The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Rockweler Rockgardens
SELECTING THE SITE
While we have already spoken of several of the points to consider in selecting the site for the rock garden, the subject is mentioned again here, in relation to the setting or background for the rock garden.
Where there are growing trees, particularly evergreens, which may be utilized in making a setting suitable for the rock garden, they should be used if possible. Often it is better to sacrifice some other advantage of location to this end, even if additional work in construction is involved. It takes many years to grow evergreens, or even deciduous trees, of good size. And nothing will help more to remove the undesirable tone of brand-newness from the new rock garden than a few well-established trees in close proximity to it. One word of caution, however: Do not build too near large trees, especially such thirsty feeders as maples, which may rob the all-important moisture from your rock plants.
Most of these remarks apply to any other natural feature, as well as to trees, which would fit into the setting of the rock garden in a way to add to the general impression of naturalness.
It is well to provide for a considerable amount of shade for at least a small section of the garden. In regions where the snow is not likely to remain through the winter months, a low planting, which will protect at least that part of it to be devoted to alpine plants from the winter and very early spring sun, is desirable. Where there are likely to be hot, drying winds during spring and early summer, these may be to some extent guarded against. Protection from cold winter winds, which most of our garden plants are thankful for, is not at all necessary for rock plants and alpines, as they will stand any amount of this sort of exposure. Alternate freezing and thawing, muddy soil about their crowns or leaves, too much exposure to sunshine while they are dormant, and, above all, wet soil re suiting from poor drainage—these are the things they require protection against.
The setting for the rock garden may be planted in advance of the construction of the rock garden itself, but ordinarily it is more satisfactory to put this in afterward, with the possible exception of a few of the "key" or most important plants, such as some of the larger evergreens or shrubs. If the entire background is put in in advance, it is likely to be in the way, and possibly injured, during the building of the rock garden.
