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Help with very shabby rockery

L Plate GardenerL Plate Gardener Posts: 21
in Garden design

I have an interesting garden, it is very uphill with two retaining walls. There is a rockery going right across the back of the house and that is what you see when you look out. At the moment it is a mish mash of everything!

I have attached pictures of my dilemma. I have no idea how to structure it. I would like to add some winter colour with cyclamens or something. 

I have searched Google for ideas and images for inspiration but with these are generally geared towards smaller rockeries.

First timer here and very much a novice gardener. Would be so grateful for any ideas!imageimage

Posts

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 22,278

    THE PICTURES MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE WHEN YOU REALISE THAT THEY ARE UPSIDE DOWN.image DON'T WORRY, IT'S A "FEATURE" OF THIS FORUM.

    WELL, WHAT KIND OF GARDENER WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE? ARE YOU A FINICKY, PERNICKETY SORT OF PERSON WITH LOADS OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS? IF SO, YOU COULD GO FOR THE CLASSIC ROCKERY STYLE WITH LOTS OF TINY PLANTS KEPT NEAT AND TIDY BY HOURS OF WEEDING BETWEEN THEM.

    OR, YOU COULD JUST ACCEPT THAT YOUR GARDEN HAS AN ABOUNDANCE OF ROCKS AND PLANT THINGS THAT YOU LIKE BUT, INSTEAD OF SOIL, SETTLE WITH THE IDEA THAT THEY HAVE ROCKS BETWEEN THEM.

    IT LOOKS FAIRLY SHADY. IS IT?

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700

    image

    image

    High maintenance - a front garden near where I live, full of height and colour. Second photo, more lower maintenance taken from Wisley Gardens a couple of years ago. Think about the style and colours, whether you want trees and shrubs for height, or an array of colours with annuals and bedding plants.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 85,989

    If it was mine, at this time of year I'd be planting lots of clumps of little species tulips, crocus tomasinianus and tiny narcissus like N. minnow N. hawera and N. teta a tete.

    I wouldn't worry about winter colour .... appreciate the more subtle hues of the rocks (and possibly mosses and lichens growing on them?) and you may find that the evergreens show subtle changes in colour as the cold weather arrives.  

    If it is shady, next year look out for some hardy ferns which would keep their foliage over winter and add some structure if planted in pockets against the rocks.

    I'd love a rockery like yours.  

    Last edited: 29 October 2017 11:50:30


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Artemis3Artemis3 Posts: 724

    I love rockeries, so I always take a good look at such pictures on this forum.  Just for Pansy (and myself) I rotated LPG's photos, in order to see properly what's there.

    image

    image

    Really attractive, I think.

    Borderline, these are truly magnificent gardens but my back hurts by just looking at them!

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