Filling the bed
• Joanna suggests a mix of equal parts topsoil, peat moss and pea gravel, limestone scree or builder's sand.

• Shovel the soil mix into the bed, filling 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) thickness inside the wall with stone rubble, combined with some of the soil mix, to promote drainage.

• Here and there, tuck a small amount of soil into crevices, then tuck in plants such as dianthus, lewisia or saxifraga.

Weathering the wall
In a blender, mix a handful of moss with a bottle of beer, the same amount of buttermilk and a pinch of sugar. Spread the mixture over the rocks; keep it moist to encourage the growth of moss and lichen.

Easy alpines
• Compact and sturdy, alpines survive exposed sites and harsh environments.
• They prefer a very lean soil, so fertilizing is unnecessary.
• More likely to suffer from too much water than too little, alpines require watering only after a period of drought.
• Mulching the beds with gravel keeps weeds down; topping up the mulch every spring keeps the garden neat.
• For more information on creating a scree garden filled with dwarf conifers and alpine plants, check out Earth, Air, Scree and Water on Canadian Living Online.

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