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Rockery - to mulch or not to mulch?

cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
in Garden design
I've just planted up my rockery (think I may have to replace the artemisia. I have a few more heathers and ericas to go in once I've finished with them in my display pots) but I'm not sure whether to mulch with grit/gravel or leave bare for aesthetic reasons?

I was inspired by the Scottish Highlands and the Cornish Heather fields at Land's End, now of course they dont have gravel mulch. But what do you all think? 


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  • cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
    Also, not sure if it looks a bit sh*t🤔😂
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    looks good, but I would cover with gravel of a similar colour to the stones (rather than a mulch - which in my head means organic matter), maybe a couple of different sizes of gravel would look good
  • cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
    treehugger80 said:
    looks good, but I would cover with gravel of a similar colour to the stones (rather than a mulch - which in my head means organic matter), maybe a couple of different sizes of gravel would look good
    Thanks, think I will do so, after all it'll help to keep weeds down as well! 

    I like the idea of different sizes. Maybe I could smash up some of the slate I used as the edging and mix some of that in!? 
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    A tip I got from an alpine book was to mix several types of gravel together for a more natural look. All one type and size can look great and set the plants off but if you mix a few natural colours with some bigger pebbles it should be more like the look you're after I think.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
    wild edges said:
    A tip I got from an alpine book was to mix several types of gravel together for a more natural look. All one type and size can look great and set the plants off but if you mix a few natural colours with some bigger pebbles it should be more like the look you're after I think.
    Yes I think thats what I'll do as I want it to look more natural, even though its right next to a brick wall and concrete shed base🙄 thank you! 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Ideally, you would have laid the rocks as 'shelves', not upright, for a rockery type bed, unless you're trying to mimic scree, which runs in lines, but I think I'd go with @wild edges idea of mixing the gravel. It'll finish the planting off, and any gravel is good round the dianthus, to help prevent water lying up against the stems.  :)

    Is that Campanula poscharskyana near the front? Watch it doesn't run riot  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
    edited September 2019
    Fairygirl said:
    Ideally, you would have laid the rocks as 'shelves', not upright, for a rockery type bed, unless you're trying to mimic scree, which runs in lines, but I think I'd go with @wild edges idea of mixing the gravel. It'll finish the planting off, and any gravel is good round the dianthus, to help prevent water lying up against the stems.  :)

    Is that Campanula poscharskyana near the front? Watch it doesn't run riot  ;)
    I did want to do shelves, but as the clematis and rose are behind it would've been quite difficult and I've had to create like a retaining wall out of rocks to stop the clematis and rose becoming buried and being touched by ericaceous compost! I'd of had to really mound the soil up wouldn't I? 

    I might move the dianthus more into the rockery, but I fear it'll be too cramped? 

    Yes it is lol, I don't mind it taking over a bit! Its got the room to come down into the border infront if it so wishes!
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I've added a few vertical rocks randomly in my rockery and it does create some nice little microclimate patches to tuck in some shade loving alpines. I quite like the effect now.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    No  - not really. You would just have lain the stones flat side up, and running down slightly towards the back. That helps direct water down and away from the plants to prevent waterlogging. 
    Mind you - it won't really matter - most heathers actually cope with quite a lot of water  ;)
    You might find they get a bit dense though - they do spread a fair bit.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • cassie.a.stewartcassie.a.stewart Posts: 279
    Now I'm rethinking the whole thing😭🤔
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