B.N.A.R.G.S.

Berkshire chapter North American Rock Garden Society

About Maria Galletti...

Speaker - March 2004  meeting.

Maria has been gardening for nearly fifteen years now. She took up gardening in her country cottage and several years ago she was introduced to alpine plants and rock gardening by her friend Eve Lambert who encouraged her to join the Ontario Rock Garden Society. Self-taught, she has gained extensive knowledge in countless hours of practical experience growing and propagating alpines and rock garden plants, and in plant expeditions to Europe and North America. In a very short period her nursery, Alpines Mont Echo, has gained a wide reputation in Canada and the USA.  She is a member of several national and international societies involved in alpine, rock garden and associated plants; has an extensive network of colleagues to collaborate with and participates regularly in events of rare and unusual plants in Canada and the United States. She lectures extensively in Canada and United States on her favorite topics and her gardens and participates as a vendor often in NARGS meetings and its many chapters. Recently her life as a gardener was documented in a television series entitled Recreating Eden. Maria’s passion for plants is never-ending, her gardens will continue to expand and her collection of rare and unusual plants will continue to increase.

Maria will be speaking at the NARGS AGM in July 2004 in Newfoundland. She has visited Newfoundland and Labrador often and has pioneered in propagating and selling native Newfoundland plants. Alpines Mont Echo is a small specialty nursery, established seven years ago primarily because of the proprietor’s love of alpines and her over-zealous accumulation of plants. In its short existence it has gone from offering a short list of rock garden plants to an ever-growing and eclectic collection of plants suited to rock gardens, scree beds, troughs, and woodland gardens. We are constantly fine-tuning the selection and try to offer plants that are not easily available in the nursery trade. Most of our plants originate primarily from the mountain regions of Central and Western Europe, Asia, and North America. We have our favorites such as Primulas, Saxifragas, Gentianas, Campanulas, Androsaces, Asperulas, Lewisias  and  many woody plants and are constantly striving to increase our selection of these, and many other choice, low-growing hardy plants, thanks to international seed collectors, colleagues in the trade and generous friends who are avid plant collectors. We are in South Eastern Quebec Zone 4 where temperatures often drop to –30 C.

Our plants are grown in sand or ground beds and in containers which are plunged in numerous cold frames. Plants are available through mail order or through the nursery. We ship mostly in 6.5 cm pots, and we will only ship when weather permits and not before plants break dormancy. This is usually between late April and early May. The nursery is open in May and June by appointment only. Garden visits are also by appointment only. By visiting us you will discover many treasures not listed. Requests for catalogue by phone,  fax or email. Cost is $2.00 and is refundable on first order. You can also visit our website: www.alpinemtecho.com Since we are a small operation many of the plants available are in limited quantities so please list substitutes or request a refund.

Plants are available in Canada and the U.S. We also offer hypertufa troughs and tufa rock.