What to Grow in Rock Gardens

Will you please name a dozen foolproof rock-garden plants, stating flower color and season? Alyssum (Aurinia) saxatile 'Citrinum' (lemon-yellow; May), Arabis albida (double-flowered, white; April to May), Arabis procurrens (white, April to May), Campanula carpatica (blue; July), Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (blue; September to October), Dianthus plumarius (white and varicolored; June), Phlox subulata varieties (white, rose, dark rose, pink; May), Sedum sieboldii (rose; September to October), Sedum album (white; June), Sedum ellacombianum (yellow; July), Thymus serpyllum 'Coccineus' (deep rose; July), and T. s. 'Albus' (white; June to July).

Can you give me a list of some of the best rock plants for spring flowers? Alyssum (Aurinia) saxatile, Anemone pulsatilla, Arabis albida (double-flowered), Aubrieta deltoides, Corydalis bulbosa, Crocus species, Epimedium niveum, Scilla sibirica and S. bifolia, and Tulipa kaufmanniana.

What are the best plants for a rockery for early spring and mid-summer bloom? For early spring: Tulipa kaufmanniana, Crocus species, snowdrops, Scilla sibirica, and grape-hyacinths. Non-bulbous plants: Arabis albida, Aubrieta deltoides, primula, Anemone pulsatilla, Armeria caespitosa, Alyssum (Aurinia) saxatile, draba, epimedium, Erysimum ruprestre, and Phlox subulata. For midsummer bloom: Dianthus plumarius, Campanula carpatica, Asarina procumbens, Bellium bellidioides, Campanula cochlearifolia, Carlina acaulis, Globularia cordifolia, Lotus corniculatus, Dianthus knappii, Linum alpinum, Linaria alpina, Nierembergia caerulea, penstemon, Rosa chinensis minima, Santolina viridis, and Ceratostigma plumbaginoides.

Can you name 12 good perennials suitable for rock gardens, which bloom at different periods? Phlox subulata and varieties (April to May), Aubrieta deltoides (May), Alyssum (Aurinia) saxatile (May), Primula polyanthus (May), Dianthus plumarius (June), Campanula carpatica (June), Lotus corniculatus (July), Veronica spicata (June to July) Thymus serpyllum and its varieties (July), Calluna vulgaris (August to September), Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (September to October), Erica sp. and varieties, Nov. to August.

Will you list late-flower rock plants? Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Allium pulchellum, A. flavum, Asarina procumbens, Calluna vulgaris and its varieties, Chrysogonum virginianum, colchicums, autumn crocuses, Saxifraga cortusaefolia, and Sedum sieboldii.

What are the fastest-growing plants for a rock garden? Cerastium tomentosum, Ajuga reptans, Thymus serpyllum and its varieties, Lamium maculatum, L. m. album, Phlox subulata and its varieties, Arabis albida, sedums, Saponaria ocymoides, Lotus corniculatus, Campanula carpatica, and Asperula odorata.

Should I try to fill my new rock garden quickly with fast-growing plants, or do it gradually, with smaller plants? By all means the latter. Most people come to regret their first impatience, and wind up by rooting out the rampant growers, and replacing them with choicer, small plants; they are so much more delightful.

Which flowers are best to plant in a small rock garden? Such things as the drabas, Aubrieta deltoides, Gypsophila repens, Myosotis alpestris, Nierembergia rivularis, N caerulea, Primula vulgaris, Armeria caespitosa, Veronica prostrata, Androsace sarmentosa, A. villosa, and Rosa chinensis minima. Avoid the use of coarse creeping plants; they will overrun the garden.

Can you suggest some plants for a very steep rock garden? Thymus serpyllum and its varieties, Cerastium tomentosum, Sedum spurium, S. hybridum, Phlox subulata, sempervivums, Lotus corniculatus, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Asarina procumbens, Muehlenbeckia axilaris, and Campanula carpatica.

Which perennial plants can I use for a very exposed location in a rock garden? Arabis albida, Anemone pulsatilla, Phlox subulata varieties, Veronica prostrata, Cerastium tomentosum, Dianthus delitoides, D. plumarius, Lamium maculatum, Aquilegia canadensis, A. vulgaris, Campanula carpatica, and Dicentra eximia.

Can you suggest a few small, decorative plants to fill small crevices in rocks and tiny pockets? My garden is in full sun. Draba aizodes, Globularia repens (G. nana), Sedum dasyphyllum, Sedum acre 'Minus', Sedum anglicum, and sempervivums (the tiny kinds).

Which are some good plants for shady corners in my rock garden for spring flower? Anemone nemorosa (several kinds), Brunnera macrophylla, Chrysogonum virginianum, Epimedium niveum, Iris cristata, Phlox divaricata laphamii, Phlox stolonifera, Pulmonaria saccharata, and Saxifraga umbrosa.

Which perennials, not over 10 ins. in height, bloom between June 15 and September 15, and are suitable for a rock garden in shade? Chrysogonum virginianum, Corydalis lutea, Mitchella repens, Myosotis scorpioides, Sedum ternatum, S. nevii, Allium moly, Saxifraga cortusaefolia, Arenaria montana, Gentiana asclepiadea, Cymbalaria muralis, Scilla chinensis, and Dicentra formosa alba.

Which are some small summer-blooming plants for the shady rock garden? Chrysogonum virginianum, Cotula squalida, Mitchella repens, Sedum ternatum, and S. nevii.

Which are the most hardy rock-garden plants that will grow in semi-shade? Primula polyanthus, P. veris, P. vulgaris, epimediums, aubretias, aquilegias, Phlox divaricata laphamii, Chrysogonum virginianum, Viola odorata, V. priceana, Vinca minor, Lysimachia nummularia, Sedum ternatum, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Asperula odorata, trilliums, erythroniums, primroses, and dodecatheons.

Will you name rock plants that will grow and bloom in the shade of a large oak tree? Phlox divaricata laphamii, Dicentra eximia, Chrysogonum virginianum, Asperula odorata, erythroniums, trilliums, Gaultheria procumbens, Mitchella repens, Vinca minor, Lysimachia nummularia, and Primula veris.

Can you name several plants which will grow between rocks of a patio in very sandy soil; preferable fast growers? Arenaria verna caespitosa, Thymus serpyllum and its varieties, Sedum acre, Dianthus deltoides, Muehlenbeckia axillaris, Mazus reptans, and Ajuga reptans. Keep the soil reasonably moist.

Which rock plants require acid soil? Dwarf rhododendrons, azaleas, pieris, shinleaf, partridge-berry, Cypripedium acaule, erythroniums, galax, and shortia.

Will you name a dozen or so of the choicest and most unusual plants that I may hope to grow in my rock garden? Androsace lanuginosa, Androsace sarmentosa, Armeria juniperifolia, Campanula cochlearifolia alba, Dianthus gratianopolitanus, D. neglectus, Saxifraga burseriana, S. irvingii, and saxifragas.

Will all kinds of rock-garden plants grow successfully in a garden without rocks? Yes, although many of them look better against or between rocks. Many can be grown in the front of a flower garden.