What's a good way to start a rock garden?

Answer 1

Pick a sunny spot, sunny all day. Kill out the grass if any, and place down landscape fabric, especially if you have bermuda grass or other creepers. Use rocks for a border around the perimeter, add soil an more rocks so you have pockets of soil where you can plant some appropriate plants.

Answer 2

I have one and absolutely love it, I have a few thoughts that might help in your decision. I think that when you have a rock garden if you just treat it informally and don't try to make a formal rock garden that you will have the best results. If you will look for a place where rocks just exist naturally, or where you have brought in rocks from elsewhere would be best. This area can have lots of exposure to the wind and the sun and also can be in a place where the soil is not as fertile as would be needed if you were growing vegetables are usually the best place for a rock garden. I really don't care for a real shaded area or a wet spot, but if you perhaps have a small brook nearby this would provide extra moisture.

Most of all you will want to make your rock garden to look natural like it has been there for years, not artifical so usually no one puts one in a flower garden. I grow plants in my rock garden that I wouldn't think would look good or thrive in my flower gardens.

Usually the plants in my rock garden will be in bloom in May or June and the rest of the year there are no blooms of any kind, but I have found plants this year that I think will provide more color all summer. You can make a rock garden attractive but it requires a lot of work, but then I like to work and I also like a really big challenge, if you don't then think again about making a rock garden. It is difficult to plant among rocks but you can.

Now let's select where the rock garden will be placed, let's talk about the site and also the soil. A spot with natural rocks already there will be great but we don't all have that handy in our yards, so we can construct this ourselves. Look around the sides of roads, in the woods and get a good collection or rocks or perhaps you can even purchase the rocks you might need locally. In any case, you'll need to insert the rocks carefully in the soil.

Try to make a slope to the rock garden so that you will have better sloped drainage. You'll want the rain or snow to be able to drain easily and not stand in the rock garden, this is very important. Keep the rock garden area open to the sky and out of the shadows of overpowering trees or even buildings. Remember if the slope is facing south there will be lots of heat in the summer and too much winter sun also. An eastern slope is cooler than a western slop and the afternoon sun is at an angle that is better for the heat at noon than a western one.

Now let's construct this rock garden. Oh don't bring in lots of colored rock as these are usually soft rocks and will easily fall apart. Tufa and coral rock may not be native in the area you live but these are well liked by plants because of their porous quality. Very hard rocks will disintegrate slowly, but hold their outlines well. Try to turn the broken parts of the rock to the rear of the rock garden so that the overall effect will be their prettiest side.

Now let's lay the stones, make all the vertical crevices between stones V-shaped or wider at the top, make the smallest part of the crevice in a V-shape. When you put in a large rock,lay it upon another large rock, then lay a few flat chips or pieces of brick on the lowest stone then add soil before adding more stones. This will give you a soil strip which will give your plants room for their roots. Don't leave overhanging ledges as your plants will look smaller than they are when growing.

I use a soil mix of ne third sand, one third garden soil and one third humus, sometimes I add more sand for those plants that require the most perfect drainage or more humus for those plants that like acidity and root moisture. I don't care to use clay soil for clay packs and isn't a good soil for a rock garden.

Watering is usually not a problem, don't water with the hose or any strong force, I usually water with a hose in my hand with very little water and water the area thoroughly, sure it takes a little time but my plants seem to thrive. I also would not recommend using any powerful fertilizer of any kind as you aren't trying to grow large plants, the smaller plants are best.

Answer 3

Lay out a desired pattern using pebbles, preferably in an area with lots of sunlight, water and soon you will have a rock garden.

Answer 4

Find porurous rocks arrange them in the design you like and plant sedums around them.

Answer 5

WHENEVER YOU GO ANYWHERE LOOK FOR ORNATE ROCKS . SOME HAVE BEAUTIFUL MARKINGS AND COLORATIONS. SOME CAN BE QUITE HEAVY SO HAVE A WAY TO TRANSPORT THEM TO YOUR VEHICLE FOR THE TRIP TO YOUR GARDEN.