A Look at Which Plants to Use in a Rock Garden

To plant or not to plant: How to choose plants for a rock garden

Planting a rock garden, as a landscaping project, can be a wonderful solution for those hard to plant places, in your yard. Rock gardens can be exciting, beautiful to behold and easy to maintain.

"How do I know what to plant?"

When starting a rock garden, it is difficult to know what to plant and what not to plant. Take a look at which plants are best to use in a rock garden. The plants you choose for your rock garden will depend upon the kind of rock garden that you decide to plant, the type of rocks and soil that you have, how often you plan to water your rock garden and the balance of sunlight and shade in that area.

Here are some suggestions:

Hens and chickens:

Hens and chickens plants are ideal for a rock garden because they are low lying plants that grow close together and form clusters of rosettes, as the leaves join together at one point, in the center. They grow quickly, on top of rocks or between them. They are attractive in a rock garden, because the leaves range in color from green to reddish brown. They will grow in the hot sun and tolerate shade, as well. 

Hens and chickens plants can be started easily by taking a leaf from a plant in another area and planting it or they can be purchased at a local garden center at little cost. As perennials, they will survive cold winter weather. Hens and chickens plants are succulents, so they do not require a lot of water, but they do need adequate drainage. You might consider planting different varieties of sedum too, as they grow well under the same conditions. They make wonderful rock garden plants.

If you have rocks that have big holes in them, place peat moss and soil inside the holes and then plant your succulents. Share some hens and chickens or your rock garden plants, with your neighbors, as they multiply.

Straw flowers:

Straw flowers are annuals that grow directly from seed, easily. After the straw flowers blossom and go to seed, they will seed themselves in nooks and crannies, in a rock garden. The blossoms can be multicolored, which makes them a delight to grow. Straw flowers can be purchased as plants and transplanted. They will grow in sandy loam soil and do well in direct sunlight and partial shade. They do not require a lot care and make excellent cut flowers that can be dried and used for floral arrangements.

Creeping phlox:

Creeping phlox is a wonderful addition to a rock garden, as it is a low lying, creeping plant that blooms, in early spring. It thrives in the sun, but will tolerate drought. It comes in a variety of colors that include pink and mauve. Creeping phlox can be planted in sandy soil along with bulbs like crocuses, tulips or daffodils. It is a perennial plant propagated by cuttings or by dividing the plants. It can be used as edging for a rock garden or planted in between rocks. As it increases in size, it may partially cover the rocks.

Cactus plants:

Cactus plants can make your rock garden look like a desert. They are great to plant in places that are extremely dry and have hot sun. One way to have a cactus plant in your rock garden for the summer is to plant it right in its clay pot and then, bring it inside when the temperature is too cold for it to thrive outdoors. Cactus plants do not require a lot of care, but they do not tolerate a lot of water either, so make certain that when it rains, the area in which they are planted is well drained. Wear garden gloves when you are planting a cactus plant, or taking it in at the end of the summer.

Daisies:

There are numerous kinds of daisy plants that will thrive in rock gardens, without requiring a lot of attention. Most of them thrive in direct sunlight or partial shade. They tend to grow well in sandy loam or clay soil. Daisies bloom for most of the summer and make excellent cut flowers. Because they are so brightly colored, they do attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. That is a good thing. They can be purchased as plants from a garden center or dug up as plants found growing wild. They grow to be several feet tall and make an excellent background for a rock garden.

Other tips:

When you are choosing plants for your rock garden, consider your location carefully. Find plants that will do well together under the same kinds of conditions. Look at your soil to see if all of the ones that you are planting, will thrive in that type of soil. Take into consideration the amount of sunlight and shade.

Use rocks to your advantage. They can be any size or shape. Decide whether or not you are showing off your flowers or your rocks and plant accordingly. Remember that some plants may grow up over your rocks or cover them completely.

Decide how often you want to water your rock garden and look seriously at the drainage. This will help you to decide what kinds of plants to purchase.

Before planting anything, do research with respect to rock gardens and see what kind of a rock garden you want to start. You might consider adding some shrubs or low lying evergreens, like junipers. Using bark or chips can help to eliminate weeds.

Garden ornaments, solar lights or a miniature fountain can be added to your rock garden to enhance its beauty, but you may not need any of those, if you plant the right plants. Choose your plants carefully and enjoy your rock garden, as you watch it grow.