Rocks. Flowers. Action.

Add some rocks to make your flowers sing

The dark pink, candelabra- like flowers of Japanese primrose (Primula japonica) thrive in wet, shady spaces in the landscape. These blooms are held 12 to 18 inches above the lettuce- like foliage and look wonderful when they flower in mid- May. They are hardy in zones 4– 8. I took this photo at the Elisabeth C. Miller garden in Seattle.

Flower gardens can be quiet places of relaxation and renewal. And rocks, along with the flowers, double that feeling. Why rocks? Because they are Nature’s most enduring material and add a durable, quiet presence to the landscape. Rocks ground us and flowers elevate us. It is this dynamic juxtaposition that makes this arrangement so compelling.

Rocks are a solid counterbalance to short-lived flower displays.

There are many ways to combine rocks with flowers. Traditional rock gardens are one example but there are other design options. The following tips highlight the contrast of hard natural stone and soft flowers.

• You can place one or more large rocks within a flower bed or at its edges, or both.

• Highlight the flowers that drape or ramble such as Geranium ‘Rozanne’ by placing a rock next to them. A definite eye catcher.

• Plant a group of tall growing flowers like Monarda or Liatris behind a large rock or plant low growing ones in front at its base.

• You can also set several long, narrow stones vertically within a flower bed to act as dramatic “standing stones.”

Graceful Diamond Frost® euphorbia (Euphorbia Diamond Frost®) looks amazing in front of a moss covered rock. Diamond Frost sports small, airy, white flowers that bloom nonstop from spring through September. This drought- tolerant annual thrives in sun and partial shade. It stands 12 to 18 inches high. It’s deer resistant, too.

I prefer to collect and use rocks from a garden’s site rather than bring them in from somewhere else. These native rocks resonate with the land. I know it is not always possible to do this, but it is a good practice if you have a lot of stone at hand.

It may sound odd, but I believe rock energy is palpable— I have turned away certain rocks if they do not seem “comfortable” in a garden.

Pink New Guinea impatiens, a strong performing annual, crowd together next to a beautiful, craggy rock. The soft blossoms blend well with the hard stone. The thin-bladed grass on the right is the lovely ‘Evergold’ sedge.

Plant your rocks as you would your flowers, and at least one-quarter of a rock should be buried. And find the ‘face’ of the rock as you place it. It makes such a difference in the overall look of a rock garden.

Did you know?

The art of the stone arrangement in Japan is called sute-ishi. ‘Sute-ji ’ means build and ‘ishi’ means stone. It was considered the main element of a gardener's work.

And, as you place the rocks, also make sure that the soil is amended for the kinds of flowers or foliage plants you are planting. The soil is so important - it determines everything in a landscape. And rocks are a plus for pollinator gardens because rocks serve as warming spots for butterflies, our all-important flower pollinators, to bask on and heat up in the summer sun.

The low growing, soft blue blossoms of floss flower (Ageratum houstonianum) are contrasted with white floss flower in front of them. Ageratum adds a fuzzy blue accent in a planting and blooms from late spring to first frost in a sunny location. It is deer resistant and works well in a sunny rock garden.

If you have a small slope and a supply of stones, you can convert it into a rock garden featuring low-growing flowering plants. You should add several larger stones to act as anchors to give a garden some visual weight and create interest. Also consider adding a curving narrow path leading through the rocks and plants. It is for tending to the plants and leads the eye through the garden. A small path is a good way to create a unified scene. 

The bright golden- yellow flowers of the perennial ‘Zagreb’ threadleaf tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’) are borne on slender green stems, growing to 12 inches high. The dainty flowers continuously bloom from early summer through fall. The finely cut foliage of this hardy plant makes an interesting contrast with rocks in a sunny garden. Generally considered Deer Resistant but if they are hungry... Zones 3– 9

I remade one rock garden and luckily, they had deer fencing. I added blue agapanthus (not hardy where I live) with the existing daylilies.The large rock outcrop acted as a striking backdrop to the dainty flower blossoms.

Rocky sites do not deter the common orange daylily (Hemerocallis fulva). This summer- flowering perennial is native to Asia, and it is tolerant of any soil. It is easy to grow and naturalizes, so you may see it blooming along roadsides. Grows up to 4 feet tall. Zones 2– 9.

Through careful selection and placement of solid, natural rocks you can create a garden that helps us view Nature— and our time with her— a little differently. As Lily Tomlin said, “For fast acting relief, slow down.” Rocks remind us to slow down.

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