Alpines

Every garden has a place for some Alpines as they can be planted in

many places other than the rock garden.

They can be planted as an edging to a path or in between paving slabs, growing on top of a wall or trailing down the side of a raised bed and as dwarf perennial plants to edge beds and borders. Alpines can also be grown in containers on the patio. All they ask is that you do not plant them in too much shade as they need sun for at least part of the day.

The spreading alpines make good groundcover plants and help keep down weeds, popular examples of these are:- Aubretia, Campanula, Dianthus, Lithodora, Phlox, Saponaria, Geranium (hardy varieties), Gypsophila, Thymus and Alyssum saxatile.

Other plants that associate well with alpines are Dwarf Conifers,

Ferns, Hostas, Spring and Summer flowering dwarf bulbs, Dwarf Shrubs and low growing Bedding Plants.

Hardy Perennials

Perennials grow and flower year after year dying back to ground level in Winter and the new growth appearing each Spring.

Popular Perennials to create a cottage garden style bed or border are :- Russell Lupins, Aquilegia (columbine), Paeonia Roses, Hardy Geraniums, Dicentra (bleeding hearts),  and Campanula  along with bedding plants in a mixed border.

Perennials associate well with other plants and shrubs in a mixed border and give Summer colour. 

New beds and borders should be well prepared before planting, this applies to all kinds of plants. Fork out any deep rooted weeds and dig over the cleaned area  as deep as possible without turning up the sub-soil.

Sandy soils lack fibre and plant nutrients, if well rotted compost is not available a handful of bone meal to a bucket of peat per square metre is an excellent substitute.

If you intend to cut beds out of an existing lawn, mark out the bed and dig in the turf so that it is covered with at least 25 cm. of top soil.

Feed all your plants every year with a balanced fertiliser to keep them healthy.