heathers!!! lucky heathers or autum heathers as their habitat is a steep rocky mountinside or hill. you could also grow gorse that springs up yellow flowers :) but thats really alll you can grow as the soil isnt that deep.

You might also try Ajuga, and possibly Monarda.

Quite a few alpines are happy on rock with very little soil, but you could also try violets, and Vinca minor (Periwinkle) which is long-flowering.

Hi, Wildlifebal, when you say heathers, do you mean the 1 species of Calluna, C vulgaris, which grows on acid moorland and moorland heaths, or Erica with about 700 species, ranging from wet moorland to dry heathland, most of the winter or spring flowering ones and a few others will tolerate alkaline soil, but prefer acid soil, but I think either of them send roots down more than 1", Derek.

If there are any other gardens near you Marcia I'd have a look at what's growing for them. See what grows there naturally and take your cue from that. Heathers need deeper soil than an inch. How high is your mountain and what sort of weather do you get in winter?