Authors
Graham Nicholls
Respected British nurseryman Graham Nicholls, who draws upon nearly half a century of experience in growing alpine plants, has enjoyed particular recognition for his cultivation of award-winning dwarf campanulas. He has won several gold medals at Alpine Garden Society (AGS) shows and is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Farrer Medal. Now a national judge for the AGS, he lectures regularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. He has contributed to the journals of the AGS (The Alpine Gardener) and the North American Rock Garden Society (Rock Garden Quarterly).
To learn more about Graham, please visit his website: http://www.graplant.co.uk
Timber Press: What sparked your interest in alpine plants — those west of the Rockies to Alaska — considering you live so far away from this region? Why Northern American plants and not plants of a region closer to home?
Graham Nicholls: I first became interested in alpines in 1959. We lived in a ground floor apartment with room only for small plants. I joined the Alpine Garden Society in the early 70s when the photos in the bulletin were only black and white. Shortly after I began going to AGS shows and saw real plants that came from all over the world. One particular plant took my fancy however, Lewisia cotyledon. It came in a number of colours, mostly hybrids, and I had to grow it. I cannot remember when I first obtained the plant but it was the first one I ever exhibited. Four of us in the class and I came last. I had grown it in a heated propagating frame and the stems were drawn up out of all proportion. Other exhibitors encouraged me to carry on growing and gave me advice on its culture. Gradually I became more proficient and obtained a couple of different Lewisia species. In 1976 I sent seed of Calceolaria uniflora (darwinii as it was then) into the seed exchange of the then American Rock Garden Society (ARGS). After about six months Ev Whittemore — who lived in Westfield, Massachusetts, at that time — wrote to me saying that there was no seed available when she applied and did I have any left to send her privately. This I did and we commenced a penpal type of relationship. It wasn't too long before she invited us to visit. Our first visit to the states was so exciting that I often described it as not landing in another country but on another planet. You have to bear in mind that up to that time we had only visited one European country and that was Holland for a sailing dinghy competition. Ev Whittemore had been sending me seed of western N. American alpines since 1977 and I had been growing these plants for showing although I had also exhibited European plants. Up to now I had only seen N. American plants at shows. 1982 changed all that as you will see in the next answer.
TP: In preface you say that since your "first trip to the western United States in 1982" you were "sold on western alpines." In what way did they woo you?
GN: We arrived in the states in 1982 and stayed for a couple of days with Ev Whittemore. She was driving to Boulder, Colorado, for an ARGS conference and had rented a car for us to do the same. We drove for three days from the east to Boulder. As we left Kansas we saw what we thought were clouds on the horizon but as we neared these 'clouds' we realised they were the Rocky Mountains. Before the conference started we took a recommended trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park and drove along the Trail Ridge road. The scenery was fantastic there were alpines everywhere and my camera was very busy. Iris (my wife) and I played snowballs whilst wearing shorts and T shirts. It was an incredible experience. During the conference there was a field trip to Mt. Evans, another wonderful place with plants at your feet as you stepped from the car.
After the conference we went on our travels though New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and then back through the Dakotas to the east. We drove 7,500 miles on that trip, saw hundreds of different plants, lots of animals and met many people. My dream was to go back west as soon as possible.
TP: What sort of difficulties have you faced growing alpine plants in a climate that is not native? How have you overcome these obstacles?
GN: The main obstacle is winter wet. Most western alpines spend their winter under snow, nice and comfy. Here in the UK we rarely have snow and the winters are usually damp, sometimes humid, sometimes windy with torrential rain. These plants will rot off at the neck in these conditions. I have found that many plants from Washington state will survive outside here in winter because we have a similar rainfall.
To overcome these obstacles I grow most of my plants in pots under cover in winter. As I exhibit a lot, growing plants in pots is a necessity and this method allows personal consideration for each plant. I also grow western plants in troughs that stand outdoors all year round with the occasional casualty and I have a sand bed. See the cultivation chapter in my book for sand beds.
TP: What is your favorite alpine plant and why?
GN: That is the most difficult question of all. There are so many. I'll take a stab and say Lewisia rediviva. Huge light to deep pink flowers and easy to grow once you realise its needs. Seeing it in the wild was a like a dream.
TP: How long did Alpine Plants of North America take you to research? To write?
GN: I suppose I started writing a bit in 1995 with just a thought that I have to put down on paper somewhere all my knowledge or growing N. American alpines or else it will be lost eventually. In 1996 I approached several publishers with three or four sample chapters. From then on it was continuous. The total time was about five years before the editing, etc. took over. From start to finish — a piece of paper to the book landing on my doorstep probably seven years of my life. I hope it has been worth it. Will anyone else ever attempt it?
