[Plants for rockeries] 9 very rustic and perfect options to have a rockery

Posted By: Adrían Medina In: Plants and decoration Comment: 0 Hit: 3330

When it comes to decorating our gardens we have many options.

And one of the most popular is the rockery design.

Rockeries mimic the natural landscape of some alpine environments. They are designs in which, as the name suggests, rocks predominate, and which are made up of stony soils with few nutrients.

That means that, to build a rockery in our garden, we need to choose very carefully the plants that we are going to place in it.

But don't worry, because here we have saved you the work and made that selection for you. 

Let's see them.

9 of the best plants for rockeries

1. Iberis sempervirens

Like many rockery plants, the iberis is a creeping plant. In general, it does not usually exceed 30 centimetres in height.

Its main attraction is the flowers that it develops between winter and spring, and that develop in beautiful clusters. The flowers are usually white, but some varieties have them purple and pink.

It is a plant that demands direct light temperatures mild. It is capable of withstanding occasional frosts.

It is used to dry soils, so it is important to water it only when the substrate has completely dried.

2. Campanula

The campanula is a very rustic plant.

It needs many hours of light a day, although it prefers semi-shade (especially in summer, it is essential that it does not receive direct sun).

Unlike other rockery plants, this species requires an always moist substrate. Of course, try not to flood, because that could damage the roots.

If you take good care of it, it will reward you with beautiful bell-shaped flowers, which bloom from spring to mid-summer.

3. Common Heather

A well-known shrub appreciated by landscapers for its colourful inflorescences.

Heather is used to living in very bright environments. It supports direct sun, but in the middle of the day it is preferable to keep it in semi-shade (especially in summer).

Regarding irrigation, this shrub needs to maintain soil moisture.

It blooms throughout the winter, so if you combine this bush with other plants that bloom at different times of the year, you will get a rockery that always blooms. 

4. Rhododendron

The rhododendron also blooms in winter (note, there are some varieties that do it in spring).

It is a highly appreciated shrub for the colourful bouquets of flowers it displays. In addition, it withstands cold and frost very well.

5. Juniper

Juniper is a perennial shrub that usually reaches 2 meters in height (although it can grow up to 6).

It is very resistant to drought, so you should only water it when the substrate has completely dried out.

Its needle-shaped leaves and dense foliage will give a different touch to your rockery.

6. Houseleek

is The houseleek also known as the "immortal plant." And that already gives us a clue to the level of hardiness of this species.

This succulent is highly appreciated for the beautiful circular pattern formed by its leaves, similar to a huge flower. 

It needs to be in full sun for several hours a day, and prefers continuous but moderate watering. Unlike other succulents, it likes to have the substrate always moist.

It is a plant that does not support frost, so be careful if temperatures drop a lot in your area.

7. Daffodils

Daffodils are plants that bloom in late winter. The flowers have a wide range of colours, ranging from white to yellow and orange. In many cases, you can also find bicolour daffodils.

This bulbous plant requires a very moist soil but with good drainage, to avoid waterlogging. 

It withstands the cold well, and can survive in temperatures close to 0 degrees.

It is a plant that requires a lot of light.

8. Verbena 

The “Verbena” family is made up of a wide variety of species, but when it comes to a rockery that most interest us are usually the groundcovers.

During the summer it displays bells of small and very showy flowers, which usually come in various colours (including white, red, pink, blue and violet). It can live up to 3 or 4 years in temperate climates.

9. Alyssum

A plant native to the Mediterranean region, which means that it is well adapted to a dry and hot climate.

The alyssum prefers exposure to full sun, and moderate watering (always let the substrate dry before watering again).

This groundcover plant blooms from spring to early fall, and can last even longer if the weather is warm and frost-free in your area.

You already know which are some of the best plants for a rockery… but do you know how to combine them?

This is important.

Keep in mind that designing a garden is not just about knowing which plants are best for your area's climate or soil conditions.

All this is important, but it is also essential that you know how to combine them to achieve the effect you want. For example, if you want to have a flowering rockery all year round, or combine the explosion of colours in spring with the ochre tones of autumn…

We can help you with that.

At Viveros González we are not only specialists in taking care of the plants in your garden, but we also offer a design and execution service to help you create a garden that suits you.

For us to help you, you just have to enter here and fill out the contact form.

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