Rocky, Sunny and Deer infested

19 years ago

Hi,

I live in Southern Westchester County, New York State and have a rocky out crop in our garden. This is about 100 feet long by 8 feet tall (from my lawn), and at the top about 10 feet wide. On one side is my house + lawn, on the other a slopped drop of about 60 feet. The bit facing my house is exposed rock from dynamite blasting, and has lots of little

rock pieces which I want to tidy up and get rid off (suggestions?). On the top there I think is some sort of woodland top soil of about 3-4 inches in depth maybe.... The depth is spotty and bare rock sometimes shows through. The sides facing my house + lawn is bare rock.

What plants would be ok to try to grow on top of this in the thin top soil. Or is this sort of a non starter?

So what I need I think are: (1) Deer Proof (have loads of deer), (2) Sunny, (3) Dry (it is mostly rock). Plant places include on top, and maybe on the side on ledges ....

Thanks again for your kind help.

Warmest regards, Mike.

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Comments (3)

ziggy___
19 years ago
What type of rock and soil? limestone tolerant suggestions are different than acid loving ones? Also do you want something like vines to cover it or trees, or what??? I can probably think of a few natives if I have more to go on.

Ziggy
stinkytiger
Original Author
19 years ago
I tried to put some cherry blossum trees there. I love those having seen them in japan. However they need netting because of the deer, but so far have sort of survived in between getting eaten. As for acid or Alkali soil -- not sure ....

Best, Mike.
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laceyvail 6A, WV
19 years ago
In 3-4 inches of soil about the only thing you could conceivably grow might be groundcover sedums. Maybe. Deer do eat sedums, but generally don't bother with the groundcover types.

You can't possibly be growing cherry, or any other kind of, trees in 3-4 inches of soil. And with deer, cherries are asking for trouble. Highly deer and drought resistant perennials include yarrows (Achillea sps. and cvs.), Russian Sage (Perovskia), Belamcanda and Pardancanda, lamb's ears (Stachys), Penstemons, Agastaches. Give some of those a try if you have more soil than 3-4 inches.