Can you explain what a moraine garden is? How is it made?
A moraine is constructed for the purpose of growing certain alpine plants from high altitudes. The garden contains little or not soil, the growing medium being mostly stone chips and shale. The important factor is water. The most complete moraines have cool water circulating below the growing medium so that he roots of the plants are in a cool, moist medium much as are alpines in their native haunts. A moraine can be built in a water-tight basin 2 ft. deep and of any length and breadth. A foot-thick layer of stones is laid in the bottom. The remaining space is filled with a mixture of 5 parts crushed stone (1/2-in.), 1 part sand, and 1 part leaf mold. Water is supplied during the growing season through a pipe at the upper end and the surplus is drawn off by one at the other end 12 ins. below the surface.
Will you give me a list of plants suitable for a moraine garden?
Aethionema, androsace, Arenaria montana, Dianthus sylvestris, Campanula speciosa, Silene acaulis, and saxifragas. There are also many more.