Plants etc from the garden at the end of February 2026

Another month almost gone, and this regular garden chat is being linked in with others over on Jim's blog. 

The end of February has still some lovely crocuses and the sunshine has been bringing out 'giant' bumblebees.  Watching them delve down into the crocus cups is both a delight tinged with a little suspense as I wonder whether the crocus bloom will right itself.

1. I am very fond of the colour purple...

Crocus tommasianus Ruby Giant

2.

Crocus Shockwave

There is one bulb with a much larger flower, I wonder whether I ought to 'separate' this from the clump to give it a more uniform aspect? I am sure this will be done by end of day.

3. A healthy robust crocus for me is this stripy Crocus vernus Pickwick, which I have had for many years, and is slowly increasing.  It is the last of the crocus to flower.

4. Verbascum phoeniceum violetta has been growing in its original position for over six years, and each year I've thought that it ought to be moved.  It was too far inboard for me to enjoy the lovely form of the flower spikes. I could see there were various good growing sections with roots and they were seperated to give five plants.  Hope they survive this and flower this year.

Verbascum phoeniceum violetta

5. It was only when I noticed how large the clump of  Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Purple Dome' was encroaching on surrounding plants that I decided it was time to do something about this and hence the 'shuffling' in the garden. With the soil a little improved its space was baken by the Verbascum.

Divisions ready to be relocated in the garden
or given away

Shuffling was a term my SOS Sis used this week when we were 'chatting' on messenger. It brought a smile to my face, and some encouragement to get out in the garden and do some more gardening. Last autumn I treated myself to a set of three useful plyable handled shallow buckets from a farm shop, I like the pop of colour and I can easily find them compared to the large black one I had.  The large black one went to a friend to use in her large garden!

6. For Gill who is not all that keen on Pulmonarias, this is a lovely one for the garden: Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White.  The bees certainly love it. This is just the first flush of blooms, when trimmed down they will spring back.  I'm going to try to show each flush just to guage it garden worthiness this year.

Bonus picture............seedheads of the Miscanthus nepalensis, which I trimmed down this week.  If any SOSers fancy trying to grow this, contact me and I shall put some in the post for you. Use facebook with my name and send me a message with your name and address. I placed a couple of strands on the soil a cm deep with gritty soil on the top, and I had seedling come up a few weeks later, and this spring have sufficient to start a clump,

It definitely feels as if winter is behind us, spring in on its way!

 

In a Vase on Monday - a Trio and Angel Number 333

Looking out the window I noticed this morning that the Amelanchier buds had that swollen look a sure portent that the sap is rising and soon there will be a flurry of blossom. Looking back this is not particularly early. However I love this narrow few days and given that we have had some warmer temperatures arriving there may be a noticeable daily change.

After lunch I wanted to mark this brief period, and found a few of the later flowering snowdrops under the Amelanchier trees and thought they would make good companions, as these are probably the last of the snowdrops. However I have very few daffodils; they just don't last well from one year to another and I have no more than ten or so blooms from all the bulbs I have planted since moving to this year.

The little set of three vases are just right...and this is probably their first appearance as a trio. For more delightful arrangements, why not go over to Cathy's post where you will be able to find links from others such as me for this 'In a Vase on Monday' topic. I do enjoy posting these arrangements from plants from my garden, and have realised that my last post was Number 333 which is considered to be an Angel Number. 

I know many of us have stretched the boundaries regarding different considerations such as What is a Vase? No water required as in dried flowers or a wreath, and even for those friends snowbound bought flowers have sometimes had to creep in, but at least the arrangement carried the guarantee 'arranged with my own hands'.  I therefore knew I had to present something like the above trio, even if I felt you would love to see the following composition.  None of it is of my making but could well be a start point for future arrangements especially for those which are intended to be left outside. These would also making a charming decoration for a ledge or porch on a church or old building.

Nest form of Snowdrops

I went on my pilgrimage on Friday to the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival.  There were workshops for Snowdrop Kokedama and lots of lovely special snowdrops for sale.  However on a stand I spied  Snowdrops in a bird nest inspired arrangement of twisted hazel twigs.  I believe these had been made  to raise funds for the festival. Later when the ovaries start to swell, I shall place these snowdrops into the garden, and may use the twiggy arrangement for another plant.

