Book for beginners - any recommendations?

[Will Itsell]

Hello,

I have a friend - no, really  - who is looking for a book suitable for someone new to alpine growing. You know the sort of thing - a good list of reliable plants, how to plant a trough, advice on soils and composts etc., real back to basics stuff.

OK, it kind of is for me, I want to recommend a suitable book (or 2) on my website but don't know of any currently available. I could look on Amazon etc. but a personal recommendation is always best.

Thanks in advance,

Will

[David Nicholson]

Two fairly recent ones:-

"Alpines: An Essential Guide" by Michael Mitchell.  The Crowood Press, 2011

"The Rock Garden Plant Primer" by Chris. Grey-Wilson. Timber Press 2009.

Both, I think, obtainable from our Publications Manager, David Shaw.

Good for beginners and improvers as well.

[Maggi Young]

Ian reviewed Michael Mitchell's book earlier this year inthe Bulb Log :

http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jan251327484353BULB_LOG__0412.pdf

We were both very impressed with it.

[Will Itsell]

Many thanks to you both.

I've just read Ian's review of Michael Mitchell's book - excellent, exactly what I had in mind.

Thanks again,

Will

[David Shaw]

It is Michael Mitchell's book that I would have suggested. I am not aware of any other new titles that are as good.

[Maggi Young]

The RHS  (Royal Horticultural Society)  has an award system which recognises plants which can reliably be expected to perform well in most gardens in the UK.

A list of the rock garden and alpine plants which fall into that category has been produced and may help beginners to this type of gardening to make a choice when looking for plants  ....
 you may download a copy of this list in pdf form from this link:
 http://files.srgc.net/general/RockAlpineAGMsSept2015.pdf

[brianw]

I started with the Anna Griffith book. Dated now but it hooked us. Often available second hand now in original and reissue form.

[ian mcdonald]

Anna Griffiths book is good basic alpine gardening and also Will Ingwersons guide to alpines. Both should be available from the internet.

[kerrera]

Two fairly recent ones:-

"Alpines: An Essential Guide" by Michael Mitchell.  The Crowood Press, 2011

"The Rock Garden Plant Primer" by Chris. Grey-Wilson. Timber Press 2009.

Both, I think, obtainable from our Publications Manager, David Shaw.

Good for beginners and improvers as well.

I shall try those books. I am very new to rock gardening... in fact I haven't actually started yet. My wife and I have an eleven acre organic croft in Caithness and we have an area about a fifth of an acre to the front of our house which we think would make a lovely rock garden. It is completely away from our vegetables and our flowers and is south facing. it seems to have a slight natural incline  going from north east to south west. At the west side of our proposed rock garden we have planted an apple orchard, which has only started producing apples this year. I don't think the orchard will be detrimental to the rock garden and there are no other trees that will affect it.

Anyhow... I was in a lovely second hand bookshop in Inverness and found the following books in pristine condition:

Rock Gardening for Amateurs by H. H. Thomas  Cassell and Co. Ltd 1916

The Rock Garden by E. H. Jenkins Country Life Ltd 1939

Commonsense Rock Gardening by F. Kingdon-Ward     Jonathan Cape Publishers 1948


A lovely find... and fascinating reading

[Maggi Young]

Hello 'Kerrera'
Your  garden sounds quite a delightful spot to make a rock garden - we'd love to follow the progress of your project  in the forum, if you'd like to share.  Such enterprises are very popular to see- always great to get ideas  and share  possible queries. 

 You've been lucky with your book-shop finds - hope others may manage to track them down online - amazing how much one can do these days, from around the world.

[kerrera]

Thank you.

I think the first thing we need to do is cover the area with plastic bags from our neighbour's silage bales. The cooch grass is a problem here. Also, the more reading we do, the more we realise that the making of a rock garden is an art... or even a form of science. And it's certainly not going to be a rockery!

We would love to share our progress with you.

[Maggi Young]

Oh yes, perennial weeds will be a nightmare - but think of the satisfaction when they're gone!!! 

[kerrera]

Oh yes, perennial weeds will be a nightmare - but think of the satisfaction when they're gone!!! 

That'll never happen.

What we have done for the past three years is build our own dry stone walls... and try different alpines on/in them. Different facing walls with different winds. Very interesting results. Also, what can grow here can't grow twenty miles down or up the road... and vice versa.

Our confession... we procure cuttings from various places 

We are lucky enough to have  spare areas of ground to try propagating... and a polytunnel.

My wife's only downside to a rock garden is the scents won't come near to those of her flowers from her flower beds.

[Maggi Young]

My wife's only downside to a rock garden is the scents won't come near to those of her flowers from her flower beds.

The fragrance will be even better than her flower beds if you get some Daphne established! Some of the  Corydalis give a great scent too..... there are plenty options to compete with  the Mrs, for sure!!