Rockery: Should you want one?

Sports Editor

Max Phelps

A rockery can be a natural mountain escarpment with large boulders and smaller rocks eroding and plants growing among the various stones and small amounts of dirt.

And it can just as well be man-made to look natural.

Or small ones in containers can take the look of a flower pot with sempervirens or cactus or something.

This is a fairly popular feature, especially in urban and country settings.

Might it be a feature for your yard?

Should you want a rock garden?

Dreaming, designing, planning. Those are important before you get to work.

Find a good location for your rock project.

And for a large property, this could mean more than one such rockery project. It should appear natural and scaled to the property size. (Although, a fence or hedge or something can make for a small rock garden being just a part of that limited “outdoor room” that is viewed from only the one yard spot or location).

Must you dig? Must you prepare the site?

This can totally depend on so many variables. The slope, or lack thereof, the trees and vines and weeds that exist, the kinds of plant species you plan to plant in your new creative rockery, drainage concerns, and objectives you hope to accomplish. Digging may not be necessary if you’re relying on bringing everything in and building with rocks, gravels, dirt, sand, etc. as a raised bed area on top of the existing terrain.

Once you have a location, then a plan, you are ready to plot out the placement of the largest stones and where you want your bed to begin and end and such decisions.

Big rocks should be planned first … but you can get started on one side or something if you don’t yet have any available big stones … just remember to have in mind where they are to go once you obtain the big ones. and ideally then you’ll place smaller rocks and sand or gravels around them.

And allow for good planting spots or planting pockets using a better soil (a soil that fits the plant you’re planning to go in the hole). Any yard can have such a rockery if it’s designed thoughtfully and in coordination with it’s surroundings.

Do you want to grow herbs? Perennials? Shrubs? Clumps of grasses?

Perhaps a tree that likes dry conditions?

Raised beds enable lots of options an existing yard and its soil may not provide you.

Rockeries can flank a water feature and look super. They can be located beside a rustic outdoor seating or grilling location. They can be large enough in scale to give privacy if you’re on the other side of them, can be seated behind them, if you desire more private spots in your yard.

Rock gardens obviously can be placed to hide troubling spots or places that nothing will grow. They also can connect one aspect to another — connect the grass to a wooded area, divide the home and a detached garage, or simply be the main focal point or focal points of the entire landscape if their scale is sufficiently large.

(Or, they can be so small as to fit in some large pots or containers on the patio).

There’s an annual magazine called The Rock Garden, which comes from Scotland. There are lots of books and magazines on landscaping and gardening — and some of these contain articles or chapters on rock gardening. North American Rock Garden Society publishes a quarterly, and they do have a ‘local’ chapter in Ohio and in North Carolina for the serious rock gardener.

Is there a rock garden in you future?

The author is a landscaper. (606) 416-3911 or [email protected] to contact.

Sports Editor

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