There is many options open to us these day to achieve a fantastic rock garden if we put our minds to it. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Scree:
A scree in nature is an area containing loose rock on the bottom of a gully or cliff. Small stones predominate, but there are often some sizable boulders included. In this competition-free environment a number of splendid alpines can flourish, and there are actually ways in which a scree can be created within your own garden.
By far the most satisfactory method is to dig out a strip of soil from a well, shade free part of a rock garden - ideally this needs to be between large stones and widen out as it descends. Inside this dug-out area place an 8 inch layer of scree compost ( one part top soil, one part peat or leaf-mold and three parts of grit or gravel ). Another place for a scree is at the boundary between a lawn and a rock garden. Use an edging to hold the little stones off the grass. Where a rockery is absent you can make a scree bed in a sunny spot in your garden. Remove soil from an area and fill it with an 8 inch layer of broken bricks or stones topped with a 2 inch layer of rough sand or gravel. Add an 8 inch layer of scree compost to bring the level to the surface.
When planting, shake off as much compost as you can from the roots, when planting is finished place a 1 inch layer of chippings to cover the surface but under the leaves. A quantity of small stones bedded into the area around the plants will improve the look of your scree. Suggested plants include Aethionema, Erodium, Penstemon, Phlox and Silene.
Raised Bed:
This is now an increasingly popular way of growing rock garden plants, easier, cheaper and less space-demanding than a rockery. A height of three feet is suggested and the retaining walls may be created using bricks, stone, reconstituted stone or railway sleepers. Where space permits, an upper terrace or a series of terraces could potentially be built on the bed to produce extra interest and an area for trailing plants. Clear away any perennial weeds before you begin, and lay a concrete foundation if the walls are to be more that 1 ft. high. Provide weep-holes at the base if mortar-bonded bricks, blocks or stones are the building material.
When the walls are finished, add a layer of bricks, rubble or stones if the soil below is not free draining. Cover with grit and fill with standard planting mixture. Leave a 2 inch space between the surface and the top of the retaining wall and wait a few weeks before introducing the plants. Top up if necessary. Choice and planting techniques are identical as for the rock garden.
The usage of trailing types of plants to partially cover the top of the retaining walls is particularly important. Cover the soil with a 1 inch layer of stone chippings - using larger stones is a matter of personal taste but they are an aid to plant growth since the plants themselves can grow over the rocks and create a beautiful look.
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