Flower Delivery UK 

The Florists Garden

Alpines for the the Spring

Because so many alpines flower in the spring, it is all to easy to occupy all the available
space with nothing but early flowering plants. Once it is appreciated that there are others
flowering in different seasons, a balanced use of alpines will follow.  Nevertheless in the
context of the garden as a whole, spring is when the alpines can be called upon to
make a special impact.  At this time, when the jewel-like qualities are yet overshadowed
 by larger plants, they are at their best.

Androsace primuloides - In May, bright pink flowers each with a prominent yellow eye, peer from
a mat of loosely packed leaf rosettes.  These are partially evergreen and can provide a splendid
 all year around ground cover.  In autumn, clumps of small silver haired leaves form button
like rosettes, and the larger summer leaves die away. 

Aubretia  - Every year more cultivars of aubretia appear - each one apparently better than
the one before!. The variations are usually in shades of red and purple as are many of the
old favourites.  All are evergreen and form cushions of grey to green foliage smothered in
bright flowers in the later weeks of spring. They are best grown on top of a wall where
 they can cascade down or in containers.

Daphne cneorum - growing to 6 inches this is best in May and June.  Denser clusters of waxy
rose-pink flowers clad this alpine in spring and their heady fragrance is a delightful bonus.
 The plant is low growing with low neat evergreen leaves on slim branches.

Gentiana acaulis. - Trumpet Gentian -  Fanfares of blue trumpets thrust straight up from
the squat clumps of evergreen leaves and below the flower tube the petals are speckled
with green.  It is perhaps the most spectacular of all the Gentians and though unpredictable in
 flowering, is well worth trying for the hordes of lovely flowers it can produce. G.verna is smaller.
 Growing wild in the mountains of Europes these small gentians glow like jewels.
For gardens this is the best choice with 5 petaled flowers of the most intense and
 purest of blue, emphasised by a snow white downy eye and tufted of pointed leaves.
 This is best grown in a trough or in a rock garden.

Phlox subulata - Moss phlox - For bold and billowing patches of spring colour few plants can
equal this phlox. So dense are its blooms that the mats of spiky leaves are barely
visible when the plant is in full flower in May and June.

Primula frondosa - growing to 3-4 inches and best in April / May - this primula is
easy to grow and delightful to behold.  It is an early herald of spring with clusters
 of 10 - 15 lilac pink flowers appearing on each stem in April.  Come rain, frost or snow
its rosettes will continue to bloom amid its powdered, grey green leaves.  As the first blooms
fade, others take their place to maintain the glow of colour for several weeks.

Primula marginata. In the French Maritime Alps this plant threads its way along rocky crags
and in the English garden its mauve spring flowers will cloak a sheltered wall or vertical crevice
in the rock garden. The leaves are just as attractive - powdered with silvery dust and
delicately outlines with a greater concentration of the silver at the margins. 

Primula pubescens - There are over 40 cultivars of this hybrid covering a range of colours
from white to pink and purple to carmine-red and terracotta. Common to all is the crowded
head of flowers on top of strong stalk standing proud of partially evergreen rosettes of
 slightly leathery leaves.  The leaves vary little in form and some varieties are dusted with as
 waxy white powder of uncertain purpose called farina.

Pulsatilla vulgaris - Pasque flower - Growing to 10 inches it is best in April and May. 
The common name is a reminder that this is a traditional flower of Easter -
the word 'pasque' is derive3d from the old French word 'pascal' meaning 'of Easter'.
 A rich green dye obtained from the petals was once used to stain Easter eggs.
 On England's southern chalklands the Pasque flower is now a rare wild treasure but it
is fortunately widely available in its cultivated forms.  The whole plant is covered with
silken hairs that give a blurred softness to its outlines.  The young leaves are pale green and
 heavily silvered later darkening and expanding to form a spreading feathery mound.
  The shallow goblets of gold centred flowers appear in a number of colours including rust,
purple, pink and white.  Their charm persists even as summer approaches and the
dying blooms are transformed into glistening, globular seed heads.

Viola biflora - Vivid yellow flowers make this Viola a welcome spring arrival. 
The leafy stems are smooth and succulent in appearance , while the handsome heart
shaped leaves have slightly serrated edges.  V.odorata is the Sweet Violet.  The fragrant
 and dainty sweet violet has been the symbol of love for thousands of years. 
It was the flower of Aphrodite, goddess of love, a connection not lost upon
 London's Picadilly Circus flower sellers who sold bunches beneath the statue of Eros, son of the goddess.
 These flower sellers, I recall, are also shown in the film 'Oliver' as a background of one
of my favourite movie songs 'Who will buy this wonderful morning?'  

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