Strong, Resilient Alpine Plants

No need to take a flight and relocate mountainside to experience the ease of growing Alpine plants…. Alpine plants are great garden additions for anyone who has to deal with extreme weather conditions, rocky patches in hard-to-access areas, and soil that is gritty and less than perfect. Sound like anyone you know? Sounds like me, and a lot of the gardeners I know and love.

Defining This Category of Plants

The term Alpine plants is broad, and many of us yearn to have it defined. But the definition itself has considerable breadth to it when we learn of the many plants which fall into this category. Alpine plants are numerous, allowing us to choose from a good variety of plant sizes, forms, flowering habits, and more. But all are low-stress plants… plants that will not create work for the gardener but will do well on their own in places that are somewhat exposed to the elements, subjected to some periods of drought, and not fussed with by human hands on a regular basis.

Edelweiss comes to mind right away for many who hear of Alpine plants. Serving as national flower in a number of European countries that we associate with rugged mountains and natural beauty, Edelweiss is perhaps the quintessential Alpine plant. But as noted, there are plenty of other plants in this category, so choosing several for an Alpine garden should be anything but a "tall order".

The Look of Plants in this Category

Now, speaking of “tall” versus “small”: Edelweiss can have some height to it, but many Alpine plants grow very low to the ground, staying at heights that will allow them to remain unaffected by strong winds that batter the terrain on a regular basis. Certain Mosses and other ground covers are Alpine plants of this sort. In mountainous terrain, at high elevations, a range of low-growing Cushion Plants which look like cushiony Moss or clustered succulents grow well, often acting as beneficial helper plants by providing a growing substrate that can hold water and nutrients for their own benefit and so that other plants can sprout up from within their bounds. Grasses and Sedges grow a bit higher and add to the Alpine Plants list. They are strong, self-sustaining, and attractive.

Color is part of the Alpine plants mix. Erodium takes hold well in rocky soil, sending up attractive flowers in summer… pleasant colors, dainty form, and incredible strength. Plants within the Saxifraga genus (the Rockfoils) are also Alpine plants which offer long-lived petite blooms. And then for a bigger show of flowers that grow taller, there are Pasque Flowers, some of the taller Sedums, certain Alliums, Dianthus, and many more plants.

Ease of Growing

Alpine plants can grow near evergreens, in rocky terrain, in natural or man-made rock gardens, and even in containers. Most like gritty soil because of its superior drainage; they tend to like moisture but can handle periods of drought; they almost invariably appreciate bright sunlight for long stretches each day; they are self-cleaning. Where other plants cannot possibly fare well, these plants are right at home, creating little-to-no work for the gardener.

Many gardeners love annuals for the colors they bring to a garden; these gardeners are always eager to work hard, digging in new ones each year. Many like a challenge in the form of perennials which happen to be temperamental, requiring lots of feeding and grooming to stay at their best. You might be one of these gardeners; I am too. But to make time for our planting of annuals and for our tending of challenging plants, we should probably have a few garden areas that are self-sufficient and nothing but easy. Alpine plants are ideal choices for populating these areas. Plants within this category look delicate but are quite rugged. They tolerate lots of the conditions that other plants can’t handle. And they return each year.

You need not have rock-climbing gear; you don’t need to dust off your dirndl; you really don’t need to possess skill at yodeling. Whether or not you embrace an Alpine lifestyle, you can grow Alpine plants in your garden. If you do, you are sure to marvel at their strength and resilience.