Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 30-06-2003, 02:08 AM
Litl Fish
 
Posts: n/a
Default rock & water gardens

Hi folks,

I've built up very solid double brick retaining walls filled with
steel-reinforced waterproof concrete, behind which is a 30cm wide layer of
20mm scoria surrounding 2 parallel aggy pipes for drainage. The scoria is
wrapped with weedmat, and this is all to hold in some heavy-duty clay, which
is as tough as concrete in summer and like quicksand in winter. It might
sound like overengineering, but my workshop floor slab is 85cm higher than
the house slab, but less than 3m from it.

Between these walls and the surrounding fences, there is about 1 metre of
soil in which I've planted a whole heap of tropical plants, such as Cocos
Palms, tree ferns, Bouganvillea, Frangipanni amongst others.

My question is, if I want to create a rock and water garden between the
fence and the retaining wall (running parallel to both), would it be better
to concrete around the plants so that I can embed cobblestones, slate and
sandstone, or should I just lay down some very thick latex - cutting holes
for the plants - then cover this with screenings and just sit the rocks on
top?

My preference is to do the former, as I quite like the look. However, I've
been told that if I concrete around the plants, I'd never be able to dig
them up, but my feeling is that if I leave "enough" of a space around each
individual plant, I should be able to dig it up if it needs replacing. The
way I see it, if I have to dig up a plant because it's dying, then chopping
a rootball or hacking at a plant to remove it won't matter, and all I'll
need to do is replace the soil below it, and add more fertilisers, etc.

Any thoughts on the best way to get water running past these plants (with a
little trickle going into them as well)? The water that goes into the aggy
pipes will also be collected, filtered and pumped back up to the top again.

Thanking you in advance for any words of wisdom,

KC

www.twistedirony.com


  #2   Report Post  
Old 08-07-2003, 01:08 PM
Andrew G
 
Posts: n/a
Default rock & water gardens

"Litl Fish" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

SNIP

My question is, if I want to create a rock and water garden between the
fence and the retaining wall (running parallel to both), would it be

better
to concrete around the plants so that I can embed cobblestones, slate and
sandstone, or should I just lay down some very thick latex - cutting holes
for the plants - then cover this with screenings and just sit the rocks on
top?


So you want a garden with rocks and a water feature? It's kinda hard to
picture what you want. Sorry, but I'm hopless at picturing these things from
straight tex :-)

My preference is to do the former, as I quite like the look. However, I've
been told that if I concrete around the plants, I'd never be able to dig
them up, but my feeling is that if I leave "enough" of a space around each
individual plant, I should be able to dig it up if it needs replacing.


That wouldn't be your only problem. It would be hard to get the rootball
outcompletely. But you have to look at roots possibly lifting or cracking
the concrete.
Also you have to take into account the water factor. Will the plants get
enough water to the roots. I'm not just talking at the base of the plant,
but as the roots spread.

The
way I see it, if I have to dig up a plant because it's dying, then

chopping
a rootball or hacking at a plant to remove it won't matter, and all I'll
need to do is replace the soil below it, and add more fertilisers, etc.


Good point. But a problem if the concrete is the reason for the plants
dying.

Any thoughts on the best way to get water running past these plants (with

a
little trickle going into them as well)? The water that goes into the aggy
pipes will also be collected, filtered and pumped back up to the top

again.

Theres no reason why you couldn't concrete in a very little "river" lined
with gravel or pebbles. The problem with allowing some of the water going to
the plants is that it would probably end up overwatering them. Good drainage
would avoid that, but water flowing through the soil will leach the
nutrients out. Ok, so the water will circulate but then the water could get
a salt/nutrient buildup in it.
I hope this helps a little. IMO it could be more trouble than what it's
worth. I stay away from the idea of concreting aound plants especially
individual plants in a garden bed.
Good luck with it.

Thanking you in advance for any words of wisdom,

KC

www.twistedirony.com




Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Micro-gardens and Rock-Gardens catarina90 Gardening 1 20-09-2012 05:48 PM
Water pH & it's effect on gardens & plants Wilson[_5_] Edible Gardening 7 08-12-2011 10:57 PM
For Padraig: God's Way of Showing the Beauty of Flowers & Gardens - B.B.U.M.C. Front Elevation & Gardens Southerly View F.jpg 288179 bytes HEMI-Powered @ [email protected] Garden Photos 0 11-05-2007 05:20 PM
eat more rock, aka rock rocks! twisted IRONy Australia 0 24-11-2003 11:59 AM
Banned Herbicides &&&& Pesticides Christopher Norton United Kingdom 1 26-08-2003 08:42 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:38 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017