Farm1 wrote:

I was reading Beth Chattos "Gravel Garden" book last night and it has
some of the grasses but lots of other good ideas for a dry and foully,
gravelly soil with only a 24 inch rainfall with lots of wind - the
photo of the "soil" she planted into is amazing - more rocks of up to
fist size than soil


You've just described my place! We had to kangahammer holes for the piers
for the house (42 of them), through the shale and some bigger rock. You'd
end up with a lot more rock than earth. the piles of rubble are still there
under the house next to each pier. A lot of the dirt is gone, leaving just
the chips and rock.

The wind isn't as bad as it was, due to the 50 Lleylandii cypress we planted
in a giant mass to the west. Need more though.

but then she ends up with a stunning garden as
only Poms seem to be able to achieve (sigh). If you are a keen
gardener then I'd recommend buying it but if you are only looking for
ideas then I would recommend borrowing it through al library even if
you ahve to shel out the $3.50 for the interlibrary loan fee.

Sounds like a nice book, even just to read. but sounds like it'd be useful.
I'll ferret it out. My mother is a horticulturalist and very successful
nursery owner, but she's always been into English style gardens and just
doesn't understand my hydrophobic soil, the wind, the dryness. she put a
bloody fernery under my eastern deck for goddsake. Tattered struggling
things they are. Then she planted a camellia next to it. Words fail me.

There are lovely dry gardens in our area... the sculpture garden down at the
National Gallery, for instance, and over at the Botanical Gardens there's a
real beauty. My mother thinks a grass garden is a mass of grass that'll
catch fire. I see a grass garden as sort of minature landscape, with
paving, rocks placed carefully, gravel, and grasses. A book would help,
pictures showing what can be done. I'll check it out. Thanks!




--
ant