The reply asking for more information from the Snowdrop Festival organisers:   "We are all volunteers and Simon , one of our committee team made the nests from his own twisted willow and  clumps of snowdrops. All the proceeds go towards our snowdrop plantings and enhancing the economic well being of our lovely town. Do enjoy its beauty."

From the Garden for Six on Saturday - 21 February 2026

 For more gardening, plants and tales from gardeners the place to go to, which we and maybe you congregate is over at Jim's, where this post is linked to.

Did I say I wasn't going to get more plants: well that didn't last long!  I went up to visit Jackie at Tryffids Nursery a little later than I have done in previous years.  I had received her snowdrop list a few weeks ago, and I was delighted to pay her a pre arranged visit.  I came away with some pots and have already planted these around the beds.

1. More Eranthis for the garden, as I love that little bit of 'sunshine'.  Although labelled as Eranthis hyemalis I do believe they may be Eranthis Cilicica, I'll be able to tell which when the leaves are fully out. 

Eranthis hyemalis?

2.It has also continued to rain almost continually except for maybe only a couple of spells ofsunshine long enough for the crocus to open. It will certainly go down as the wettest January and February that I have experienced! During the few moments of sunshine Iit is also lovely to see the second wave oof crocus being the Crocus chrysanthus such as this lovely Crocus 'Advance' open up. This is their fourth season in flower and have really proved themselves coming back each year. I lifted them last year to seperate them, which has meant a less congested arrangement, don't you think?

Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'

There are several other crocus varieties around the garden, but this little slope along the path near the Ginkgo tree seems to suit them well.

3. This is where I planted up three new pots of crocus this week, again with labels that I believe are wrong, these are not Crocus Herald but 'Prince Claus'. This has been confirmed, the bulb supplier sent the wrong labels!

Crocus Prince Claus

As the pots contain several corms I've just planted these in a clump, but when the growing season is nearly over, and the leaves are dying down, I shall lift them and disperse them a little more naturally.

4.  I also came home with two snowdrops which are in the poculiformis form.  This is a pure white one called 'Bridesmaid' and should be easy to spot and hopefully it will settled in and increase.

Galanthus Bridesmaid

The other poculiform galanthus has a slight green marking and it looks like what is written on the label 'Galanthus green tipped poculiformis'.

5. Found locally ie near Ashwick and Oakhill on the Mendips, a stonethrow from Jackie's nursery is this sweet double Galanthus 'Ashwick Green Tip', 

Galanthus 'Ashwick Green Tip'

Jackie also gifted me a good late Galanthus nivalis found locally and another 'unknown' single greentip.

6. A few years ago I planted a few corydallis in the garden.  I enjoy trying to propagate plants, and my prefered method is cuttings, but I have during the last few years trying harvesting and growing plants from seed. It takes time to grow a corm to flowering size from seed. 

Corydalis Malkensis

It is quite possible for an ordinary gardener, to grow these from seed without complicated equipement or shelter.  Proof here with seed of Corydalis Malkensis gathered and sown in 2023, and which germinated in 2024.  It has taken 4 years from seed to first flower. 

Wholemeal Bloomer

 Another Home Baker's Club bake and one set for February 2026, but of course Jack's demonstration can be accessed at any time to suit.  Today I tried Stone Baked Wholemeal Bloomer, but not to the letter!

I didn't want to spend the time heating up the stone, and I didn't feel confident in using the couch tehnique for the final rest.  And because I didn't use the stone, I skipped the 10 minutes off at the start of the baking.

I loved the slash pattern and the loaves rose nicely, though you cannot really tell by these overhead picture.  

Yeasted Banana and Pecan Bread

 Another success from the Home Baker's Club over at Bake with Jack's.

What I learnt:

Yeasted Banana Bread is excellent and pecans are an excellent substitute for dark chocolate chips.  The pecans were lightly baked first in the oven.

The four strand plait is easy and fun and would work nicely with other flavoured doughs whether sweet or savoury

It might be an idea to shape the loaf and allow to slowly rise overnight to bake first thing in the morning.

I often start my baking a little too late and have to leave the loaf cooling overnight, hence the idea of having a freshly baked loaf in the morning by allowing the slow rise overnight.

Slices were frozen, and will be easy to pull out the night before for breakfast.  I shall try it toasted.

