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Alpine Garden, a project from Gardening with Kids, by Catherine Woram & Martyn Cox

Tiny alpine plants originate from mountainous parts of the world, where they thrive in well-drained soil among the rocks. It's easy to create your own minature landscape by planting a selection of these mini-marvels in an old ceramic sink or a plastic trough.

1. Choose plants

Garden centres stock a large range of diminutive alpine plants. Choose a selection of flowering and foliage plants and buy enough to spread across your sink. Don't buy too many, as you want to leave gaps between plants. We used ten plants, but you may need more depending on the size of your sink.

2. Add compost

Cover the plughole with a piece of broken terracotta or stone, to allow drainage but prevent the whole becoming blocked. Next spread a layer of compost over the bottom of the sink.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

An old enamel sink

Gritty compost (a mix of 50 per cent John Innes 2 with 50 per cent horticultural grit is ideal

Pieces of tufa rock (available from aquariam suppliers)

Horticultural grit

Watering can

alpine plants:

1 x thrift 1 x houseleek 1 x pratia 1 x bergeranthus 3 x saxifrage 1 x stonecrop1 x rhodohypoxis 1 x sea campion

3. Arrange plants

Arrange your plants, still in their pots, in the sink. If your container is to go against a wall, put big plants at the backand creeping varieties at the sides. Small groups of plants often look best grouped together, such as the yellow saxifrages here.

4. Planting

Place your pieces of tufa in the sink. They look best when partially buried in the compost. Start planting in one corner, working your way across. Dig planting holes, insert the plants, then fill the space around each plant with compost. Leave a 2cm gap between the surface of the compost and the top of the sink.

HINTS AND TIPS

Old sinks are very heavy, so plant yours up in its final position – plants will do best in full sun or part shade.

As flowers begin to fade, pinch them off between your fingers.

Alpine gardens look great when the plants merge together, but you may need to thin out more vigorous plants to prevent them taking over.

5. Cover surface

After planting, add a blanket of horticultural grit to the surface. Not only does this look good, but it prevents weeds from growing and helps the soil retail mositure. If you spill grit onto the plants, you can remove it with a soft paintbrush. Now give each plant a good, long drink of water.