A Guide to Growing Alpines, Dwarf Bulbs and Woodland Plants

Rob Potterton, from Potterton's Nursery in Lincolnshire, with a comprehensive guide on how to grow alpines and other dwarf bulbs and plants. - 28 March 2025

ALPINES

Where do alpines naturally grow? There are 5 major vegetation zones in the world - forest, grassland, desert, tundra and ice sheet and several other minor zones. What is known as the Alpine zone, occurs above the forest zone and below the snowline, which is defined as the level that snow can lie all-year round, although the elevation does vary year on year. Most plants growing in this zone are referred to as alpines.

We also grow many plants from lower altitudes which need the same conditions as alpines, and which are slow-growing and compact.

The Alpine zone elevation varies depending on location. In Scotland the zone is about 3,000 feet above sea level, in Europe it’s over 6,500 feet & in the Himalayas it’s above 12,000 feet. And in Antarctica it is at sea level! In these locations the plants are generally growing in excellent light, in well-drained grit, gravel or light soil, or a mix of them, and the wind is blowing nearly all the time.

In our gardens we must try to imitate their natural habitats by growing them in areas which provide these three key elements of drainage, light & ventilation.

There are a number of ways to grow alpines in our gardens, here is a brief description of the most common:

Troughs: Please refer to an article I wrote last year that was published by Rare Plant Fairs: “Growing Alpines in Troughs”.

Pots & containers:  Alpines may be grown in pots or containers on benching, in frames, in the garden, on a patio or in a greenhouse with lots of open windows.

Raised walls: To grow alpines in a raised wall, it should be sited in an area that provides good ventilation and light. The wall can be constructed from brick, breeze block or timber, then add a well-drained soil. This can be a good top soil or a prescription mix of John Innes number 2. After planting is completed a top dressing of sharp gravel should be added.

Crevice garden:   A crevice garden is constructed using small paving stones which are placed on their sides, deep into the soil to create narrow, yet deep planting pockets in a well-drained soil. The plant roots are guided down deep into the soil rather than spreading sideways close to the surface, which improves their drought resistance & also keeps them insulated from the extremes of heat and cold. It is important to select & use only the slowest growing & most compact alpines.

Rockeries: This is usually a raised mound of soil in the garden incorporated with large rock stones to imitate the appearance of a mountainside. It should be sited in an area with good light & ventilation, away from overhanging trees or their roots.

If you don’t have any of the areas I’ve just mentioned but still want to grow alpines then just remember the three key requirements – good drainage, good ventilation & good light.

Some suggested alpine plants: 

Gentiana acaulis
Beautiful, large blue trumpet-shaped flowers to 10cm, above a compact mound of dark green, evergreen glossy leaves, neutral to alkaline soil, raised bed, trough or rockery.

Penstemon newberryi 'Humilior'
Low creeping species up to 15cm tall, covered with myriads of tubular, bright cherry-red flowers in May & June.

Potentilla neumanniana ‘Nana'
Compact mound of crowded palmate green leaves studded with numerous low growing clear bright yellow, from spring to summer, hardy.

WOODLAND PLANTS

Generally, these are plants that grow in shade, partial shade or dappled shade. They usually, but not always, prefer humous rich, usually acid soil. The soil can be wet or dry but nearly all the woodland plants that I grow, need a well-drained woodland soil.

Woodland plants can grow in the same place as alpine plants in rockeries, raised beds, troughs or in pots, provided they are given the conditions that I have just described. So if your garden is shady or with a lack of light, grow woodland plants rather than alpines.

At the nursery our natural soil is sandy, dry and unsuitable for many of the woodland plants we want to grow. For this reason, we have built raised beds from railway sleepers and then incorporated a mix of alpine & ericaceous soil plus leafmould.

Some suggested woodland plants:

Rhododendron
One of the most common plants to grow in a woodland garden is the Rhododendron. It is an easy, hardy shrub that is long lived, flowering from April to May in a wide variety of colours. We offer a choice range of slow growing Dwarf hybrids.

Rhododendron 'Shamrock'

Meconopsis betonicifolia
A challenging species to grow requiring a cool, dappled shade site with a rich, acid soil and lots of water while in growth. The recent wet summers have been a benefit to Meconopsis.

Hepatica nobilis
This is a long-lived European species that we grow from seed and will flower blue, pink or white. It grows in neutral to alkaline, humus rich soil.

BULBS FOR THE ALPINE GARDEN

We generally grow bulbs that want either the alpine or woodland conditions that I have just described. Bulbs for the Alpine garden include most varieties of Chionodoxa, Crocus,  Fritillaria, Ipheion, Iris, Narcissus & Tulipa. Here are a few of my favourites:

Crocus sieberi ‘Ronald Ginns’
White to pale pink petals, dark purple feathering on the outer, with a yellow throat, flowering in February.

Iris histrioides ‘Sheila Ann Germaney’
Light purplish-blue grey falls with a central line of almost orange yellow surrounded by a broken white patch spotted sectioned medium blue. The erect standards are light purplish-blue, darker veins & spotting. Flowering in February to March.

Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Arctic Bells’
A new introduction which produces many spectacular, creamy-white flowers that turn white with age, 15cm tall, flowers from mid-February to March.

BULBS FOR THE WOODLAND GARDEN

Including the following Anemone nemorosa, Cyclamen, Erythronium and Trillium.

Anemone nemorosa ‘Wisley Pink‘
One of the best, deep pink nemorosa I have ever grown, first opening white inside with dark pink to reverse this slowly turns a sumptuous rich pink on both sides of the petal.

Erythronium revolutum 
Deep green marble, patterned leaves and stems up to 25cm of very large, bright pink flowers, large exerted yellow stamens, hardy and long lived.

Trillium grandiflorum
Stunning large white flowers, lightly veined, with yellow stamens. This North American species is regarded as the easiest to cultivate and can grow up to 30cm tall when established.

I hope you have found this article of interest, for more in-depth information on different methods to grow this range of plants, specialist books are available to purchase from the Alpine Garden Society.

Rob Potterton is available to present several different talks throughout the UK, including “A Beginners Guide to Growing Alpines, Bulbs & Woodland Plants” which this article is based upon.

Potterton's Nursery is a traditional, family-run specialist nursery established in 1971 which grows and supplies an extensive selection of alpines, dwarf bulbs and woodland plants. Plants are by MAIL ORDER and at the many shows that they attend throughout the UK, or directly from their nursery (check website for opening times). They are winners of 7 Chelsea Gold medals and many other awards.

Website: www.pottertons.co.uk

All text and photos copyright the author.