Alpine Plants: Ecology for Gardeners covers the key aspects of the alpine flower relevant to those wishing to get the most of their plants in the garden by understanding them in the wild. Well illustrated throughout, Alpine Plants: Ecology for Gardeners covers: Introduction: with a working definition of the term 'alpine plant'; arctic and alpine ecosystems; survival, growth and development, including hazards, pests and diseases; climate: the effect of low temperatures, precipitation and drought tolerance with relevance for the gardener; the impact of snow cover; geology and soils; mineral nutrition: the essential mineral elements contained in soils; reproduction: development of the flower; various methods of pollination, attracting pollinators/facilitating a good seed set; seed dispersal and germination; vegetative propagation; impact of global climate change and dealing with changes and rainfall pattern disruptions in lowland gardens; and, factors influencing the origin and present distribution of arctic and alpine plants.
Co-published with the Alpine Garden Society.
- Introduction; with a working definition of the term 'alpine plant'
- Arctic and alpine ecosystems
- Survival, growth and development, including hazards, pests and diseases
- Climate: the effect of low temperatures, precipitation and drought tolerance with relevance for the gardener
- The impact of snow cover
- Geology and soils
- Mineral nutrition: the essential mineral elements contained in soils
- Reproduction: development of the flower; various methods of pollination, attracting pollinators/facilitating a good seed set; seed dispersal and germination; vegetative propagation
- Impact of global climate change and dealing with changes and rainfall pattern disruptions in lowland gardens
- Factors influencing the origin and present distribution of arctic and alpine plants
Dr. John Good is a leading alpine plantsman, author and expert. He is a member of the Alpine Garden Society and is also on the Joint Rock Garden Plant Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society. He is the author of The Handbook of Rock Gardening. He lives in North Wales.
" truly unique and really does cover in some detail the ecology of alpine plants for the serious gardener [...] will become an essential source of reference for alpine and other inquiring gardeners for years to come."
– The Plantsman