My Summer Selection: Pyrenees Native Plants in Handmade Pots
- Jennie Vercouteren
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Discover my summer selection! I'm delighted to present the plants keeping me company this year. They are all native to the Pyrenees and locally sourced from the nursery Les Sauvages. Below you'll find their descriptions, along with the handmade faience and terracotta pots that hold them
🌿 Chaenorhinum origanifolium
Dwarf Snapdragon
A small perennial wildflower native to the mountains of southern Europe, including the Pyrenees.
How it grows
Low perennial plant 8–25 cm tall
Forms small spreading clumps
Blue-violet flowers from spring into summer
Can be semi-evergreen in mild climates
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun
🪨 Poor, well-drained rocky or limestone soil
💧 Very drought tolerant once established
🌱 Perfect for pots, rock gardens, stone walls, and crevices
In nature it grows in limestone cliffs, rocky slopes, scree, and old stone walls.
PollinatorsIts small flowers provide nectar for many insects:
🐝 Wild bees
🦋 Butterflies
🪰 Pollinating flies
Its seeds are sometimes dispersed by ants, a natural process called myrmecochory.
Why it matters in gardensNative wildflowers like this:
support local pollinators
require very little water
are perfectly adapted to mountain climates
They help create a healthier, living garden ecosystem.
Mountain Alyssum
A small perennial wildflower native to European mountain regions, including the Pyrenees, Alps, and limestone hills of southern Europe.
How it grows
Low plant 10–20 cm tall
Forms dense cushion-like clumps
Fragrant yellow flowers in spring
Grey-green slightly fuzzy foliage
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun
🪨 Very well-drained, poor or limestone soils
💧 Highly drought tolerant once established
🌱 Ideal for pots, rock gardens, stone walls, and dry gardens
In the wild it grows on rocky slopes, limestone outcrops, scree, and dry grasslands.
Pollinators
Its nectar-rich flowers attract:
🐝 Wild bees and honeybees
🪰 Pollinating flies
🦋 Some butterflies
Because it blooms early, it provides important spring food for pollinators.
Why it matters in gardensNative plants like mountain alyssum:
support local pollinators
need very little water
thrive in poor soils where many garden plants struggle
They help create a more resilient, living garden.
Potentilla verna
Spring Cinquefoil
A small perennial wildflower common across Europe, found in dry grasslands, alpine meadows, and rocky areas of the Pyrenees.
How it grows
Low plant 5–15 cm tall
Forms small mats or creeping clumps
Bright yellow flowers in spring
Leaves divided into five small leaflets
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun
🪨 Poor, dry, well-drained soil
💧 Very drought tolerant
🌱 Ideal for pots, rock gardens, dry gardens, and stone gaps
In nature it grows on limestone soils, rocky slopes, dry meadows, and nutrient-poor ground.
PollinatorsIts open flowers provide pollen for:
🐝 Wild bees
🪰 Pollinating flies
🐞 Some beetles
Because it blooms early, it provides important food for insects at the start of the season.
Why it matters in gardensNative wildflowers like spring cinquefoil:
support local pollinators
require very little water
thrive in poor soils
They help create a more resilient and living garden ecosystem.
Erinus alpinus
Alpine Balsam
Alpine Balsam
A small perennial alpine wildflower native to the mountains of Europe, including the Pyrenees and the Alps.
How it grows
Small plant 5–15 cm tall
Forms compact clumps
Bright pink to purple flowers in spring
Can self-seed naturally into rock cracks or stone walls
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun to light partial shade
🪨 Very well-drained, poor or limestone soils
💧 Low water needs once established
🌱 Ideal for pots, rock gardens, stone walls, and rock crevices
In the wild it often grows in limestone cliffs, rocky slopes, and old stone walls.
PollinatorsIts nectar-rich flowers attract:
🐝 Wild bees
🪰 Pollinating flies
🦋 Occasional butterflies
Because it flowers early, it provides valuable spring food for insects.
Why it matters in gardensNative mountain flowers like this:
support local pollinators
require very little water
thrive in poor soils where many garden plants struggle
They help create a healthy, living garden ecosystem.
Geranium pyrenaicum
Pyrenean Crane’s-bill
Geranium pyrenaicum
Pyrenean Crane’s-bill
A perennial wildflower native to European mountains, commonly found in the Pyrenees in meadows, woodland edges, and roadsides.
How it grows
Plant 30–60 cm tall
Forms loose, natural clumps
Pink-violet flowers from late spring through summer
Rounded leaves divided into lobed segments
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun to partial shade
🌱 Average, well-drained soil
💧 Moderately drought tolerant once established
🌿 Suitable for wildflower gardens, natural beds, or deeper pots
In the wild it grows in meadows, slopes, woodland edges, and disturbed soils.
