Use these toughened but pretty perennial and succulents to make a super low - maintenance landscape .
These pretty , abject - maintenance careen garden plants make top choices for any well - draining , gravelly spot . habituate them tocreate a colourful rock-and-roll garden , but these tough industrial plant also work well ingravel gardens , alpine gardens , pocket in dry - stack walls , and between stepping stone . Count on these low - get perennials and succulents to produce vibrant bloom and leafage , even in pitiful soil , drouth , and rut .
Alyssum
Commonly called field goal of Au , repeated alyssum(Aurinia saxatilis ) makes a beautiful rampart or rock garden industrial plant . Every spring , it develops masses of cheerfulyellow flowersthat appear terrific tucked between rocks and boulders . In warmer regions , this plant can be short - lived , so replant every year or two . you’re able to grow recurrent madwort from seeds or nursery graft .
Growing shape : Full sun in well - drain soil
sizing : Up to 12 inches improbable
Credit: Andy Lyons
Zones:4 - 7
Blue Fescue
Just as you would in a traditional perennial garden , includingornamental grassesin your rock or paries garden is important for add texture and interest throughout the class . They keep the color show going while other plant get along in and out of prime . One favorite for a John Rock garden isblue fescue(Festuca glauca ) . This dim , clumping sess arise just 12 inch tall and has rich blue foliage highlighted with buff - colour bloom stalk in the tardy summer . Blue fescue flourish in dry condition and mixes well with other rock garden plants .
grow Conditions : Full sun in well - drained , juiceless soil
Zones:4 - 8
Credit: Denny Schrock
Blue Star Creeper
Though it stays flyspeck , blue adept tree creeper ( Isotoma fluviatilis ) should be on your must - have list for rock or wall gardens . This handsome perennial develops tiny green leave of absence form a firm mat that can take light-colored foot dealings . gamy star creeper is covered in the fountain with pretty , pale blue champion - shape efflorescence . drab star creeperprefers slightly moist grime , making it a great mate for Irish moss in moister climates .
Growing Conditions : Full Dominicus to part tad in well - drained soil
Size : Up to 4 inch tall
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Zones:5 - 9
Candytuft
A dependable spring bloomer , candytuft(Iberis sempervirens ) produces a stunning carpet of Baron Snow of Leicester - white flower atop bright evergreen foliation . As a bonus , when the peak mature , they fade to light garden pink , which gives the plant a second show of people of colour . Candytuft is aneasy - care perennialthat ’s deer- and drouth - resistant . After blooming , remove the drop flowersand savour the plant ’ fat fleeceable leaves right through the winter .
Size : Up to 6 inches tall
Zones:3 - 8
Credit: Mike Jensen
Creeping Phlox
Just when you thought winter would never end , the precious stone - like flowers of creepingphlox(Phlox subulata)burst intobloom in former spring . An idealistic stone garden plant , creeping phlox thrives in poor , dry stain that drains cursorily after rainfall . cower phlox make carpet of drab , purple , rose , pinkish , or bicolor bloom . The plants also have dark , needlelike , evergreen plant foliagethat remain attractive year - round .
Zones:3 - 9
Deadnettle
Prized for both its colorful foliage and flowers , deadnettle(Lamium maculatum)makes a superb rock garden works , especially in shady locations . This handsome crawler come in avariety of foliage colour , including silver , chartreuse , unripe , and bicolor . The pinkish or whitened flowers look from May to July and are alsodeer - resistant . When well-chosen , deadnettle can spread quickly but do n’t worry because the plants are promiscuous to control with an occasional haircut .
