I just came back from a week in Banff and visions of the Rockies still dance in my head.
I know we live in the coastal range and yes they are lovely, but there is something about the Rocky Mountains that never fails to take my breath away. The rolling foothills that magically turn into imposing rock faces are truly spectacular.
We stayed in the Banff Springs, which is always a treat. The Springs is probably one of Canada's most famous CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) hotels and was built in 1887. It was a former railway hotel that suffered a terrible fire in the 1920s, now obviously rebuilt, and taken over by the Fairmont Company.
These railway hotels were a series of grand hotels built across the country. Famous landmarks of which are now icons of Canadian history and architecture.
Each hotel was built by the Canadian railway company and generated business and guests based on the building of our national railroad. They celebrated a romantic era of travelling in style by rail and catering to the guests who travelled by train.
We had stayed at the Springs a few years ago, and I loved wandering it's vast hallways and rooms and was particularly taken with the fresh flower arrangements that were dotted all over the hotel.
At the time there was a full time flower arranger, and I thought it would be fun to have an interview for this column and find out a little slice of what I assume must be an interesting and creative way to work with plants.
After a chat with the concierge, I realized the after-effects of the economic downturn had hit the Banff Springs and this job was no more.
He helpfully offered to let me speak with someone from the grounds crew who was just about to embark on the set up for Christmas, but when I found out it involved the assembly of over 3,000 artificial trees and stringing of lights, it didn't seem to fit the horticultural bill I was looking for.
If my visit were a few weeks earlier, it may have still been possible to catch the last fading blossoms of the alpine wildflowers. Although you can see alpine blooms in the Canadian Rockies as early as March, the peak season to view these gems is July and August.
But you don't have to hike mountains to find alpines anymore. A trip to your local nursery will find you more and more alpine selections. Savvy consumers are finding these little beauties irresistible and growers are starting to meet the public's demands.
An alpine is usually shorter in height (under two feet) than most typical garden perennials and have a tell tale ball shape. Even though the plants are small, the flowers are usually incredibly large and showy. They need well-drained soil and lots of sunshine and work really well planted on a sloping side bed.
Favourite alpines to look for in spring include Erythronium, Pulsatilla, Allium, Anemone, Gentianna, and Sempervivums.
