Plant to put between rocks

20 years ago

I need some advice. I put a couple of pretty good size rocks together with some smaller rocks around them. It created 2 pockets at the top, where the big rocks fit together. I'd like to plant something in the pockets. Do you have any advice?

I have some creeping sedum and creeping phlox. I think both of those would work, but I've never tried planting in rocks before. Incidentally, there is room for about 4 or 5 gallons of dirt down between the rocks, but the openings are closer to something like 3 X 6 inches. Is that enough info for advice?

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Comments (6)

girlgroupgirl
20 years ago
Woody, you don't mention how much sun will be around the rocks.

If it's full sun, the phlox would be nice, and some types of sedum do well in that type of setting, some need more moisture and a bit of shade at times. So that depends.

Hens and chicks and Penstamon Smallii both like rock garden situations and can take sun or part-sun.

Creeping Phlox, if it's the 'mossy' type likes full sun for best bloom. It's really quite gorgeous between rocks.

Other suggestions are some creeping thymes like "Lavender Thyme" with an unusual growing habit, golden oregano which is very low growing and ornamental. There is also a tiny gold leaf spirea which is not evergreen, but it's perfect amongst rocks. It grows as low as the oregano and thymes do and stays very golden. Mine has not bloomed yet, but it is said to have hot pink flowers.

Society Garlic is wonderful to add height in the planting. It's is always in bloom except in winter, and can basically be ignored.

Hardy Iceplant is another beautiful, succulent evergreen which doesn't need much root space. It's magenta blooms will flower all summer in sunshine.

Dwarf Spanish Lavender is another nice choice. It is so much smaller and doesn't need much root room, and you can get white or purple.

GGG
woody_ga
Original Author
20 years ago
Wow! That's a lot of choices! I do have some tiny Hardy Iceplant seedlings that I WSed. But they are still very small. I will have to google the other suggestions.
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woody_ga
Original Author
20 years ago
It's in full hot sun!
baseballmomof5
20 years ago
I like the iceplant suggestion, also moss rose for an annual..
razorback33
20 years ago
Try some small bulbs also, Iris reticulata, Scilla and Ledebouria. I also grow minature Hosta, 7 or 8 different variegated cultivars and variegated Serissa foetida(treated as Bonsai) in my Rock Garden.
Hope you have room for expansion, it becomes addictive!
Have fun!
Rb
woody_ga
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks for all the suggestions! I've been googling some nice plants! And I saw some really nice Thyme at Pike's yesterday, but I'm thinking I may need to go with what I have, creeping phlox. I got a number of the Grower's Outlet $1.00 pots and I might as well use them.

Thank you for your help.
David