The rest of the loaf was sliced and put into the freezer.  The slices seperated easily, and after an overnight defrost in a bag, they were toasted for breakfast.  The warming and toasting of the bread really enhanced both the banana and the pecan tastes.

All dried out - In a Vase on Monday

The fresh garden flowers are taking a break this week, allowing me to show some of the dried flowers prepared last summer.  The vase is a soap stone one bought in China and given to me by my mother several decades ago. 

 

The pale green of the vase is not quite the right hue or shade to match with fresh foliage and flowers, so at last it gets an outing and pairs fairly well with some of the flowers I dried last year.  

Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus

Pseudodictamnus acetabulosus dries well and keep its form, and Origanum 'Emma Stanley' too with the colour only fading slightly.

Origanum 'Emma Stanley' dried

I have quite a few dried poppy seed heads around so choose three for the vase, and at the base are three more where the outer skin has been removed to leave the fine inner formations. A couple of years ago I noticed such 'skeletons' where I had dropped poppy seed heads on the beds, and used it again last year to great advantage.

With fellow gardeners who love to bring some of the garden indoors,  I am linkins this post to Cathy's In a Vase on Monday. 

In the Garden at the start of February 2026

 This post is one where I note six things from the garden, and like others link this to Jim's anchoring post. Last week Jim posted some 'then and now views of his garden plants' and as I was looking through and trying to delete old pictures I came across a couple of interesting ones. For the 2026 picture of the Chamaecyparis, I had to go out in the pouring rain this morning!  It has been the wettest of weeks, with just one day of a few hours without heavy rain.

1. This lovely golden evergreen started off as a very small specimen when I bought it in May 2019, three years later it had already been potted up twice.

Chamaecyparis pisifera var. filifera early 2021

Now it is a fine specimen and the pot is almost too large for me to move. Had I room in the garden it would probably have been planted out.  However in the pot it does look good standing on the pebbled area.

Chamaecyparis pisifera var. filifera 2026

2. I took cuttings from a friend's shrub in Kenwilworth, and since then have taken even more cuttings.  One of them was planted by the bird bath.

Lonicera 'Baggesen's Gold' Feb 2023

In the Summer of 2024, I had one of those frequent urges to do a little prunning and turned the Lonicera  into a pompom topiary. This is how it is looking this week.

3. We had one day of glorious sunshine, sufficient to warm the cockles of one's heart, and in the garden there was the sound of bees and a huge bumble bee, and flowers were opening.

Crocus chrysanthus 'Romance'

4. I often prune the rose bushes around mid February, but all the mild weather has led to earlier growth.  It doesn't take me long to prune the several bushes, rambler and the other climbers, all were pruned this first week of February.

Ghislaine de Feligonde new shoots

5. I like little plants and this week two of my smallest snowdrops are in full fligh in the Conservatory bed. One which is slowing increasing is Galanthus Margaret Billington (Formerly Quadripetala) . With small upright stems as the blooms open the call me to check the number of petals, snowdrops usually have three outer segments, but this one varies from three to five outer segments.  

Galanthus Margaret Billington

Whether the it is the same bulb that grows more segments as it matures I am unsure.  When I attend the Snowdrop festival in Shepton in a couple of weeks time, I shall try and ask the growers.  I bought this one early in 2023 when we visited Jenny and Mike Spiller at Elworthy Cottage, and since they will be at the festival they will be the best to ask.

The second little snowdrop closeby is Galanthus nivalis Charlotte.  Last year I divided the small clump, and I am delighted that the small bulbs survived this.

Galanthus nivalis 'Charlotte' 

6. In mid January I showed the northern end of the Conservatory bed with the darker cyclamen coum, the flowers are still growing strong and may actually be more floriferous, here is the bed a little further along, where the paler cyclamen coum are making their mark. I've mentioned before that I am aiming for the Millefleur effect in the spring for this border and it certainly is close to achieving this.  Yet to come out are the primulas and corydalis.  Starting in January, growing through February, and into March, this little bed is one of my garden's delights at this time of the year.

Because I left the top of a bag of compost open last week, I now have a bag of 'compost soup'!  And speaking of love: I have a pair of robins what come to check if I have anything for them, but they are still very shy. Here is one the cock I think on the wall.

