Concrete Rockery

Hi all,
I am at the moment taking up an old patch of concrete in my front garden so I can have a border around my lawn on each side. The concrete seems to come up in decent size chunks and I was wondering if I could use it to make a raised bed. I think the bed would be about 8ft x 3ft x 3ft high ish. If the concrete wont just kill my plants what would everyone suggest me to plant in it?
The only location for it in my small garden would only get afternoon sun but is quite sheltered. Thanks for reading!:thmb:
P.S. Sorry about calling the raised bed a rockery originally my much better half has set me right in no uncertain terms lol.

 

It used to be the standard stuff for urban rock gardens once upon a time. A bit ugly perhaps but no toxic to plants, even the lime content would have little effect on most plants.
If it is coming up in pieces like broken paving stones then why not try to make a crevice garden? The only bits of the concrete visible then would be the edges.
The position sounds ok by the way, as long as you do not go for total sun worshippers. So Phlox subulata types, Campanula, Silene, Pulsatilla vulgaris, Dianthus, very dwarf bulbs and some Silver Saxifrages would give a nice stretch of colour.

 

Surely it should be called a conckery?:lollol::lollol:

 

Thanks very much for the plant advice Palustris. The concrete has come up nicely so a crevice garden seems the way to go. Now at least I'll have an idea of what to get at the local garden centre. Once again, many thanks for your time and help.:thmb:

 

:yez:. A very accurate description Daitheplant, if all goes well I shall make a little wooden sign stating as such lol.:rotfl:

 

Thank you, I am flattered.:hehe::hehe::hehe:

 

This is a Crevice garden at Pershore, Alpine Garden Society HQ.

 

Pal` surely that is granite, rather than concrete?:gnthb:

 

Wow Palustris that looks beautiful, Unfortunately the concrete is about 10inches deep in places and only 2 or 3 in others so I'm guessing the raised bed is the way to go. However, as a builders labourer I am always having to take up old concrete slabs so once I get my front garden sorted this idea could really make a difference. Thanks for all the advice as well as the pic.:gnthb:

 

Will hopefully have got all the concrete up by the end of the week and will borrow a camera so I can take a pic Daitheplants. Thanks for all the help.:thmb:

 

I used a picture of the AGS one 'cos I could not find a picture of mine in Photobucket. Mine is made from hyper-tufa, but I have seen them done with broken paving slabs, very effectively.No pictures though sadly.

 

PS. Dan Pearson did a wonderful raised bed on TV once upon a long time ago, using broken paving slabs, mind be bought whole ones and broke to do it. There was also a lovely set of beds at Tatton Park once uopon a time, but I think they have been removed now.

 

It really looks very effective. Hyper Tufa, how differant is that to Tufa rock?:thumb:

 

With any form of rockery, when using stone or similar material, it's best to arrange it like natural "strata" as with the photograph shown in #7.

This avoids creating something that resembles a dogs' cemetery.