Long Live Alpines

Last year I overwintered all of my perlagoniums and plants subject to frost in the greenhouse.  I didn't venture into the greenhouse all over the winter and subsequently all of the plants (bar one) died.  Had I left them out to face the weather conditions they may have survived.  They probably died of thirst rather than the cold.

This year I have decided that I am not going to grow plants that need lots of TLC and I am not going to grow plants from seeds (apart from wildflower seeds that I will grow in pots).  Last year I spent so much time sowing seeds, pricking out and potting on that I don't want that kind of commitment for 2015.

Many years ago I successfully grew alpines in containers.  Unfortunately I left them behind when we moved house 18 years ago.   I never had any trouble with them with regards to pests and diseases and they really just looked after themselves.  With fond memories of those resilient plants at the forefront of my thoughts,  I went to the garden centre and picked out 3 alpine plants to pot up in a container.  I chose sedum cauticola lidakense which will have pink/red flowers in late summer, delosperma jewel of desert moonstone which will have white flowers with yellow centres in early to late summer and the hardy and reliable sempervivum otherwise known as houseleek.  I have planted them in multipurpose compost and mixed in some grit.  About a third of the way up I added a granular plant feed so hopefully apart from watering when the weather is exceptionally dry, they will take care of themselves. 

I really think that alpines are underrated and I am so pleased that I have renewed my interest in them.