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Learn to grow gorgeous drought-tolerant plants in practical alpine troughs.
1. Sedum spurium ‘Summer Glory’ (stonecrop; 13 x 25 cm/5 in. x 10 in.; rosy-red; July to August; zone 2) 2. Achillea ptarmica ‘Nana Compacta’ (common name: yarrow; 25 x 35 cm/10 in. x 14 in.; white; blooms June to August; zone 1) 3. Anaphalis triplinervis (pearly everlasting; 30 x 45 cm/12 in. x 18 in.; white; July to September; zone 2) 4. Arabis ferdinandi-coburgi ‘Old Gold’ (rock cress or wall cress; 10 x 30 cm/4 in. x 12 in.; white blooms over evergreen gold-variegated leaf; April to June; zone 3) 5. Sempervivum ‘Gray Lady’ (hens and chicks; 15 x 25 cm/6 in. x 10 in.; pink; evergreen; July to August; zone 1) 6. Linaria alpina (alpine toadflax; 15 x 20 cm/6 in. x 8 in.; purple with orange eye; June to July; zone 4) 7. Acinos alpinus (alpine calamint; 13 x 25 cm/5 in. x 10 in.; purple; evergreen; June to August; zone 5) 8. Ballota pseudodictamnus (false dittany; 35 x 30 cm/14 in. x 12 in.; white and pink; evergreen; May to July; zone 8) 9. Teucrium ‘Summer Sunshine’ (golden germander; 20 x 25 cm/8 in. x 10 in.; deep-pink with gold-tinged evergreen foliage; July to August; zone 4) 10. Lupinus nootkatensis (lupine; 30 x 25 cm/12 in. x 10 in.; deep-blue and white; June to July; zone 3) 11. Achillea sibirica var. camschatica ‘Love Parade’ (Siberian yarrow; 45 x 45 cm/18 in. x 18 in.; soft pink; June to September; zone 3) 12. Limonium ‘Blue Diamond’ (sea lavender or statice; 25 x 20 cm/10 in. x 8 in.; mauve-lilac; June to August; zone 2)
Alpine troughs are becoming increasingly popular because of their practicality. They take up a small amount of space and require little attention, as these kinds of plants thrive in lean, well-drained soil and don’t need much water. Many people don’t realize that rock-garden plants are available in a great variety of textures and colours. Look for a new line called Rock Stars, all alpine and rock garden plants, many of which are ideal for containers.
Care: This trough will give you several years of enjoyment if excellent drainage is provided. Be sure the container is raised off the deck to allow free drainage and tuck it under the eaves to protect it from winter rain. Cut back finished foliage of the deciduous plants. These plants become leggy with too rich a diet, so top-dress with controlled-release fertilizer very sparingly and only if the plants look yellow in spring.
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