Turkish Simit

 I've been baking our regular bread which ranges from a wholemeal cobb to a seeded multigrained sourdough, but I haven't been more adventurous and trying out new recipes for a few months. It was seeing my friend on Facebook with his trial of the other recipe this month that pulled me out of the doldrums.  So thank you Nigel.  Together with Nigel we set up a facebook group that worked our way through all the recipes in a new sourdough recipe book. Having like minded pals can really help with encouragement etc.

For February the Bake With Jack club were given two recipes of which this is one of them.  For Turkish Simit you need Grape Molasses.  I couldn't believe my luck, but I had recently bought a jar of this up a Rocky Mountain without any idea of how I was going to use it.  I do like buying different ingredients which I are new to me, and now I have opened the jar, I shall be exploring more uses.

As you can see, I need to work on my shaping and proving techniques, and I have an inkling of what I shall try differently. 

I also bought some Pistachio Butter, which I think will go very nicely with this, perhaps topped with a little honey.

Candlemas Bells for In a Vase on Monday

I happened to read just a couple of days ago that today is Candlemas Day.  Therefore as one of the several names for Snowdrops years before Linneaus settled on the name Galanthus was Candlemas bells, it seems so right to feature snowdrops today.

Here in the vase is a selection of some of the larger special snowdrops. The Galanthus nivalis are only just appearing and those would have been the ones picked to adorn churches.

Not being superstituous I haven't waited till now to pick snowdrops.  Apparently before Candlemas Day it unlucky, but for this festival the snowdrop as symbol of purity and hope were picked to adorn Churches and hence not suprisingly can still be found in old churchyards and around old religious places such as abbeys. When we lived in Kenilworth our walks often took us on snowdrop hunts and the churchyard there never disappointed. 

The little brass snail is an old and the decorated pebbles are all dressed up as it were, picked up at a local art exhibition.  As usual I am linking into Cathy's post of her blog: Rambling in the Garden. 

Six on Saturday - The last for January 2026

Storm Chandra and other depresssions have brought so much rain to Somerset.  We are above the flooded levels but our regular walks have had to be curlained with waters sweeping across roads etc. It is at times like these that I am grateful for the paths and stepping stones and no grass which allows me into the garden with the possibility of enjoying the bits of the garden which may not be in sight from the comfort of the conservatory. I've waxed lyrical about some the snowdrops in the garden this week so if you want a little more variety I am sure you will find Jim's post certainly is as will be other posts linking into his.

1. With weeks of hardly any sunshine and dark days of above average temperatures, it is no surprise that the snowdrops in the shade haven't done as well as those in more open spots .  Signs are longer pulled out and weak stems of Galanthus Marjorie Brown.  I have read that snowdrops from the elwesii group do well in sunnier and drier spots, so this clump will be moved. 

Galanthus Marjorie Brown

2. In comparison this little clump of Galanthus nivalis 'Sprite' out in the sunnier position is looking healthy and hearty.

 

Galanthus nivalis 'Sprite'

3. "Is hope all that remains? Of course not. We have courage and inspiration and imagination and determination and resilience. And lots more besides. We have spring just around the corner." My SOS 'Sis' Gill Heavens has the most wonderful turn of phrase and these were some of her words from her post last week.  Also thanks to Gill, I was in receipt last spring of a pretty Primula vulgaris 'Taigetos' thanks to JK 'The Man from Del Monte' from whose garden it came.  Earlier this week I noticed that one of the clumps is just starting to flower.  I've read that it is sterile and increased by division only. 

Primula vulgaris 'Taigetos'

4. Galanthus 'Squashed Fly on a Windscreen' nivalis f. pleniflorus 'Blewbury Tart' first arrived in the garden a gift from Cathy in 2018.  I thought I had lost it. Had I just overlooked it or failed to mention it?  Blewbury Tart certainly deserves a place in this week's Six on Saturday: quirky and dishevelled and definitely filling me with joy on rediscovering it in the garden. I had even removed it from one of my lists as having been lost.  I found it just at the foot of the bird bath growing through the mint that I promised myself that I would get rid of, but knowingly leaving a few stems thinking they would be nice in drinks, deluding myself that it would not be outgrowing its place.  

'In 1975, Alan noticed ‘Blewbury Tart’ in a churchyard in the village of Blewbury in Oxfordshire, England, where he grew up, and collected it with the permission of  Vicar Hugh Pickles. The famous galanthophile Primrose Warburg helped to name it because she called it Blewbury Muffin when Alan gave it to her, thus inspiring the name ‘Blewbury Tart’.  

