Re: School rock garden
- Subject: Re: School rock garden
- From: "Marge Talt" m*@hort.net
- Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2002 00:36:10 -0400
Well, Marsha, I do not have a rock garden, per se, but am a member of
NARGS. Basically, rock garden plants are short plants who require
sharp drainage. Since you're doing this with 3rd graders, I do not
think you need to worry too much about true rock garden plants, but
find plants that will grow for them and survive neglect. I suggest
good old lamb's ears - Stachys byzantina - for one. Kids should love
the fuzzy leaves and it's tough as nails. Can get the blahs in humid
weather, but you can cut it back to the ground and it'll come right
back. It delights in growing in my gravel driveway.
Sedum acre - a thug in a lot of places - is another plant that 's
hard to kill and would be interesting to kids, I think. Actually
there are many Sedums that might work. Also loves my gravel drive.
True rock plants, hens and chicks (Sempervivum spp.) would also be
good and kids should find their method of propagating themselves by
little offsets interesting and their flowering weird enough to
intrigue any kid.
Thymes are another genus that has many possibilities and since many
have assorted scents - as well as foliage texture and colors, they
ought to be intriguing to kids as well. Not only that, they can eat
some of them. Woolly thyme will only grow for me, either in my sand
bed or in a slope at the flag paving. Same with the mat forming ones
- only grow for me in my flagstone path cracks...this on stone dust
over clay. Anywhere else, they rot out. Thymes come from tight mats
to foot or two tall plants...lotsa selections and generally pretty
easy to find.
You might think of building part of this bed at least with sand - not
amending with the usual composts and fertilizers, but putting a about
a foot of coarse sand with some grit (pea gravel will do) and the
rocks on top of the clay you've got. You'd be surprised what
thrives in a sand bed or scree bed...scree being sharpish small
gravel. Actually true rock gardens are mostly scree/sand/rock type
affairs as most rock plants want really sharp drainage.
This does not mean they don't need to be watered; they do, in hot
climates, but not as often as soil based beds for plants who expect
water.
I'm sure there are a lot more plants - Claire, I know you've got or
had a rock garden and probably can suggest better than I can.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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----------
> From: MWill68323@aol.com
>
> I'm coming out of perennial lurkdom to ask for help :} We are
working on a
> Nature Walk/Garden for our elementary and each class has picked
themes that
> fit in with their curriculum(sp?) such as 2nd Grade raises
butterflies so
> they have a butterfly garden. The 3rd Grade wants a rock garden
since they
> study rocks and soil. I need suggestions for plants that would fit
in with
> such a theme but would survive 150 3rd graders, clay soil, either
drought or
> drench, full sun, humidity, AND be interesting kids. Not asking
for much am
> I<G>. We will be amending the soil and we do try to water but
during the
> summer months it can be difficult to keep maintained. The site
location is
> still open but we are looking at a sloped area next to the gym that
would be
> easy to "terrace" with rock...anything in this location would
improve the
> site. I do have some ideas and have found tons of info on rock
gardens but
> thought I would ask for suggestions from the pros!
>
> Marsha
> Zone 6b/7
>
>
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