mikinori Ogisu collected this clone on Mount Emei in Sichuan, which Professor Stearn used as the type of specimen for his description of E x Omeiense. Brilliant blooms have cherry red inner sepals and bright orange and yellow spurs. The cup is most intensely colored and edged in yellow. Open flower sprays are held above large, dark, handsome, glossy sagittate (having the shape of an arrowhead) evergreen leaves that may turn maroon in fall. Frequently re-blooms.” (Garden Vision Epimedium Catalogue, text by Karen Perkins)
“Barrenwort: any of certain plants of the genus Epimedium having or believed to have sudorific properties: as a: a European herb (E. alpinum) often cultivated and having bitter leaves; b: a Japanese herb (E. diphyllum) with small bluish flowers; c: an herb (E. hexandra) of the Pacific coast of No. America having ternate leaves and small nodding flowers on a scape-like stalk.”
Origin
“So called from the belief that it causes sterility.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
General
“Epimediums are easy to grow, long-lived shade perennials that thrive in well drained, moisture retentive soils. Although many grow on limestone in China, they have also grown well in the acid soils of New England. They can be planted in partial shade in Northern latitudes; needing more shade further south. Too much sun will scorch the leaves. They are tough and once established, are quite drought tolerant. Epimediums grow by underground woody rhizomes, and do not tolerate poor drainage. The length of their annual rhizome growth determines whether they will colonize an area, or remain in a clump. Epimediums do not tolerate rapid freezing and thawing, especially if their rhizomes are exposed.” (Garden Vision Epimedium Catalogue, text by Karen Perkins)
Epimedium x Omeiense ‘Akane’ Bishops Hat
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Androsace barbulata Rock Jasmine
Androsace
“From the Greek aner, a man, and sakos, a shield, a name used by Dioscorides for another plant. A large genus, distributed widely throughout Europe and in Asia and N. America, containing some of the most exciting, desirable and beautiful alpine plants. Their needs are so various that it is not possible to generalize upon the cultivation, but it can be assumed, unless otherwise stated, that they will like full sun, open, gritty soil and are not difficult to grow. There is a minority of really choice high alpine species, which should be regarded as alpine houseplants. These plants are all spring and early summer flowering.� (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
Vancouveria hexandra White Inside-Out Flower
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Vancouveria
“Named for Captain George V Vancouver (1758 – 1798) the 18th-century explorer of the Pacific Northwest. A small genus, related to epimedium and native of N. America. Ideal for cool positions or light shade. Good peat garden plants, spring-flowering. Two of the three species are evergreen but V. hexandra is deciduous.”
Vancouveria hexandra
“Graceful soft green leaves and panicles of white flowers on 9 in. stems.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
“A perennial herb in the barberry family Berberidaceae. It is found in Washington, Oregon and California and is a common understory herb in moist, shady Douglas Fir forests. This plant grows to 12 inches with compound leaves in triplets and is usually found in dense patches. It gets its name from the small delicate white flowers with petal-like sepals that are swept back abruptly as if in the process of turning inside out.” (Garden Vision Epimedium Catalogue, text by Karen Perkins) Image courtesy; bottom, J. D. Carr.
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Daphne arbuscula ‘Muran Castle’ Daphne Daphne
“The Greek name for the bay tree, or laurel (Laurus nobilis) later transferred to this genus. An important genus of some 30 or more species of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, widely distributed in Europe and Asia. Although most of them will tolerate alkaline soil, they seem to prefer lime-free conditions, but there are a few lime-loving exceptions.”
Daphne arbuscula
(D. cneorum var. abientina) “Originally introduced from the Carpathian mountains. A semi-prostrate, evergreen shrub forming mats of interlaced branches. The alternate, leathery, shining green leaves are grooved and slightly hairy beneath. The dense terminal clusters of very fragrant flowers are normally pink, but vary from almost white to deep rose-pink. Hardy, and also a splendid indoor alpine plant.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
“A hardy and entirely evergreen species is d. arbuscula and the derivative clones which are available. The smallest of these, d. arbuscula ‘Muran Castle’, is a compact mound of the most verdant green one can imagine. Flowers are a pale pink and abundantly cover the plant in May. This clone has the distinct habit of rooting from the branches that touch soil - not all forms do this- and these branches can be separated and used for new plants.” (Harvey Wrightman, Wrightman Alpines: wrightmanalpines.com/category/genus/daphne) Image courtesy: pofis.sk; europeana.eu.
