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rock faces with bed below

stuart and Codystuart and Cody Posts: 76
edited February 2019 in Garden design
Hood day you lovely people, i am looking for some ideas/advice on what i can do with the area in the picture below.  in my head i see it covered in climbing or cascading flowers and/or greenery but i'm not really sure where to start, i've had the idea of a waterfall suggested with moss etc and also someone suggested succulents dangling down but i wouldn't know where to start with succulents they are somewhat new to me i didn't know where any that dangled. in the bed at the bottom i was looking to put some night phlox and/or night stock in the front for some evening fragrance and maybe a wild flower mix behind. 

any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated.  the rocks face almost west and enjoy approx 7-8 hours of light in spring/summer. thanks guys 


Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Ferns, ferns and more ferns  <3

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





  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Just what I was going to say - seems a natural solution!
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    edited February 2019
    Ferns  oh yes.

    I can see a clematis and some watering drip tubing running along here and there.
    Do you know what clematis it is?
    It appears to have some nice green shoots.
    If it is thriving there are some that will probably hang and cascade giving a nice effect.

    There are alpine ones then there are small alpine ones some of which are from places like New Zealand so I am not sure if they would survive in Wales it might be a bit cold for them? (forsteri types)
    But Alpina types might be okay they do not mind drier conditions, and are scramblers in the wild too.

    Two questions:
    What is the rock face like when it rains?
    And how big an area is it?
    That will help for plant sizes and suggestions.

    Also you might look at the likes of Alpine garden society sites for inspiration too.
    Sigh..it is a lovely rock face sigh..... :)<3

    Edited= Cannot spell.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Looks familiar, my stone here is all that orangey shaley stuff too. This is one of those right plant for the right place places. Really tough conditions but if you can get some plants that self-seed in that kind of place then it can work really well. I cheated by making my wall up and pointing in soil between the cracks but you can do the same there by mixing a bit of clay into john innes and shoving it into crevices, you may need to drill out some larger crevices if there aren't many there. I grow alpines in pots and then shove offsets or cuttings into the soil in the cracks, some take, some don't and some things arrive on their own. Hardy sedums, sempervivums and saxifrages all seem to do well and this is West facing too. Sometimes just tucking some moss up under a shady overhang will start things growing in there. Start with some native sedums as they'll love it on there, you may be able to find some growing locally and take some cuttings from them. Acre and album thrive here. Don't expect thinsg to colonise too quickly though as they might grow slowly in hard conditions.





    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    For flowers you really need alpines, but proper ones from a good alpine nursery, that would naturally grow in those kinds of conditions, not the garden centre versions. I've used Kevock and Edrom in the past, but there are other good ones, and you'll find all sorts of little treasures you never knew about.
    For instance, there are tiny Campanulas like C. pulla and C. cochlearifolia ' Elizabeth Oliver' and a bit bigger ones like C.muralis (the name says it all!) and you tuck them into cracks like Wildedges says and they gradually take over, but in the nicest possible way.
     Do check plants' growing needs though, regarding aspect and soil type, to avoid disappointment. Dianthus for instance never last very long in my acid soil.
    Don't be tempted by anything that might be thuggish, trying to weed it out if you change your mind would be a nightmare!
    Also beware, they can be very addictive!

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree with B'cupdays and w. edges  - alpines. Loads to pick from, but take your time choosing as has been said.
    If it stays wet, ferns, campanulas of all sorts, hostas etc. The bottom area would be easier to tweak as you'll presumably be able to access it easily enough.


    Have you got ropes and crampons for maintaining it?   :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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