Cheilanthes distans Lilium a treat for low-flying hummingbirds

a treat for low-flying hummingbirds

triangular olive-green leaves with a blue cast are thicker than an offensive lineman's neck and have the feel of sharkskin

Callirhoe involucrata begins its show in the spring when the 2" round cutleaf foliage emerges from the basal clump

The flowers attract an array of butterflies and bees

The jack-in-the-pulpit-like spathe is dark black with pink-to-green vertical striping

Cheilanthes distans Lilium a treat for low-flying hummingbirdsWe have been very pleased with the ease of growing the xeric (likes it dry) fern, Cheilanthes distans, which hails from rocky outcrops in New Zealand and Australia. Cheilanthes distans is a charming dwarf dryland fern that forms a tight 6" tall, dense clump of stiff black stipes, each adorned with stiff, green, crinkly foliage. Cheilanthes distans is an easy to grow specimen for rock gardens and miniature railroads from zone 7b south, and in the North