In article
,
Terryc wrote:

similarly, if a plant is "good for rockeries", what does that mean? that it
drapes aesthetically over rocky bits, or is it a cultural notation? (wants
more heat & less water, or something like that?)

Yes. I take it to mean that plant either can tolerate or needs the extra
heat from rocks in the garden. Could also mean that it doesn't require
much soil, as in stuff that will grow onrock faces.

I'd say "tough plant wrt sun, but needs good drainage". As my garden is on
clay, they are generally a bad choice for me. Note, however, that "good for
rockeries" depends somewhat on the writer. An English writer's idea of a good
rockery plant is almost never a good choice for me as it often needs cooler
winters and drier summers than mine, and sometimes alkaline soil too!

[1] A previous owner of our place decided it was easier to just raise
the edges, buy more soil and rocks. So, one place in the garden provided
three layers of those 1"-2" river pebbles.

Some cousins bought a place where the back garden had been covered in black
plastic and quartz pebbles, then neglected for a decade. They only found out
about it when hubby attempted to mow the "back lawn" and put a pebble through
the kitchen window!

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue