Questions tagged [rock-gardening]

For questions about rock gardens, rockeries, and alpine gardens.

A rock garden is a garden that makes extensive use of rocks or stones in combination with plants native to rocky or alpine environments.

Other names include "rockery" (popular name in the UK), and "alpine garden" (where mountain/alpine plants are used instead of moorland/high latitude plants).

Although rock gardens might be considered a European concept, other parts of the world have developed similar garden/landscape styles. For example, Japanese rock gardens are similar but with few plants and may include bonsai trees. Similarly, North American xeriscape beds often resemble gravel rock gardens but with native desert plants such as cacti, yuccas, etc.

Use this tag for European-style rock gardens and alpine gardens.

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How to get the dirt out of the rocks in rock landscaping?

My house is surrounded by rocks (wraps all the way around the house and in places is 10 feet wide) that my father-in-law put in 20+ years ago, way before my wife and I bought his house. Those rocks grow lots and lots of weeds and the reason they…
Peter Turner
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How do I use tree roots as a landscaping feature?

I'm sure I saw a site on the Internet that showcased using excavated tree roots as a landscaping feature. I was inspired by the idea of "recycling" a tree stump and its rootball into a rockery garden by dumping a lot of soil onto it which forms…
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What ground cover would be best for my old stone driveway?

I have a steep driveway that isn't very practical for parking in, but looks pretty nice. It is "paved" with bricks and large marble slabs, with dirt in between the stones. Although this looks pretty nice and rustic in the winter/spring, but it…
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Need rock garden plant and layout guidance

I am converting a small fountain and pond into a rock garden. Space to work with is about 2' x 4'. So far, I have Anouk Lavender in the top-left corner, Blue Star Juniper in the bottom-right corner and Cooper's Ice Plant in the lower-left corner. I…
jfrye
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How can I get weed seeds out of a gravel bed?

The side of my house has a small gravel bed that abuts the lawn. It is mostly choked with weeds and was in poor shape when we bought the place last year. I want to dig it up, put down new fabric and reuse the existing river rock that is there. I…
Shrout1
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How to separate rocks and dirt?

I have rocks laid down on my drive way and it clearly has some problems in the plastic layer below. Weeds have been popping out since we moved in. How do I go about getting this rock driveway redone in the cheapest and most effective way possible?
Micah
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Cleaning up leaves in a rock landscaped garden

After a few great years, my garden, which is landscaped with medium size rocks has lost some of it's shine. The, originally, white rocks are now off colored and the leaves are piling up thick under the bushes and herbs. Is there a trick to…
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Edible Plants for Rockery

So in my new allotment, I have a large mound (approx 2.5m diameter, 1m high) of turf sods which has over time become a solid hill of dry, reasonably fine soil with grass and weeds covering it. It's taking up good space on the allotment, so I wanted…
Oliver
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Is a northwest facing porch a good place for a miniature rock garden?

I am thinking about planting Hens and Chicks and the likes in this planter that is on my porch. The orientation is north west, so it gets some sun in the afternoon and it gets rain every now and then when the direction of the rain allows it. Is…
MiniMe
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Can My Seedlings Be Saved?

I have some rockcress (aubrieta) seedlings that I started to try to harden off. I put them outside in the shade and brought them back in at night. On the first day, everything was fine. When I brought them in the second evening, they appeared…
Paul Croarkin
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How to Build a Nature Pond with Stone & Bentonite Clay

I'm in the process of designing a nature pond to raise some small fish and attract amphibians. Its requirements are the following: Contain a round central chamber 2 ft across (diameter) and 4 ft deep Have an irregular shallows extended from the…
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Anyone here using wood mulch for their succulents?

I've been wanting to create a succulent garden and I've been doing alot of info gathering on how to provide the best care/environment for such plants. Everything was going fine untill mulching became a topic of research. When it came to opinion…
Hamid Sabir
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Lavenders in California

I've had 4 Lavender de Provence die on me. They are drying up and dying. I've always considered myself a green thumb, but these plants and I are just not grooving. I was told they're the best plant for gopher repellant, drought tolerant, and do well…
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What to do with moss on rock?

I have several rocks like this with moss growing. They are quite old. Frankly we don't like moss What to do with this? Some options I am thinking: Leave alone - Because removing will make it look uglier (lots of white spots). Scrape using a knife…
HP.
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Clematis, best advice on watering and growing techniques?

Just wondered if someone can share their knowledge on when it comes to looking after and growing clematis? I understand I have not long left until peak season is finished for these summer lovers, so was just wondering how to give my newly planted…
surGe
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