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Category: Alpine Garden

Plants and how to develop an Alpine garden

Container Gardeners Tips

Container Gardeners Tips

container-gardening

Silver champagne buckets or plain galvanised steel, there is a container for every purpose. These Pansies contrast with the brick wall and almost cover the container.

Gardeners Container Tips

  • Wether using a pot, tub, bowl, trough or urn make sure there is a drainage hole to allow rain and water to escape. Plants can drown far too easily.
  • Select the material for the container to complement the garden design and chosen plants. Stone, wood, plastic and metal containers are freely available.
  • For a conservation garden ‘found materials’ can be made into a container. A  hollowed out log, old barrel or any container coated in a slurry of concrete and yogurt or peat can look and do good.
  • You may plan to use a containers for one season or several years. Use compost that will suit the conditions eg John Innes no 3 for trees and shrubs or peat substitute for annuals.
  • Plan the planting to soften the edges of the container with plants spilling over. Do not leave a lot of soil showing as it will look sparse.
  • When planting from a pot use the current pot to make a suitable sized hole shape in the container so you can drop the plant straight in and firm it easily.

Alpine Strawberries

Outdoor containers made from terracotta or pottery need to be frost proof to avoid cracking. It is also advisable to lift them off the ground so they do not freeze to the path. A hard frost can see the base left behind when the pot is moved. To prevent this you can buy small pot feet, put the container up on bricks or stand it on some gravel or bubble wrap.

Winter Container Care Tips
Keep winter containers out of cold drying wind for the best results. Any shelter will be appreciated by plants that have to do battle with winter conditions.
Winter can often have dry spells so keep an eye on pots that may need some watering. This is also true of pots under roofs and eaves.
I like to use a woooden tub or half barrel and start by lining the container with a few bits of broken flowerpot or polystyrene for drainage.
Plant pre-grown bulbs before adding the other plants with trailing plants at the edge of the container. You can bury small pots in a larger container and change them as necessary.
Plants grow more slowly in winter so pack them in fairly close together to get a quick effect.
If you have special plants that do not like their crowns to get wet put a glass cover over the pot.

Hepatica the Old ‘New Kid’ on the Block

Hepatica the Old ‘New Kid’ on the Block

A pot grown favourite is still trying to make its mark in main stream gardening.

Hepatica pyrennaica Apple Blossom

Hepatica nobilis cultivation has been popular as a ground cover plant. Blue purple flowers like a simple Anemone flower in blue/purple at about 4 inches high. Now special varieties are capturing the hearts of British growers and alpinists.
They are named after their leaves which look like the three lobes of the human liver.

Leaves and Foliage

  • The leaves are basal and dark leathery green, each with three lobes.
  • The foliage, which follows the flowers, can be almost as interesting as the blooms.
  • Some leaves are arranged in glossy green clover shapes with delicate, dark markings. Others are almost bronze, or marbled, with a pale variegation.

The Flowers

  • Flowers with doubled petals and a range of colour patterns have been developed
  • Hepatica reaches a height of 3-4” and flower from February to May. Flowers may be white, bluish purple or pink; they are supported singly on hairy, largely leafless stems.
  • Hepatica var. japonica f. magna flowers are large and come in shades of blue, purple, red and white, green and occasionally yellow, with contrasting colours for the stamens.
  • Some Hepaticas come with frilly centres, or totally double. Some have two-tone petals and their variations are even more subtle than those seen in auriculas, but you do have to peer closely to appreciate them.

Hepatica nobilis Cobalt

Growing Conditions

  • Hepaticas are not easy to grow and dislike dry conditions.
  • In the wild they grow on sunny mountain slopes and under deciduous trees up to 3,300ft high.
  • Hepaticas are renown for their tolerance of alkaline limestone derived soils
  • Hepatica will grow in both sandy and clay-rich substrates in deeply shaded deciduous woodland and scrub associated with limestone.
  • Moist soil and winter snowfall is a requirement but they dislike dry frost.
  • In spring they need shade and to be kept a little drier through the summer.

Varieties and Species

Hepatica nobilis var. pyrenaica (H. pyrenaica) – Pyrenees slightly easier to grow
Hepatica nobilis var. japonica (H. japonica) – Japan
Hepatica nobilis var. nobilis – European Hepatica – Alps north to Scandinavia
Hepatica nobilis var. pubescens (H. pubescens) – Japan
Hepatica nobilis var. acuta Sharp-lobed Hepatica –
Hepaticanobilis var. obtusa Round-lobed Hepatica – North America
Hepatica transsilvanica – Carpathian Mountains and Transylvania slightly easier to grow

Read Growing Hepatica in Pots or Gardens

Lewisias Updated Information

Lewisias Updated Information

Lewisia

I have talked before of Lewisia becoming trendy and offered some growing tips.
I have had more years of experience and like the way my plants are performing.
The above plant is flowering amongst the old leaves of the primula that cropped up in the sandy soil of my rockery.

