Pocket sized treasures

Too many people are in too much of a rush to get past April, with eyes firmly on the summer flowers.

But while the likes of Nemesias, Lobelias, Pelargoniums and Petunias are available to buy now, it is too early for them to go out into the garden as the risk of frosts is too high.

For now they should be grown on in pots, somewhere sheltered, such as in greenhouses and lean-tos.

Instead enjoy one of the highlights of spring: the alpine plants.

As the name suggests, they are tough little plants equipped to growing in the harsh conditions of mountains and highlands, so springtime in Suffolk is a doddle for them!

In fact they have such an easy time of it, relatively speaking, that their flowering periods can go on from spring throughout summer into autumn, depending on type.

The majority are evergreen, meaning you have something to look at all year round and a good number have pollen-rich flowers which are enjoyed by the bees and butterflies.

If that wasn’t enough, they also require very little care and attention throughout the year.

Alpines often find favour with plant collectors as their diminutive statue means everyone has room for a varied selection even in just a courtyard or even a balcony.

They are most effective on rockeries and in raised beds as well as in all sorts of containers.

In these situations you can garden in miniature and they can be a great low-cost practice ground for honing your design skills, as you play around with different combinations of textures, tones and forms, as well as colours.

Alpines can also work well in small flower beds as long as the soil is free-draining.

If using in the ground they look better planted in groups of the same variety or the impact can be lost.

The term “alpine” is used broadly and also includes other small plants that can withstand dry conditions, including succulents, such as carpeting Sedums, Rosularia and houseleeks.

There are also a number of alpine bulbs to be enjoyed in springtime.

For flower-power, some of the best alpines include the repeat flowering Dianthus (alpine pinks), carpeting Phlox and Campanula (creeping bellflower), as well as native Pulsatilla, better known as Pasqueflower.

· For more examples of alpines visit www.katiesgarden.co.uk/alpines