Starting a Rock Garden

On Sun, 16 Nov 1997, perennials DIGEST wrote:
> Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 19:05:44 -0800
> From: John & Pat Adney <jga@fyiowa.infi.net>
> Snug in the plant room from 6 inches of snow and temps down to 10
> degrees, I thinking of building a rock garden next spring.
> 
> One prime location: a flat 6-8' x 4' area in full sun until about
> 4:30 p.m. Thinking of making a mound of soil (a sort of low berm) with
> rocks imbedded. Miniature or small plants probably best. Considering
> geranium, sedum, iris, hen & chicks. Need more recommendations. Want
> blooms all season, so need variety of plants. Local library lacks a good
> book on rock gardening.
> 
> Another possible plot for a somewhat smaller rock garden (again,
> mounding the soil) is in morning sun, partial afternoon shade, late
> afternoon-evening shade. I'm thinking mini-hosta, ferns. Other
> suggestions?
> 
> I'm on the line of zones 4-5 in east central Iowa at Cedar Rapids.
> 
> I've been a grower for years, but this is my first attempt at rock
> gardening. Your knowledge will be appreciated.
> 
> John G. Adney
> Marion, Iowa (where its 10 above now with 6 inches of snow)
> 
Dear John: You've had some great advice from Don and Marie Adams,
Diane Soares, Pauline Bellemare and Jackie Bell, and possibly others 
(whose messages I haven't seen yet, because I get Perennials in digest 
form and  volume 2, #42 is the last one (yesterday's) that I've seen.  
You may have received additional advice since then, and my suggestion 
below could already have reached you from someone else.

Rock garden plants are very rewarding, and, as you know, preparing a rock 
garden means a considerable investment, first, of time, and, second, of
money.  It is a relatively easy hobby, but many mistakes, and MUCH time, 
can be saved by getting expert advice.  

So I STRONGLY recommend that you join the North American Rock Garden 
Society, which has a good many members in Iowa, though at present there 
is no local group (if there were, you would find going to meetings and 
talking to fellow-members one of the very best ways of getting help).  
You might even want to travel to meetings of the nearby Minnesota Chapter 
or to those of the Wisconsin-Illinois chapter.

I'm sending a copy of this to a couple of people in the society who are 
in a position to send you some literature about the NARGS, and I think 
you'd find joining well worth the relatively small fee in terms of the 
help and pleasure membership would bring you.

And, of course, we'd be glad to have you join Alpine-L.  Good luck with 
the rock garden.

Harry Dewey

Listowners, Alpine-L, the Electronic Rock Garden Society:
Active: Louise Parsons & Harry Dewey; Quiet: Eric Gouda & Alexej Borkovec
To join Alpine-L, send the message INFO to Alpine-L-Request@nic.surfnet.NL
All Alpine-L members should use that address for Louise OR Harry, please.




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