An alpine garden in a trough

About alpines

Alpines are generally native to rocky soils and sunny locations. You can exploit their natural requirements sucessfully in containers.

They are also very drought tolerant, so they are ideal for rock gardens or for planting in cracks between paving or walls, and window boxes. But the traditional way of displaying alpines is in stone troughs.

What to do

Planting up a trough

• Choose a real stone trough or a realistic-looking plastic replica. Put the trough where it's to stand permanently and cover the drainage holes at the bottom of the trough with a layer made up of broken terracotta pots. These are known as crocks and will prevent drainage holes becoming clogged up with compost and soil from falling out.
• Fill the trough with free-draining compost (a mix of 50 per cent John Innes no. 2 and 50 per cent horticultural grit will drain well) to within 12.5cm (5in) of the rim, level and firm with your fingertips.
• Arrange plants in the trough, ensuring that any trailing plants are placed near the edges. When you're happy with your scheme, plant by starting in a corner and working towards the opposite edge.
• Fill in gaps and firm each plant down.
• To finish the trough, sprinkle a thin layer of grit over the surface. Not only will this look good, but it will prevent leaves that touch the soil from rotting.

Aftercare

• Remove fallen leaves from the container's surface and snip off any dead or yellowing foliage.
• Don't let your alpine collection get too drenched by heavy, persistent rainfall. If you can, move the container to a sheltered space in the winter, or in summer, create a temporary shelter during prolonged bouts of wet weather. Place a sheet of glass or plastic over the container on bricks, to allow air to circulate.
• Feed plants with a liquid feed in spring.

Five to try

• Sempervivum tectorum - vigorous perennial which forms a mat of rosettes of purple tinged leaves. Often used in minimalist planting schemes
• Stonecrop var. floriferum 'Weihenstephaner Gold' - spectacular trailing red-tinged foliage with bronze flowers in late-summer
• Saxifraga 'Theoden' - forms low green clumps with attractive purple blue flowers in spring
• Pulsatilla alpina - alpine with pleasingly textured leaves and white flowers in spring followed by feathery seedheads
• Allium flavum - covered in masses of whiskered yellow flowers in June and July