rockeries

I have a small area in my lawn, whick I cut out to form a focal point. This area is prone to flooding and does not drain well. I think it's a lot of clay under the lawn. Can anyone advise if it would be suitable to form a rockery in the area? It's only about a 2 mtres wide.
Can you suggest what types of plants will flourish?

Thank you

 

when you say the area is prone to flooding do you mean you live near a river bank?
maybe it suffer from waterlogging due to clay sub soil.
real rockeries imo require expense, large rocks, i mean like half tonne rocks, lots of design knowledge, and lots of expertise, and is not really what average person immediately think of,
if you want to think about using aggregate/gravel and building some kind of island feature, i think this is a good idea, especially if it sits nicely in the garden

[ 04. April 2006, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: Lady Gardener ]

 

Rockeries, almost by definition, require free draining conditions so to attempt growing most alpines in wet clay is a disaster waiting to happen.

All is not lost though. Make a low dome in the middle of your proposed site, then cover it with heavy duty weed control fabric. Add a minimum of 3" of pea (6mm) gravel on top of this, it will provide the basic drainage. Then add large rocks to create a pleasing backdrop and add pockets of free draining gritty compost between the rocks and plant your alpines in them.

So many alpines to choose, some love full sun other's shade and you can even create different areas for limestone and acidic species.

There is so much more to rockeries than a pile of old rubble :D

 

Is this the kind of thing you had in mind Lady G? :D



(Taken on New Year's day: actually that little piece of rock will be a mass of Sea Pink Armeria maritima in a few weeks time)

 

I live in what many would consider to be flood zone, I am also a great cheat. when faced with problem of a tree stump almost in my river, I just stuck rocks over it and planted it up with rockery / alpine plants - veronica, tyme, saxifrage.

as long as you can provide good drainage you should be ok.

that picture of a rock face will give me nightmares!

 

That's some island feature, Frogesque! How about one of the Bass rock??

 

maybe i exagerated slightly, but i like to see these garden features making a bold statement

 

I'll have to get the telephoto out for the Bass Lady G. :D That was taken at the old WW2 lookout post on the Fife Coastal Path between Earlsferry and Shell Bay. Great way to clear the head after seeing in the 'The Bells' with a bottle of Glenmorangie

 

i hope you mean on the morning after, not on way back home from pub!