One of the things that sends a friend of mine into a spin of indignation is when he hears the word "aubretia" (aw-breeshia) instead of the botanically-correct "aubreita" (aw-breeta). The little purple-flowered plant that brightens many rockeries takes its name from Claude Aubriet, a French botanical artist who lived during the 17th and 18th centuries. Add an "a" to his surname and you have the plant. For my part, I don't really mind what it's called. Just the sight of this easy alpine plant cascading down a wall or nestling at the front of a border is satisfaction enough for me.
Ciaran Burke, of the Alpine Garden Society agrees. He'd like to see more people growing alpines, rather than worrying about mispronouncing them. Alpines are - correctly speaking - perennials, bulbs and small shrubs that grow above the tree-line in mountainous regions. Popularly-speaking, though, they are any low-growing plants, often with dainty brilliant blooms, that look at home in rockery, scree bed or trough. And Ciaran Burke, in case you think you recognise him, is well-known to many Dublin gardeners. He is just finishing up an eight-year stint at Murphy and Wood garden centre in Cabinteely and is moving full-time into garden consultancy, while teaching at the Dublin School of Horticulture, with nurseryman Carl Dacus.
Alpine plants have a wrongful reputation for being tricky, says Ciaran. The foibles of a few are unfairly ascribed to the entire population. Take the famous "bun" plants, Dionysia, for instance: they must be coddled like a new-born babe. Let water penetrate the middle of these and you're left with a sad doughnut or a burnt scone, rather than an evenly-risen, full loaf of foliage and flower. The only way to grow these and other fussy, tiny treasures is in ventilated alpine houses or in special beds or troughs covered during winter with dangerous-looking pieces of glass - to keep excess rain at bay.
The cosseting of these horticultural prima donnas is best left to the experts (whose perfect, applause-inducing prodigies may be viewed at the two alpine shows listed below).
Much less frustrating, and very rewarding, suggests Ciaran, is to grow uncomplaining, easy-going alpines in raised beds, in a rockery, at the front of the border or in a gravel garden - as he does in front of his house. Carefree plants for spring include "the three A's," he explains, "Aubreita, Alys- sum and Arabis. And for summer, you have the campanulas."
The nearly unpronounceable, but popular Campanula portenschlagiana, also known as C. muralis, covers itself in deep-purple bells all summer. C. cochleariifolia `Elizabeth Oliver' meanwhile, is a "choice plant with double, pale-blue flowers."
Aethionema, or stone cress, is a relative of the wallflower and belongs to the Cruciferae family - so called because the four-petalled flowers are borne roughly in the shape of a cross. Like most crucifers, Aethionema is largely trouble-free and pestresistant (salad rocket, incidentally, is another clan member). A. `Warley Rose' is a desirable cultivar, says Ciaran. Rich pink flowers decorate its blue-grey foliage from spring until summer.
Another pink-flowered rock plant, also beginning with "A" (surprising just how many good alpines are to be found at the start of the alphabet) is Armeria, commonly known as sea pink or thrift. The latter name, according to Geoffrey Grigson in An Englishman's Flora, is derived from the Scandinavian. You'll see the wild version, A. maritima, with its flower-topped pin-cushions, growing precariously on cliffs around the coast of Ireland. Needless to say, you should not remove it from its native setting (it won't survive the upheaval anyway).
Instead go for a cultivated variety such as `Alba' (white flowers), `Dusseldorfer Stolz' (rusty-claret) or `Splendens' (bright pink). A good thrift, says Ciaran, is the compact A. caespitosa (also called A. juniperifolia).
And for cheerful white-and-yellow daisy flowers, try the evergreen Rhodanthemum hosmariense. "In milder areas it flowers 12 months of the year. It's often sold as a patio plant."
In Ciaran's gravel garden it is blooming its heart out, and spreading lavishly across the warm, beige stones. The gravel garden idea, he claims, is an excellent low-maintenance way of growing alpines. "It's a lot less work than grass or herbaceous perennials." With careful planning, there can be colour all through the year. Smaller bulbs can be incorporated, such as dwarf narcissus and tulips, and the summer-flowering Anomatheca laxa, with its delicate white or red flowers. Low shrubs add structure: the little roundy pine, Pinus mugo `Mops'; the shrubby Euphorbia `Humpty Dumpty'; and Diosma ericoides with heather-like foliage that is headily scented of apple and lavender.
Finally, two Irish perennials for a thoroughly patriotic rock garden. Firstly (and a long name for a little plant): Zauchneria californica subsp. cana `Dublin' has bright-red tubular flowers. And Aubreita `Mabestown' is a blue-and-white-flowered variety that originated in Fred Nutty's nursery in Malahide. It is a most obliging plant, and will grow sturdily - no matter how you pronounce its name.
Dublin School of Horticulture, 67 Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, Co Dublin. Telephone: 01-2847387. e-mail: ceburke@gofree.indigo.ie or dacusc@indigo.ie
Diary DatesToday 1.30-4.00 p.m. Alpine Garden Society Dublin Show, Cabinteely Community School, Johnstown Road, Cabinteely.
May 6th, 12.30-4 p.m. Alpine Garden Society Ulster Show, Greenmount Agricultural and Horticultural College, Muckamore, Antrim.
Bamboo diary date: April 13th, 8 p.m: Irish Garden Plant Society presents "Bamboos: Versatile plants, past, present and future uses ", an illustrated talk by bamboogrower and garden designer, Peter Stam. Institution of Engineers, 22 Clyde Road, Dublin 4. All are welcome.
Jane Powers can be contacted at: jpowers@irish-times.ie