Sempervivums are of course a massive subject, and although usually I’m a stickler for correct horticultural nomenclature I am afraid that I fall into that category of gardener who loves sempervivums but fails to remember all their names.
This is due to a number of reasons: some are remarkably similar to each other and I don’t usually retain their labels in situ because this doesn’t look very attractive – my mother used to say rather fiercely that if you can’t remember a plant’s name when you plant it, you don’t deserve to grow it – but I do almost always record their names in my gardening diary!
Also I tend to move sempervivums about within the
One of the reasons I enjoy growing these mostly hardy succulents is because it’s so easy to detach the odd rosette and give it to a friend, and in the same way I am not shy of begging a tiny cutting if I see an interesting one in someone else’s
I will always carefully nurture a selection of sempervivums in a container, (making sure that the growing medium is very free draining) so that during the winter I may occasionally enjoy their miniature glacial landscape – when it happens it’s very special.
NB Louise has published a beautifully produced book of her plant profiles – A Plant for Each Week of the Year. It costs £9.99 and is for sale in our online shop here.
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