Rock GardenEvery yard has trouble spots. You know, the place where nothing seems to grow, despite your best efforts. It might be a spot that’s very dry, shady, wet, hilly or just about any other condition of excess that makes it difficult to plant and maintain. A rock garden can be an excellent solution for your trouble spots.

A rock garden isn’t simply a pile of rocks dumped on an otherwise barren area. There is planning (and planting) involved to design a successful rock garden. Before we dig in, so to speak, you’ll need to consider the location of your rock garden.

Many people start rock gardens because they already have a rocky area in their yard. The previous owners of my house got me started thinking about a rock garden when they dumped a bunch of rocks next to the air conditioner. It’s also a shady spot, so there’s not a lot that will grow there. This spot could be a good place for a rock garden.

 

A slope or hill that is eroding is another good choice for a rock garden because you can build in terraces that will help hold the soil in place. But rock gardens can also be built where the ground is flat.

Choosing Rock Types


If you don’t already have rocks to use in your rock garden, you’ll want to start by choosing (and buying, if necessary) some rocks. In my area there is a lot of native limestone, sandstone and shale, so if I didn’t already have rocks I would probably try to find some native stone to use, since this would look the most natural.

If you don’t know what stones are native to your area, make friends with a farmer. He or she will be glad to let you “harvest” some rocks for your garden. Just remember to ask permission first. You can also find rocks at garden supply stores or landscaping stores.

 

Once you’ve decided on the rock you want to use in your rock garden, you’ll need to start defining your space. A rock garden can be any size you like, though a smaller one is probably good to start with. Making a raised bed rock garden is a wonderful idea in flat trouble spots because you can improve the soil easily and you don’t have to clear the area of any grass or weeds that are already growing

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Choose Your Space


Simply spread out a thick layer of newspaper over the space you want for your rock garden and cover it with soil. Then just lay out the stones for the perimeter of your rock garden and fill the interior area with soil. The plants that are traditionally used in rock gardens like soil that drains well, so if you have clayey soil, add sand and compost to allow it to drain a little better.

After you have this first set of rocks in place, you might want to add a second “layer,” following the outline of the first. You could also just add a few more rocks around the edges and in amid the plants once you have planted the rock garden.

 

Speaking of which, what can you plant in your rock garden? Your lighting availability will largely dictate what you can plant, but the most common plants used in rock gardens are low to the ground, have interesting foliage, small flowers and like well-drained, even dry soil. If I lived in the west I would plant cacti in my rock garden. Because I don’t, a ground cover that does well in shade might be the best bet for me

Don't Limit Yourself


. Don’t limit yourself to plants you wouldn’t use in the rest of your garden, but do consider planting a rock garden as an opportunity to try new plants. If you aren’t sure what will grow best in your rock garden, ask someone who works at your local garden center.

When planting your rock garden, consider the “rules” of good design: symmetry, a focal point, odd numbers. Or just select and plant your plants wherever you like. Remember that this is a rock garden, so you can add rocks to the design as you plant. The idea is that the plants are almost popping out of the rocks, so don’t be afraid to add rocks to the design. Save your prettiest rocks for this part as they will be the most noticeable.

As your plants grow they will climb on the rocks and the rocks themselves will weather, so it will all begin to look like a natural part of the landscape. And don’t forget that you can even “mulch” with small rocks to prevent weeds and keep your rock garden looking great.

 

While a rock garden might not be the perfect solution for every landscaping problem, it can be a lifesaver or just an interesting addition to your at-home environment.

 

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