Ann Smith
Broker


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519.697.3544
519.433.4331
1.866.851.1534
Fax: 519.433.6894
Email: ansmith@sympatico.ca

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No Labour Rock Gardens

By Ann Smith, Broker

Adding a rock garden to your landscape adds colour and texture and personalizes your yard. It may seem like heavy labour upfront, but once the garden is in place, it will soon fill in with minimal labour for maintenance.

Beginning this project in the Fall comes with benefits – lower priced plants and early spring blooms. Here are some considerations before you begin.

• Available space
• Location – full sun or shade (or somewhere in between)
• Budget – check costs for plants and rocks/stones
• Overall look you want to achieve
• Raised or ground-level beds plus drainage issues

The first thing to do is clear away the old. Remove sod and any existing plants. Start with a clear slate.

• Position the largest rocks first to set the perimeter of your garden – and be creative with the design.
• Fill the space between rocks with dirt/sand; walk on it to tamp it down.

Now for the plants. Foliage is the backdrop that makes the garden a joy to look at in every season. Position them for colour, size, texture, and flowering times. Note when blooms fade so you keep a fresh look all season.

Next you’ll position the rocks that are smaller than the first set.

• Use prettier ones at this stage as these will be more visible.
• Planned chaos – make the placement look natural, but not in the way of the plants, which look like they just “happened” to grow between the rocks.
• Add smaller plants keeping in mind it's easier to move stones than to have to dig up and replant a wrongly-placed plant.
• Add much smaller stones that will act as a deterrent for weeds.

Planning is your biggest ally. When travelling or walking about in your neighbourhood, look at various homes that have established rock gardens. Be bold and ask the owner how he/she put it together or check with local garden houses.

And just as in life, change is constant. Be ready to change your garden if certain plants aren’t a good “fit” or if you want to add more “wow” with rocks. The possibilities are endless – and the joy constant.
 

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Ann Smith, Broker
Your Real Estate Consultant…For Life!