Expert: John-Paul Friend - 3/3/2003

Question
I would like to put a rock garden in our back yard.  We have a area of land that has a slope on it.  I am pretty new to the gardening business. I would like to plant wildflowers in the same area.  I was wondering where to begin and what kind of rock would be best for the area.  I live in the Texas Panhandle.  There are no other rocks in the area I am wanting to put a rock garden in.  I know that I would like to have it look as natural as possible.  Where do I begin?  Thanks!

Nicole =)

Answer
Hello, and thanks for your question. First of all, the gradient of the slope is important. If the slope is very steep, you will have to dig into the earth and bed in some large rocks to prevent the rock feature from moving down the hill, (This is also important if there is a lot of rain fall as it may wash the growing medium down the slope). This is not a problem however, as these large rocks will provide good drainage and a good start for the base of the feature. The secret to making a rock feature appear natural is to use the same type of rock all over it and have them facing the same way. A good way to visualise it is to go to a beach or rock/cliff face nearby and try to copy that. (I'd recommend taking some photos and standing and looking at the plot before action). As for the type of rock I'm afraid I'm at a loss, as I'm based in England and dont know Texas, however if you require more information, I will go and research! If you want to grow wildflowers on the rock feature, you should try to stick to alpine plants. These are normally delicate plants which grow wildly at the tops of mountainous regions, hence alpine. Again if you send another message with some information about your weather conditions and climate, I'll do my best to help further. Thanks again for your question, John-Paul.