Rock, Conifer, and Crevice Garden

ROCK, CONIFER, AND CREVICE GARDEN PLANT LIST

This garden demonstrates plants that can be grown where space is limited. Perennial alpine plants and dwarf or miniature conifers are ideal for planting in small nooks and crannies. Many of them bloom from spring through late summer. True alpines growing at high altitudes (above the tree line) bloom early to flower and set seed before the arrival of colder fall/winter weather.

Crevice gardens are a variant of rock gardens. Typically, flagstone is placed on edge, buried at least 2 feet, and backfilled with sandy loam. Larger stones may also be used. A crevice garden of 10 x 30 feet will make an impressive display of dwarf alpine plants.

To prepare the gardens, the soil was dug to a depth of 8-10 inches and gypsum was added to help break up the heavy clay. The soil was amended by adding in nearly equal parts coarse sand and compost to promote good drainage. Overall, each bed is slightly raised. Pea (¼-inch diameter) gravel is used as a mulch.

Rock and crevice gardens are becoming more popular as smaller (dwarf) plants are now readily available at nurseries and garden stores. For a greater variety, consult the following websites: North American Rock Garden Society https://www.nargs.org/, American Conifer Society https://conifersociety.org, and Alpine Garden Society https://www.alpinegardensociety.net/the-society.

Highlights of the Rock, Conifer, and Crevice Garden:

Small perennials and some self-seeding annuals, like sedums and creeping thymes, occupy the crevices between the large, flat rocks; some are grown as groundcovers or accent plants in conifer gardens.

The conifers are all dwarf or miniature varieties. A “dwarf” conifer grows 1-6 inches/year and attains a height of 1-6 feet at 10 years. A miniature conifer grows less than 1 inch/year and is less than 1 foot tall at 10 years. Size can also be controlled by judicious pruning.