Plant of the Month: July
Alpines
Plant some alpines as part of your summer garden display. They add colour and charm to the garden, and some will attract pollinators to their flowers. Alpines are typically low-growing and compact with delicate foliage and will look good at the front of your garden borders where you can appreciate them. They’re also ideal planted in rockeries or containers.
Alpines don’t need much attention, and many give hardy, low-maintenance ground cover all year round. When making your selection, check the eventual size on the plant label because some of them like to spread out. A little can go a long way!
are originally from mountainous regions and can thrive in stony soil. Well-draining soil is essential because they hate being waterlogged, so add generous amounts of horticultural grit to the planting hole. You can plant them in an alpine mix of compost that’s grittier than usual.
Mulch around them with gravel to control weeds. They don’t need much care; simply prune dead growth and deadhead flowers. Although they’re drought-tolerant, keep them watered during their first season until they become established, and during hot spells.
Nemesia is a flowering alpine that provides lovely ground cover right through until autumn. It looks stunning in containers, too. Plant it in a sunny or semi-sunny position, and it can flower profusely. Deadheading will extend the flowering period.
Erigeron is a charming daisy-like alpine, with an abundance of flowers for months. It will happily tumble down from a raised bed or container, or it can soften the edges of your borders. Lightly trim the the straggly stems in August to prolong flowering. Other summer alpines include sedum and dianthus.
