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Any ideas on how to spruce up an alpine area?
Stephen Cornish
Posts: 72
in Plants
Hello Everyone,
Donkey years ago I created an alpine bed nestled in the corner between an outside building and the house. I've tried a fair few different plants over the years but very few settle in this location, where it gets very little direct sunshine even during summer but is readily exposed to rain, although generally sheltered from the worst of the wind.
What you see in the photo below was taken today, with 95% of the plants in the bed the same original ones as years ago as nothing else, aside from the chives (right by drain pipe which is pushed out of place as I painted that bit today), have taken to the area and survived to see another year.
The original plants I can't tell you the names (lost labels) but the larger clump near back with two stones as it's ears!) comes up like a yellow laburnum for a few weeks each year, there's some pretty small light/med blue flowers from the clump to the south of the chives (but not many flowers, and less each year it seems), the patch to the bottom left comes up in a bed of small white flowers but only for a few weeks, and there's a few more clumps of the laburnum-esque plants near the lower front, and a "morning glory" at the far back (which does well).
This area needs brightening up, especially during winter, and more colour throughout the year, which will not be easy with the lack of direct sun but I'm looking for ideas please. Also, any funky garden ornaments one can suggest would be good too. Thanks
Donkey years ago I created an alpine bed nestled in the corner between an outside building and the house. I've tried a fair few different plants over the years but very few settle in this location, where it gets very little direct sunshine even during summer but is readily exposed to rain, although generally sheltered from the worst of the wind.
What you see in the photo below was taken today, with 95% of the plants in the bed the same original ones as years ago as nothing else, aside from the chives (right by drain pipe which is pushed out of place as I painted that bit today), have taken to the area and survived to see another year.
The original plants I can't tell you the names (lost labels) but the larger clump near back with two stones as it's ears!) comes up like a yellow laburnum for a few weeks each year, there's some pretty small light/med blue flowers from the clump to the south of the chives (but not many flowers, and less each year it seems), the patch to the bottom left comes up in a bed of small white flowers but only for a few weeks, and there's a few more clumps of the laburnum-esque plants near the lower front, and a "morning glory" at the far back (which does well).
This area needs brightening up, especially during winter, and more colour throughout the year, which will not be easy with the lack of direct sun but I'm looking for ideas please. Also, any funky garden ornaments one can suggest would be good too. Thanks
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Most spring flowering bulbs would be happy there (away from the down pipe).
Other than that it depends on the soil; hardy geraniums, evergreen ferns, heuchera or hellebores, liriope, foxgloves - any of them might be OK, depending if your soil is heavy or light or if it's really just stones and not much else?
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Ferns are a good idea. Can get some colourful ones and they hang around most of year. I don't want anything to grow large and take over though. I like neat small concise plants
In keeping with everything small and low growing, Lewisias can do well in cooler semi shade and if you deadhead the stalks, you will get a second flush in autumn time.
Low clump forming Campanulas can do well in semi shade as well as Viola Cornuta.
A brilliant little alpine for shade.
It does benefit from a bit of splitting and refreshing every few years. Flowers best on the bigger rosettes.
I have it in shade and even though it is quite a dark spot at the moment it still flowers well if given a bit of tlc.