Alchemilla 'Alma'

Alchemilla 'Alma': Refined Foliage and Gentle Glow

Alchemilla 'Alma' is a compact, graceful cultivar of lady’s mantle, offering all the textural beauty of the species in a more contained, garden-friendly form. Its velvety, scalloped leaves collect dew like tiny jewels in the morning light, while loose sprays of lime-chartreuse flowers hover above the foliage from late spring into midsummer. Perfect for edging, underplanting, or softening the lines of a pathway, ‘Alma’ brings a cool, refreshing presence to part shade or morning sun gardens. With its elegant habit, drought tolerance, and deer resistance, this is a subtle but striking perennial that earns its place in any refined border.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 25–30 cm
• Spread: 30–45 cm, forming a compact, low mound
• Flower Colour: Lime-green to chartreuse-yellow in airy clusters
• Flowering Period: Late spring to midsummer, with light rebloom possible
• Foliage: Silvery-green, scalloped leaves with a velvety texture
• Sunlight Requirements: Part shade to full sun (with moisture); prefers some shade in hotter climates
• Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter; tolerant of average soils once established

Uses and Benefits: Alchemilla 'Alma' is ideal for adding delicate texture and a calming tone to front-of-border plantings, shady pathways, or beneath roses and bold-leaved perennials. Its refined size suits smaller spaces or formal garden settings where a tidy, cohesive look is key. Excellent in floral arrangements and prized for its foliage as much as its bloom, ‘Alma’ is a true multi-season performer with minimal maintenance demands.

Companion Plants: Combine 'Alma' with Heuchera 'Fire Alarm'—its fiery red leaves provide bold contrast to ‘Alma’s’ cool tones while thriving in similar dappled light. Add Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' for silvery foliage and sky-blue spring blooms that echo ‘Alma’s’ softness with a bright twist. For movement and contrast, include Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln', whose graceful, arching plumes rise above the low mound of lady’s mantle, adding breezy texture to a well-balanced composition.

Care Instructions: Trim spent flowers after bloom to maintain neatness and encourage fresh foliage. Water during dry spells, especially in sunny spots. In early spring, remove any winter-damaged leaves to make way for new growth. May self-seed lightly, though it is less vigorous in spread than Alchemilla mollis.

History: Alchemilla 'Alma' is a selection of Alchemilla mollis, cherished for its reduced size and refined habit. The genus has long been associated with European herbal traditions, and lady’s mantle was once revered for its dew-catching leaves believed to hold mystical properties. Today, 'Alma' translates that folklore charm into a more compact, modern plant suited to contemporary gardens with classical appeal.

Final Thoughts: Alchemilla 'Alma' is a quietly luminous perennial that offers gentle colour, fine texture, and graceful structure to small gardens and shaded edges. Its dew-kissed leaves, subtle blooms, and tidy form make it a timeless and versatile addition to refined borders and plant-rich compositions.