Rare and unique, this palm-like giant Lobelia forms a large rosette of purplish-green, large, narrow, hairy leaves, and a tall sizeable woody trunk. Eventually a giant flower spike arises protected by masses of long, silvery hairy bracts, and finally countless deep blue flowers open. Similar in stature to a giant Echium, it can grow up to 6 metres in total. Rare even in the wild, where it is pollinated by birds, it lives in the high-elevation bogs of the alpine zone, between 3700 and 4300 m (12100 and 14100 ft) and is native to the high Rwenzori Mountains of tropical Eastern Africa from Ugand ... Learn More

Sometimes grown as an annual this tough almost alpine like plant forms tight domes of foliage topped with dense balls of delicate, deep amethyst, purple flowers. But it's best feature is the strong honey scented perfume given off by its flowers, which on mass will travel quite a distance in late afternoon. Grows well on the edge of raised beds, rockeries or in patio containers. ... Learn More

Sometimes grown as an annual this tough almost alpine like plant forms tight domes of foliage topped with dense balls of delicate, snow white flowers. But it's best feature is the strong honey scented perfume given off by its flowers, which on mass will travel quite a distance in late afternoon. Grows well on the edge of raised beds, rockeries or in patio containers. ... Learn More

This is one of the most attractive hardy grasses, barely yet discovered by gardeners. Being an inhabitant of alpine meadows, it produces its striking heads of almost pure white flowers in early spring, when most other grasses are barely sprouting, all above compact trusses of attractive hairy stems. ... Learn More

This diminutive European alpine, very rare in Britain, has dense terminal clusters of twenty or more tufted, dark rosy purple flowers in late spring, held on short sticky stems which arise above compact tufts of grass like foliage. ... Learn More

This is the dark purple form of the very rare British native which is both soundly perennial and beautiful. In midsummer, massed panicles of purple-red flowers are held atop strong thin stems, displayed during June and July on upright, almost bare, stems arising from a rosette of strappy green leaves at the base, and will make a charming feature dotted through a border, and may do well in an alpine garden as its natural habitat is on inaccessible rock faces. This unusual member of the Campion family is attractive to moths; indeed the garden name derives from the stickiness of the stems, which ... Learn More

This exceptional flower produces dark burgundy leaves with very large, vibrant red-orange flowers from late spring to summer and even sometimes into autumn. It epitomises what gardeners desire, with its small stature, and enormous dazzling vermilion flowers, which are 2" or 5 cm. wide, flaring above the chocolate-bronzed foliage. It is ideal for a sunny position in the border, container or even the alpine rock garden, as this tough and hardy plant is easy to grow and long-flowering. ... Learn More

In late winter and earliest spring the curious corms of these little beauties send up crowds of inch-wide, pale-pink star-flowers, making them ideal candidates for an alpine trough or sand bed, where they will self-seed readily and spread by underground runners. They are found in the wild from eastern Europe through Russia into Iran where they grow in grasslands in moist, sandy soil, often up to an altitude of 1400 meters. ... Learn More

This pretty and rarely-seen high alpine plant makes small cushions of needle-shaped leaves with white, starry flowers on thin delicate stems. It thrives in the harshest of conditions often on almost bare rocky outcrops and serpentine soils, which harbour a distinct and unique flora rich in endemics. Minuartia laricifolia has two ecologically distinct subspecies with disjunct distributions. Subsp. laricifolia on siliceous rocks in the western Alps and eastern Pyrenees, and subsp. ophiolitica on serpentine in the northern Apennines. Few seeds collected. ... Learn More

An exceptionally choice and rare dwarf plant with pink buds opening to deepest violet-blue flowers. Stems bear oblong-lance-shaped, linear leaves which are dark blue-green above and white beneath. One of the best-ever alpine house and show plants, this fabulous miniature semi-evergreen sub-shrub originates from the mountains of Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece. ... Learn More

Mutisia oligodon is a charming evergreen subshrub native to the temperate regions of Chile and Argentina. This low-growing plant exhibits a semi-prostrate to ascending habit, often forming dense mats that sprawl gracefully over rocky terrains. Its slender stems are adorned with leathery, oblong leaves, each terminating in a delicate tendril that aids in climbing or anchoring to nearby structures. The foliage presents a vibrant green hue on the upper surface, while the underside is cloaked in a soft, pale wool, adding to its tactile appeal. During the blooming season, Mutisia oligodon produc ... Learn More

Abundant, true blue petals open in a disc, with a tiny yellow "ring" at the centre, blooming constantly from late spring into summer. It self-sows anywhere it is happy, giving the appearance of a cloud of blue surrounding spring bulbs to a magnificent effect. The Alpine Forget-me-not is the county flower of Westmorland in the UK, and also the state flower of Alaska where it grows well in open, rocky places high in the mountains, flowering in midsummer. Just a few seeds collected. ... Learn More

New to cultivation. Collected on the recent Alpine Garden Society China Expedition. (A.C.E.1611). Disproportionately large flowerheads with prominent lipped blue and white flowers, with rough fragrant leaves. A little (actually a medium sized) beauty! Also known as Stewart's Catmint, this rare and exotic perennial herb is the perfect addition for those seeking a distinctive touch to their outdoor space. This uncommon plant adds an elegant touch to your garden, setting it apart from the usual varieties. Suitable for gardeners of all levels, grow this plant effortlessly and enjoy its graceful bl ... Learn More

Common in the tundra of the Arctic grows this densely-tufted plant with flowers which are small and green, ageing to reddish, and grouped in an open upright cluster, before ripening to dense red tufts holding the seeds. This astonishingly hardy plant, to Zone 2 in the USA, has attractive, fleshy, kidney-shaped leaves which are very tasty. Indeed I have eaten these tasty leaves, high in vitamin C, high on the Scottish mountains in the UK where it maintains a foothold. ... Learn More

Tufted and stemless white to red-purple flowers open on upright stems above a compact cushion of ferny compound leaves growing from a persistent woody base. This alpine plant is found at high elevations in gravelly, well-drained locations, screes, bare slopes and alpine fellfields up to 4100m in California to Alaska and eastwards to Colorado and Quebec. It is unique within its genus by virtue of its viscid, 'sticky with glandular warts', bracts and inflorescence. ... Learn More