Sand beds

[astragalus]

That's an interesting idea, Fermi.  I might try it.  I've wanted to try growing Junos for some time.

[Tim Ingram]

Our front garden is gradually changing in its planting after seeing how well many plants have established in the sand bed. This section of the garden has undergone a number of changes over the years and has become full of self-seeding eryngiums, lychnis and a few other such plants. These look good as a 'meadow' type planting for a while in the summer but the space is really rather wasted. I am slowly clearing many of these plants, leaving significant shrubs like Potentilla fruticosa 'Beesii' ( a very nice form with silver-silky leaves) and a fine specimen of the western American Berberis haematocarpa. The idea is to surface the bed with a deep mulch of gravel, mounded quite high in the centre, and plant much more choice dryland species. The top end of the bed has been cleared and planted in this way and now it is the turn of the lower section. The front edge of the bed has always had a planting of alpines and bulbs (including the Crocus kotschyanus 'Albus' shown), which has always been incongruous with the stronger plants behind, so at last the picture should change.

[Lesley Cox]

Like John85 I was wondering about the flatness of your sand garden Tim and had expected it would need to be up somewhat above the surrounding grass, perhaps mounded, as Ann (Astragalus) suggests. Assuming the grass is mown, how do you keep the mowing off the sand?

I have extensive gravel driveway which has gradually become more and more narrow as grassy type weeds have taken over the edges and left just the actual car tracks still of gravel. I think a good effect could be achieved by simply dumping a truckload of fine gravel (several, in fact) at stragecic points. If only Roger would go away somewhere for a couple of weeks.....

[Tim Ingram]

Lesley - the beds look flat but I am raising them quite significantly with sand and gravel, and keep top-dressing year on year. We have very well drained soil so I think it is less important to raise them higher (but also a lot depends on the plants being grown and I am experimenting quite a bit here). I don't really see the sand bed as being greatly different to a more traditional scree and have written more about it for the forthcoming AGS Bulletin. Our driveway is solid under gravel so weeds are not too much of a problem but an acquaintance developed an alpine planting in the middle of his drive, between the wheels of the car! Rather ingenious and making the very best use of space.

[John85]

Tim,what is the plant Crocus kotschyanus is growing through?

[astragalus]

Like John85 I was wondering about the flatness of your sand garden Tim and had expected it would need to be up somewhat above the surrounding grass, perhaps mounded, as Ann (Astragalus) suggests. Assuming the grass is mown, how do you keep the mowing off the sand?

I have extensive gravel driveway which has gradually become more and more narrow as grassy type weeds have taken over the edges and left just the actual car tracks still of gravel. I think a good effect could be achieved by simply dumping a truckload of fine gravel (several, in fact) at stragecic points. If only Roger would go away somewhere for a couple of weeks.....

Lesley, that actually works very well.  My suggestion would be to make the gravel mound high and sculpt it to your liking.  I've used 1/4" gravel (which contains a lot of coarse sand), and it worked very well.  You never have to worry about drainage and most sensible weeds prefer something with actual soil.  The american western plants shine in this situation (eriogonums, erigerons, penstemons, astragalus etc.).

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Ann, I think I'll be requesting a load of fine gravel for Christmas. So much more useful (to me) than household appliances, perfume etc.

I like the garden between the tyre track idea too. Surely an ideal place for a collection of crocuses.

[Maggi Young]

In our driveways we have slabs for the car wheels to run on and over the last twenty or more years we've been seeding plants and bulbs into the gravel of the surrounding area. These areas were too hard packed to allow any proper cultivation of the soil and so the seeds have had to make their own way in life in conditions that are far from ideal.... there are photos in various Bulb Logs over the years of the wonderful floral feature this has provided.  By comparison a sand bed must be real luxury for the plants!

[Peter Korn, Sweden]

I just finished a new sandbed. Today I planted a lot of bulbs, Allium, Muscari, Juno, Onco, Tulips and some other. In the winter I will sow a lot of species directly in the gravel and then fill it with mostly cushion plants in the spring.

[Maggi Young]

I just finished a new sandbed. Today I planted a lot of bulbs, Allium, Muscari, Juno, Onco, Tulips and some other. In the winter I will sow a lot of species directly in the gravel and then fill it with mostly cushon plants in the spring.

Just a little one, then, Peter?!! 

[Peter Korn, Sweden]

Suddenly all the other beds were tiny.

[Maggi Young]

Ian says he remembers that the area of exposed rock at the top left that you had dug out was over 2 metres high.....

[Peter Korn, Sweden]

I had to dig out 0,5-2,5m of soil to find the cliffs. It will be a 6-7m high southfacing scree and a small northfacing scree (up to 2m) on the other side of the ridge.

[Maggi Young]

I had to dig out 0,5-2,5m of soil to find the cliffs. It will be a 6-7m high southfacing scree and a small northfacing scree (up to 2m) on the other side of the ridge.

OH!!
This is more than gardening, it is truly landscaping.

[Peter Korn, Sweden]

Landshaping...