Hailing from the high altitudes, these hardy plants will continue to thrive in the unpredictable climate that we’ll most definitely see as we enter Autumn. Although they might not be as large and tall as the dahlias, sunflowers and lupins that you’ve grown used to seeing throughout July and August, the wealth of shapes and colours which alpines hold make them pretty impressive plants to mix and match.

Here at Almondsbury, we’re offering a 3 for £10 deal on all of our 1 litre-potted alpines, or £3.99 individually. See our campanula flowers in their whites and blues; the plants may be small, but they hold a carpet of beautiful flowers. Add these to your hanging baskets for some gentle colour to see you through to the first frosts.

Alternatively, you could build a rockery for your alpine plants. Rockeries are great features for bringing a little design and texture to your garden. This can be achieved fairly easily by selecting a trough, or sink with good drainage holes. Take John Innes No 1 compost and mix this half-and-half with a multi-purpose compost. You can add a little grit to improve drainage. You can then add small rocks to produce a landscape that’s suitable for the alpine plants.

Both delosperma, with bright flowers and thick, finger-like leaves and the purple dianthus ‘kahori’ would bring defining colour to a tired or bare garden space. The delosperma is a succulent and, like many other succulents, the plant has a shape that is very characteristic of the group of plants.

Though the colour is starting to fade in your garden, our range of alpine plants is alive with bright and bold tones. What makes alpines even more attractive is that when many of your bedding plants have to be dug up and composted, these plants will come back again the following Spring. In addition, the plants provide your garden with ambient foliage to give it that little bit of life even in the cold winter months.

Don’t give up your trowel just yet; why not have a go at setting up your own rockery garden this Autumn?