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ROCK GARDENS
The rock garden should be an attractive proposition for a small
gardener as well as for those with quite a large area. Choosing
and carefully placing the correct rocks will give a rugged
appearance, the special attraction of this type of garden,
and can
also make a garden seem larger.
CHOOSE YOUR SITE
Place the rock garden where the plants can be viewed to the greatest advantage, and if alpines are to be grown, where they will
get a maximum amount of sun and away from overhanging trees. If there is any natural undulation in the garden, and the place is
sunny, this is ideal as the rocks can be placed there and height and depth obtained without artificiality
PREPARE THE SITE
Install any drainage that may be required and make sure that all perennial weeds have been eliminated; they are difficult to get
out afterwards. Carefully consolidate the ground as any subsequent sinking will be difficult to correct.
CONSTRUCTING THE ROCK GARDEN
The art in constructing an attractive rock garden is to build it so that the rocks look right, using all one’s ingenuity in making outcrops and recesses, valleys, cliffs, and even isolated
groupings of rocks. Remember that rock occurs naturally in layers, as can be seen at quarries and cliff faces. So build accordingly. Natural strata may be tilted at any angle, forward, backward, or up on edge.
Start at the bottom and work up, it is not necessary to complete each layer before commencing the next. Choose each rock carefully, place and adjust it’s position until satisfied, wedging with small stones if necessary , and then ram soil beneath and behind it very firmly to ensure stability. Judge each rock on whether it looks right to you. Crevices can
be packed with turf fibre or stringy peat to retain the soil.
When complete brush and wash the rocks clean. If the rocks look new and raw they can be weathered by spraying with liquid manure. This encourages establishment of moss, lichens, and algae.
PLANTING THE ROCK GARDEN
It is often convenient to plant a few of the larger feature plants, such as slow growing conifers, at the same time as placing the
rocks. They are part of the frame work and their inclusion helps to shape the final structure. Also it is easier to get the roots well
down into the soil to aid successful establishment. Delay the rest of the planting until the soil has had time to settle. Consider the
placing of each variety, be sure you have an idea of its full - grown size and appearance, then you can plant it where it can been
seen to best advantage. Beware of clashing colours and misfits in size and habit. With the choice of the correct plants it should
be possible to maintain all year round colour and interest.
This fact sheet is a service provided by TRENT STONE. Suppliers of
Stone Rockery & Walling,
Pavings, Decorative Gravels and stone materials.
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