I asked Alan if there was a special anecdote that I could relate here.  He told me that when he first exhibited it in 1985, a prominent British journalist said it looked like a “squashed fly on a windscreen”.   Nevertheless Avon offered it for sale in 1992.  It is an unruly double with an outward-facing dark green inner rosette encircled by three narrow outer segments.  It looks like it is having a bad hair day and always makes me smile when I see it.  Alan relates that another prominent British galanthophile, Ruby Baker, considers it a favorite'. From the description on Carolyn's Shade Garden. 

5. I have a few books on Snowdrops, not many, more than one and less than I would probably want, but same time each year, I pick them up and have a read of sections.  Each year I get to learn a little more. In Her book The Plant Lovers Guide to Snowdrops Naomi Slade mentions that Snowdrops look best planted in company and one of the suggestions is to for them to be planted up with Euphorbia myrsinites. I have Euphorbia mysinites in the front garden and I may need to try cuttings in a few months time.  I can see how the contrast in form would go well.

Euphorbia mysinites

6. In the front garden I also have some snowdrops that are really good dooers.  It was one of the first snowdrops I bought when I moved here, they seed pods are fertile and I leave them under the leaf litter under the Amelanchiers where they germinate and grow up into little seedlings.  After a couple of seasons I move these to another spot in the front garden. I think they are Galanthus Elwesii 'Valentine'. I am growing just this one cultivar in this area, and after nearly nine years are making a good display.

Galanthus Elwesii 'Valentine'

The crocus are starting to come and there will be just a little more variety hopefully next week.  

Six on Saturday - 24 January 2026

 These are six things from my garden, noted yesterday and posted this Saturday to join in with other gardeners over on Jim's blog, where if you are tempted to join in you will find guidance.

1. Let us start with a plant that caught the sunshine even if it came out very briefly this week.  It has quite surprised me as I don't recall having moved it to what was the old vegetable bed. 

Eranthis hyemalis 

Could it be that a squirrel dug it up from the Conservatory Bed, and reburied it and forgot about it? However I have read that  Winter aconites contain cardiac glycosides, making the bulbs, roots, and foliage poisonous to squirrels and other rodents.  That must be a plus for this plant, and maybe I ought to get more or grow some from seed collected from this one as it is such a good doer.

2.  If I was to single out from amongst the several snowdrops currently in bloom in the garden, for this week it ought to be Galanthus Lapwing. Since receiving one bulb from Anna in 2019, it has now made up a good clump in the Conservatory bed. A lovely snowdrop named by the late Gloucestershire plantsman Phil Cornish in 1997.

Galanthus Lapwing

The variety really liked this garden and therefore rather than dividing the clump I bought another pot and placed it in the larger bed not far away from the Cornus controversa 'Variegata' which I planted out last January.

3.  There are different form of Cyclamen coum, and this one with silver leaves and the darker Christmas tree center and pale pink flowers is a little treasure. In winter the leaves I feel give a worthwhile ground cover.

4.  Evergreen plants are a definite plus in the garden, and this year so far Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' has been quite resilient.Certainly in the days with poor light, it shines out.

 5. Another shrub that for me lights up the garden are the Euonymus fortunei 'Blondy'.  These were ones I took from cuttings so feel quite chuffed with these.

Euonymus fortunei 'Blondy'

6. The Oncostema 'Peruviana' bulbs have done well since I planted them, to the extent that last autumn after they had gone completely dormant and all the leaves had died back, I had a go at dividing the largest multiple one and moved them to the far left of the drive in the shared border.  These are the ones I replanted.

Oncostema formerly known as Scilla

The Oncostema hughii was also moved to the front garden but I hadn't reckoned with the problem of it being sited near to the utilities cover.  since with its amazing rosette of leaves, it draws the eye, I think it will get relocated somewhere different next summer, also should any workmen want to have access to the cover and work down there, it would be trodden on .  The flower bud is just forming on this one. 

Oncostema hughii

I gave the Pittosporum a bit of a trim on Friday following Jim's post, but I may just have given it a bit too much of a short back and sides, and front!  Time will tell if I have been too harsh!

The rain it has rained, the wind it has blown, and the sun has hardly made an appearance, but we keep asking Alexa what time is sunrise to to check that days are indeed getting longer!  You get my drift I hope. 

