Modernising a Rockery Project – Case Study

This project entailed the preparation and redesign of an unloved Rockery within the garden of a modern, sleek property. The Rockery in question needed clearing of the current planting, which the owner didn’t like and did not work with the styling of the house and garden, needing a more contemporary look to work. In addition, the borders around the terrace needed re-designing because the formal Box spheres had been affected by Blight.

Rockery Garden Planting Plan

Rockeries themselves can be viewed as relatively old-fashioned, and this one has pride of place within the garden layout, so it needed to work. Therefore, we wanted to create a planting plan that was contemporary and, as a result, modernise the Rockery and deliver on colour and year-round interest. It was also in a very sunny location, so it needed to be drought-tolerant with conditions factored into the plan.

Creating the Plant Selection

We created a plant selection that was naturalistic as well as combining well with stone and rock, utilising species such as Salvia nemorosa, Echinacea purpurea, Nepeta and Santolina chamaecyparissus. Movement was also encouraged through the spacing of ornamental grasses. At the centre was a Salix Flamingo to provide additional height to the scheme.

The colours harmonised across shades of pinks, purples and silver as well as some complementary combinations with the yellows of Day Lilies, Rudbeckia and the Cotton Lavender.

Year-round interest was provided through the perennial plantings starting in Spring and combining with early Tulips and then Alliums, moving into later summer with Sedums, Penstemon and the Rudbeckia taking the colour into autumn, all planted around the evergreen structure of the Pinus Mugo, Choisya and Santolina.

The borders continued with this theme so that there was a real unity to the planting, focusing on Salvia, Sedums, Nepeta and adding Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’ for year-round structure.

We improved the quality of the soil through the application of a fine bark mulch, also aiding in moisture retention, and provided the client with a care and maintenance schedule to help them look after their new plantings.

The Outcome

The pictures show the area prior to planting, immediately after planting with young plants, and then just 9 months after planting the following spring, as the plants are developing, ready for the summer ahead.