Houstonia caerulea Azure Bluet
Houstonia
“Named for Dr. William Houston (1695 – 1733), a Scottish surgeon, also an artist and botanist.”
Houstonia caerulea “One of the dainty Bluets of N. America. A delightful, spring flowering plant for light shade, where it will spread into loose mats of 3 in. stems with tiny, glossy leaves and innumerable soft blue, 4-petalled flowers. The form usually cultivated is a selection of richer color made by the late F. W. Millard, and bearing his name.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
Houstonia caerulea
“How can anyone avoid being charmed by the cheerful light blue and yellow centered flowers displayed by little bluets? The pincushion-like basal rosettes of tiny foliage persist unnoticed through winter and in spring send up wire-thin stems bearing flowers that open in the warming sunlight. These diminutive plants seek out spots with little competition, such as trail and meadow edges, thin lawns, walkway cracks, slopes and ledges. Despite their delicate appearance, once established little bluets can be rugged plants. Though they typically flower in the spring, they may take a summertime rest and send up more flowers in late summer or fall. Native to all of our New England states, little bluet proves to be quite adaptable, growing in the wild on mountaintops as well as in forests, fields, and along shorelines and roadsides.” (New England Wildflower Society, text by Cayte McDonough) Image courtesy: europeana.eu.
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Lewesia x cotyledon Cliff Maids
Lewisia
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“Named in honor of Captain Meriwether Lewis, leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the first coast-to-coast crossing of the American continent.” “A very important family for the alpine garden and becoming increasingly and deservedly popular. They are spring and summer flowering, and although sometimes said to be lime-haters, experience has proved that they will tolerate a considerable degree of alkalinity. Should the soil be very chalky additional humus in the form of lime-free compost, leafsoil or fine-grade moss-peat will usually provide conditions in which they will grow well enough. Generally speaking they dislike being planted on the flat and should be set in rock crevices, or on a sharp slope if grown in the open. Most of them relish a drying-off period after they have flowered. Lewisias are greedy feeders and should be given a rich, but gritty and sharply drained soil mixture. They also benefit, if pot grown, from fairly frequent repotting into new compost, an operation which can be carried out soon after they have flowered, shaking the roots free of old soil and removing dead and decaying leaves.”
Lewisia cotyledon
“Into the maw of this widely distributed and variable species must disappear the plants severally grown under such names as L. heckneri, L. howellii, L. finchae, L. purdyi, L. mariana and others. It is a locally variable species, which would appear to have had a dominating hand in a great many of the strains and hybrids now grown. The thick, strong caudex produces a handsome rosette of long, broad, fleshy leaves with untoothed margins. The 12 inch stems carry manyflowered panicles of white, rose-tinted or salmon-pink flowers, the petals often striped with deeper color. Spring flowering.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants) Image courtesy: top, Lara Hartley; bottom, florafinder.com.
Gautheria procumbens Eastern Teaberry
13 “Named for Jean Francois Gaultier (1708-1756), also called Gaulthier, a French physician and well-established botanist from Quebec. A large genus of evergreen, lime-hating shrubs, widely distributed in N. America, the Magellan region, the Himalaya, E. Asia, Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. They vary from tall bushes down to ground-hugging shrublets. Early summer flowering.”
Gaultheria procumbens
“One of the easiest and also one of the best. It is the Partridge Berry of N. America and creeps by underground stems to form dense, low carpets of glossy, dark green leaves among which gleam the white, or sometimes pink-flushed flowers. The red, holly-like berries show vividly in the late summer and autumn.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
“Wintergreen is a rhizomatous, creeping, woody, evergreen groundcover of the heath family. Erect stems clad with glossy, leathery, elliptic to oblong, dark green leaves (to 2 inches long) rise up from the rhizomes to 3-6 inches tall. Waxy, nodding, bell-shaped, white flowers (3/8 inch long) bloom from the leaf axils. Flowers give way to edible bright red berries (3/8 inch diameter) that persist through winter. Leaves acquire shades of purple in fall. Leaves and fruit have the aroma and taste of wintergreen. Berries are an excellent winter food for some wildlife such as pheasant, grouse, squirrels and deer. Gaultheria honors Jean-Francois Gaultier (1708-1756) who was the king’s physician in the French colony of Quebec from 1742 until 1756 plus an avid botanist and plant collector.” (New England Wildflower Society, text by Cayte McDonough) Image courtesy: top, W. Barton, Vegetable Materia Medica.
