Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Rhody be gone: my new rock piles


Surely you’ve heard the phrase “scope creep?” Well that’s what happened here. Since I was already working on the area between the upper back yard and the patio why not go ahead and use that pile of rocks I’d been accumulating in the garage? I’m not sure how so many random pieces of basalt ended up here, most of what we find when digging are big round river rock. These must have all been collected by previous owners of our home on their travels? Well, with the exception of two, which we brought back from a trip home to Spokane, WA (aka basalt central).

Since I wanted to incorporate more Agaves in to this area I decided it was time to make use of the rocks. I worked on these two areas at the same time I was planting the main border, moving plants around and getting as sense of what worked where.

That’s when I took the photos you see above, here’s part of the rock collection…

My thought was that the basalt blended so well with the color of soil that I could use them to build up the planting area and provide better drainage for several agaves without making it look like I added ROCKS for ROCKS sake. But then I had to go and get all drainage concerned and added a bunch of pumice to the soil. Great for the Agaves…bad for me. I temporarily forgot how pumice works its way to the top of the soil and looks like dandruff, a white snow across otherwise rich chocolate earth. Time to bring out the gravel, pea gravel this time. So as not to overwhelm the small plantings, or the basalt chunks.

Here is the first rock pile, right next to the steps up from the patio…
I was a little concerned that when the first heavy rain came it would wash the small gravel off the mound and away, but the first test came sooner than I thought it would. While we were away in California, Portland experienced a record setting 1 hour rainfall of 1.02" (record setting for May). Not a problem!

Here is the second rock pile, to the north of Sammy (the tall Yucca rostrata) and to the east of lil ‘Sanford.

Is anyone thinking…those Agaves are TOO CLOSE TOGETHER?! Well…I’m in Portland, Oregon. Not Arizona or New Mexico. They will not grow all that fast (unfortunately). In fact (the horror) some of them may not make it through next winter (there is a mix of hardy, borderline, and "just for fun" plants). We will see what becomes of my little rock piles…but for now, I’m loving them!

20 comments:

  1. Your new backyard plantings are all looking good. The effect is quite tropical. Beautiful collection of succulents and cacti. If you're concerned about any of those making it through the winter you can always send them to me! ;-)

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    1. Thank you Shirley...I'll keep that in mind! (but don't hold your breath)...

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  2. This is a nice solution to the drainage needs of these plants. I think it integrates well into the bed while actually adding a nice contrasting texture. It's hard to tell how high it mounds, but good to know it stayed stable during that Memorial monsoon. And I love seeing those A. bracteosa in the ground!

    I had to laugh at your pumice-dandruff comparison. I bought a couple of bags of black pumice at Concentrates recently for exactly that reason.

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    1. Black pumice!?! Those guys were holding out on me! I went out there and bought two big bags and got the creamy colored stuff. I wanted to use my fav (chicken grit) but the pumice was so much cheaper and easier for me to haul around (back still acting up). Darn...

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  3. Very nice. You know how much I love my rock piles. Chuck a bit of fleece over the agaves before snow and that may be enough to get the marginal ones through. or at least it doesn't hurt.

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    1. "Chuck a bit of fleece"...I love that, I get such a visual!

      Funny in the past I've used all the assorted rocks to help hold down the protective winter covers on the plants...guess I won't be doing that anymore.

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  4. Were you at all surprised at how HEAVY rocks are. I had no idea until we did a few rock wall project. Geeze Louise.

    Looks fab--as to be expected from the likes of you.

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    1. Uhm...no, I guess since I've been hauling rocks around for years I was prepared. I always try and pick up more than I can carry too, and end up dropping them. Thankfully not on my feet!

      (thank you)

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  5. Sweet agaves! I love the rocks, they look so tidy! The agaves should love added warmth they will provide too... When the sun decides to pay us a visit. I'm doing a sun dance this afternoon...

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    1. I was thinking that might be the case (added warmth)...they're also up against the masonry retaining wall which should also radiate a bit of heat (hopefully).

      Good luck with the sun dance...maybe we should try and coordinate something with all of us PNW bloggers. If we all did a sun thing at the same time maybe, just maybe....

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    2. It worked!!!!! the sun is out!!!!

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  6. Great mix of pointy and succulenty. And the rock mulch looks terrific with the concrete retaining wall and the sculptural plants.
    But the privet has to go...

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  7. I agree with Shirley, your plantings look fantastic. I love the huge variety of plants you have.

    I just bought a few hundred pounds of small rocks to use as a top dressing for our succulent beds. I can't believe I've waited four years to do it, but it hasn't been at all easy to find a type/color of rock I like. I actually bought four bags of gravel a few weeks ago but decided it looked too river-y. I want something more desert-y, LOL.

    BTW, I like that little tephrocactus!

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    1. That poor little guy (the tephrocactus) fell off the mother plant during a potting accident. Since he was just hanging out looking for a home I thought "what the heck?"

      So what will you do with your "river-y" gravel?

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    2. My tephrocactus fell apart, too, as I bumped into it. But the segments seem to root easily.

      I'm using my 3/8" gravel as top dressing for potted plants. Plus, it'll come in handy for improving drainage and for all kinds of other things :-).

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  8. Do I not remember a time when you professed not to like rocks? Glad to see you coming around...they look swell.

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    1. Yes and no. You are right, I HATE (still do) rocks plopped down in the landscape just for the sake of having rocks. There are so many examples around town, one on 33rd ave just up from QFC springs to mind. And there is no way you'll catch me being comfortable mixing big rocks into my gravel mulch out front. But I'm okay with the way this turned out (obviously right?)...

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  9. That looks great! And I love the baby teeth on agaves. They look so cute (before they try to get you!) I hope the extra reflected heat helps them survive.

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