PollinatorsIts open flowers attract many insects:
🐝 Wild bees
🦋 Butterflies
🪰 Pollinating flies
The flowers provide nectar and pollen during the summer pollinator season.
Why it matters in gardensNative wildflowers like Pyrenean crane’s-bill:
support a wide diversity of pollinators
require little maintenance
often self-seed naturally, creating a more natural garden
They help build a healthy and resilient garden ecosystem.
Fragria Vesca - wild stawberry
Fragaria vesca
Wild Strawberry
A small native strawberry found throughout Europe, including the forests and mountain meadows of the Pyrenees.
How it grows
Low perennial 10–20 cm tall
Forms clumps and spreads by runners
White flowers in spring
Produces small, very fragrant red strawberries in early summer
Growing conditions
☀️ Light sun to partial shade
🌱 Light, organic-rich, well-drained soil
💧 Moderate water
🌿 Ideal for pots, borders, rock gardens, and natural gardens
In the wild it grows in woodland edges, mountain meadows, slopes, and clearings.
Pollinators and wildlifeIts flowers attract:
🐝 Wild bees
🪰 Pollinating flies
🐞 Various insects
The fruits also feed:
🐦 Birds
🦔 Small mammals
Why it matters in gardensNative plants like wild strawberry:
support pollinators and wildlife
create living ground cover
produce delicious edible fruit
Lysimachia nummularia
Lysimachia nummularia
Lysimaque nummulaire
Plante vivace rampante indigène d’Europe, fréquente dans les prairies humides, fossés et bords de ruisseaux, y compris dans certaines zones des Pyrénées.
Comment elle pousse
Plante basse : 5–10 cm de hauteur
Tiges rampantes qui s’étalent rapidement
Feuilles rondes vert vif
Fleurs jaunes en forme d’étoile de la fin du printemps à l’été
Conditions de culture
☀️ Soleil ou mi-ombre
🌱 Sol frais à humide
💧 Apprécie l’humidité mais tolère des sols ordinaires
🌿 Idéale pour pots, couvre-sol, bords de bassin ou jardins naturels
Dans la nature, elle pousse souvent dans prairies humides, fossés, bords de rivières et zones ombragées.
PollinisateursSes fleurs attirent :
🐝 Abeilles sauvages
🪰 Petites mouches pollinisatrices
🦋 Quelques papillons
Elle est particulièrement visitée par des abeilles spécialisées du genre Macropis qui collectent ses huiles florales.
Pourquoi elle est importante au jardinLes plantes indigènes comme la lysimaque :
offrent nourriture aux pollinisateurs
créent un couvre-sol vivant
aident à stabiliser et protéger le sol humide
Elles contribuent à un jardin naturel et riche en biodiversité.
Dianthus hyssopifolius
Dianthus hyssopifolius
Pyrenean Pink
A perennial wildflower native to the mountains of southern Europe, especially the Pyrenees, where it grows on rocky slopes and dry mountain grasslands.
How it grows
Plant 20–40 cm tall
Forms light clumps
Bright pink flowers with finely fringed petals
Blooms from summer into early autumn
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun
🪨 Poor, dry, very well-drained soil
💧 Highly drought tolerant
🌱 Ideal for pots, rock gardens, dry gardens, and limestone soils
In the wild it grows on rocky slopes, dry grasslands, and limestone mountain soils.
PollinatorsIts fragrant flowers attract:
🦋 Butterflies
🐝 Wild bees
🪰 Various pollinating insects
Because it blooms later in the season, it provides important nectar for insects in summer.
Why it matters in gardensNative mountain flowers like this:
support local pollinators
require very little water
thrive in poor soils
They help create a resilient and biodiverse garden ecosystem.
Gypsophila repens
Creeping Baby’s Breath
A small alpine perennial native to European mountain regions, including the Pyrenees and the Alps, where it grows on rocky slopes and limestone soils.
How it grows
Low plant 10–20 cm tall
Trailing stems forming spreading mats
Small white or pale pink flowers
Blooms from late spring through summer
Growing conditions
☀️ Full sun
🪨 Poor, dry, very well-drained soil
💧 Highly drought tolerant
🌱 Ideal for pots, rock gardens, stone walls, and dry gardens
In the wild it grows on rocky slopes, scree, and limestone mountain soils.
PollinatorsIts many small flowers attract:
🐝 Wild bees
🪰 Pollinating flies
🦋 Some butterflies
Because it produces many flowers, it provides nectar for a wide variety of insects.
Why it matters in gardens
Native mountain plants like this:
support local pollinators
require very little water
thrive in poor soils
They help create a resilient and biodiverse garden ecosystem.
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