Lori Skulski has gardened in Calgary since 1996, and has always been interested in trying as many species as possible, with the goals of providing interest in the garden through as much variety as possible, and testing for hardiness. These goals have lead to an increasing interest in alpines through the recent years. If there was one piece of advice that she would pass on to gardeners in this area, it would be to disregard zone ratings and instead, try whatever species are of interest!
Selection criteria: It is fortunate that, due to our dry conditions, many "traditional" rock garden plants will grow in regular soil here, as long as drainage exists. Having said that, those selected for the list below should reward the beginning rock gardener with success, and encourage him or her to expand the alpine collection by seeking out more-specialized rock garden plants.
