viola

Such nice little early bloomers. I see an aeonium peeking out from the rock too. :-)

Yes.. there she is peeking out...can't see her chicks..they are hiding under the viola! the large gray green leaves are mulleins! and there is strawberry and ground phlox in the niches among the rocks too!

I have a mullien psrouting from last year! If I get the second year blooms I'll be sooo llucky. Last summer was too cold for most.

I'd be optimistic if I were you, Gt...they are cast iron plants! I bought two of the fancy hybridized ones(Verbascum chaixii "Sixteen Candles") last year and only one made it through the winter, though. But of course it's a hybrid. "Ain't nothin' like the real thing!" LOL.