Rock Gardening Tips
Rock gardening tips for the beginning gardener.
One rock gardening tip to consider is to build raised beds in the garden or even over pavement.
A raised planting bed makes working with small plants much more comfortable, requiring less bending. The flowers are closer to eye level, making them easier to
enjoy.
Another rock gardening tip is to grow rock garden plants in containers.Like raised beds, containers bring the planting level above any
underlying problems such as terrible soil or poor drainage.Raised beds allow a wide range of designs, including small, intimate plantings that combine with and unify
townhouse garden spaces.
Rock Gardening tips on Soil.
Since the topsoil for your rock garden will be imported, you have complete control over soil
conditions. You can plant dwarf annuals, perennials and shrubs for varied climates, as well as succulent plants like hens and chicks, saxifrages, campanulas, dwarf
rhododendrons and conifers, dianthus, rock cress, alpine poppies and dwarf bulbs.
Rock Gardening Tips on Planting.
To plant, dig a hole between the
rocks, stuffs the hole with a potting mix made up of compost, pine bark, sand and a slow-release fertilizer and positions the plant in the hole. Spread the roots out a
bit, if necessary, and pack in more potting soil around the plant.
Some larger plants may also be divided to fit into tight crevices. A few choice plants
will even grow in small holes drilled into certain types of soft stone.T he many plants used in Rock gardening are aided through the practice of organic gardening by
enriching the soil
Rock Gardening Tips on Care.
Once they're planted, rock gardens are almost carefree. They will need to be weeded, and be
sure not to over water, most rock-garden plants prefer to be on the dry side. For serious gardeners - whether older or younger - it can be very rewarding to use the
available space and time for growing challenging and unusual plants.
Rock Gardening Tips on choosing plants as a good starting point
1. Arabis
(rock cress): Mat- or cushion-forming foliage; plentiful white, pink to pink-purple flowers in early spring
2. Aubrieta (rock cress): White, rose, purple flowers in
spring; cushion-forming; cut back after flowering to maintain compact shape
3. Campanula (bellflowers): Many suitable types: C. portenschlagiana (Dalmatian
bellflower), neat mounding habit; abundant bluish-purple flowers in mid- to late summer; C. poscharskyana(Serbian bellflower), fast-spreading trailing habit; star-shaped
lavender flowers in late spring/early summer; C. carpatica (Carpathian bellflower), low growing, blue or white flowers in spring through summer
4. Dianthus
(pinks) D. deltoides (Maiden pink) is a mat-forming perennial that is among the easiest alpines for beginners; has a profusion of single flowers in late spring/early
summer; pink-, white- or red-flowered varieties available. D. gratianopolitanus (Cheddar pink) D. gratianopolitanus (Cheddar pink) blooms in early summer with spicy,
fragrant rose pink single flowers
5. Geranium (cranesbill or hardy geranium) G. cinereum, low-spreading type with lobed leaves and saucer-shaped
spring-blooming flowers in pink, lilac and magenta; G. dalmaticum has shell-pink flowers in late spring/early summer
6. Penstemon (beardtongue) Native to
North America; irregular-shaped flowers with tubular upper and lower lips; dislikes excessive heat and humidity; try P. barbatus 'Elfin pink' or P. hirsutus 'Pygmaeus',
which has lilac flowers
7. Creeping Pholox (Phlox subulata) Popular, easy-to-grow rock garden plant; blooms several weeks in spring; pink, white, blue,
magenta flowers cover mounds of needlelike foliage; shear after flowering to maintain compact form
8. Pulsatilla (pasque flower) Showy in early spring; finely
dissected fernlike leaves; silky bell- or cup-shaped flowers in lavender or purple
9. Saxifraga (Saxifrage) No rock garden is complete without saxifrages; native
to mountainous northern hemisphere regions; choose from a vast array; most are mat- or cushion-forming; immense variety of habit and flowering