Growing weather condition : Full to part subtlety in well - drained , slimly moist soil
Euphorbia
If you live in a hoar - free region , be sure to includeEuphorbiain your rock garden . This grand sept of succulent comes in a apparently endless selection of shapes , sizes , and colors . They are passing heat- anddrought - resistantand have shallow base systems that let you to easily tuck them into the tight spots between rock and bowlder . In the N , you’re able to still enjoyEuphorbiabyplanting them in a big , flat dishand setting it in the center of the garden . Then , when frost threatens , just bring it indoors .
rise Conditions : Full sun and well - drain , dry grunge
Size : Most are 4 - 8 inches tall , but some can attain up to 6 feet
Credit: Denny Schrock
Zones:9 - 11 ( depends on diverseness )
Hens-and-Chicks
These adorable , solid ground - squeeze plants are a lot like potato chip ; you ca n’t terminate with just one . hen - and - chicks(Sempervivumspp . ) come in various shapes , size , and coloration , so they ’re super collectible . Each industrial plant ( the hen ) sends out babies ( the chick ) on scant runners , eventually forming a close mat of pretty foliation . Hens - and - chick are drouth tolerant and are small enough to be tucked into even the tiniest sunny nook or cranny . The chicks can be separated from the biddy and be replanted in other locations ( they ’re also popular forgrowing indoors as houseplants ) .
Zones:4 - 9 ( depends on mixture )
Ice Plant
Resistant to heat , drought , poor soil , and common salt , the internal-combustion engine plant life ( Delosperma cooperi ) is about as indestructible as you could get . Thismat - forming perennialgrows 3 - 6 inch marvelous and can spread two understructure or more wide . ice-skating rink plant life has fleshy hoar - dark-green foliation almost blot out by an abundance of jewel - tonus , daisylike blooms in purplish - pink , yellow , white , orangish , or cherry-red . Tuck the ice plant between boulders and watch it easy cast the stone with brainy color . water ice plants are more cold - Thomas Hardy in drier , western landscape .
Zones:6 - 11
Irish Moss
Because most rock and roll garden plants thrive in dry soil , it can be challenging to grow inwetter climates such as the Pacific Northwest . However , perennials such asIrish moss(Sagina subulata ) love moisture and are a great option for those regions . Irish moss get its name from its soft , bright green , mosslike foliage that forms a mat so thick you canactually walk on it . In the bounce , the plants are stress with tiny whizz - similar white blossom . Tuck Irish moss between stones and piss once weekly if rain is scarce .
raise Conditions : Full sun to part nicety in systematically damp soil
Size : Up to 1 in marvelous
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Periwinkle
Commonly used as a ground cover , periwinkle(Vinca small-scale ) also work well in a rock or wall garden . This handsome , evergreen trailer bring forth lavender - down flowers in later natural spring and other summertime . This periwinkle prefer part shade and slightly moist soil , so it ’s one of the best option for rock or wall garden turn up under improbable tree diagram .
Test Garden Tip : The plant can circulate speedily and are moot trespassing in parts of the southeast .
Red Creeping Thyme
Unlike its culinary cousins , scarlet creeping thyme ( Thymusserpyllum)won’t play a star character in your kitchen , but it will add piles of color and interest to your rock garden . This gorgeous ground hugger will quickly meet in between paving stones or rock-and-roll walls . Tough enough to take light foot dealings , this rugged perennial will put out its copious fragrance every time its leaves are crushed . Redcreeping thymeis smothered with petite lavender - crimson blush in the summertime and grows well in container .
Zones:4 - 9
Rock Cress
Also called arabis , stone cress(Aubrieta deltoidea ) gets its name because it fly high in the lean ribbon of dirt wedged between boulders . This pretty creeper produce slew of cheerful pink orwhite flowersin the outpouring . It can tolerate heat and drouth and is cervid - resistant . Rock cress makes a big container plant , too . Shear back works after flowering to encourage denser growth .
Size:4 to 6 inch magniloquent
Sedum
If you need a “ plant it and forget it ” perennial for your rock garden , you ca n’t go awry withsedums . These elusive - as - nails plants amount in a broad variety of colour and shapes and will quickly take root in any sunny , rocky location . Plus , most types give rise ambrosia - rich , ashen , pink , or mauve flower head in the summer and fall down thatlure colorful butterflies to your garden . land - embrace sedums are often sell in interracial “ tile ” that , like sod , you may turn out up and insert into any place . Look for sedum tile at your local garden centre .
Size : Up to 3 feet magniloquent
Snow-in-Summer
The saturated white flowers ofsnow - in - summer(Cerastium tomentosum ) seem in cloudlike drifts from former May to mid - June . Baron Snow of Leicester - in - summertime also has soft grayish foliage that looks terrific even when the plants are not bloom . If institute in a sunny , well - drained localisation , this plant will pass around lento through your rock orvertical garden . It does n’t wish heat and humidness , so it may need to be replanted every yr or so in the southerly circumstances of its chain . Shear off flowers after they pass off to keep the plants attend their estimable .
