Our Society

The Flemish Rock Garden Society (Vlaamse Rotsplanten Vereniging)

Why on earth would we think of creating a rock garden in “Flanders Fields” and turn our garden into a mountain scenery ? 

Well, creating a rock garden and/or collecting and growing “alpines” in any form or way, has lots of advantages.  Not in the least, the fact that it allows to express one’s gardening ambitions and skills, even in the restricted space of often quite small gardens that modern Flanders counts  nowadays.  Many alpines remain compact and are ideally suited for this type of garden.

Even the smallest of gardens offers plenty of room to grow and flower a huge array of the  little gems that nature produces in the mountains. Even if one is limited to the use of containers, troughs or bowls, there are plenty of possibilities to harbour a surprising number of these miniature plants.  Under these conditions, these fragile beauties will most certainly thrive and their beauty can be observed closely.

People with a larger garden even have less limitations and restrictions to get started with this nice hobby of growing Alpines, although acquiring enough rock and stones can literally be a stumbling block.  A special form of rock gardening called a “recycling rock garden” , making use of some old building materials such as pavements, etc… can bring a solution here.  These recycled materials are perfect to create differences in height or copy mountain biotopes (crevices, ledges, screes…).

There is hardly another gardening style that comprises such a vast range of plant categories.

You will find that most collectors of Alpines also grow bulbs, dwarf shrubs and semi-shrubs, dwarf conifers, orchids, hardy succulents, small ferns, etc…

Plants from all corners of the world, from all mountain ranges and from all continents  can be found in our rock gardens.  Be it the Alps, the Rockies, the Himalaya’s, or China, New-Zeeland or the America’s : all are represented in our hobby.

There are also many possibilities in form or style : crevice gardening, tufa gardening, screes, troughs, vertical cliffs, raised beds, retaining walls, an alpine house, peatbeds, etc… take your pick !

The use of water in the rock garden, a pond or a little stream or waterfall, is an added bonus : it brings the “mountain feeling” right into your garden.

Our belief in our hobby is “rocksolid” and if you want to learn more about this superb way of spending some free time, do not hesitate to contact one of our members.

In our society, you can get many questions answered !   Flemish specialists will help you unravel the mysteries of the mountain flora and your own dream garden will become reality.

Rock gardening rocks!

 

Purposes of the Society :

• to bring the lovers of Alpines (and related plant genera) together
• to share and increase knowledge and experience.
• to examine and promote the possibilities in “Rock Gardening”
• to study alpines in gardens and in their natural habitats
• to help preserve the unique mountain flora

What does our society offer ?

• Specialized magazine (quarterly) with :
  • interesting cultivation advice
  • travelogues
  • clear plant descriptions

Forum and website :

• exchanging pictures and experiences
• providing information

Meetings (Several meetings per year) :

• guest speakers from home and abroad
• practical events
• superb raffle
• contacts with experienced growers, both amateur and professional
• exchange of plants and seeds

Excursions :

• to specialized growers/amateurs
• to famous gardens at home and abroad

Information :

• open garden days at members and sponsors
• useful addresses
• books

 

Membership 2024

You can become a member of the VRV by sending 23 € directly to the bank account of the Vlaamse Rotsplanten Vereniging (see below).  If paid after June 30th, the rate will be 12 € for 6 months membership. It’s also possible to pay for 3 years membership for 69 €, so you will not have to pay for higher membership fees in the coming 3 years.

E-membership : 11 € per year or 33 € for 3 years. You get all the benefits of “regular” membership but you receive the magazine in pdf instead of in paper.

Foreign members : 26 € per year or 78 € for 3 years. New members joining after June 30th pay 14 € for 6 months.

Conditions for advertising :  click here

For payments from abroad (without extra charges within EEC countries) :

Name : Vlaamse Rotsplanten Vereniging

IBAN : BE63 7340 1078 6308

BIC/Swift : KRED BE BB