Description of Lewisia

  • From the Portulacaceae family most Lewisias could almost be mistaken for succulents.
  • They produce thick or fleshy, green, shiny waxy leaves in rosettes
  • Lewisia grow 6-10″ high and flower on straight stems that are prone to lean over.
  • Flowers are profuse, round-shaped and occasionally doubles or semis.
  • Lewisia blooms come in bright pink,  apricot, white, or plum red.
  • Most varieties are evergreen but resent damp on the leaves.

lewisia-cotylodion

Tips for Growing Lewisia From post ‘Lewisia Trendy, Bright and Breezy’ Aug 2013

  • Whilst Lewisia are perennial plants are very susceptible to winter wet rot. Over winter under glass if needs be.
  • As Lewisia are very low growing it is common to grow in pots or containers so the flowers can be seen.
  • The clump forming Ashwood Strain is recommended as a particularly good mix producing large semi-double flowers in a wide range of colours.
  • With judicious deadheading Lewisia will bloom from April to the end of September, particularly if kept in an alpine house or cold greenhouse.
  • In an Alpine garden surround the base of the plant with rock chips to prevent rot. Lewisias prefer sites with abundant spring moisture followed by a dry, cool summer.
  • Other species to try include Lewisia; Pygmea, Rediviva, Brachycalyx, or hybrids Heckneri or Phyllellia Obtain plants from Pottertons and various nurseries or your local garden centre.

Varieties of Lewisia

  • Lewisia rediviva, also called bitter root lewisia has thick, fleshy, deciduous leaves and pink to white flowers. Detailed growing information is available here.
  • Lewisia cotyledon has persistent leaves and grows in the form of mat like rosettes. ‘Little Plum’ has deeply veined flowers in white with pink or red stripes.
  • Hybrid lewisias are available as inexpensive seed mixtures.
  • The Alpine garden society lists 100 cultivars and species and in the Alpine Gardener vol 82 No 3. there is a wealth of knowhow about Lewisia cotyledon one of the colourful and popular species.
  • Lewisia tweedyi is shorter at 6″ tall but has 3″ wide blooms in white and cream. Great for a rockery or alpine house.
  • Groups include cotyledon, pygmaea and rediviva.

Bibliography and Sources

Book Cover

Lewisia Roy Elliot AGS

Kew Lewisia monograph series.  The main concern in this work is with the nineteen species of the genus Lewisia, a

More Photographs of Lewisia

National collection of Lewisia can be seen at Ashwood Nurseries

Phyteuma or Physoplexis comosum

Phyteuma or Physoplexis comosum

2 plants with a high Ph count not ph.
physoplexis cosoma

Phyteuma comosum also named Physoplexis comosum is a member of the Campanula family. Rosettes are produced on a fat and fleshy root stock to produce coarsely toothed pointed leaves. In June or July clusters of club like flowers in Lilac to deep Purple give Physoplexis Cosoma it’s common name Devil’s Club.

Gardeners Tips

  • Grows best in deep very well drained  limey soil.
  • Needs to be protected from slugs who seem to savour the fleshy parts of the plant.
  • Phyteuma comosum loves damp and cool soils therefore water it frequently in all seasons.
  • The Physoplexis comosa should be grown in a bright place, with direct sunlight.
  • This hardy, perennial with an RHS Award benefits from some frost protection.
  • Great as an alpine plant – it should be as the family comes from the Alps.
  • Comosum means with hairy tufts.

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Unusual Zaluzianskya and Night Phlox

Unusual Zaluzianskya and Night Phlox

Zaluzianskya provide more plants from the South African range of flora.

Zaluzianskya Ovata planted with Succulents

Zaluzianskya Facts

  • There are over 50 species of Zaluzianskya native to South Africa
  • It is a compact plant that seldom grows to more than 6in across and just a few inches high.
  • They have aromatic, evergreen foliage that forms a dense, neat dome.

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Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora

Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora

Bastard box has colourful scented flowers and dubious parentage.

Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora

Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora is a low maintenance, hardy, evergreen sub-shrub also known as Creeping Milkwort, Chapparal Pea or Bastard Box. It bears racemes of purple-pink and yellow, pea-like flowers. Flowering is fragrant and profuse in late winter to very early spring, often with further blooms in summer.

Polygala chamaebuxus grandiflora is capable of forming a hump up to ten inches tall, but is generally flat to the ground and only two or three inches tall. Spread is  slow up to 2 feet but not fast enough for serious ground cover. This makes it useful in an Alpine garden setting.

They are underutilized plants for flowering early in the new year. It is worth finding some of these small plants and looking closely at the flowers as shown here.

