Creating an Alpine Trough

I am often asked for advice on how to grow Alpines in troughs but the advice I am about to give also covers using all manner of containers from traditional stone troughs, clay pots and plastic or wooden planters, I have even used a pair of old, discarded walking boots.

Your container MUST have a drainage hole, it is surprising how often this simple point is overlooked. Instead of creating a beautiful miniature garden you finish with a muddy swimming pool and dead plants. To protect the function of the hole, place large angular gravel or similar over it, before adding your compost.

I would recommend using John Innes Number 2.

Next, it’s important to consider where you want to position your trough - to grow alpines well, it needs to be in a well-ventilated location with a sunny aspect, somewhere that receives at least 50% daytime sunlight and good light the remainder of the day. If your aspect receives 100% this is still possible but will affect the types of alpines that you select. If your garden is shaded then alpines are not recommended, you could instead grow dwarf ericaceous plants, using an acid compost.

When selecting your plants, it is vital to choose slow-growing varieties that have much interest & colour all year round, varied flowering periods and a variety of texture & form or colour of foliage, all these add to a visually pleasing trough. The plants should also complement each other rather than compete. You could include one bulb variety that offers flowers in January or February or September to October to extend your flowering season but remember bulbs are usually dormant for most of the year.

In addition to plants, you may also consider including a few small stones to imitate a rocky mountainside or possibly a crevice garden or tufa for the more adventurous.

The surface of the soil should be blinded off with small horticulture grit after planting.

Aftercare: Water regularly after first planting for a few weeks, dependent on the weather and remember to always water during dry spells, as troughs dry out quickly. Apart from weeding (yes even troughs can get weeds!)they need little attention once the plants are established and should last for at least 5 to 7 years.

Twelve easy trough plants:

Campanula 'Dickson's Gold'
Delosperma congestum
Dianthus 'Pixie'
Gentiana acaulis
Globularia meridionalis

Gypsophila tenuifolia
Minuartia stellata
a Phlox douglasii hybrid
Polygala calcarea 'Bulley's Form'
Potentilla neumanniana 'Nana'
a Saxifraga encrusted hybrid
a Sempervivum

A specialist alpine nursery can give you good advice or make a selection for you and we would happily bring a collection of plants to any fair that we attend. Or search our mail order catalogue or web site to make your own selection.

Rob and Jackie Potterton run Pottertons Nursery in Nettleton, Lincolnshire which is one of the nation's leading alpine nurseries with numerous RHS medals including Chelsea gold. The nursery is open to the public (see website for opening times) and Rob attends a large selection of Plant Hunters Fairs, see their page for the current list

To place an order:

Contact Rob and Jackie at Pottertons Nursery

Website: www.pottertons.co.uk

email: rob@pottertons.co.uk

twitter: https://twitter.com/PottertonRob

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pottertons/

Phone: 07507 770728