Grow a Rock Garden in a Challenging Area

Poor drainage and hot, dry conditions are no problem for this garden design approach

A rock garden can help oneself you defeat a number of challenges in the landscape of theSouthern Plains — frompoorly run out soilto hot , juiceless , rocky areas . It provides a substance of creating a beautiful garden in a harsh environment and offers an attractive way to add crusade and dimension to a flat landscape painting . Rock gardensbring a subtle peach to the garden through the likable contrast of hearty rock and the flabby foliage of industrial plant . They also ply the opportunity to grow different eccentric of plants than would otherwise prosper in the landscape painting . Before you get , however , it ’s significant to translate some basics .

What is a rock garden?

A rock garden is simply a combining of plants and strategically placed rock and roll that create an aesthetically pleasing garden . Some rock garden are build into existingslopesor even on relatively flat control surface as a means of managing bumpy and / orxeric land site . Others are evoke to add interest to the landscape painting or to ameliorate soil drainage . This latter type is particularly utile for gardeners with stiff dirt .

Mounded or raised rock garden lift plants up out of poorly drained soil , keeping roots and plants intelligent and palmy . They are constructed from large boulders set to hold a mound of well - drain soil mix in property . A good rock garden soil mixing stop adequate portion soil , compost , and grit ( such as coarse guts or minuscule pea gravel ) . This type of garden let gardeners to grow plants that lose in stiff soil and spread out the door to many new planting theory .

Types of rock gardens

Nature extend many fine examples of pairing stone and industrial plant , from alpine habitats to bouldery cliffsides . The famous rock gardens of Japan develop from the rugged scene of the island , while the alpine gardens of England mimic the mountains of Europe . In desert climate , cacti andsucculentsplaced among gravel and gem transform the desiccated landscape painting into arresting xeric gardens . Among the most beautiful “ gardens ” I ’ve ever explored are the jolty outcroppings of theWichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge . Look to the outcrop , side , and other bumpy sites in your area to encounter aspiration for rock garden design and planting .

Design considerations for a rock garden

A spill or mounded rock garden can be designed with a unmarried elemental view angle or so that it can be view from all counseling . For single - sided rock garden , it is idealistic to orientate the planting side facing east . This provide optimum growing stipulation , with plant receiving mint of morning time Sunday and rocks leave some shadiness during the hot part of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . For slopes present west and south , only the mostheat - tolerant plantsshould be used .

Unless you are striving to produce a very specific aesthetic , such as aJapanese garden , it is best to use stone unremarkably launch in your sphere . This will make your rock ‘n’ roll garden look like a natural characteristic of the landscape . Rock position is critical to creating a natural - looking garden . Study pictures of rock constitution in your area . Notice how big rocks form distinct layer or socio-economic class . Strive to imitate these stratum when rank bowlder in your rock garden . The exception to this would be for Japanese - style gardens , in which tilt are placed to represent mountain and are often determine at sharp-worded angle to the land plain .

How to plant a rock garden

Rock garden plantsgenerally mimic the types of plant fabric found in an alpine setting . Such plants are low growing , typically under 12 inches tall , and are point with a few tallerverticalelements to lend interest . The follow plant suggestions are for a garden mimicking a raw careen outcropping . If you are striving for a Japanese - style garden or desert garden , await to examples of these gardens for your area when pick out appropriate plant life material . When it come to the types of plant to pick out in worldwide , I suggest begin with these four main groups .

1 . evergreen

While the rock ‘n’ roll themselves put up pursuit class - round , it is also a adept approximation to incorporate a few dwarf coniferous tree for evergreen color . When using larger boulders in your design , you could let in slightly larger evergreens such as ‘ Golden swab ’ threadleaf Japanese falsecypress ( Chamaecyparispisifera‘Golden Mop ’ , Zones 4–8 ) . ‘ Blue Star ’ juniper ( Juniperussquamata‘Blue Star ’ , zone 4–8 ) is another full choice for the Southern Plains . For little garden , look forevergreen perennial , like penny-pinching - folio perky Sue ( Hymenoxys scaposa , Zones 4–9 ) or firewitch cheddar cheese pink ( Dianthusgratianopolitanus‘Feuerhexe ’ , Zones 3–9 ) . Rock garden also allow for excellent drain for small cacti .

2 . Grasses

Add interesting grain to the garden with a mixture of low - growing grass and grasslike plant . Prairie dropseed ( Sporobolusheterolepisand cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) is among our most beautiful native grasses , with very fine foliage and airy fall seed heads . Rock garden provide the staring site for growing red hot salamander ( Kniphofiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–10 ) , whose sensational heyday attracthummingbirds .

3 . perennial

For blooms all season long , incorporate a variety of perennials that bloom at unlike times throughout the class . In late bounce , pineleaf beardtongue ( Penstemonpinifolius , Zones 4–9 ) puts on quite a show , with burnished orangish tube-shaped blooms . The wild blue yonder to imperial blooms of mealy cup sage ( Salviafarinaceaand cvs . , Zones 7–10 ) attract pollinators all summertime long , while previous summertime convey the gilt blooming of plains zinnia ( Zinniagrandiflora , Zones 4–8 ) .

4 . Groundcovers

With their grim stature , groundcoversare nonpareil for rock-and-roll gardens . Stonecrop ( Sedumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–11 ) is a lifelike fit , as is creeping phlox ( Phloxsubulataand cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , which provides spring blooms in tad of pink , white , and purpleness , as well as evergreen foliation . The arresting Battle of Magenta blossom of poppy mallow ( Callirhoeinvolucrata , Zones 4–9 ) bring a flower of color in spring and drop , though plants may go dormant during the summertime month .

The unequaled growing environment of a rock garden allows you to expand your plant palette beyond the confines of your born landscape painting . Enjoy experimenting with Modern plant material and the many design chance tilt gardens extend .

— Kim Toscano is a horticulturalist free-base in Stillwater , Oklahoma . She previously hostedOklahoma Gardening , a hebdomadal PBS television program produced by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service .

pic : Kim Toscano

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Niteangel Natural Wooden Insect Hotel , Garden Insect House for Ladybugs , lacewings , Butterfly , Bee , hemipteran

all right Gardening receives a charge for item purchased through link on this site , including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertizement programs .

The Nature of Oaks : The Rich Ecology of Our Most crucial Native Trees

Corona ® Multi - Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel

Get our latest tip , how - to articles , and instructional video sent to your inbox .

Signing you up …

Building a Rock Garden 101

Spring-Blooming Bulbs for Challenging Soils and Dry Climates

Planning a Firewise Landscape

Perennials for Dry Shade in the Southern Plains

link Fine horticulture for a devoid engaging alive webinar feature Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant pathologist as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals technical manager …

When I spotted a particular backbone dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I have intercourse I was in trouble . With a delicious color pattern …

When we only prioritise plants we require over plant our landscape needs , each time of year is satiate with a never - ending listing of chore : pruning , pinching , lacrimation , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

rock garden

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be thrifty when you introduce the backyard of garden graphic designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip on something , but because you might be dive - flunk by a pair …