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Fritillaria or Fritillary Flowers

Fritillaria or Fritillary Flowers

Good Frits for pot culture
Fritillary

Fritillaria is a genius genus of over 100 species of bulbs from the lily family with an attractive and graceful habit. They generally grow about 4-12 inches in height and have pendulous bell shaped flowers of yellow, orange, purple, green or white in the spring. they often have a chequered green or brown colouring.

In Germany this handsome flower is also called Lapwing-egg, Chess Flower and Boardgame Flower (in German I suppose) Some common English names include Fritillary, Toad lily, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Guinea hen flower and Crown Imperial.

  • If these Fritillaria are grown from seeds sown fresh they will yield more bulbs than one would have obtained from offsets of the old bulbs but they can be slow to produce plants of flowering size.
  • Many of the species are suitable for the frame or Alpine house but are also grown in borders and grass (Fritillaria meleagris the Snake’s Head is seen like this in Magdalen College Oxford).
  • Other species to look out for include the small Fritillaria tubiformis and its hybrids, Fritillaria verticillata with white bells on a taller plant and Fritillaria camschatcensis (the Black Sarana) with a very dark maroon almost black flower.
  • The Crown imperial or Kaiser’s Crown Fritillaria imperialis can grow to an imposing 3 feet and is best planted at least 10″ deep.
  • For information on Fratillaria gentneri see the National collection of imperiled plants

Lady Margaret Hall April 2010

Frittilary

Grow Narcissus romieuxii

Grow Narcissus romieuxii

Hoop petticoat or early flowering daffodils in a profusion of white or yellow flowers.
Narcissus romieuxii

Narcissus romieuxii ‘Julia Jane’ is a small, low-growing daffodil with rough dark green leaves similar to Narcissus bulbocodium but distinguished by short wavy petals and protruding stamens. Flowers are pale yellow blooming well each year between late December and March. This is an early flowering species and is a native of Morocco
White flowering Narcissus romieuxii ssp. Zaianicus flowers in the very depths of winter and is unusually precious.
Protect your plants under glass, in pots in an alpine house, or planted out in a bulb frame. Although they will withstand at least 15 degrees of frost while in full flower without being damaged, if exposed to the wind and rain of a typical English winter, the pristine flowers spoil. Also, the bulbs need complete desiccation in summer, and it is difficult to ensure this in the open garden. If you doubt this advice read this from the Alpine Garden Society.
‘A few years ago I read that a distinguished grower of Mediterranean bulbs never completely dries them off, but leaves the pots in a sand plunge which is kept slightly damp in summer. When I followed this prescription for N. romieuxii, the bulbs were smaller, failed to multiply, and no flowers whatever were produced the following winter. When I reverted to the previous treatment in which the pots were lifted from the plunge in early May as the foliage withers and placed on a hot sunny ledge without any water for three months, it took two years for full vigour to be restored. I repot into fresh gritty sandy John Innes No 3 in the first week of August, water heavily, and keep the compost moist until growth starts. If there is no frost, I water with a dilute feed every two weeks throughout the winter.’

The best supplier I have found so far is Pottertons but let me know if you know of other companies.

Grow your Own Rocks and Pots

Grow your Own Rocks and Pots

Artificial rocks can be created cheaply and easily if you make your own from Hypertufa.

  • Make a batch of rocks by digging several holes in the ground the size and rough shape you want the rocks to be.
  • Line the holes roughly with thick polythene, do not worry about the odd crease and fold as this will add texture to your rock surface.
  • Mix 2 parts sand, one part cement and two parts coir together in the dry state. You can add cement die, buff or yellow seem to work well.
  • Add water and mix in to create a fairly stiff mixture.
  • Put the mix (Hypertufa) into the lined holes pushing in into the bottom and sides. You can leave a central hole but make sure there is at least 2″ of mix all around. This makes the rocks lighter and easy to move. You can also strengthen with bent chicken wire.
  • Leave for a couple of days until the mix is totally dry then lift out of the hole and peel off the plastic.
  • If they are a bit shiny you can rough them up with a wire brush but once in the garden they will soon weather, grow mosses and lichen to look quite natural.

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Autumn Seasonal Alpines

Autumn Seasonal Alpines

Spring is action time for alpines but autumn will not disappoint either.

Autumn is a season for care and maintenance of your Alpines plus planning and regeneration for next year. I have taken on a couple of regeneration projects and am currently making my plans.

Regeneration

I will buy some small bulbs this week before the best ones get picked over.  The small Fritillaria appeal like Hermonis amana, Davisii or Minuta yet the pudica ‘Giant’s yellow bells are only 7 inches high. Fritillaria Whittallii with green bells and black tessellations is good for pots.

I am going to plant up 6 dwarf rhododendrons I bought at the Harrogate Autumn flower show last week. This will involve increasing the Rockery area in my garden with a corner dedicated to acid loving plants.

The fashion for a ‘Crevice Garden’ with the slates or rocks aligned in neat rows has finally encouraged me to start growing saxifrage this way.
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