In Praise of Rock Gardens

Rock Garden Making Tips

I enhanced what was already a lovely rock outcrop garden, adding blue agapanthus to complement the Goldmoss stonecrop (Sedum acre) that drapes over the rocks.

“As a rule a rock garden should not be near the house; it is something savoring of the wild that does not fit in with most architecture - Henry S. Adams

In rock gardens, the stones are the show. Their character may instill a feeling of a “savoring of the wild,” as H. S. Adams noted in his 1913 book, Making a Rock Garden. In these gardens, rocks of all sizes and textures are set solidly into a natural setting with few straight lines or symmetry. And, as I have realized, there are as many styles of rock gardens as there are rocks. It is all dependent on what you want and where you live.

Rock gardens can be expansive and dramatic or small and quiet. They may be located along a road, by the beach, in a suburban desert setting or in an urban backyard. They are basically a habitat where plants and rocks co-exist. Here are a few ideas:

 A single existing boulder can be enhanced with a few additional rocks scattered nearby’

 A steep stony bank or outcrop can be planted up with some selected plants.

 A small rocky channel can run through an expanse of carefully placed rocks and succulents.

 A rocky hill can become a showcase for a collection of plants and stones.

Heat-loving plants such as agave (Agave americana) and Mexican feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima) thrive in the Gravel Garden in Chanticleer, a Philadelphia-area “pleasure garden.” Multicolored gravel mulch surrounds the drought tolerant plants.

Where to Locate a Rock Garden

A popular rock garden theme is a mountainous rocky landscape. Back a hundred years ago, it was advised to set this classical hillside rock garden away from the house, beyond the outdoor living area. But today, our rock garden styles have widened beyond the original alpine model and you can establish one wherever you want. There is no rule as to where to locate a rock garden. You are free to create where you like, as long as rocks are the essential component. The name may not even be a ‘rock garden’ but perhaps a ‘rockery’. This moniker embraces all kinds of man-made rocky environments.

Rock accents are a great way to add interest - not a rock garden in the classical sense but the rocks are a prominent part of the landscape. I took this photo at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA.