Alpines Flashcards
What is meant by the terms “true alpine plants” and “rock garden plants”?
- True alpine plants: are those that grow in high mountainous regions above the tree line.
- Rock garden plants: are small or low-growing plants that are suitable for growing in a rock garden and are adapted to free-draining, low nutrient conditions.
What are the site requirements for alpines?
- An open, sunny situation
- Good air movement and low humidity
- A free-draining, moisture retentive soil
- Relatively low soil fertility.
What are the site requirements of a rock garden?
- Open and sunny with no overhanging trees
- South or west facing
- Free-draining soil with low fertility
- Low humidity
- Naturally sloping if possible
- Accessible for viewing and maintenance
- Should be well integrated into the garden.
What are the characteristics of a scree bed suitable for alpine or rock garden plants in a domestic situation?
- A scree bed is covered in a mass of small stones and mimic the slope of a mountain.
- It is devoid of larger rocks.
- It has sharp drainage at the surface.
- Can be a transition zone from from rock to alpine meadow or gravel garden.
Name some of the features of a rock garden.
- Outcrops - stones that jut out from the main rock face that our used to display fine stones and grow trailing or cascading plants
- Terraces - flat areas of well-drained soil behind outcrops used to grow smaller plants
- Pockets and crevices - areas between rocks used to grow plants that require free draining soil
- Keystone - a large dominant rock from which the outcrop is developed
- A scree slope - an area of loose rock which can be incorporated to act as a transition zone from rock to alpine meadow or gravel garden.
List six characteristics of growing media suitable for alpine or rock garden plants in containers.
- Free draining
- well aerated
- Low in nutrients
- Moisture retentive
- Suitable pH for chosen plants
- Free from pests and diseases
- Stable (does not slump).
State four factors to consider in the selection of a container for growing alpine plants.
- Weight: light enough to lift but heavy enough not to blow over
- Drainage: to prevent waterlogging
- Appearance: to suit the site and the plants
- Material: choose natural stone because it’s more pleasing
- Size and shape: broad opening but shallow, as alpines shallow rooted.
State the factors to consider when choosing rock for your alpine or rock garden.
- Cost and availability
- Cost of labour and equipment to move rocks into place
- Choose local stone if suitable, as it will be in keeping with the area
- Use existing rock (don’t mix rock types)
- The colour and texture of the rock required (should match existing features)
- Type of rock (avoid hard rock that has few strata, like granite, as it takes a long time to age)
- Sourcing (don’t use from environmentally sensitive area).
Name and describe four kinds of rock that can be used in a rock or alpine garden.
- Sandstone: has clearly visible strata and ages agreeably, shape tends to be angular. Neutral to slightly acidic pH.
- Limestone: very popular. Clear cracks and crevices.
- Tufa: Porous type of limestone that occurs around natural springs, Full of air pockets so light but is expensive and difficult to source.
- Granite: Heavy, dense, associates unsympathetically with many plants. Does not age well.
Describe the process of covering a sink with hypertufa to create an alpine garden.
- Wash and dry the sink
- Score the outer surface with a tile or glass cutter so the hypertufa can stick
- Paint with a proprietary bonding agent
- Mix the hypertufa (equal parts peat, fine grit and cement)
- Wearing gloves, smear it on, covering all parts that will be visible
- Leave it to dry for a week then scrub the surface with a wire brush to get rid of handprints and make it look natural.
Describe the process of planting up an alpine sink.
- Ensure plug has been removed (drainage)
- Place a 4cm layer of crock in the bottom of the sink
- Fill with John Innes 3 mix 2:1 with horticultural grit
- Use several small rocks to give structure to the sink, if you like
- Select plants that will require similar conditions and choose a mix of trailers, height, textures, etc.
- Water plants well the day before planting
- Arrange and then plant the specimens
- Water, mulch with grit and gravel.
- Discreetly label plants.
Explain the maintenance tasks of alpine or rock gardens.
- Weeding: Shouldn’t be too many weeds if site is well-prepared. Ease out with a thin-bladed trowel. Top up mulch if disturbed
- Feeding: Don’t require rich soil. Annual top dressing of blood fish and bone at 40g/m2 will do.
- Top dressing: Top up the layer of grit to prevent weed seeds germinating and improve aesthetics. Match to existing.
- Watering: Essential when newly planted. Once established, water in late spring and summer when very dry. Water the ground rather than the plants. Water in evening and thoroughly to encourage deep rooting.
- Trimming: After flowering or at the start of the growing season to maintain shape of plants (reduce size/spread), remove spent flowers and diseased/dying/damaged plant material. Cut just above a node or near base of previous season’s growth.
- Division: Herbaceous tock garde plants can be divided like a border perennial. Best done in autumn. If flower in early spring, then divide after flowering instead.
What pests and diseases affect alpine plants?
Alpine plants suffer relatively few attacks.
Aphids can attack fresh growth in spring.
Slugs can be a problem.
Wet winters can lead to fungal infections, so protect plants with free draining medium and mulch around the collar. Perspex over the plant can keep them dry.
Name five alpine species suitable for spring display.
- Armeria juniperifolia
- Iberis sempervirens
- Aubretia deltoidea
- Saxifraga sancta
- Phlox subulata
- Pulsatila vulgaris
- Gentiana verna.
Name five alpine species suitable for a summer display.
- Erodium reichardii
- Aster alpinus
- Sedum spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’
- Hypericum olympicum
- Sempervivum ‘Jet Stream’
- Sempervivum arachnoideum
- Leontopodium alpinum
- Helianthemum nummularium.
