Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Rockery garden - ideas

mawallace44mawallace44 Posts: 60
in Problem solving
Any ideas about this rockery. Was here when moved in.
Two issues.
1. Due to the design any water runs straight off onto the slabs. If its heavy rain dirt goes with it
2 looking to cover it with something in the autumn. Was thinking about bark but its likely to be forced off when it rains due to issue 1

Its already planted with bulbs and small alone plants so don't really want to start again. And I'm not that handy with cement!
«13

Posts

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Someone went to a lot of trouble to build that, I rather like it.  To stop the soil washing out, or any mulch you add, I should think it's simply a matter off adding a couple more courses of pebbles along the edge, or if you don't want to use cement, simply dig out some soil to lower the surface.

    You could perhaps chisel out a few stones at the bottom for the water to drain away, but there is still nowhere for it to go than across the pavers.  I presume it's built on top of concrete, or some other impermeable surface?  If you didn't mind doing a lot of digging, you could empty some of the soil into builder's bags and knock some holes in whatever's underneath, so the water can soak into the ground.  And then replace the soil, of course!  

    As for planting, I'd be inclined to cover most of it with a variety of stonecrops and sempervivums.  Especially if you can sort the drainage out.  But they'd need plenty of sun: which way does it face?
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    edited July 2020
    Honestly?  I'd get rid of it if it was in my garden.  Do you definitely want to keep it?
  • Andy19Andy19 Posts: 671
    I would lift the whole first row of slabs except the middle one to give you a path up to it. Then put an edging in against the slabs and back fill with soil then plant ferns and hostas as you say the water will run off to that area.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'm reminded of the expression " You can't polish a t*rd". I'd remove it.
    Devon.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    I thought it was just me who found it ugly.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'm thinking.... if I moved into a new house and the previous owners left hideous curtains, or carpets behind, would I keep them? No chance. So be it with garden "features"
    Devon.
  • PyraPyra Posts: 152
    How old's your house? It looks very dated, tbh. And it doesn't look well made.
    I'd either rip it out or do as @Andy19 says and hide those pebbles with other plants around the edge. 

    Or cover the whole thing in fast growing ivy to hide it... 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If removing it is not an option I'd add enough layers of new pebbles to support slabs or a bench and make it into a seat so I wouldn't have to look at it all day and then remove most of the plants and stones, put in a few posts to hold tensioned wires or a trellis and grow a perfumed repeat rambling rose or a honeysuckle or clematis to hide that fence behind.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    It looks very odd, almost verging on 'outsider art'. Maybe you should cover the top part with sea shells, broken pottery mosaic and disembodied doll heads etc?
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    To cover it up with minimal effort I would dig out some of the soil and stones from inside it so water doesn't run off any more, enrich the soil, and plant a large blob-shaped shrub that will totally cover it. 
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
Sign In or Register to comment.