hiya! i have these big rocks set up in rows in my garden, they were put there because it was a sloping garden at quite a seetp angle. there are three rows, i want to cover the bottom layer of rocks with a plant that will cascade down from the soil above them. the rocks are about 3-4 feet wide by two-three to four feet high. does anybody have any suggestions?
Ice plants (Aptenia, Drosanthemum, and Carpobrotus) are commonly used for that purpose here, and I believe they're hardy in Vancouver. Of the three, I think Aptenia is the prettiest, although Drosanthemum has showier flowers and Carpobrotus has the most interesting foliage.
i just checked those out on google, do they actually grow on the rock? and do you know if they are fast growing at all? thankyou so much for your reply :-)
They do - they're planted directly on top of the rock on retaining walls here, and are super fast growers. Despite this, they cause no damage to the stone - just green covering.
Most of those will not persist in Vancouver. If this is a sunny location with good drainage you may wish to try Arctostaphylos uva-ursi.
hiya ron! thankyou so much for your suggestion, do you know of anything that may have a bit more height that is good for this area?
I like the Kinnikinnick suggestion. Arctostaphylos Prostrate Juniper wouldn't be one of my first choices. Some look nice. But in the long-term, I don't see many nice remnants. : - )
what do you guys think of aubretia and acacia cascade? p.s. thankyou so much for the input, i really do appreciate it
Acacia is normally a very agressive plant - check your local invasive species list before planting it. Aubrieta is gorgious, though.
Aubretia is a very good choice. It is often seen here in the UK planted in little nooks in the tops of stone walls and allowed to trail down, it always looks good in this situation and seems to thrive.
that sounds great- i like the look of english gardens :-) lorax- ill stay away from acacia if its invasive, i just got into gardening last year, and dont really want a high maintenance plant, thanks for the heads up!