How to start a rock garden

7 years ago

I have a slanted incline in my back yard that I would like to make into a rock garden.

when we bought the house 9 years ago there was a nice mound of cotton Easter growing.

it has declined every year and is pretty pathetic looking now.

i would like to pull out all the roots and try to make a rock garden in this space which is about 8 feet wide and 7 feet tall.

how many rocks would I need. I was thinking maybe 3-4 but someone is mentioning that I need more rocks to keep the soil in.

i know nothing about this, can anyone direct me to a good site to learn how to start this process.

thanks

Featured Answer

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

7 years ago

if you provide a pic.. we might be able to start the process of defining goals.. toward making a plan ... etc ...

e.g. my idea of a slanted incline.... might be a bit different than someone who lives on the side of a mountain ... so i would like to see that ....

im going to guess you are in canada.. with that big maple leaf up near the title...

whats your soil like.. how do you plan on watering.. which can be tricky on a hillside ...

and what plants are you looking toward ????

but lets start with getting rid of that shrub.. most dont die.. just from cutting back ... so you need a stump killer... or need to do a lot of digging ... but .. you dont necessarily need to get rid of all the roots ... with the stump killer ... bottom line.. how hard do you want to work ...

fall is a good time to get some bargain plants.. so if we can get the basic plan set thru summer ... you ought to be in good shape by fall ... and that is the time frame i would be working in .. not next weekend ... but if that is what you wish.. go for it ...

ken

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Comments (7)

Lyban zone 4
Original Author
7 years ago

Thanks,

here is more info.

The left side (larger of the two) is 14” wide by 7’ high

The right side (smaller) is 7’ wide by 9’ high

I am not sure what stump you mean, are you talking about the about the cotoneaster roots.

our earth is pretty good I think. In Canada, zone 4.

i would like small and medium size plants like candytuft, hens and chicks, low phlox, thymus, carpactia etc etc.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
7 years ago
It looks a bit shady for most Alpines.
Lyban zone 4
Original Author
7 years ago
You might be right floral, I think it would get part sun , more shade. I am going to have to keep track of hours of sunlight.

what would you suggest if not enough sun.
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
7 years ago
Do you use salt on that patio or steps in winter? Is snow cleared and put on those beds?

tj
Lyban zone 4
Original Author
7 years ago
Some snow is cleared and pot there but really not that much and no salt in back of house.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
i dont know if i missed it.. but how do you define 'rock garden'

when we were kids.. we collected a rock on every road trip ... and ringed a garden with them ... it was rather sad.. when mom sold the house at 85 years old.. and me and my bro... wanted/took a bunch of the rocks.. lol ... 50+ yo men.. recollecting the rocks .. lol ..

then.. as noted.. some peeps call collecting alpines as a rock garden ... when i dabbled with that.. i had a yard of scree dumped.. and grew alpines in the rock ... similar to what they grow in.. in the mountains ... its not really a soil thing.. for a lot of those plants ...

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=alpine+plant+scree&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

anyway ... if you just want to put some rocks in.. and artfully add some plants around them ... just go for it..

the real issue on that little incline.. is watering ... i doubt you will create a landslide.. unless you water in a manner that causes the water to run down taking soil with it ...

if you properly mulch .. and water gently ...im not sure.. you even need the rocks .. for any reason other than decoration.. or visual interest ...

this would probably be a great place for drip irrigation ... and it would be best.. to develop that plan near the beginning of the process .. rather than after ... the trick of course.. for us peeps up in the frozen north ... is how to drain it all in fall .. the upside... with the hill.. done right.. it can be designed to be self draining...

ken