Many plants thrive in rocky areas and gardeners who love the unique and attractive curb appeal of a rockery already know how satisfying such a garden can be. For many homes, a rockery is a great way to add interesting plants to your yard and combine rough and complex textures, blending the delicacy of various flowers and the jagged surface of the stones. Yet, some in warmer or more humid environments find it finicky to get plants to thrive among the rocks. Don’t worry — it’s very easy to keep your rockery looking great year-round with a little patience and a love for such a space’s tranquil beauty.
Consider Zoning Plants for Different Seasons
It’s important to choose many types of plants for the different seasons so that they can take turns flowering. If you did not consider this when first putting in your rockery, don’t fret, you can swap out various plants for different seasons until your rockery reaches its full potential!
It is also wise to arrange a transition area between the rockery and formal parts of the garden, such as an edging or path with small stones. This will showcase different colors and textures and also make it easy for you to navigate the garden.
Position your rocks so the style and grain are all facing the same direction to keep a harmonious effect. With a little creativity and vision, many colors, textures, and heights are possible!
Keep Soil Around Plants Hydrated
During the first few weeks after planting, you should water your plants regularly even if the weather doesn’t seem very dry. After that, be sure to water when the soil is dry at a few inches depth and the leaves look dull.
Soil around a rockery can dry out very quickly and the plants need to be watered more often than the rest of your garden. Do not lightly sprinkle, that will only do more damage to the plants. You will want to water them thoroughly with a hose pipe rather than a watering can, unless your rock garden is small.
Remove Weeds on a Regular Basis
Weeds start growing as soon as the soil temperature gets to about 40°F in the springtime. Because of this, they tend to get a head start on the plants you actually want to see! It’s very important to pull weeds out from the rock cracks by hand.
When your rockery is new, you may find you have to deal with a lot of weeds and consider turning to herbicides to help combat the issue. It is important not to use herbicide on your rock garden because often no matter how precisely you may spray it, the liquid will drip down the rock and onto other plants. Be sure to pull the weeds from the root to get all of it from the soil and do this on a continual basis to keep your garden fresh.
Rockery maintenance is not a particularly difficult task, but it is certainly an important one. Many people that create this type of garden are also looking for a harmonious and meditative aspect. Between the visual aspect of the rockery and the physical upkeep, you will have a garden that will bring you joy for years to come.
Build Your Rockery with Seattle’s New Life Rockeries
At New Life Rockeries, we excel at creating vibrant, beautiful rockeries that are not only useful but also appealing. We love to collaborate with homeowners and businesses that want to build a rockery with a purpose. If you have questions about building a rockery on your property, get in touch with our Seattle rockery company. We’d be delighted to offer you a free quote and advice on how to keep your rockery looking great.