Saturday, March 19

You've probably visited a few public gardens, but have you ever tried an alpine garden? The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in the Colorado Rocky Mountains is the highest botanical garden at 8,200 feet. What makes an alpine garden different? To start with, they are at a higher altitude than most gardens. 
 
They often feature various types of rocks as part of the landscaping. Also, plants in higher elevations tend to be somewhat smaller. They also tend to like rocky, well drained soil. Just because the plants can be smaller, doesn't mean that the collections have to be. The Betty Ford garden has 28 separate planted areas to enjoy. To mimic an alpine garden where you live, try tucking small plants that don't mind getting a bit dry in the crevices of rocks. Some types of willow can grow in alpine conditions. Look for swamp willow among our live stakes.