A Himalayan gem: Bergenia stracheyi

If I had to pick one bergenia, this lofty Himalayan would be it. Of course, it helps that I saw it by the mile throughout the Pakistan Himalayan on my fateful visit (we flew into Pakistan on 9-11-2001). This and Polygonum (or is it Persicaria?) affine were the only two plants that seemed to thrive above treeline: both making immense carpets of colorful foliage in autumn. The grazing pressure was unbelievable, and I suspect these two plants were unpalatable to the myriad goats and sheep.

It would have been fun to see these in bloom--probably in May or June: something I am not apt to do in nature, I'm afraid...but that's why we have gardens!

Speaking of gardens,here Bergenia stracheyi is coloring up nicely in my own rock garden at home.

And here is a particularly robust individual at Denver Botanic Gardens. I admired this in Eric Hilton's Bristol garden in 1981, and when he visited a few years later he brought a rosette with him as a present--which mas much proliferated over the decades! He grew a white form...

Here is the clump in Eric's garden (I scanned the transparency I took 34 years ago)...This clone is half the size or less of most garden Bergenia: much better in rock gardens because of this!

And here's the clump in my home garden--the flowers take on a pink blush as they age.

I took this picture at the wonderful scree garden at Savill gardens, also in 1981- undoubtedly the same clone.

For years it grew with uncommon vigor in the Rock Alpine Garden in Denver--it's slowed down a bit perhaps since I took this picture some twenty years ago...which is why we take pictures after all!

The same colony a few weeks later, as the flowers take on blush tints. Just looking at this gives me a great nostalgia for high spring, for the Himalaya, for the wonderful way that plants and rocks combine in rock gardens! The first real snowstorm of the winter is predicted tonight--but this could nevertheless be poking up its first flowers in four months! A small eternity of winter when there's time to dream and reminisce!