DIY irrigated scree

[Bill Chudziak]

Hi,

I am considering constructing an irrigated scree bed, and wondered if any members had any experience of such a thing. I've seen this habitat in E. Nepal where Gentiana depressa was growing quite freely in damp silica sand on a gradient with an underground stream percolating below.

I have a gently sloping S facing site in light shade, and planned to sheet the ground, lay down the top soil/sand and run a perforated pipe throughout. I would dry it off in winter along with a canopy over the top. 

Could this work?

Thanks

Bill

[Maggi Young]

Hi Bill, long time no see!  Hope all is well with you?

There are quite a lot of examples of this type of artificially watered scree: whether by drip nozzles in a pipe sytem or as you suggerst..... all lead to rather a set-up that can end up looking more artificial vthan one might hope. There are also the likes of the "cliffs" and huge concrete  drainage tubes used as planters in the likes of the Utrecht Botanical Gardens.... http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3430.0  and here
http://www.uu.nl/EN/botanicgardens/Pages/default.aspx   for a start to see the type of planting.

[Maggi Young]

http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/1078/10834.html

http://www.srgc.org.uk/feature/utrecht/utrecht.html  .... more on Utrecht.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4656.0 Crevice gardening.... which can be seen as an extreme version of a scree... not needing watering from an outside source.
 As can this: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4462.0

 This link goes to Peter Korn's site:   
http://www.peterkornstradgard.se/english/eindex.htm     where you can see his efforts with beds of pure sand.... no watering needed for those  as  far as I know, but may be of interest in the scheme of things!

[Bill Chudziak]

Hey Maggi,

thanks for that, you've been most helpful.

thx again

Bill

[Martinr]

I've just given myself a headache! I was thinking Chudziak, where do I know that name from? Then the words Moffat, Meconopsis & Beechgrove came to mind. Problem solved. Welcome to our merry band of forumists. Good to have you aboard.

[Maggi Young]

Bill also used to work on the Channel 4  plant programme "Bloom", Martin, with Anne Swithinbank  in 1997 and 1998.

[Martinr]

Faulty ageing memory,Bloom not Beechgrove

[Diane Clement]

I've just given myself a headache! I was thinking Chudziak, where do I know that name from? Then the words Moffat, Meconopsis & Beechgrove came to mind. Problem solved. Welcome to our merry band of forumists. Good to have you aboard.  

I think the "Moffat" connection was that he had a nursery in that area, late 90s??  I remember visiting the nursery and still have some plants from him.  Plantfinder code was GGGA I think as it's on some of my labels.  Bill when were you there and what was your nursery called??

[Maggi Young]

Faulty ageing memory,Bloom not Beechgrove

No Martin, he did some Beechgrove as well!


 See Bill's website : http://www.theweegreenman.com/

[Lesley Cox]

I'd be very interested in anyone's comments on this subject too because I'm finding Gentiana depressa needs copious water pre-flowering, i.e. through summer. Though I also think it needs handling, like Calceolaria uniflora and Primula clarkei. These seem to thrive best if frequently lifted and divided and I think the gentian also benefits from that "refreshing" process quite frequently.

[gote]

This is something I have planned to do very soon - The planning has only been going on since the last century or so. 
Many desirable plants grow wild in very exposed situations but where there is water from glaciers percolating through in the summer.
I have never had porophyllum saxes growing so well as when I used automatic watering from below in a very open compost in full sun.
I am sure that this can be done in a way that is not an eyesore - all the mechanical things can be hidden,
Good luck wit it.
Göte

[cohan]

i have been thinking of something like this too, on a small scale; i'll have to look at the links another time as my internet connection isn't up to it tonight...lol

i have thought of a couple of things: some sort of drip hose as mentioned, which i assumed would be buried, with a connection point easily hidden behind rocks..i have an advantage here in that my well water is nearly ice cold all summer.. i also thought that a very slight angle to the north would help to keep the soil cool without losing too much light (my intended plants would be those mentioned as being from 'cold damp screes')

another thought, not fully developed, would be to use some sort of reservoir--i'm thinking some sort of container, deeper than wide so there is not too much surface for heating and evaporation (also likely shaded with rocks), likely plastic, with perforations much like the drip hoses; this would be at the top of a slight slope, maybe again angling north, so that water could slowly drip down through the soil..this could be enhanced with some sort of capillary materials (some fancy horticultural materials, or something like the yarns used as wicks in potted plants)..