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Post by lily on Mar 31, 2009 16:49:40 GMT
Do people still have rockeries?
I have an old water tank that I painted and planted up some years ago on a northish facing wall but outside the kitchen where we sit when and if we get a summer.
I want to replace the bedraggled things in it completely and would like a rockery type thing. It's not big, the surface area is probably only 2 and a half feet square, but can anyone recommend some plants?
Also, am I right in thinking I need to top it up with compost and grit? About 50/50?
Thanks folks!
xxx
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Post by Fi on Mar 31, 2009 23:10:37 GMT
Lily, the soil has to be free draining, so maybe you could try a higher proportion of grit, and make sure the container is too - they hate wet roots. The only alpine I would recommend is any gentian - they are gorgeous, but then so are most other alpines. Either look in a specialist book or visit a nursery over the next few months - that way you can see what the flowers look like, and also get a succession of flowers, if that's what you want. One other favourite maybe worth a mention is Lewisia - the colours are endless and, in my experience, they are utterly relaible.
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Post by Suzy R Sopham on Apr 1, 2009 6:15:32 GMT
I have some alpines around and about. Shame you aren't nearer and I could plant you some bits!
One of my favourites is rock peppermint. It has teeny weeny leaves but smells fab and will be great for sitting near in the evenings.
When a friend of mine did one of these years ago, she went to the garden centre every month and bought something in flower to make sure she had something of interest for each month.
Let me know if you want some cuttings!
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Post by lily on Apr 2, 2009 20:06:30 GMT
Thanks, will spend some time looking round the garden centre as I'm off next week...at least I've got a clue what to look for now!
Sooz do you know what 'rock peppermint' is really called - having trouble getting beyond peppermint herb and sticks of blackpool rock on google! ;D
xxx
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Post by Fi on Apr 6, 2009 23:44:13 GMT
Lily, do a search for Corsican mint, Mentha requiemii it's also known as rock mint, so I guess it's what Sooz is referring to as well.
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Post by lily on Apr 7, 2009 18:17:03 GMT
Thanks for the tips. In the end I settled on:
Saxifranga White Pixie and Pearly Gold
Lewisia cotyledon Rainbow - Yellow/Peach/White
Sooz had sent me a link to the Corsican mint and I was going to add some but, frankly it looked a bit bedraggled and not very healthy. I may add some later.
I'll take a pic when it's all planted up. ;D
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Post by troykerr on Apr 7, 2009 18:38:28 GMT
Discovered Corsican Mint by accident and wow - nowt to look at but the smell is fantastic. Our was badly affected byt the winter frosts this year but got fingers crossed.
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Post by lily on Apr 7, 2009 21:15:11 GMT
Discovered Corsican Mint by accident and wow - nowt to look at but the smell is fantastic. Our was badly affected byt the winter frosts this year but got fingers crossed. If I can find some better looking specimens then I might use it to fill in gaps.
xxx
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Post by tigerlily on Apr 7, 2009 21:40:52 GMT
I might look at getting some to go in between the six inch gaps in between the paving slabs in our path. Much nicer smelling than grass!
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Post by lily on Apr 19, 2009 14:08:03 GMT
This is the start. The idea is to fill in the spaces with smaller plants during the summer. Already there are a lot more flowers so they seem happy enough.
xxx
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Post by clarevoyant on Apr 19, 2009 15:08:09 GMT
The whole of my front garden is a rockery. It's on a slope so we went for a rocks, sleepers, stones etc. Some of my favourites are: Alpine Strawberries, tasty, pretty and pink! Diascia, Wink. Pink! Verbena, Aztec, Dark Red.
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Post by lottielou on Apr 20, 2009 12:05:31 GMT
Tigerlily, I am an amateur rock garden enthusiast. One thing I have learned since creating my first rock garden 4 years ago is that it is wise to read the labels on the alpine plants before purchase. They may look small in the garden centre but I found that some of them spread quite vigorously and it suffered from overcrowding. Hence I created two new rock gardens last year to accomodate plants I had to divide or replant from the original. Some of the plants like Rhodohypoxis Baurii(Margaret Rose) can spread up to 24 " Hebe Caterburensis up to 36" Iberis Sempervirens up to 24" Lithodora Diffusa( Heavenly Blu up to 18"Having said all that I love the alpines and they are more or less low maintenance while providing an abundance of colour all summer long. May you have the most spectacular water tank ever.Good luck.
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Post by rosemarytheherb on Apr 27, 2009 22:22:17 GMT
This is the start. The idea is to fill in the spaces with smaller plants during the summer. Already there are a lot more flowers so they seem happy enough.
xxx I think its going to look great Lilt, cos they they all look comfortable. Rose x
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