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

[Leiomerus]

This picture shows the new crevice with all the crevices filled with some rock garden compost.
I made the mistake to use a lot of red 'mine stone' chippings into my mixture, the red color doesn't match with the grey stones.
But by applying a lot of little broken rocks with a rather big calibre, this problem is solved.

Making the top dressing was the most work.
I had to break a lot of little rocks with a heavy hammer to have sufficient top dressing.
I always do that when I make a crevice, these are the only chippings that correspond with the bigger rocks.
If you get some chippings from a garden centre, they hardly ever match. You better make your own.
It has some advantages : when there are rocks with a more brown color, you look for a little rock with the same color to break and you use the chippings in the neighbourhood of that particular rock. 

The two other pictures show my 'breaking rock', my hammer and the resulting chippings. This is the only way to do it.
Also good for my muscles....but you must 'watch for your eyes'.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Leiomerus... the man who brakes rock with his bare hands !!! 

Great job Leio !  I'm sure it will look smashing when finished !!

[Maggi Young]

Looking good, Jan. You will save lots of  money from a fitness club membership with all that work.

 But perhaps your back will need some massage..... 
   

[Leiomerus]

Thanks Maggi and Luc The Great Channel Hopper.
I only to my best for sake of those poor plants that must cope with a climate that totally isn't theirs.
I have a very good back, but a massage would be fine, but I prefer something else than a cat.
 

[Maggi Young]

I have a very good back, but a massage would be fine, but I prefer something else than a cat.
 

 Of course, I understand.........

[Leiomerus]

So, let's go on ...on the rocks ...

1/ Picture 1 : Here I have used the garden hose in order to settle the compost in a quicker way.
    By the way ; this crevice garden is called 'Crevice Garden Number 4'.

2/ Picture 2 : The same crevice with some chippings broken by my self.
    Of course, the end result will be different, because my 'subconscious rock mind' told me to change some things.

[Leiomerus]

1/ This is CGN4, almost in it's present state. With all those self-made chippings, what a work !
     I've made some more outcrops, so it looks better.
     I couldn't go very high, it's already a natural slope and I didn't want to hide the natural stones from the house, because they have practically the same color.
     Of course, maybe next week, I will suddenly think that some features must be changed, or maybe not. It all depends ...
     There are already some conifers to be seen.
     Today I have planted 18 Saxes in this crevice. This crevice will be an Allendale crevice, (with some minor exceptions) only Saxes from Mr Fairbairn.
     The other crevice will be devoted to Saxes from Karel Lang.

2/ Here you see a little bulb bed. There are only bulbs where you see the chippings. There are some step stones, otherwise I break my legs to reach the water tab of 
    the garden hose. The big rocks you see, will be removed when I'll have more bulbs.
    This bed is the division between CGN4 and CGN3.

3/ This is Crevice Garden Number 3, located next to Crevice Garden Number 1.
    The 'borderline' is indicated by the little Phlox you notice in front.
     CGN1 is now 1 year old and is made of many different rocks. Of course planted with mainly Saxes, but also some Androsace, Primula and even some Dionysia.
     The originally little plants are growing well.

4/ This is a view taken from CGN1.
    Now the whole east side of our house, is rock garden.
    My wife is very pleased. I don't need a ladder anymore to clean the windows. I simply stand on top of the crevice and I can reach every window.
    Now she likes me to do it.
    In the past she needed a ladder.
   
   

[Leiomerus]

1/ Here you see, from left to right :
     my chameleon rock garden (with many different stones, marble, sand stone, cobble stone, 'Ardennes' stone, green stone from Switzerland etc)
     CGN4
     CGN3
     CGN1
     My dog looking at the crevice, or rather very interested in the nice male dog passing by ?

2/ and 3/ The crevice seen from some different angles.

[Leiomerus]

Of course, I understand.........

(Attachment Link)

My back if FINE. 

[krisderaeymaeker]

Many thanks, Kris.  I'm waiting for your pictures next spring!

I think you don't have to wait that long Anne ....

Pictured yesterday in my crevice ..........Callianthemum kernerianum .
Don't tell Cliff ....

[Maggi Young]

Woo, Kris, so many buds in January!

[ranunculus]

Yours is so much further on than mine, Kris ... must be the underground heating?   

[krisderaeymaeker]

 

Yours is so much further on than mine, Kris ... must be the underground heating?   

Oops to late , the master of the buttercups find it .....

It is a very good clone Cliff (a clone from  Welsh plantsmen .... )

No heating Cliff only our warm attention .........

[krisderaeymaeker]

Woo, Kris, so many buds in January!

Here it is always very early Maggi .

They get no sunshine in winter in this part of the garden .But it is protected against the coldest winterwinds . We had offcourse a very mild winter so far ........ 

[astragalus]

Kris, it looks wonderful.  Please post a picture when the buds open.  Nothing will show in the crevice garden before April (assuming no snow).  But it is early April these last years, it used to be mid-April. Is your crevice garden in a protected area?  Mine is exposed to wind all the time.