Alpines & Rock Garden Plants

Alpines are plants that have evolved in mountainous areas. They have characteristics to help them survive in an environment that is often very windy and dry. Some are also adapted to extreme cold. They tend to be dwarf plants and their small size makes them excellent candidates for containers called "troughs" (see below left), where they can be planted to suggest a rocky landscape. Growing alpines offers an excellent gardening opportunity for people who want a perennial garden but lack the space.

Alpines also work wonderfully in a rock garden. Some, like Lewisias or the cushion-forming species, make lovely specimen plants for pots. Many plant varieties familiar to gardeners also occur in an alpine form, such as Phlox, Aquilegia, Azalea, and Juniper.