A better shot of the rock garden part and the daylilies behind on the left. You can't tell from this picture but the big rocks are full of calcite crystals and sphalerite, they came from a road project when a construction crew laying water line dug into a pocket of them. The big one in the center is nearly covered with crystals. Shiny! Mama loves shiny things!

Sandy

Sandy , I know exactly how these unintended hosta beds happen. I built these two in the back yard with the intention of just using it for grasses and a few other perennials but with Myrl'e (McTavish) suggestions and help with placing my fall order 2012 they were needing a home among the grasses and suddenly it became another hosta garden( or two) I see you too are another rock hound. Love the shiny ones and got a few on our holidays in Arizona that are blues and greens that I just had to have. Would love to find some rocks like you mentioned and you picture just doesn't do them justice of their beauty. Now this year I thought I was just going to plant vines to hide a metal shed but decided maybe a few hosta would also add to the underside of the vines... there we go again and another 20 hosta planted. Not sure if there is help for us hostaholics but it sure is fun.
Your unintentional bed is so nice and when the plants mature even better
Faye

This post was edited by almosthooked on Fri, Jul 26, 13 at 23:38

second unintentional hosta bed

This post was edited by almosthooked on Fri, Jul 26, 13 at 23:29

3rd unintended hosta zone with 20 hosta in 40 feet shed garden

Yep, I hit the mother load. New development going in, lots of rocks, talked to the builder, got one load yesterday, will be up bright and early tomorrow if I can walk.... Put roto tiller on my Christmas list. Starting to visualize new hosta bed, making my list. My rocks with crystals, fossils, and shaped like hearts get featured front and center. Still hoping to find an arrowhead someday. Ah, exploring the WILDerness is so much fun. Picking rocks up from freshly dug earth ain't so bad either. Love your rock garden. WW

I love your rock beds! A rock lover after my own heart! Driftwood, too, I see. I pick that up too, and old stumps, all that kind of thing.

This is a better pic of the big rock, but crystals just don't photograph well. If the sun had been shining it would be just a white blur. The rock is still kind of muddy but it has a dolomite vein running through it as well and a pocket of dolomite, with the whole face of calcite crystals and some sphalerite crystals in it also. We just got lucky, the construction crew just dumped all those wonderful rocks down the street from us and told us if we wanted big rocks, there they were. We got all the prettiest ones we could, some are just to big to lift without a scoop so they will just have to stay in the fill dirt where they are. Breaks my heart.

Sandy

Looks awesome, Sandy. Hmmm, you sure ALL these are unintentional? ; )

Don B.

Haha Don, maybe not ALL of them are unintentional! At least I'm not admitting to what may be in the back of my mind all along!

Sandy

Faye, in the 'second unintentional hosta bed' pic, the hosta closest to the camera...Is that 'Paul's Glory'? Whatever it is, I love it.

Thanks,
Don B.

My goodness.. there are still more? Larger ones could rent a bobcat for an hour and what a treasure you can have. Wish we lived closer but too far to haul our old junker but it does a good job with the heavy ones. One rock I have we call Murray mountain. The old back hoe couldn't lift it so Murray rolled it into place. Only knocked out one fence post and one tree got scarred up a bit but never died anyway. The driftwood and old stumps my husband was about to burn( crazy guy) but now he knows he would have to die if he did it

Don
I think that is Midwest Magic and sure is a great plant for a first season .. no slug damage is a bonus too. I have a Paul's glory but is new. The one I had before had the hosta virus but was a really large one. Makes me sad to have bought it like that .I was just learning about hosta and didn't realize it was not suppose to look like that.

Hehehehe, Faye, you are my kind of person! Wonderful use of natural materials.

I have some really dried and seasoned pieces of contorted mountain laurel woody limbs. They are the color of deep dark cigar tobacco, very unique. Twisted and grotesque. I brought them home from our river property after the fencing crew cut them off to get through the thickets. I plan to hang the largest on the living room wall, haven't decided about the smaller ones, but they won't go to waste.

I like rocks,too,but most of mine are found when I dig a new hole for a new hosta,and there is where the new rock is! I can collect some small rocks in my little creek,but I am getting too old to be carrying around big rocks! Every once in awhile,I see a rock at the side of the road,and if there is enough time,and it isn't too big,I will stop the car ,and pick it up.(We have a lot rocks here in western Carolina). Nice collection of rocks,everyone! Phil

Faye, is that border in your second picture actually a dry creek bed, looks fantastic? You all have that ready access to nice rocks. In my case I go to a nursery and buy 100 lbs of various rocks for $27 plus tax. Bernd

Bernd, The dry creek bed was with all the rocks we had left over from a tri drive truck load . I wasn't sure what to do with them and this came to mind. Thanks
Faye

Severe rock envy here. We have limestone, and that's it. Every rock in the garden is one that's been hauled in. And you not only got free rocks, but sparkly ones, to boot. I paid big bucks for a small rock with a few tiny succulents tucked in the crevices - you could have a whole garden.

Will be interested in seeing the garden photos next summer when the daylilies are blooming and the hostas are settled in.

I just started a new hosta bed this year too.....

I love your rocks...so pretty with the hostas!

Gotta find me some!

Ummmm, I just noticed my white schnauzer, Emmie Sue, sniffing in the garden picture. This is my secret on how I keep the rabbits, voles, and squirrels away....:).