Creating and refreshing a rock garden

Rock gardens are a great way to spice up an area of your yard that cannot grow other plants. These rock gardens provide contrast from the rest of your yard and can accentuate your flower gardens.

• In order to make the most of an existing stone outcrop, first, clear away all of the unwanted vegetation.
• After, add additional stones (if needed) to create a balanced look, starting at the bottom of the slope and working upward.
• Choose the largest, heaviest rocks for the base of the slope, and work upward, decreasing the size of the rocks as you go. This is a trick of perspective that makes use of the way things at a distance naturally look smaller than the same objects would if they were close by.
• Putting successively smaller rocks at the top of the hill will increase its perceived height.
• To make the stones as stable and natural looking as possible, dig out places for the stones and position them so they are half buried in the soil.
• When working with stones that are somewhat flat in shape, place them so that they tilt backward toward the slope. This trick encourages water to flow back into the soil behind the stone where it will benefit plants tucked into planting pockets.

• Artemisia
• Bellflower
• Blanket flower
• Bluebeard
• Butterfly weed
• Candytuft
• Catmint
• Clematis
• Columbine
• Coreopsis
• Creeping phlox
• Crocus
• Daffodil
• Epimedium
• Euphorbia
• Geranium
• Grape hyacinth
• Hellebore
• Hens and chicks
• Heuchera
• Honeysuckle
• Hosta
• Hyacinth
• Japanese maple
• Juniper
• Lamb's-ears
• Lobelia
• Ornamental grasses
• Portulaca
• Rock rose
• Rose
• Rose campion
• Snowdrop
• Squill
• Statice
• Thrift
• Thyme
• Trillium
• Tulip
• Verbena
• Yucca

• In areas with moist seasonal weather and ample trees, consider a shady rock garden.
• Plants that form a tapestry of green on a shady slope include ferns, asarum, hellebores, small hostas, and trilliums.
• Add containers of impatiens or begonias for bright summer colour.

• The best-looking rock garden plants have small leaves and a fine texture, yet they produce comparatively large flowers.
• These characteristics help them to contrast beautifully with the stone.
• In addition, they appear naturally stunted, the same way they would look if they were growing on a wind-swept mountain.

• After the rock garden is planted, water it gently to keep from dislodging plants, and water it thoroughly.
• It takes several passes with a hose outfitted with a sprinkler head to wet the soil in crevices between the rocks.
• Afterward, apply a 2.5 centimetres (one inch) mulch of pea gravel or fine pebbles.
• This type of mulch allows water to filter through freely to plant roots, but it does a good job of holding soil and roots in place.
• It also keeps foliage high and dry, and that's just what rock-garden plants prefer.

Rock gardens are a beautiful addition to many yards, accenting flower gardens and grassy areas. Their low-maintenance is an attractive feature, as well. These tips will help you refresh your rock garden, which will refresh your whole yard.