Every so often a terracotta pot gets broken and instead of throwing it away, try collecting the pieces and create a planter. It doesn’t really matter what size the pots are as you judge the amount of plants according to the size of pot.

Fill the base of pot with a 50/50 sand soil mix then add the broken pieces of the pot and plant around them. You can get pleasing results by planting in other containers as well.

Try planting in an old shoe or old pieces of wood. Anything goes as long as there is good drainage.

Choose the plants carefully though and pick ones that will grow happily together as some alpines are very invasive once they get going and could swamp the other slower growing varieties.

Most alpines take very easily from either cuttings or division if you want to increase your stock. It doesn’t really matter if they have flowers on them either, just pinch them off.

What is an alpine house?

Q. What exactly is an Alpine House. I have heard people talk of them but I don’t really know what they are for.

A. An alpine house is an unheated and well-ventilated greenhouse, which protects over-wintering alpine plants that are grown in containers from excessive dampness. Most alpine houses have plenty of ventilation both in the side windows and the roof. These remain open except on very wet, foggy or exceptionally cold days throughout the year During the summer months most alpine house plants benefit from a spell in the open air. An alpine house enables the gardener to grow many plants successfully, which would otherwise perish in our damp winters.

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