I am thinking of creating a rockery in my garden mainly so I can hide the
lumps of chalk dug out when creating my now finished horizontal-plant bed.

Any hints or tips?

Thanks,

Pam.

"Pam Morris" wrote:

Hello Pam

PM I am thinking of creating a rockery in my garden mainly so I
PM can hide the lumps of chalk dug out when creating my now
PM finished horizontal-plant bed.
PM Any hints or tips?

A few big stones looks better than lots of small stones.

Use local stone unless it's particularly unattractive (despite being
on dartmoor I'm in a pocket of the ugliest ore-stone around).

Traditionally you build it in tiers, but I don't like that look
myself.

Density of stones depends on type of plants. 90% stone generally
favours hot/dry loving plants. 50% or less and it's just normal
growing area with a few stones in it.

If you're rural, ask a local farmer if he has a stock. I've had 12
tons of lovely weathered granite walling and rockery stone from one of
mine that he picked off his fields. Can also be useful to have him
around to move the bigger stones into position with his machine,
assuming access.

If you have to do it by hand, use planks and levers to move big
stones. A hired tripod can also be useful.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

On Wed, 11 Jun 2003 15:43:07 +0100, Pam Morris wrote:

I am thinking of creating a rockery in my garden mainly so I can hide the
lumps of chalk dug out when creating my now finished horizontal-plant bed.

Hi Pam,

Last year I made myself a "rockery" using stones found when digging up the
garden from the previous year's leveling work.

I had avaialable approx. 8 large (as in I could only just carry them)
stones/boulders that the previous owner had failed to make a decent
rockery from - and of a different stone to the common native, plus all the
large and small stones I had dug out of my vegetable garden when leveling
it into terraces - these varied from common garden stones to fairly large
lumps, and mostly in one type of grey stone, with flints etc. mixed in.

Having a small rectangular area to fill that was never ever going to look
natural, and no massive boulders to work with, I went for something like
what is termed a "scree bed" if you have a look in a couple of books about
making rock gardens (See the Expert Gardener series - water and rock
gardens book - very useful).

Working with my rectangular bed (it is actually raised), I lowered the
level of earth somewhat, planted my 8 large boulders so that they looked
pleasing to the eye from the main viewing point, and then packed some of
the earth back in round them to hold them all steady, and to give the
plants something to root into. I then placed all the biggest stones that
I had dug up all round these, adding a bit of earth here and there, and
then topped the lot off with all the small stones I had dug up. I then
added about 10 alpine plants, and it looks absolutely smashing - although
it will never look like a natural rock garden.

I hope this helps Pam, as I certainly seem to have been on a similar
journey in my garden (leveling ground, nbuilding terraces and then a rock
garden!) albeit a year or 2 ahead of you.

I can send you a few photos of the finished articles if you like.

Regards,

Sarah

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for a great idea. I would be interested in seeing the pictures you
mention.

Regards,

Pam.
--.
"Sarah Dale" wrote in message
news On Wed, 11 Jun 2003 15:43:07 +0100, Pam Morris wrote:

I am thinking of creating a rockery in my garden mainly so I can hide the
lumps of chalk dug out when creating my now finished horizontal-plant bed.

Hi Pam,

Last year I made myself a "rockery" using stones found when digging up the
garden from the previous year's leveling work.

I had avaialable approx. 8 large (as in I could only just carry them)
stones/boulders that the previous owner had failed to make a decent
rockery from - and of a different stone to the common native, plus all the
large and small stones I had dug out of my vegetable garden when leveling
it into terraces - these varied from common garden stones to fairly large
lumps, and mostly in one type of grey stone, with flints etc. mixed in.

Having a small rectangular area to fill that was never ever going to look
natural, and no massive boulders to work with, I went for something like
what is termed a "scree bed" if you have a look in a couple of books about
making rock gardens (See the Expert Gardener series - water and rock
gardens book - very useful).

Working with my rectangular bed (it is actually raised), I lowered the
level of earth somewhat, planted my 8 large boulders so that they looked
pleasing to the eye from the main viewing point, and then packed some of
the earth back in round them to hold them all steady, and to give the
plants something to root into. I then placed all the biggest stones that
I had dug up all round these, adding a bit of earth here and there, and
then topped the lot off with all the small stones I had dug up. I then
added about 10 alpine plants, and it looks absolutely smashing - although
it will never look like a natural rock garden.

I hope this helps Pam, as I certainly seem to have been on a similar
journey in my garden (leveling ground, nbuilding terraces and then a rock
garden!) albeit a year or 2 ahead of you.

I can send you a few photos of the finished articles if you like.

Regards,

Sarah