Friends who walk through the mountains, please be aware that each plant is the result of several years (even decades for some of them) of struggle against extreme climate conditions and by picking them you irreparably destroy this masterpiece
do not pick any plant !
Protect them to set an example and spread these information

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(You will find at the end of the page some interesting books ( livres interressants)

A plant is called perennial when its life cycle lasts several seasons

It is called hardy when the plant withstand the winter cold in our region

Check for the colour of your section in the region shown on the map
 Low temperature zone

-29°C/-23°C...........-20°F/-10°F

-23°C/-18°C...........-10°F/0°F
-18°C/-12°C.............0°F/+10°F
-12°C/-7°C..............+10°F/+20°F
-7°C/-1°C................+20°F/+30°F
-7°C/-1°C.................+20°F/+30°F

For the region of upper Ariège the rustic zone is 7, for lower Ariège and Toulouse, the rustic zone is 8

For more detail:/www.aroid.org/horticulture/zonemap/europe.html

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...............Armeria cuttings.........................................Rockery created at 'Charme d'Audinac' in Saint-Girons

Many mountain plants growing in the sun will appreciate a little shady place during the very hot summer hours, it is very true for the south of France. An alpine greenhouse can be replaced by a cold frame, a cold tunnel, a non heated and ventilated veranda, a balcony, a window, a place sheltered from the winter rains ... Keep the plants in pots the most dry possible, from November to February. Many plants are deciduous or half-deciduous, do not think that they have not survived winter, wait for spring to clean them. The collar of the plant is the most susceptible to winter damp which is why a thick layer of gravel is used.

Our plants are grown up in pots measuring 9x9x9.5 cm or 8x8x9 cm and container measuring 11 or more. From that stage, they can be planted almost all the year round, except during frost periods. If they are put in place in summer time or during very hot periods, a followed up and regular watering is necessary
It is always good to know the nature of the soil so as to put in place adapted plants, the location must be clean, without weeds, well prepared and sustained if necessary. In a heavy soil, add rough sand

It is highly recommended during the first year of plantation to provide regular watering in summer even for plants in dry grounds : the plants will settle better and be stronger when faced to scorching and dry summers. Mountains plants when put in place in plains request watering from June till August when the weather is hot, they miss dew, think about it

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Nepeta border

Begining of autumn is a very good period for plantations : September in our regions (mountains) as well as in places where winter is cold and damp and October, November for milder climate. The plant must be set before the first periods of important cold
If your soil stays very wet in winter it is better to wait for spring. (February, March, April)

Be patient the first year, plants will be meeting and adapting to their new habitat, they will give you satisfaction during numerous years

Carnation border (Dianthus)

Drainage is very important (to us), many plants do not bear having their roots in a soil where the water stagnates, in particular during Winter. And it is not cold that make them disappear but the stagnant dampness; this is very true as per for rockeries, which are in half-shade situation or on fresher soil (which does not dry out). We use a third of compost, a third of vegetal soil and a third of rough sand and fine gravel (it is nearly the same mixture for rockery, pots, trough, ... but everyone can adapt it). There are other methods

phlox and saxifraga in pots

This composition flowers from April to September, but remains decorative only by the cushion look of the plants, click on it

 

Once plants put in place, we cover the soil with an important thickness of stones (gravel), this have the advantage of keeping the roots cool during summer, to maintain the collar dry in winter and stops the surface of the soil from being compacted under the effect of heavy rains, weeding is facilitated and it looks pretty and natural

 


It is not always necessary to have a garden or an alpine greenhouse to love and admire alpine or rockery plants. A cold tunnel, frame, balcony, terrace, window border can welcome pots, one or more compositions with different plants, which will fill you with wonder all year long by the diversity of their shapes, the beauty and delicacy of their flowering
Draining must be meticulous. See above

The more bowls and pots are deep, the less waterings is necessary and the roots system are protected

 

Plantation distance. We prefer to put in place our new purchases per group of 3, 5 or 7 coming from the same specie so as to obtain a nice effect each 25 cm, and each group of 40 to 50 cm, following the plant spreading

 

Generally, all plants including those keen on limestone, tolerate a neutral pH to slightly acid one. However, a plant needing a certain degree of acidity cannot accept limestone

For more information, you may have a look at the following books but their are in french:
"Nouveau"-Jardin de rocaille dans la collection 'Jardin défis' par Rosenn Le Page et Pierre Fernandes, published by Edisud, en librairie ou sur internet.
-Réussir la Rocaille - Anne Delettre (construction, maintainance, …) published by Mon Jardin et Ma Maison, collection 'Les Guides'
-Green Roof - Brigitte Kleinod, published by Ulmer
-Le livre des plantes de rocailles de Fritz Köhlein published by Ulmer
- the beauty of stones, troughs, window boxes in flower by Fritz Köhlein published by Ulmer
- Rocailles par Royal Horticultural Society marabout coté jardin
- Les plantes vivaces published by la Société Nationale d'Horticulture de France
- Guide des plantes vivaces de J.P. Cordier published by Horticolor
- Vivaces volume 1 et 2 de Roger Phillips et Martin Rixpublished by la Maison Rustique
- A special issue of l'Ami des Jardins et de la Maison 'Réussir vos rocailles'
- a special issue 'Spécial Cinquantenaire' of Plantes de Montagne et de Rocaille, published by SAJA 'thoughts on construction of a rockery', very good advices and examples of plants to put in place, beautiful photos of Czech plants and gardens (SAJA - BP 432 - 75233 Paris cedex 05 - price : Euros 12)
- The tremendous research work of a member of SAJA : " Le monde insoupçonné des plantes de rocaille ", 15 to 20 000 listed plants. Description on one line, without photo (growing requirement, hight, spreading, flower color, origin), essential for all amateur, beginner or confirmed. You may buy it at : Jean Lefebvre : 3 résidence La Pigache - 62217 BEAURAINS - price Euros 33, postage paid).

You may also look for English or German books for more specialised items, the following bookshops may help you : 'la Maison Rustique' in Paris and 'Cocagne' in Toulouse (refer to Good Addresses)

Internet is also a magnificent research source

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