Rough saxifrage Draba bryoides
Draba
“The classical Greek name drabe was for a cruciferous plant, possibly Cardaria draba.” “There are more than 250 species of Draba widely distributed over Europe, Asia and America. Many of them have little or no garden value, others rank among the choicest alpine aristocrats. Sheer lack of space forces me to be selective but I feel that this is excusable in a family containing so many members of only botanical interest – and sometimes not even that. No praise, however, is withheld from the gems of the race which fittingly adorn the most hallowed alpine houses.”
Draba bryoides
“From the Caucasus. Dense, rounded cushions of tiny green leaves and golden flowers several to a head on inch-high, threadlike stems. The variety imbricata is even smaller and more compact.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
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Epimedium grandiflorum higoense Bishop’s Hat
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“The Greek name epimedion is termed for a very different plant. Epimedium is a valuable genus of herbaceous perennials widely distributed in the temperate regions of the Old World. They spread by means of creeping rhizomes and grow in any reasonable soil with a partiality for light shade. The species is handsome both in foliage and in flower. The blossoms appear in the spring and are better enjoyed if the old dead leaves are cut away before the flower stems grow too tall.”
Epimedium grandiflorum
“From Japan, Manchuria and Korea. A boldly handsome species, very variable in the color of its flowers, which may be white, pale yellow, deep rose or violet. Several selected forms exist under clonal names and all are good. It will grow to 18 in. under good conditions.” (Garden Vision Epimedium Catalogue, text by Karen Perkins)
Ranunculus
“The Latin name from the diminutive of rana, a frog, because many of the species grow in damp places. This is a large and important family, widely distributed over the world but more numerous in temperate and cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Some obscure species, which may have made only tentative appearances in cultivation, have been omitted.”
Ranunculus crenatus
“From the Alps of Europe. Small tufts of rounded, heart-shaped, dull green leaves, toothed at the apex. The white flowers are as large as, and similar to, those of R. bilobus.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants) “Tufted to small clump-forming, 10-15cm tall. Basal leaves semi-orbicular, crenate, sometimes shallowly three-lobed. Flowers solitary or in twos, 2-2.5cm wide, white, spring. Mountains of the Balkan peninsula, eastern Carpathians, Apennines and eastern Alps, amongst rocks and damp places at 1700-2400m (rare in the wild).” (Alpine Garden Society, encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/ plants/Ranunculus/crenatus) Image courtesy: europeana.eu.
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Ranunculus crenatus Crenate Buttercup
Sisyrinchium
“Ancient Greek name used for another plant. This is a large family of annual and perennial plants, native to North and South America. It is a genus of some diversity and one or two of the more common species have earned themselves a rather poor reputation by their eagerness to spread themselves by means of selfsown seedlings. These are the exceptions in a generally very acceptable race. They thrive in full sun and any good soil and are spring and summer flowering.”
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
(S. gramineum) “Commonly known as Blue-eyed grass. Tufts of grassy leaves and on 6 in. stems clusters of blue flowers. It is one of the spreaders and has naturalized itself here and there in Britain.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
“Blue-eyed grass grows in the damp meadows, which can easily mistake it for a grass, given the narrow ribbon-like foliage and small, tightly closed flower buds. But once the sun comes out, the buds burst open to offer a small sea of cheerful deep blue star-shaped flowers with yellow centers. Sisyrinchiums are in the Iris family and, though the flower shape is unlike common iris species, they have similar leaves and flower colors. They tend flower for a longer season than many iris species, and sometimes bloom again later in the summer given adequate moisture and fertility.” (New England Wildflower Society, text by Cayte McDonough) Image courtesy: eol.org.
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Sisyrinchium angustifolium Blue-Eyed Grass
Helianthemum apenninum White Rockrose
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Helianthemum
“From Greek helios, the sun, and anthemon, a flower.” “A race of sun loving, easily grown dwarf shrubby plants of which the most universally grown and popular for the rock garden are the innumerable named forms found under the umbrella of H. nummularium.”
