Sempervivum troughs

The 3 troughs I made last summer (2013), strategically placed outside my kitchen window and artistically decorated with Sempervivums, and a couple other things (Sedum and Thlapsi stylosum) are doing GREAT!
After reading how sturdy these troughs are, I made them. After making them, I read how sensitive they could be 'cause of freezing, etc.
NOW... what am I to believe. A lot depends on the recipe ingredients. I am sure I didn't really mix only goodies together.
We will see! So far, the first winter (kind of a mild one!) has not damaged the troughs and the plants in them seem happy.
Look!

Spring BULBS!

Could spring exist without the bulbs? I doubt!
What else can you do every early spring, as soon as the snow melts away? Look for any signs of those cute green tips poking through the dirt.

OK... here's some of my bulbs.

Silly plants

I know we are in full winter here, but some plants are just confused!
With all leaves in below-freezing temperatures, and what do they do?
Decide to bloom. Crazy!

How one becomes three, four ...

Talking about my Arisaema ringens.

In early spring I got it in a trade with a fellow passionate gardener from Japan.
It bloomed of course, rather early and the flower lasted quite long.
(pics in an earlier post).

Now, on tuber inspection I was pleasantly surprised to see there's 2 fairly large babies, and a really small one.

So, yes... this Arisaema is a clump forming one!

My 10-point questions is... thissssss... I know the flowers are dioecious = either male, or female, but not both on the same plant. Any chances to have both F and M flowers if they both come from the same mother-tuber??? 

I need to read more into this sex-thing...

Arisaema ringens tuber

Mom and biggest baby

Goodz & Badz / succulent seedz

A couple months back I bought some succulent seeds (mainly Aloes, Edithcolea grandis - this was the one I was searching for, and Tacitus bellus - another one I love).
Against all odds (low light, cool temp, etc) I decided to sow them.
Couldn't just wait!
Well, one of the five Aloe variegata seeds germinated nicely, but as the others were still just lying there, I kept the plastic bag a bit too long. The one seedling I had... rotted!
I pulled it out, tore off the mushy tiny root and put it back... but I'm sure there's no chance for it.

BUT... 2 out of 5 Edithcolea grandis germinated and are looking great!

Edithcolea grandis

Also, I'm happy with my Aloe saponaria and Aloe broomii results.

Aloe saponaria

Aloe broomii

And I can't wait for my tiny Tacitus bellus to... open those big pink flowers!

Tacitus bellus

First snow.... yuppy!...or not!

We have the first snow right now!
It's a good and bad news mix.
Being a gardener, I can't think I live in the wrong climate.
Won't be able to do any gardening till April next year.

Hypertufa project - FINISHED!

Since I got this hypertufa+sempervivums+hardy+succulents idea in my little head, I kept thinking about it. And how cool such a thing would look at my kitchen window, outside, on the 8th Floor.
Crazy?
Nope!
Here it is!
First, I searched online for how-to, recipes, ideas, etc.
Then I tried to find the ingredients.
Not easy...like a recipe from a cookbook, it's hard to find all ingredients here.
Finally the recipe was something like cement+perlite+sand+dried&sifted peat based mix.
Then, the problem was with the mold. I used wood boards etc.
Then I mixed the mix, then carefully made the troughs... a small problem was the walls kinda separating from the mold and leaning inside.
Well, the final result was OK... I am pleased!

After patiently waiting for a few weeks I got them out of the molds, filled them up with a mix rich in gravel and some perlite and then skillfully and artistically planted the sempervivums.

Thinking I still have some space left, I added some Thlapsi stylosum and some cute Sedum. And of course pebbles, rocks, stones :)

Hypertufa troughs

Here's the metal bad my brother gave me for... support.
He also helped me drill the holes for the screws.

Here's the BEFORE pic, with the potted Sempervivums.... waiting for a nicer, cozier home.

Here's the view from my kitchen with the troughs already fixed.

And the AFTER pics!