Crevice Gardening ......in defence of rock.....

[krisderaeymaeker]

Lovely plants David.

Isn't this Forum a brilliant resource? I've spent a very dreich afternoon re-reading every post on this thread and have made a note of over 100 species and am now plodding through The Plant Finder to find any possible UK suppliers. Would it be news to say that so far in the "Who May Have It" stakes Aberconwy Nursery is leading by a country mile?
So many brilliant plants and so much high quality rock work to see especially from Anne Speigle, Leiomerus, Kris De Raemaeker, Ebbie, Anne Wright and Ian Christie to name a few. Speaking of Ian Christie, in September 2012 he showed that he was in the early stages of working on a new crevice bed built over peat blocks. We never saw the finishes article Ian, it's time for more pictures.
Why have I listed enough plants to fill the Wisley Crevice Garden? Well, I'm extending a rock bed I built last year and will be including a small crevice bed in it so am going to need a few plants! Now to the Troughs thread.

Happy that we could inspire you a bit David. Can't wait to see your new crevice on this forum. 

[David Lyttle]

Thanks, David and Kris,

The crevice garden is really a big experiment. I had some help from Dave Toole with the initial design and construction but the substrate I chose was a calculated gamble. It is crushed, weathered basalt from a local quarry that contains a lot of fines and clay. It seems to have worked on the whole. Unsurprisingly the plants that are flourishing best are those that grow on stony riverbeds and some are beginning to become a bit weedy notably Geranium brevicaule, Parahebe lyallii and Anaphalioides bellidioides. However most of what I have planted seems to be growing though I have had a few failures. I have another rock garden that is basically a raised bed of soil where I have planted some of the larger shrubs and herbaceous species that are not strictly alpines. It contains mainly hebes and a couple of Celmisia mackaui plant which are all doing well. (and seeding prolifically). I also have a collection of alpines in big clay pots ( 5 species of dwarf Carmichealia and some more Celmisias plus a few odds and ends. It is very much a matter of moving the different species around around to see which site and style of cultivation suits them.

[ichristie]

Hello Dave yes it is time to show how the peat crevice has done but first some pictures from the last few months will be in several batches, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ichristie]

A few close ups of plants in the Peat crevices, Ian

[ichristie]

Next few, Ian

[Steve Garvie]

Great images and great plants Ian!!!

[krisderaeymaeker]

Great images and great plants Ian!!!

Sure , great ! Very interesting and thanks for sharing those pictures Ian. I like this idea and sure I want to use it ....

[Luc Gilgemyn]

A wonderful show, Ian !  Some cracking plants there as well !!

[David Nicholson]

Thanks Ian, some lovely stuff there. Primulas to die for.

[ichristie]

Hello thanks everyone for comments, I should have said that the peat blocks came from Sweden Bob Potterton kindly delivered them to Ron at Lamberton then we picked them up on a very windy day the car was full of peat dust for weeks Ann was not amused. I cut the blocks into slices with my chain saw so that I had more material to work with the original large size as we got them would not have worked so well.  I will post more recent pictures once the rain stops have had lots of problems with moss growing now has anyone any ideas how to get rid of moss have tried several methods, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[David Sellars]

Great plants Ian in a nice setting.
Phil Pearson of Issaquah, Washington grows some fine Saxifrages and swears by Wet and Forget to treat moss and algae.  I haven't tried it yet but I intend to soon! Apparently it originated in New Zealand so it must be good.
http://www.wetandforget.co.uk

[Lesley Cox]

David L hasn't mentioned it here but he rightly reminded me recently that the NZ gentians are all now Gentianella. Darn it!

[ichristie]

Hello  Lesley hope to see you soon when you can show me a few in flower.  I post some pictures from today of the crevice garden and the Peat crevice been a super day hope it stay s for a while.  Cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ichristie]

A few more, Ian

[ichristie]

Next lot