Re: Progress on the garden wall/pea gravel

In other words, make lemonade!
> Actually, Theresa, you could have quite a garden in that pea gravel. 
>  All kinds of plants that absolutely demand sharp drainage ought to
> flourish there.   For some, the gravel is enough; for some you may
> need to add sand or some organic material; depends on the plant and
> its needs, but there are so many marvelous plants on this planet that
> want gravel and really sharp drainage.  What would be suitable for
> your climate exactly, I'm not really sure since mine is so different,
> but they're out there.  Lordy!  the way things flourish in my gravel
> drive, you'd think ALL plants prefer gravel.
> 
> This could be your start with "alpine" gardening:-)  Well, not really
> "alpine", but rock type gardening. 
> 
> There's a list longer than my arm of plants who would grow in your
> gravel, especially if you can irrigate during their growing
> season...lots of plants (particularly those from East Africa) want
> dry dormancy but need water during growth.  Sharp drainage doesn't
> mean bone dry, actually:-)
> 
> Euphorbia ought to love it
> Salvia o. (purple leaf and other variegated forms) should do fine
> Dianthus
> Assorted allium and other bulbs who demand dry summers
> Santolina
> Sedum (many)
> Sempervivum (once saw a fantastic collection of these growing on top
> of a stone wall at Barry Yinger's Asiatica Nursery)
> Poppies ought to thrive
> Thymes
> South African plants like Delosperma and Diascia
> 
> Following are some easy rock garden type plants which I don't grow
> because I have not enough sun or they aren't hardy for me:
> 
> Lewisia cotyledon
> Alyssum saxatile
> Aubrieta deltoidea
> Ballota pseudodictamnus
> Penstemon cardellii
> Helianthemum nummularium
> 
> Your climate is quite different from mine; don't know how much
> different it is from Colorado, but Panayoti Kelaidis, curator of the
> Denver Bot. Garden posted the following as growing well there with no
> additional irrigation:
> 
> These on Montmorillinite clay soil, whatever that is:
> Acantholimons,
> eriogonums, 
> fritillarias, 
> penstemons, 
> Bongardia, 
> bulbs of all description
> 
> On pure sand, the following thrive with no additional irrigation:
> Ipomoea leptophylla 
> various Mentzelia spp., 
> Mirabilis multiflora, 
> Amsonia jonesii
> 
> Check out the NARGS (North American Rock Garden Society) web site;
> lots of info. that might lead you to a fantastic garden on your pea
> gravel.
> 
> http://www.nargs.org/
> 
> Hit the link to rock gardening, construction and plant suggestions in
> the left nav bar.
> 
> Seriously, that gravel could turn out to be the best part of your
> garden:-)
> 
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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> 
> 

> ----------
> > From: Theresa <tchessie@comcast.net>
> > OK- if anyone wants pea gravel, they can have all they want free
> for the
> > taking from my back 'patio'.  The former home owners thought it
> would be a
> > great idea to dump about 12 inches of the stuff in an area about
> 12x24 and
> > put one of those inflable pools there.  So, now we have a
> completely
> > ungardenable area, the pea gravel is forever getting ontop of the
> stepping
> > stones and then you kill you bare feet stepping on it. They also
> had pea
> > gravel ontop of the raised brick bed bordering the east and sound
> walls of
> > the house. I assume because nothing- not ever weeds would grow
> there. I did
> > dig all of that pea gravel out within the first 6 months in the
> house, along
> > with digging out the worst excuse for dirt (mostly hardpan) down
> about 18
> > inches, and refilled the beds with real soil.  It has been part of
> the
> > veggie garden and a perenial bed with a lemon tree in the middle
> since then.

> > Amazing what real soil will do for helping things grow!
> > 
> > Someday i want Ground Force to come to my house, dig out all 8
> thousand
> > pounds of pea gravel from the back 'patio' and put in a garden
> there
> > (including a water feature of course!- I just love Charlie, she
> cracks me
> > up.)
> 
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