ROCK GARDEN DESIGN: THE BEST PLANTS FOR A ROCKERY
Alpine plants thrive in poor, rocky, and very well-drained soil. In the alpine regions, they experience extreme weather like wild, whipping winds, heavy rain, freezing temperatures, snow, and harsh direct sunlight in the summer. Because of the intense conditions they live in, rockery plants are generally short, typically under 4' tall. As far as hardiness goes, alpine species will survive in Indiana just fine, as long as they have good drainage. They're also relatively low-maintenance and drought tolerant.
However, to keep them happy, you need to recreate their natural environment. Generally, this means building a mound of boulders and rocks, or embracing and enhancing an already rocky slope, or stone retaining wall, in your yard. This style of landscaping is called a "rockery garden," and it's an excellent solution for folks who want to add some natural texture to their landscapes, but don't have time for a lot of maintenance.
Perhaps the best part about rock gardens is that they really can be any size. You bring in huge boulders and design a rockery with many levels and layers and intriguing features. Or you can scale it down. Because plants that grow on rocks tend to be on the smaller side, you can easily build a tiny rockery in a single pot on an apartment balcony. Alpine plants don't need fertile soil, so don't worry too much about amending it. They'll also benefit from a layer of gravel or smaller rocks in between your larger feature boulders. Luckily, Indiana is a state with many different colors, sizes, and types of stone to choose from for your rock garden.
So, what are the best plants for a rockery garden in Indianapolis? Here are a few of our favorites.
SUCCULENTS
Many types of succulents are appropriate for a rock garden. Hen and Chicks are a super easy-care plant choice. Hen and Chicks spread very quickly on their own. They self-propagate, and before long, you'll have a mat of cute little rosettes. Hen and Chicks are also available in a wide variety of styles, leaf shapes, and a range of colors. Some have red or nearly black tips, some have soft fuzz on their leaves, and all have unique rosette patterns. Their thick leaves store water for a long time, so they don't need to be watered very often once established in the garden. Hen and Chicks don't get very tall, although they will occasionally send up a blooming shoot that pokes out by several inches.
CREEPING SEDUMS
Another great drought-tolerant choice is creeping sedum, like Queen Elizabeth Stonecrop. Similar to succulents, sedums are a nearly zero-maintenance rockery plant. Creeping sedums come in a fascinating array of styles and colors. Some of them bloom, and many have striking, exotic-looking blossoms.
Sedums fit well into the tiniest rocky spaces, often filling in the cracks in between bricks and trailing over the sides. Sedums prefer a very gravel base; they usually grow out of shallow layers of scree in the wild.
SPREADING GROUNDCOVERS
Perennial groundcover plants, like Soapwort, Creeping Thyme, and Woolly Thyme, are perfect additions to rock gardens. They're also very low-maintenance, spreading out to fill empty spaces and creeping over and around the rocks. In a matter of months, they'll make everything in the rockery look like it's been there for decades!
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
Adding some texture to a rock garden is as easy as adding an ornamental alpine grass like Blue Fescue. Ornamental grasses add some height, depth, and texture variation to a rock garden. Their taller, wispy leaves show the movement of the wind and add some refined elegance to a rock garden.
EVERGREENS
Adding small evergreens, like dwarf conifers, is another excellent way to add some more variation and texture to your rock garden. Keep in mind that most trees in alpine or sub-alpine areas are quite small. Stick to compact choices, like Blue Chip Juniper or Mini Twists White Pine.
Are you ready to start "rocking out" with your own alpine-inspired garden? We've got everything at our garden center in Indianapolis that you could need— from giant boulders to gravel, and many beautiful plant choices to compliment your newly-landscaped, low-maintenance rockery garden.