Seeds
“Sowing advice varies, but generally seeds are best sown in winter, or early spring as they benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost- to break their dormancy. It is advised to cover seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit. A good guide is to consider a depth about the size of the seed itself. If the seeds do not come up within 4-12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in an enclosed area for 4 more weeks. These seeds are difficult to propagate and must be stored and cared for safely.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
19 Epimedium sempervirens ‘Variegated #1’ Bishop’s Hat
“From Japan came rumors of a most spectacular variegated Epimedium heavily dappled with white and pink-costing a small fortune. During the first collection trip to Japan in 1997, [Darrell Probst and Dan Hinkley] searched specifically for this fabled plant. Once he saw it- he just had to have it- the most expensive Epimedium they had ever purchased. It was indeed the nicest variegated Epimedium he’d ever seen . . . just as predicted, the spring foliage is a swirling collage of white, salmon-pink and light green. What they didn’t mention was that the white portion of the variegation lasts well into the season, and regionally into August before turning a full green. White flowers are produced above the semi-evergreen leaves.” (Garden Vision Epimedium Catalogue, text by Karen Perkins)
“Confusingly, ‘geranium’ is also the common name of members of the genus Pelargonium (sometimes known as ‘storksbill’), which are also in the Geraniaceae family. These are generally half-hardy plants, which are either grown from seed every year, or offered as bedding in spring and discarded after flowering. Linnaeus originally included all the species in one genus, Geranium, but they were later separated into two genera by Charles L’Héritier in 1789. Other former members of the genus are now classified in genus Erodium, including the plants known as filarees in North America. The term “hardy geranium” is often applied to geraniums to distinguish them from the pelargoniums. However, not all geranium species are winter-hardy.” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium) “Species of Pelargonium do not occur in Europe. The first few examples to reach there from the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Province, R.S.A.) did so during the 17th century and were recognized as being similar to species of Geranium, native to Europe. It was not until a century later that enough examples were known that it became apparent that these African plants were distinct and the new name Pelargonium was proposed in reference to the similarity of the developing fruit to the head and bill of a stork (pelargos in Greek) and to that of Geranium, named for a crane (geranos). This proposal took many further years to become accepted and is the cause of ‘geranium’ being the popular name of the garden hybrids that are botanically pelargoniums.” (University of British Columbia Botanical Garden: botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2009/08/ pelargonium_endlicherianum.php)
Pelargonium endlicherianum Winterhardy Pelargonium
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21 Campanula
“Diminutive of the Latin campana, a bell, in allusion to the shape of the flowers.” “Campanula, Bellflower. Latin for “little bell.’” “Former C. tridens now biebersteiniana. One of the finest in the tridentata group, they are morphologically similar to C. Ciliata with the same dwarf habit and solitary pale blue flowers differing mainly in the tridentata like toothing of the leaves. An outstanding species.” (Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
“Campanula is one of several genera in the family Campanulaceae with the common name bellflower. It takes its name from their bell-shaped flowers—campanula is Latin for ‘little bell.’ The genus includes over 500 species and several subspecies, distributed across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest diversity in the Mediterranean region east to the Caucasus. The species include annual, biennial and perennial plants, and vary in habit from dwarf arctic and alpine species under 5 cm high, to large temperate grassland and woodland species growing to 2 meters tall.” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campanulaceae)
Campanula biebersteiniana Bellflower
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“Oxalis: From the Greek oxys, sour or sharp.” “This enormous family has a world-wide distribution. It contains many good garden plants and some almost ineradicable weeds. The temptation is almost irresistible to include a long list of these often very beautiful plants, but common sense dictates mentioning only those really suitable for the rock garden or alpine house. Many that clamor for inclusion are not really hardy.”
Oxalis enneaphylla
“A great treasure, introduced many years ago from cold and misty Falkland Islands, where it threads long chains of scaly tubers in peaty soil of narrow rock crevices. The crinkled leaves are silver-grey and are additionally decorated by short-stemmed, huge flowers, which may be glistening white, or pink flushed.” (Will Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants) Image courtesy: herbariovaa.org.
