Alpines

When space is a premium in the garden many gardeners turn to alpines as most can be grown in a very confined spot. Alpines also can grow in some of the driest spots in the garden yet produce some of the most attractive flowers.

Most alpines are compact and mat forming giving good ground cover and will survive in dry, windy, burning sunny positions and extreme temperatures, so on a whole as long as the soil is well drained they will survive most anything.  If your soil is not well drained then simply add a lot of alpine grit when planting or simply grow in pots or alpine troughs, they can even be grown in walls to give a cascading waterfall effect.

All this and also such a fantastic colour range makes alpines one of our biggest sellers on the nursery, we grow some ourselves and also buy some of the more specialised varieties in from a very good local supplier.

Alpines flower mainly in one burst from spring to summer this flowering season can be extended by planting dwarf daffodils and species crocus for example then later in the summer buy varieties such as helianthemums, phlox and veronicas and  see autumn in with persicaria vaccinifolia and cyclamen, or berry bearing gaultherias. So in our opinion alpines deserve a spot however large or small in everyones garden.  

Heathers 
Heathers, or Erica’s as some people call them are remarkable in that they are able to provide interest at all times of year.  Several are grown for their golden foliage which can often turn a deep burnt orange in winter while others can flower for long periods in Summer, Autumn and winter.

The flowers can come in a variety of  colours some even bi-coloured or even double. The growing habit of Heathers can vary from tree heaths which grow more upright to varieties with a prostrate habit (grows low to the ground) providing excellent ground cover.  Heathers like an acid soil (add peat or ericaceous compost to your soil) and are relatively trouble free, we use them in pots and baskets especially throughout the winter months as they add a splash of  flower and good contrasting foliage colour.

Conifers
Conifers are mainly evergreen and come in a large range of sizes, shapes and form adding to this a very wide variation of colour (yellows, blues and many shades of green) also being very hardy, conifers deserve a place in most gardens.

They range from dwarf conifers which can grow only inches a year to large specimen trees which can have a weeping or upright habit and stand impressive in any garden. They can be grown in pots to add year round interest or grouped and planted in island beds.

Many conifers grow well with heathers and Alpines as these plants can give added flower to the conifer garden. Most conifers need very little maintenance but most like a peaty soil. Conifer really come into their own through the winter months and their foliage often changes with colder weather. We grow a wide range of conifers which changes throughout the seasons.