Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Between a rock and a hard place

I'm sure you've all seen the tree growing out of the side of a mountain and wondered how it could possibly grow there. If you tried to grow it there it would be nearly impossible.  I sometimes think the same thing about some of the plants in my garden.  There are some plants that I give the most fertile spot in the garden and tend them lovingly and still they don't thrive.  Then there are the plants that grow in my rock walls.  I don't plant them there, they just find a spot with a bit of soil and grow happily without any help from the gardener.  You can't help but love these carefree, happy little plants.  Here are just a few of my cliff dwellers.


Pulsatilla

Dicentra eximia

Dianthus

Japanese Painted Fern

Viola Koreana

Salvia Purple Knockout

I do admit to planting these.  They seem happiest when growing in the cracks though.
 

Both the dianthus and lamium planted themselves working quite well with the heurchera.

Dwarf Goatsbeard  Aruncus aethusifolius

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5 comments:

  1. sharonOctober 10, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    I need some rocks!!!moist yet well drained...

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  2. GardenbugOctober 11, 2012 at 1:54 AM

    Yes indeed! The violas came here uninvited from a nursery. The Aruncus began spreading about for the first time last year. So pretty though! The Japanese painted ferns surprised me though. They used to cost a bundle...and now they are wonderful self sowers! Your Pulsatilla is lovely Michelle. Sometimes it does well and other times no. Can't figure this one out!

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  3. Deanne FortnamOctober 11, 2012 at 4:32 AM

    Beautiful Michelle! I really adore volunteers when they look as good as yours do. I can't grow Pulsatilla to save myself. Go figure. great post!

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  4. SueOctober 11, 2012 at 4:54 AM

    It was in Deanne's garden that I first saw the dwarf Aruncus growing as a volunteer at the base of one of her walls. After seeing how well it grew, I went out and bought a few plants.

    I'm always amazed at what comes up through river rock and cracks in my patio.

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  5. DeniseOctober 19, 2012 at 3:19 PM

    I love this post, Michelle. I've started a minor rock wall, really just a single course of large rocks holding in a raised bed, and it's so much fun fitting stuff in like a jigsaw puzzle. Plants and rocks have an amazing synergy, as your photos show.

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