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SOME BASIC
GUIDELINES FOR |
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THE CULTURE OF
ALPINES |
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| HOW
CAN WE DUPLICATE ALPINE CONDITIONS IN OUR GARDENS? |
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There are as many
possible variations on alpine gardening as there are tall mountains.
Even Africa, considered by most to be a tropical continent, has many
true alpine areas and thousands of alpine species. Let's try to simplify
it. There are three basic types of alpine gardening you may be likely to
consider: rock gardening, trough gardening and wall gardening. |
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A Wall
plantings require special plants. All of them have the ability to
establish long roots and to survive substantial periods of drought.
Most of them are lime lovers because most stone contains some
quantity of calcium carbonate (garden lime). You must use an
uncemented or dry wall, preferably inclined to face the sun better.
It is useful to build in a "wicking" system to establish capillary
action whereby some minor amount of water will be available to the
plants from the ground below during periods of drought. Otherwise
you will have to be very conscientious about hand watering until
your plants are very well established. An existing dry wall can be
"wicked" by thoroughly mixing 50% topsoil and 50% peat moss into a
slurry of water and then carefully funneling the mixture into the
chinks and cracks in the wall until it backs up to the surface.
Properly done this system will take several applications to each
planting site. When you plant, get the roots in as far as you
possible can. It is best to plant as you build if you're not working
with an existing wall. |
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| 3. |
Trough
gardening is probably the easiest and most available form of alpine
gardening. Many people don't have a proper site for a rock garden or
a wall for a wall garden but a trough can be put almost anywhere.
Even a window ledge in a city apartment can be modified to
accommodate some sort of trough. Trough gardening is the ultimate in
miniature gardening. The basic rules apply: two inches of scree on
top with the same porous mixture below. The trough itself can be any
container though the original troughs made in the Alps were pure
carved stone, often recycled watering troughs for farm animals.
Today we make them from combinations of cement, peat moss, perlite
or vermiculite. I've seen them made of old tires, brake drums and
plastic pans. They can be a throw-away object or a very
sophisticated artistic creation of considerable value and price.
Whatever vessel you choose, make sure it has a drain hole or two in
the bottom. Stagnant water at the base of a container spells trouble
for most alpines.
Larger troughs often use an extremely dwarfed conifer or
tiny-leafed, broadleaf evergreen (such as Ilex crenata, the dwarf
Japanese holly). These trees are often deliberately contorted or "bonsaied''
to make them look windswept. Small pieces of slate, schist or shale
can also be incorporated to create a dramatic effect. Whatever the
size of the container, do not overplant. Three to five plants are
enough for most troughs. Part of the charm of such creations is to
see surface. Keep in mind that even these very small plants do grow. |
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| Alpines - Tiny Plants |
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