Oxalis enneaphylla Scurvy-grass Sorrel
“Though it only grows to 4 inches in height, cinquefoil is technically a small shrub, since its lower stems are woody. It spreads by sending out underground runners, and in hospitable conditions it can form a thick mat of shiny evergreen foliage, making it an attractive groundcover. The small white flowers begin appearing in early spring and can persist for extended periods, offering a long flowering season. When planted in full sun, the trifoliate leaves turn a burgundy purple that can last through fall and winter.” “Cinquefoil is a great plant for rock gardens—it thrives in full sun and welldrained soil. And can handle harsh conditions normally found in alpine zones, where it lives on ridges and ledges. Shiny evergreen leaves, long flowering period, nice fall color, and adaptable to tough conditions. Propogation and cultivation are critical, as wild populations of Sibbaldiopsis tridentata no longer present in the Rhode Island area and the species is considered threatened in Connecticut.” (New England Wildflower Society, text by Cayte McDonough)
23 Sibbaldiopsis tridentata Shrubby Fivefingers
Vitaliana primuliflora v. cinerea Goldprimel
“Vitaliana primuliflora originates from the mountains of Spain and Central Europe: The Alps and Pyrenees. In its habitat, it forms carpets of small, grey-green leaves and yellow, fragrant flowers.” “This species is related to the Androsaces (also called Androsace vitaliana), and most of that genus displays white, pink or red-flowered plants. But Vitaliana has bright yellow flowers. They can almost cover the mats or cushions of small rosettes of grey-green leaves.” “Vitaliana primuliflora subsp. cinerea has dense tufts of leaves, which are greyer and hairier than in other forms, and the flowers are larger.” (Will Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
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Vaccinium macrocarpon Native Cranberry
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“A Latin name of disputed origin. An invaluable large genus of shrubs, widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and in S. America. They are lime-haters and those described below are ideal peat garden plants.” (Will Ingwersen, Manual of Alpine Plants)
Vaccinium macrocarpon
“The large cranberry has thin stems lined with leathery leaves and, in the wild, it scrambles atop floating bogs and forms creeping mats. In early summer, the plants are adorned with pinkish-white flowers. Once pollinated, these flowers transform into remarkably large bright red berries for such a small plant; the berries offer festive decoration against the glossy green foliage. In late fall and winter, the foliage often turns a deep burgundy. The common name originated from “craneberry” because the flower, with four delicate reflexed petals and anthers that protrude like a beak, resembles the head of a crane. These plants were grown from seed collected in early September 2010 from a wild population in Franklin County, MA. Seed was sown and kept evenly moist to ensure germination. Though several years old, these plants (technically shrubs) may not be mature enough to flower or produce fruit this year. Vaccinium macrocarpon prefers wetland conditions in the wild. Under cultivation, it can be grown in moist soil as a groundcover. This species is the ancestor of plants now used for cranberry production in the bogs of Cape Cod and New Jersey.” (New England Wildflower Society, text by Cayte McDonough)
Tiny Taxonomy at Les Jardins de Métis International Garden Festival (2010-ongoing) Metis, Québec, Canada The International Garden Festival in Métis is recognized as one of the most important events of its kind in North America and one of the leading annual garden festivals in the world. The site is bordered to the north by the St. Lawrence River, to the west by a woodland of deciduous trees, to the east by a large field and conifer forest. Tiny Taxonomy was selected as part of an International and open call for design proposals, in 2010. Due to its success, the garden is invited back for its 4th year and will open for view again on June 22, 2013.
t iny t a xonomy
May 15 – September 2, 2013
The success of any project depends largely on the encouragement of others. My professional gratitude extends specifically to Alexander Reford and the team at Les Jardins de MĂŠtis, for their support of the initial idea. I am indebted to the Gardner Museum for the opportunity to collaborate and to adapt the exhibition a second time, and would like to thank JoAnn Robinson in particular for acting as my advocate and support. Many thanks to Jim LaBeck, Dick Roche, and the installation crew for their hard work. To Charles Waldheim for his ongoing guidance, without his encouragement this project would not have materialized. I am additionally grateful to Siena Scarff and Urban Agency, for the concept and effort behind this publication. I am personally grateful to my mother, Marilyn Elkin who taught me to appreciate plants and to Jason and Ezra Lee for endless inspiration.
Concept & Design r.s.e. landscape Rosetta Sarah Elkin Jennifer Cortlett Gabriella Solange Newsprint Design Siena Scarff Design
Suppliers and Sources Harvey Wrightman, Wrightman Alpines Kerwood, Ontario, Canada Karen Perkins, Garden Vision Epimediums Phillipston, MA Noni Macon and Cayte Mcdonough New England Wild Flower Society Nasami Farm Plant Nursery Whately, MA Heidi Masucci, Moss Acres Honesdale, PA Elizabeth Kneiper and Michael Davies Weston, MA Ramsay Welding and Fabrication, Inc. Woburn, MA