Living Collections
Alpines of the World
Well-Outfitted
Plants are in a constant competitive battle for sunlight, water, and nutrition. Mountain plants have special adaptations that open up niches unavailable to other plants. Gardeners can take advantage of the plants that have figured out how to survive in tough mountain conditions. Scroll down to learn about the collections at Betty Ford from around the world.
Take a Virtual Tour
Take a tour with Curator of Plant Collections, Nick Courtens, as he describes the many different areas of the Gardens. This video was created for The North American Rock Garden Society 2020 virtual conference.
South Africa
The Dragon Mountains of South Africa have plants found nowhere else on Earth.
European Alps
Plants around the world that are adapted to cold, harsh conditions above treeline are all called alpines.
Caucasus
Early humans domesticated plants in the Caucasus mountains
Central Asia & The Silk Road
The legendary network of east-west overland trade routes that linked Asia to the Middle East and Europe also provided a connection for diverse plants.
Himalayas
Miraculously, plants have found ways to survive in the world’s tallest mountains and on the highest plateaus of the Asian Himalayas.
Rocky Mountain Ecosystems
From high alpine to high desert
The Many ecosystems that make up the rocky mountains contain plants that have adapted to cold, dry, wet, rocky and harsh conditions. Betty Ford Alpine Gardens contains many of these plants from all elevations. Learn more by clicking below.
Trembling Forests
Adaptable aspens are the most widespread tree species in North America.
Alpine Look-alikes
The world over, alpine plants look alike
Ponderosa Pine Forests
Ponderosa pine forests are the most common and widely distributed in North America.
Wetland Wonderland
Like elsewhere, water is essential for all life in the mountains.
Drought Survivors
