Alchemilla erythropoda, also known as Dwarf Lady’s Mantle, is a charming and easy-to-grow perennial that brings soft texture, gentle colour, and ground-hugging form to borders, paths, and containers. With its scalloped, velvety leaves and frothy sprays of yellow-green flowers, it offers a neat, compact alternative to the larger Alchemilla mollis and is perfect for small spaces or detailed planting schemes.
Watering: Water regularly until established, then only in extended dry periods. Once settled, it is drought tolerant and generally low maintenance.
Feeding: Not a heavy feeder. A light application of general-purpose fertiliser in spring is usually sufficient to support healthy growth.
Pruning: Deadhead flowered stems once they fade to maintain a neat appearance and encourage a second flush of foliage. In late autumn, remove any tired or damaged leaves.
Dividing: Divide every 3–4 years in early spring or autumn to maintain vigour and control spread. Replant sections straight away for quick re-establishment.
Positioning: Will grow in full sun or partial shade. Prefers moist but well-drained soil and tolerates a wide range of conditions, including poorer soils and exposed sites.
Potted: Yes, Alchemilla erythropoda is ideal for containers. Choose a small to medium pot with good drainage holes and fill with a loam-based compost mixed with grit or perlite. Water when the top of the compost dries out, and trim back spent flowers to keep the plant compact. It makes a beautiful edging plant in mixed pots or can be grown alone in a decorative container.
Pair Alchemilla erythropoda with:
Geranium sanguineum – for spreading habit and complementary flower colour
Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ – for rich foliage contrast
Campanula portenschlagiana – for blue ground-level blooms
Thymus serpyllum – for fragrance and texture in rockeries or edging
Compact, hardy, and beautifully textured, Alchemilla erythropoda is a garden favourite that earns its place in any space. Whether tucked into a border edge or grown in a pot on the patio, it brings soft charm, reliability, and easy-going performance season after season.
Buying Alpines from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our alpines after flowering to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy alpines, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email
orders@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
From late autumn onwards and dependant on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Alpines are a group of perennials that generally grow in rocky conditions at high altitudes.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
By using this simple guide and a little time, alpines can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
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