Native to mountainous areas and adapted to the harsh climate that prevails there, alpine plants can be introduced into the garden by taking a few precautions.
What is an alpine plant?
An 'alpine' plant grows in very specific conditions. In its natural environment it must endure the harsh laws of altitude. The soils in the mountains are often rocky, dry and very drained. The cold can be icy, snow is often present and in summer the sun is scorching. The wind at these altitudes is often violent and the plants, to protect themselves, often adopt a prostrate cushion or carpet habit.
To grow well in your garden, these plants will need the creation of an environment adapted to their needs.
Growing conditions for alpine plants
The cultivation of alpine plants is not difficult; once well installed in a favorable environment, they will require no maintenance and will bloom abundantly without worry.
Special attention should be paid to the soil. It must be perfectly drained, in no case heavy and retaining humidity. A contribution of amendment like river sand will be necessary to their culture as well as the addition of some stones on the surface of the ground unless you plant them on a hillock.
Exposure is also important: these plants prefer full sun, but in the very hot regions of the South of the country, they will tolerate half-shade, for example under a large deciduous tree that will lose its leaves in winter. The plants will then be able to take advantage of a maximum of light during the bad season.
The roots of the majority of these plants being tracing and superficial, it is not necessary to dig a large planting hole. They will be just as happy in the hollow of a rock as in a stony soil. You can either sow them in a cold frame in the fall and introduce them in the garden in the spring, or sow them or plant them directly in their dedicated spot in the spring. It will then be enough to water them regularly during the recovery period so that they settle in well. The first year, water once a week in summer if the weather is very dry and hot, then these plants will do very well on their own because they fear excess humidity.
The rock garden: ideal for alpine plants
The rock garden is a solution well adapted to the culture of alpine plants. If your land is not naturally sloping, place large boulders so that the landscape looks as natural as possible. Complete the scene with smaller stones and don't hesitate to add pebbles on the surface. You can then plant your plants between these rocks. The choice is vast: on the side of the shrubs that will be planted in the background, we find daphne, ulmus or broom, in the center we will choose plants forming large cushions such as silenes, scleranthus or sagines, at the edge of the rock garden will be pleased with small plants such as sempervivums, saxifrages, primulas or even the legendary edelweiss
