Rock gardens can be peaceful retreats, reflecting the natural world. As wildlife sanctuaries, hummingbirds may flit through, pausing briefly to take nectar from a flower, while lizards skitter across a rock, seeking a warm sunny spot to rest or do their little push-ups. These gardens can be magical places where, with a little imagination, one might envision some sort of gnome or wood-elf perched atop a rock.
Rock gardens aren't proper or square or manicured. They can be jagged and dramatic, or rounded and soft, or a combination of both.
A good rock garden should evoke emotion.
They can be big or small. Some of the most beautiful gardens are 4 feet across, utilizing small rocks nestled between little mosses and succulents.
Elements of a rock garden
Almost all rock gardens contain three elements: soil, rocks and plants. Soil is very important in creating a rock garden. Soil serves two purposes. It is, of course, the growing medium for your plants, but just as importantly, it creates elevation and contour. I advise against using fill dirt or leftovers from some excavation in your yard. Often, fill dirt is inundated with weeds and will give you more problems later than you wished for.
Instead, order some good, well-draining topsoil from your local landscape supply yard.
Once you have your soil, the creative process begins. Your soil is the medium with which you can create mounds, valleys, peninsulas and canyons. Some rock gardens consist of a single, oval shaped mound. I prefer my rock gardens to undulate, to rise and fall, to be almost voluptuous in shape. My suggestion is, as you move your soil around with wheelbarrow and rake,"¦ look off toward the distant mountains and try to emulate their shape. Notice their rolling effect. It is important to exaggerate their shape somewhat: make your hills a little higher than what you want, the soil will eventually compact by about 30 percent over time.
| Once you have your little mountain range shaped up, it is time to bring in your rocks. A good rule of thumb is to pick your rocks fairly big. Otherwise, they will become obscured as your plants mature. The kinds of rocks you choose are a matter of personal taste and budget. |
Going to a demonstration garden, such as the Arboretum at UC Santa Cruz, or Sierra Azul Nursery in Watsonville, or just exploring town on a bike ride or a walk, offer a good opportunity for a family outing and allow you to expand the horizons of creativity.
Some people like smooth round boulders, resembling dinosaur eggs. Some prefer sharp granite rocks that resemble a miniature Half Dome or El Capitan. The most important thing to remember is that rocks need to be planted, like a shrub or a tree. You can't just plunk a rock down and leave it or it is going to look out of place, like some asteroid that fell out of the sky.
Dig a small depression into the earth and roll your rock into place. Rocks are like people's faces, they have a more attractive side, and you want to face that side forward. One piece of equipment I highly recommend renting would be a good-quality, heavy-duty rock dolly. This can be an invaluable tool during the creative process of moving and positioning the rocks, which inevitably happens.
Plan for plants
When you have created your mounds and placed your rocks, it is time for the plants! The most important thing to remember in planting your rock garden is that you don't want to hide your rocks with plants. That compact little plant that you buy from the nursery in its little 6-inch pot is often deceptive. Today's little accent plant complementing the corner of a boulder is tomorrow's sprawling shrub, totally obscuring your poor rock.
You may want to plant your garden so that it looks full and established right away. You may be sorry for this later when you find yourself constantly cutting, hacking and trimming just to keep your plants from smothering one another!
A good planting policy to remember is small in front, big in back. Place your larger shrubs and perennials toward the back of the garden and behind your rocks. In front of your rocks, and between them, plant small compact groundcovers and succulents.
There is no rule as to what kind of plants that you put in your rock garden. Of course, you don't want to use formal hedge plants in a rock garden, and you want to keep scale in mind. In other words, don't plant a rhododendron in the middle of a 5-foot-wide area.
Mixing styles should be avoided: don't plant an azalea in the middle of a grouping of succulents. Look at some pictures of gardens you like, identify the plants you see and talk to your local nursery person.
The most important thing about creating a rock garden, besides the satisfaction of making a thing of beauty, is to have fun!
David Walzer is the owner of Earth Art Landscape Design and has been landscaping in Santa Cruz for 10 years. Contact him at 234-9472.