Zones:3 - 10
Soapwort
Make your sway garden sparkle with a generous help oneself ofsoapwort(Saponaria ocymoides).During colonial time the tomfool of this pretty plant was boiled to imprint a sudsy Georgia home boy used to launder clothes . However , soapwort is prized today for its fragrantpink flowersthat lure butterfly stroke to your garden . bouncing Bess thrives in shallow , rough soil , so it ’s perfect for rock and wall garden . The flowers appear from July to September ; deadhead them as they fade to encourage more blooms .
Size : Up to 2 human foot tall
Thrift
Here ’s a lilliputian smoothie that ’s a mess tough than it looks . Thrift(Armeria maritima)is also cognise as sea pinko because it grows wild on ocean - side cliffs , so you know it will stomach salt spray , heat , and penalize breaking wind . It ’s a compact plant with delicate grasslike foliage and showy pinkish or white ball - like blooms in the spring . Thrift prefers wretched soil ; the plant may molder if grown in robust or moist soil . curtail aside the flowers as they wither to keep plant looking tidy .
Growing Conditions : Full sun and well - enfeeble soil
Woolly Thyme
The blurry , gray - green leaves of woolly thyme ( Thymus pseudolanuginosus ) have a easy , carpetlike appearance that contrast perfectly withhard - edged rocksand boulders . But do n’t let its cushionlike appearing fool you ; this little industrial plant is tough enough to walk on and will raise just fine betweenstepping stonesor pavers . Woolly thyme grows 3 inches grandiloquent and , in summer solstice , prepare mass of petite pinko , ambrosia - full-bodied flowers that butterfly will constellate to .
Size : Up to 3 inches tall
Zones:5 - 8
Credit: Rich Pomerantz
Yellow Columbine
Native to the Rocky Mountains , yellowcolumbine(Aquilegia chrysantha)produces yellow peak from leap into summer over a knoll of webbed bluish - greenish leaf . Butterflies , bumblebees , andhummingbirds love to visit the bloom . This species tolerates heat well , specially in the shade , but may go dormant in summer if conditions are too wry . It may be curtly - lived but will reseed and slowly spread itself around .
Growing Conditions : Part shade , specially during the good afternoon , and well - drained soil
Size:1 - 3 feet tall
Credit: Ed Gohlich
Pasque Flower
Carson Downing
Native to much of Europe , pasque flower(Pulsatilla vulgaris ) is an ahead of time - blooming perennial . It forms clumps of fuzzy farewell , a quintessential flavour in alpine plants . In fountain , it produces purple flowers , followed by fluffy - looking seminal fluid heads . It may go bad back by the final stage of summer but will re-emerge early the undermentioned spring .
Growing Conditions : Full sun to part subtlety and well - drained soil
Credit: Matthew Benson
size of it : under 1 understructure magniloquent and wide
Creeping Juniper
Peter Krumhardt
form dense mats of low - produce evergreen outgrowth , creepingjuniper(Juniperus horizontalis ) is idealistic for rock candy gardens and needs next to no care or maintenance once established . It tolerates hot , dry conditions and poor , bumpy soil , plus deer leave it alone .
Growing Conditions : Full sun and well - drained , average soil
Credit: Bob Stefko
Size:1 foot tall and 5 - 8 foot across-the-board
Frequently Asked Questions
While you should follow each type of plant ’s demand , you’re able to generally irrigate a rock-and-roll garden every 10 to 12 days . Do n’t water it in direct sunlight and ensure there ’s enough drainage so the plant does n’t get waterlogged .
Not at all ! In fact , a rock garden is encouraged for beginners as the cultural conditions are simple to cope with and the most time - consuming job would be weeding out each plant . This will lessen over meter as the plant establishes and develops itself , leading to fewer weeds to murder .
Credit: Jay Wilde
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Povy Kendal Atchison
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Jeffrey Rycus
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit:Carson Downing
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
