New beginnings...a rock garden in the Alps

[Ragged Robin]

It seems strange, I know, but I have found it really difficult to post photos of my own rock garden other than the odd thing...maybe because it's all so new and nothing grown specifically from seed and then the constant upheaval of all the building.

Looking at it today, as I do almost every day with a critical eye, I found that at last a pattern is forming that I am pleased with!  Now, after the main summer flowering, the structure and bones of the rock garden are showing through in crevices and hummocks hugging the rocks or spilling over to find a spot below.

This is the beginning of a new tapestry of colour and form which was so unknown to me, a small world where you can examine every detail and marvel at the changing colours and spread during the season....

Yes, rock gardening is for me now I'm learning to let its spirit free 

[Ragged Robin]

more free spirits...

[Maggi Young]

Robin, it is going to be a pleasure for us all to share with you the progress of your new alpine garden.  

Perhaps it is your new camera which has inspired you? We're grateful, whatever the reason! 

[Ragged Robin]

I think you're right, Maggi, about my new camera - I love it and am in experimenting mode 

[cohan]

lots of things starting to settle in and stretch out, coming along already
it is nice to have plants with texture and colour that change through the seasons, always something to look at --until its all buried in snow -- but then you get to watch the degrees of burying and degrees of melting at the other end, so more things to look at!

[Paddy Tobin]

Robin,

Missed this when posted initially. A rock garden in the Alps! Now, that's different!

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

......until its all buried in snow  -- but then you get to watch the degrees of burying and degrees of melting at the other end, so more things to look at!

Well said, Cohan!
 It is something that one often hears said by non gardeners " in the winter when the snow falls, my garden looks as good as everyone else's...."  NOT SO! If you have a really well planned and well planted garden be it an alpine rock garden or any other kind of decorative garden, then your garden will always look even better than all the others in the snow, because you will have more interesting lumps and bumps to watch , just as Cohan says!

[shelagh]

The sedums look happy and so does Aplenium trichomanes.  With your new camera in experimenting mode would it be possible to get a view of the whole rock garden to give us some idea of the layout and height.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

  for some reason I missed this earlier on ...

Nice work Lori - it will be interesting to see how it develops... at least you must have very cheap rock  

Oops I meant Robin of course... sorry about that.  Thanks for pointing it out Lori 

[Lori S.]

Nice work, Robin, (not Lori). 

I missed this one too... well done!

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement - I will take a few more photos when it stops raining!

[shelagh]

I know the feeling 'Trench Foot' could be taking hold

[Ragged Robin]

Shelagh, good descritption  it's been raining with thunderstorms almost day and night since we got back from high summer temps and dry as a bone weather in Italy(only 4.5 hours away from here!)  I'm dying to get back out to but it is so slippery on the slope it makes it rather lethal.  Will have to be patient and enjoy other Members' efforts instead (a real tonic when it's dark and grey) 

[Ragged Robin]

This morning at 8.15, european time, I realised that the light was just right....from the balcony terrace the plants in the rock garden below were enjoying the warm rays before the heat of midday.

This summer I have added the next faze on the southern slope digging the meadow grass and trying to break up the dry earth, that in places is rock solid, and create rocky outcrops to stabilise the slope for planting.  Each rock was manipulated down the slope and fitted into a ledge cut sloping backwards so that in the snow melt it wouldn't roll down to the next level.  Little by little the rock garden has grown and now is planted with plenty of crevice room for alpines and areas for tiny bulbs.

[Ragged Robin]

Now I have an area for herbs, too, on the sun-baked slope - at last something freshly picked to enjoy!

I'm still feeling my way with plants and trying to find out more about Alpines generally to see what would like to grow here.  The hebes help to create structure and I love the bronze coloured one on the cusp of the slope...a few plants put there originally to act as an earth anchor may have to go in the future.  Still some plants have shown me this year that they do like their new home and I am pleased with their display..