January Meeting 2016 - Alpines

The Alpine Bank as you enter Faversham.
Photo courtesy of the alpine garden society.

Our first talk this year was by Tim and Gillian Ingram, from the Alpine Garden Society.  We were all very impressed by their encyclopaedic knowledge of alpines, and judging by the conversation at tea, many members were very taken with the alpine bank at Faversham (a photo of which accompanies this article).  The bank is planted and maintained by volunteers and is ideal for alpines as it is well drained on account of the slope.

Unfortunately for all of us gardeners in Hurst Green, alpines are not too keen on clay soil - there are unlikely to be many planted in the new Hurst Green Community Garden, which will hopefully be emerging in 2016 - more on this in a later post.  Although clay is good for maintaining nutrients in the soil (at least it's good for something - Ed), those of us who have it (which is most of us, after all), are in practice restricted to growing alpines either in raised beds - which is how the Ingrams do it - or in pots.   Unfortunately, this does restrict the range that can be grown as some don't take well to having their roots contained - it is particularly frustrating to visit an alpine show or the alpine stands at RHS shows, to then find a specimen that you really, really fancy, only to discover that it thrives best in open, sandy soil.  Over the years, we have come to the conclusion that it does not matter how attractive or well planned a garden is, the true gardener will always be yearning for the plants that they cannot grow rather than being satisfied with the ones that they have.

Gillian and Tim's garden, Copton Ash, (click to visit their website) is open for the National Garden Scheme (known as the NGS or The Yellow Book scheme) regularly throughout the spring.  The garden is about an hour away, as it is in Faversham, but if you are in the area it is worth checking to see if it is open, using the link to the online NGS garden finder (click the words).