Author Topic: why create a Crevice garden? (Read 27674 times)

hadacekf · « **Reply #75 on:** March 09, 2008, 05:34:44 PM »

Arthur,
Yes you're right!

gote · « **Reply #76 on:** March 10, 2008, 10:12:29 AM »

Franz
This is a fantastic show. Can you comment about how you water them.
Unfortunately I do not grow any of these nowadays but when I did, I got the impression that they needed a combination of high light and high water that was difficult to keep up.
My garden is on 59 degrees north so I do not get the same intensity in the sunlight as you do.
Göte

hadacekf · « **Reply #77 on:** March 10, 2008, 07:29:33 PM »

Göte,
An abundance of water in soil is essential during the spring growth. In artificial condition roots seldom penetrate as deeply as in the fissures of mountain rock, and total lack of water I summer, especially in direct sun, is fatal usually resulting in quick demise. The importance of adequate moisture cannot be overstated together with fast free drainage, and any construction which will encourage long and deep root penetration should be sought, planting best where crevices run deep, cool and damp in rock or wall. In our dry summers I must water all two days.

Rogan · « **Reply #78 on:** March 19, 2008, 12:05:36 PM »

Some inspiration from nature - a couple of crevices in the Drakensberg:

Delosperma lavisiae
&
Scilla (Merwilla) dracomontana

ChrisB · « **Reply #79 on:** March 19, 2008, 12:38:03 PM »

Superb, Rogan. Wonderful shots.

Paddy Tobin · « **Reply #80 on:** March 19, 2008, 01:19:17 PM »

Rogan,

That second photograph is a fabulous example of a plant occupying the space available to it. Great photograph.

This morning I was watching a television programme - yes, I'm living the lazy life at the moment - which was about gardens in South Africa. It was truly outstanding despite the fact that I generally don't like the presenter when he is presenting other gardening programmes. This was one of an excellent series of visiting gardens around the world. This programme certainly gave a great impression of gardening in South Africa. The Kirstenborsh (spellings?) featured and is certainly a place any gardening tourist should not miss. Hopefully I shall travel there at some stage before old age and decrepitude get the better of me.

Excellent photographs, perfectly appropriate to the topic. We make crevice gardens to imitate the beauty of nature and to provide appropriate and interesting planting areas for our plants.

Paddy

David Nicholson · « **Reply #81 on:** March 19, 2008, 07:10:59 PM »

Lovely pictures Rogan.

Lesley Cox · « **Reply #82 on:** March 19, 2008, 08:49:45 PM »

The pics are indeed super Rogan. The one with the little scilla answers someone's question about whether bulbs are appropriate in a crevice garden. Yes, so long as they are very small growing and compact. The best compost for a crevice (very sandy/gritty) should keep the foliage compact and the flowers well displayed above it. Some tiny Narcissus maybe? or a few crocuses? Cyclamen and Rhodohypoxis should be OK as well. Perhaps the tiniest irises such as mellita or pumila forms.

Lesley Cox · « **Reply #83 on:** September 29, 2008, 02:37:30 AM »

6 months since the last reply and the Forum tells me to consider starting a new topic but these pics are appropriate here I think.

Near Otto's garden in Olinda, Victoria, a crevice garden has been built recently. It is not fully planted yet and I hope its owner will remove those things already planted which will grow very well in her large, open and very attractive garden, and retain the crevices for small plants with more specialized needs and which will appreciate the cool root runs in the hot Victorian summer. This looks much better in the "flesh" so to speak than it does in the pics. Dappled tree shade somewhat distorts the pictures too. On a slope, it is in two parts, with a path between for ease of planting/weeding. The lower part is at a slight angle to the upper, giving the distinct impression that at some distant time, an earthquake has upheaved the ground and deposited it differently.