Three little vases with Cyclamen for In a Vase on Monday

This morning I was out on a walk with WI friends, along part of Strawberry way which is a cycle and walking path built along the old Cheddar Valley railway line. We were lucky enough to walk without rain, but here as Mr S and I were having lunch in the conservatory, it got darker and darker and then the heavens opened.  Still feeling happy from my walk, I braved the rain and went out to pick a few cyclamen.

I tried to cajole the cyclamen coum into some of order but they were not playing ball, almost as if they resented being picked!  The leaves are from various Cyclamen hederifolium and the little twiggy bits with tricolour leaves is one of my choice shrubs is Lophomyrtus x ralphii 'Little Star'. with its little green,white and pink leaves. I could have picked more of the special snowdrops, but I thought a change would be good. The Lophomyrtus twigs were actually cut back so that I could see the snowdrops growing close by.

The three little vases are fine porcelain which Mr S bought for me on one of our date day outings to Clevedon at one of the galleries there.

I am linking this Monday's Vase as usual to Cathy's post. 

Six on Saturday - 17 January 2026

 With heavy frosts at the start of the week, followed by much rain and only a couple of half days when it has been dry, there hasn't been much gardening, just moving of small pots either into the shed or under the awning by the front door, to protect them from rain. This topic started a long time ago, and I am happy that Jim is our anchor where I am similar gardeners link in our posts about six things from our gardens each week.

1. Compared to the large blousey snowdrops such as Colossus, Galanthus 'Vic Horton' is a small and dainty snowdrop. Its form with thin grey twisted leaves and its ovary is a contrasting brighter paler green with a hint of lime, described by some as Olive Green. Its characteristic inner markings, this snowdrop is easily identified even without any name labels.  It does pretty well in the drier parts of the garden too.

Galanthus gracilis Vic Horton

2. At this quiet time of year where large colourful flowers are lacking in my garden the different  leaves really come to the fore.  I first saw a rather gorgeous textured leaved plant in a large stone urn on one of my first visits to The Bishop's Palace in Wells with Alison whom I met through In a Vase on Monday.   Teucrium scorodonia 'Crispum Marginatum' at eye height really appealed to me.  Sadly my request for a cutting from the gardener at the BP was turned down, but Alison very generously offered me a plant since she had this one in her garden, and that was back in 2017 soon after I started the garden here. The evergreen textured and ruffled edged leaves get somewhat tattered towards the end of winter, but when cut back, new growth soon grows back.  I moved it to the front dry bank in the front garden, but I think it is ready to make up a combination somewhere new in the garden.  I shall have to put my thinking cap on. 

Teucrium scorodonia 'Crispum Marginatum'

3. This is just one half of the patch of Cyclamen coum in the conservatory bed.  Through cross fertilisation and movement of the seeds by the ants, as well as relocation of some corms when in bloom to suitable positions, I aim to achieve a flowering carpet of different leaf patterns and also flower colours.

4. Galanthus Lady Beatrix Stanley was moved from the conservatory border to a spot behind the roses near the stone wall at the end of the garden a couple of seasons ago.  Even on the gloomy days, of which this week there have been many, they shine out. From just two bulbs kindly sent to me by Anna in 2019, I now have three good clumps. The long pointed outer sepals remind me of canine teeth at this stage.

Galanthus Lady Beatrix Stanley

5. Last year I bought a small Coronilla valentina subsp glauca 'Citrina' and it is just starting to show signs of blooms.  I'm considering moving it into the conservatory to enjoy its scent. It was thanks to seeing this on fellow SOSers posts that I bought this last year from Derry Watkins of Special Plants Nursery. 

Coronilla valentina subsp glauca 'Citrina

6. From time to time I plant up the little selection of Bonsai Pots with plants and stones just because I like to have small arrangements on the garden shed shelf or in this case on the round table, to more easily enjoy the form of small plants. This one is evolving into a moss garden of its own volition. It is not surprising given how damp it has been and how much moss grows on our roof.  

The smaller plant is Sedum hispanicum and the plant with grass like leaves is Sisyrinchium E K Balls.  The Sisyrinchium is commonly called 'Blue eyed grass'. Moss is supposed to grow in shade but is quite happy here in full sun, that is when the sun does shine!