Alpines are an easy way to enhance your borders, says garden expert Yvonne Harbutt, of RHN Plant Centre and Farm Shop & Rougham Hall Nurseries, near Bury St Edmunds
The arrival of April brings confirmation that spring has arrived – mild sunny days give welcoming signs, blossoming trees and shrubs in full flower, while others are budding up nicely – a positive feeling of warmer days to come. It’s time to get into the garden and enjoy a new growing season.
However, we can still get caught out with some late, sharp frosts which can nip new shoots and buds in exposed areas.
Try not to be tempted to plant out tender varieties or annuals which will struggle with any cold spells. There is still plenty of time to plant up hanging baskets and planters for colourful displays throughout summer.
In the meantime, focus on other planting schemes you can plan to add colour in the garden.
Choosing alpine plants to create new areas is an easy way to enhance your borders as they can be used in many ways. Traditionally, they are the ideal choice to build a rockery garden or in areas where low growing, compact planting is required.
You can include rocks or natural stones as features – slate and driftwood work well, too. Dwarf conifers can be added for height.
If you have a slope or awkward spots that you would like to brighten up, alpines can be the solution. Their compact habit produce brightly coloured, vibrant tiny flowers, making them an ideal choice for edging borders around patio areas and buildings.
Avoid siting your rockery under trees, the plants may struggle with larger roots and they could be swamped by falling leaves in the autumn.
Single pots, shallow troughs and planters work well, placed around the garden where a burst of colour is required.
When planting alpines it is important to have adequate drainage which will help with waterlogged conditions. If necessary, use a base layer of gravel under the compost and once planted, top dress plants with horticultural grit, decorative stones or pebbles to ensure plants with low-based foliage will be protected from damp soil and pests like slugs and snails.
Most alpines are perennial, which over time will eventually grow into a dense carpet of contrasting shapes – rosettes, mound-forming and trailing varieties – creating an interesting finish.
Underplant with low growing bulbs in the autumn, this will give a display of colour in the early months before the alpines flower. Choose short daffodils, iris, crocus etc. After the first flowers have finished, trim back to keep neat and nicely shaped. This may encourage some varieties to repeat flower into the summer.
Alpines are relatively low maintenance and require little attention. Well worth considering adding to your garden this season.
Popular varieties of alpines:
Phlox
Aubretia
Saxifrage
House leek
Creeping thyme
Primula
Dianthus
Campanula
PLANT OF THE MONTH – Allium
Graceful, eye-catching alliums are low maintenance perennial bulbs. They require a well-drained sunny spot.
The tall specimens provide structure with large globes of purple, lilac and white. Shorter varieties offer bold shapes towards the front of the border.
Attractive to pollinators for several weeks, they deserve a place in the herbaceous border. Available as bulbs in the autumn or as plants during spring.
NURSERY NEWS
Due to refurbishment, we have now temporarily relocated our Rougham plant sales and farm shop to our plant centre in Barrow.
Visit us at RHN Plant Centre, Colethorpe Lane, Barrow IP29 5BE. We look forward to seeing you.
We have some interesting talks and workshops planned for the coming season – to check out the events visit rhn.me.uk Bookings now being taken for Children’s Easter fun stone painting session, grow your own talk, hanging basket workshop.
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Growing for more than 60 years
RHN Plant Centre and Farm Shop & Rougham Hall Nurseries, Colethorpe Lane, Barrow IP29 5BE
Rougham Hall Nurseries, Bury Road, Bury St Edmunds IP30 9LZ
Call 07813 008960
