At Holehird in the Lake District, Alan Oatway looks after the glasshouse alpine collection and here suggests ten easygoing specimens for your own garden
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With its breathtaking views across the waters of Windermere, Holehird is the picturesque home of the Lakeland Horticultural Society. Largely run by volunteers, this RHS Partner Garden is home to an impressive collection of some 500 species of alpine. These diverse plants thrive in the cold but suffer in excessive wet, so at Holehird they’re kept in a glasshouse built in 2000. Responsible for their care is Alan Oatway, who is also a member of the Alpine Garden Society and the Scottish Rock Garden Club. Here he suggests ten alpines “chosen for their relative ease, rather than their exclusivity”.
Holehird Gardens, Patterdale Road, Windermere, Cumbria LA23 1NP. Tel: 015394 46008; holehirdgardens.org.uk
1Anemone trullifolia
This small anemone occurs naturally in the Himalayas from Nepal to south-west China, at heights between 3,500 and 4,500m above sea level. It’s hardy, but like most alpines it needs well-drained soil. The species name derives from its three-lobed leaves, and it bears simple flowers in blue, yellow or white.
2 Daphne x susannae ‘Cheriton’
“This is an evergreen shrub, with pink flowers and a perfume to die for,” says Alan. Slow-growing, ‘Cheriton’ takes up to 20 years to reach an ultimate height of 50cm with a spread of 60-90cm. This is a summer-flowering daphne, so grow it where its fragrance can be enjoyed in the evenings. It needs a sheltered sunny spot.
3Primula lutea
Native to most of mainland Europe, this primrose is similar to P. auricula but it has a solid yellow flower without the white eye typical of auriculas. “It’s also known as ‘bear’s ear’ because of its leaves,” notes Alan. “In the best forms, on limestone in northern Italy, these are grey-green with a white edge.”
4 Haberlea rhodopensis ‘Virginalis’
“‘Virginalis’ is the pure white form of this compact, evergreen plant,” Alan explains. “It likes shade, but it also recovers well from drought.” It grows in clumps that can reach up to 30cm when they are mature, and the flowers, which appear in spring and early summer, are small and tubular. Its leaves develop in rosettes.
5Gentiana acaulis
“This is an iconic plant that was once the emblem of the Alpine Garden Society. It’s a fabulous shade of blue but, to the chagrin of many, it doesn’t a
