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Rockery plant botany and planting positions in the garden

Rockery plants botany is directly influenced by the particular conditions provided by the natural environment. Rockery plants are robust, perennial plants that have adapted to over wintering through over wintering buds. The buds reside in storage organs that are close to the ground. New shoots grow from these buds.

Shapes of growth

Rockery plants normally grow very close together on rocks and stones. There are four different growth shapes that can be identified. These are cushion rockery plants, mat-like rockery plants, bushy species and sub shrubs.

• Cushion rockery plants- grow into huge clumps which look like cushions. These plants grow very large, trailing down rocks or slopes. Examples include the evergreen rockery phlox or alyssum which has long tap roots which help them to burrow between large rocks and stones. Phlox can grow into narrow cracks and obtain nutrients and water from the deeper layers of the soil.

• Mat-like rockery plants - They have runners or rhizomes that develop roots forming carpet of plants. They cover rocks, stones and sections of walls and continuously grow outwards. Examples include species of thyme, Rosettes and many saxifrage types.

• Bushy species - They develop compact, tiny plants that have very large root stocks. Examples include Edelweiss and pasgue flowers. Bushy rockery plants develop long root stocks that reach deep down under the stone and rocks. The roots will be protected fro excessive heat in these spaces.

• Sub-shrubs - They develop woody branches near the base of their roots. They can be trained to develop compact, bushy growth by earthing them, back. Examples of sub-shrubs include lavender and rock roses. They cling to stony slopes and loose scree using their strong roots.

Flowering times and colours

Rockery plants flower in spring and summer. The rockery plants rapidly come out of the soil and will have colourfull, bright foliage. During summer months many of the rockery plants produce delicate flowers in pastel shades. Towards the autumn highlights of colours are provided by carline thistle (Carlina vulgaris), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis) and heathers.

Leaf shapes and structures

Rockery plants come in different leaf shapes and structures. Some have fleshy leaves, silvery foliage, leaf rosettes while others have downy leaves in different colours and decorative shapes. Rockery plants developed these unique leaf shapes to protect themselves from drought periods and intensive sunlight. These plants look beautiful when they are planted on a rockery facing south.

Rockery plants for many occasions

Rockery plants thrive in different conditions in their natural mountainous and steppy habitants. They can be planted in very different positions in the garden. They can be planted;

• On chalky or lime-poor soils

• In sunny or shady positions

• In dry or marshy, moist positions

The majority of rockery plants is robust and is perfectly suited to be grown in garden environments. Most of the rockery plant species have been improved through artificial selection crossing. When selecting rockery plants to propagate; ensure that you select those that thrive in your garden, i.e., those that match your current garden conditions.