When someone says “garden design,” what do you think of first? Probably flowers, herbs, bushes, and other plant life. But what may not have been top of mind is; rocks! Many times, rocks are used to line garden beds or are interchangeable with mulch. But why not give rocks their own space to shine?
As landscape professionals in San Diego, we know firsthand how tough it can be to maintain a flourishing garden in the California heat. Of course, we make it happen for our customers, but if you’re looking for something that’s lower maintenance, a rock garden may be for you!
A rock garden is more than just a collection of stones in place of flowers. A rock garden incorporates as many style elements as other, more common landscape designs. These elements include color, texture, balance, variety, grouping, and more. But instead of doing this with plants and flowers, landscape designers choose rocks that will create an aesthetically pleasing appearance for your garden.
Of course, plants and even water features can be incorporated into a rock garden to complement its natural beauty.
In our years of experience, we’ve designed numerous outdoor spaces that benefit from the inclusion of a rock garden instead of a traditional one. Think yours might be one of them? Here are the top 3 benefits of rock gardens.
The proper amount of pH in the soil, sufficient sunlight, and the perfect amount of water…plants can be a lot of work! Of course, all of us at Juniper love this challenge and responsibility, but that’s not true for all homeowners. Some don’t have the time, expertise, and/or interest in maintaining a meticulous garden.
If you’re someone who wants a professionally designed backyard but doesn’t have enough free time to invest in upkeep, a rock garden might be the perfect solution. Of course, plant life is incorporated into rock gardens, such as ferns, succulents, and other tenacious plant life. You may need to water these every once in a while, but overall, rock gardens are way less maintenance than other types of gardens.
As landscape design experts in San Diego, we’re especially prepared to create garden and yard designs that will be functional, beautiful, and long-lasting in our area. It can get quite hot in the San Diego area, which we always keep in mind when planning out a garden. No matter what Mother Nature brings — droughts, monsoons, heatwaves — your rock garden is well-equipped to handle it.
Most plants and flowers are seasonal. Tulips make their appearance in the Spring, while mums thrive in the Fall. While seasonal plants bring a certain joy, they also require you to regularly update what you’re featuring in your garden.
With a rock garden, you’ll never have an empty landscape, waiting for a certain season for your flowers to bloom. You’ll be able to have a professional landscape design year-round.
If you’re interested in incorporating some sort of water feature into your landscape design, a rock garden is a perfect place to do so. Rock gardens usually have multiple levels, allowing you to put small ponds or other bodies of water towards the top, letting the water to flow naturally down the rocks, creating a serene design in your backyard. (There’s a reason so many Zen gardens feature rock formations!)
If a rock garden sounds like a landscape design feature you’d like to incorporate into your property, let us know! We can’t wait to demonstrate our expertise by installing one for you! Get in touch and we can show all the incredible options you have for creating a rock garden.