With captivating blooms and a resilient nature, you’ll want these hardy plants in your garden!
Mention saxifrages and many gardeners will automatically think of London Pride (Saxifraga urbium), a fast-spreading perennial with fleshy leaves topped with short sprays of pink flowers in summer. However, there are a host of other saxifrages available that are far more exciting, from early flowering alpines to perennials that will provide a colourful show in summer and beyond. Now’s a good time to enjoy many varieties at their floral best and to buy specimens to set in the ground or containers for a great display in the future.
A bit of background
Saxifrages are a group of pint-sized evergreen and semi-evergreen perennials that are grown for their flowers and attractive foliage. They are native to parts of Asia, North America and Europe (several are indigenous to the British Isles), with many heralding from the Pyrenees, Dolomites, Alps, Himalayas and similar mountainous regions. S. fortunei is a distinct species that’s endemic to woodland in Japan, China and Korea. It was introduced to Europe in 1863 by Robert Fortune (the plant hunter credited with introducing tea to the West) and provided plant breeders with the genetic material to create a host of showy varieties that are known by the umbrella title of Japanese saxifrages.
Where to grow
Most like a sunny position with very well-drained soil, making them a top choice for rock gardens and scree beds, planted alongside alpines and other slow-growing, diminutive plants. They can also be set in gravel areas, alongside paths, within crevices and grown in pots, with particularly rare examples best cosseted in the shelter of a cool greenhouse. Another option is to create a dedicated home for a number of alpine-type varieties in a sink or trough (see panel). Japanese saxifrages will thrive in the gloomiest of spots, from dappled to deep shade, as long as the soil is well drained but moist – they hate dry soil in summer and soggy feet in winter. They’re perfect at the front of beds and borders, rock gardens and woodland style displays, where they associate well with other shade-loving woodlanders, such as heucheras, ferns and hostas.
Planting up sinks and troughs
An attractive way of showing off alpine saxifrages is to establish a miniature landscape within a stone trough or old ceramic sink. Place the container in a sunny spot, ensuring it’s not under any trees or shrubs to prevent excessive water dripping from above. Ideally, stand the container on bricks or ‘invisible pot feet’ and if you’re using a sink, make sure the end with the plug hole is slightly lower
