Alpine   is the generic term applied to all plants which grow above the tree line in mountainous regions.In gardening terms, however, it covers a wide range of small hardy plants and bulbs, which are mainly perennial. They can be grown in natural habitats such as a woodland garden or stream bank, or man-made habitats in the form of a rock garden, raised bed, trough, peat bed, scree or alpine house.

The Alpine Garden Society was founded in 1929 with the aim of promoting an interest in all aspects of alpine plants, their cultivation in rock gardens, and plant conservation in natural habitats.

Today we boast an international membership of over 13,000, which makes us one of the largest specialist garden societies in the world. Our membership includes amateur gardeners, plant enthusiasts, professional growers, botanists, naturalists, photographers and artists, as well as those who are just beginning to discover the fascination of alpines.

The Society's newly-constructed rock garden at Pershore is also well worth a visit. It is continually being planted and developed with new and unusual plants from around the world, as well as those familiar to every gardener.

Membership of the Alpine Garden Society offers you these benefits:

A superb c o l o u r journal: the Bulletin is the world's leading specialist magazine devoted to all aspects of alpines, and is sent to Members quarterly. It is lavishly illustrated with colour photographs and drawings, and its authoritative articles include a wide range of topics covering cultivation, plants in the wild, and conservation. There are sections for novices and experts alike, and the Bulletin is a major source of reference.

Seeds: the annual distribution of seeds takes place early in the year. Members are able to select from a comprehensive list of over 5,000 species, many of which are not readily obtainable elsewhere.

Shows: a wide varietv of plants, grown to superb standards, can be seen at all of the Society's 22 national shows. These are held throughout the UK and Ireland and entry is free to Members.

Local Groups: there are 61 Local Groups throughout England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and Members are encouraged to join any of these for a small additional fee. Each Group has an events programme including demonstrations, lectures, plant sales and exchanges, and garden visits. There is no better place to meet fellow enthusiasts, gain knowledge and exchange experiences.

Mountain tours: plant discovery tours to mountainous regions of the world are regularly organised, under the guidance of expert leaders.

In addition to the main benefits, the Alpine Garden Society also offers its Members:

Publications: the Society produces and sells its own publications, together with those from other publishers, covering a wide range of general and specialist gardening topics.

Conferences and study weekends: regular events are organised to appeal to all Members.

Slide library: various talks and slides are available for hire from our extensive library.

Advice by post: rock garden problems can be answered by consulting a panel of experts.

Library service: a reference library is available for use at Pershore.

The Alpine Garden Society also stages exhibits and displays throughout the country, including Harrogate Spring Flower Show (April), Malvern Spring Gardening Show (early May), Chelsea Flower Show (late May), and BBC Gardeners' World Live , NEC Birmingham (June).

Membership:

Single Home: £15.00
Family Home: £18.00
Junior Home/Overseas: £5.00
Single Overseas: £18.00 (USA $34.00)
Family Overseas: £21.00 (USA $40.00)
Life Membership available.

For further details, please write to:

The Alpine Garden Society
AGS Centre
Avon Bank
Pershore
Worcestershire WR10 3JP
United Kingdom

... or why not visit the AGS website or:

Tel: (UK) 01386 554790
Fax: (UK) 01386 554801

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