What are Alpines and Rock Garden Plants?
Alpines refer to plants that grow usually in mountainous regions and generally are found above the tree-line in higher elevations. These plants have adapted to their climates in many ways such as small size and shapes that minimize exposure to the harsh wind and cold. Rock garden plants, which include alpine plants, generally refer to any plants suitable for rock gardens, based on size, foliage, compatibility with other plants, appearance, growth rate, and other factors. The terms rock garden and alpine are interchanged fairly freely. Which Alpines are Good for Containers? There are literally thousands of plants that will fit the bill in the alpine container. Depending on the desired effect, plants come in various forms including mats, cushions, and mounds. Grey, “silver”, and green mat plants include the Arenaria and Saponaria. Cushion-type plants or dense, hard mounds include Silene, Armeria, and alpine Dianthus. There are the moss-like effects of Androsace and Draba. Alpines also in
