Creating A Rock Garden

By Patricia Diaz, from the November 2002 Newsletter

Now that the weather has cooled down, maybe it's time to create that rock garden you've always had in the back of your mind! Rock gardens are like miniature, jeweled landscapes and aren't hard to create. Traditionally rock gardens contain rocks laid out in a tiered setting intermixed with plants less than a foot in height. But the definition seems to be evolving and rock gardens sometimes don't even contain rocks, and taller species have been introduced into the mix so it appears that just about any variation will work. First, let's discuss the elements of a rock garden.

SITE. Many rock garden plants, in their natural setting, grow in exposed locations so usually a site with full sun is most suitable, but rock gardens are also quite successful in a location where they get filtered afternoon shade from high-branching trees. And rock gardens don't have to be expansive, you can create several different ones in small locations.

ROCKS. As mentioned before, traditionally rock gardens have rocks, hence the name. But why not use other items, such as driftwood, stumps, antique tools or parts, etc.? Or better yet, why not mix some or all in your rock garden. Some of the best rock gardens, however, mimic natural rock outcroppings and rocks make up nearly half of the visible landscape. Rocks should be of different sizes and traditionally of one type of rock such as river rock, broken granite, etc. A really wonderful rocky feature that you can create is the dry streambed, which is a 'stream' created out of crushed rock or gravel but doesn't have water.

PREPARATION. Since most rock gardens are in either tiered settings or mounded areas, first create your mounds of soil up to about 2 1/2 feet. Then dig the rocks into place before planting. Each rock should be buried about two-thirds, leaving just the top 1/3 showing, this 'ties' the rock to the scene. You can also create crevices between adjacent rocks which makes your rock garden look even more natural. When you are setting the rocks into place, arrange their exposed surfaces so that they form patterns; e.g., faces of flat-sided rocks should lie in parallel planes and major crevices should be parallel so that they resemble natural faults.

SOIL. It is important to amend any heavy clay soil in your rock garden so that water doesn't accumulate next to the rocks and create wet roots. Most rock gardeners like a fast-draining soil mix. You can create one by adding topsoil layered with a rock garden mix consisting of equal parts topsoil, crushed rock, sand, and compost. If you are planting alpines or penstemons, make the mix even lighter by using one part sand, one part half-inch bits of rock, and compost. By using a fast-draining soil, you can water the plants during the hot summer months without worrying about soil conditions that are too wet. Drainage can also be further enhanced by mounding your plants (or giving them a 'raised bed').

WATER FEATURES. Many rock gardeners like the way water seems to be a natural complement to a rock garden and they create water features such as streams, waterfalls, ponds, or dish rocks (boulders with bowl-like depressions that collect rainwater). It is important, however, to make sure that the water is well-contained and doesn't soak the surrounding soil as most rock garden plants can't stand too much water.

PLANTS. Evergreen plants can be the main component of your rock garden. Dwarf mugho pines make wonderful rock garden plants, as do other dwarf conifers such as hemlocks, junipers, pines and spruces. There are thousands of perennials and small shrubs from which to choose for your rock garden and you can plant annuals as well. A well-planted rock garden discourages weeds as so much of the surface is covered by rock.

RESOURCES. There is a Web site you can consult for more information. It's the North American Rock Garden Society Web site. You can also join the society for $25 annually and receive their Rock Garden Quarterly, access to the society's seed exchange, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's lending library (their address is Box 67, Millwood, NY 10546). Well-stocked retail nurseries carry a nice selection of plantings for rock gardens but if you can't find exactly what you want, try the following resources:

• Mt. Tahoma Nursery in Graham, WA. This nursery has classic alpine plants and new varieties, mainly imported from England. A catalog is $2.
• Porterhowse Farms in Sandy, OR. They have an extensive collection of dwarf conifers and good companion plants such as sedum, saxifrages, and sempervivums.
• Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery in Medford, OR. You can choose from a selection of about 1000 rock garden plants. A catalog is $3.
• Squaw Mountain Gardens in Estacada, OR. Comprehensive collection of sedums and sempervivums.
• Sunscapes Rare Plant Nursery in Pueblo, CO. They specialize in heat- and drought-tolerant rock plants.
• High Country Gardens in Santa Fe, NM. This is probably the country's best source of xeric garden plants and their catalog is full of very useful information. Great rock garden source!

Pat Diaz lives near Dworshak Reservoir and she is enjoying the beautiful autumn weather. She is busy cleaning up the garden, getting ready for the long winter months. And those tomatoes were delicious, even if they did have turkey peck marks.

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