Comments on: Gravel Gardening: The Planting Formula to Success

By: Becky Robert

Becky Robert — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 14:10:43 +0000

Good morning,

Without being familiar with the site in regard to light, soil conditions, plant preferences, etc. it is challenging to formulate a list of suggested plants.

If the soil has not been amended with gravel I would venture to say that any full shade to partial shade plant that prefers the particular soil composition in the area intended to be planted would do well with gravel as a mulch.

Are you primarily interested in perennials or shrubs or a mix?

Generally speaking ground cover type plants prefer to have direct root access to mulch or soil. As a result these types of plants with some exceptions do not favor the gravel culture environment.

If the conditions are rather dry there are many plant lists online that can be accessed by performing a simple google search.

Best,
Adam Glas
Garden Supervisor

By: Patricia Griffin

Patricia Griffin — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:42:41 +0000

Hello, thank you for your article. It has given me hope. We have an area under a deck which we had cleared out and 4-5” of pea gravel poured as we planned for a gravel garden.
So far we have only seen plants that do well in full sun recommended for this area and we have from partial sun to shade in this area. Do you have any suggestions for planting? This is a new development (we downsized) without much land and we are desperate to garden even in stones.
Thanks!

By: Inge Daniels

Inge Daniels — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 12:37:05 +0000

Thanks for this interesting step-by-step article. I would not have thought to remove soil from the rootball but that makes great sense. Any thoughts on gravel types? Looks like 3/8″ stone?

By: Becky Robert

Becky Robert — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 14:05:22 +0000

In reply to Angel Clare.

Dear Angel, I am glad you found the info useful. Good luck on your project.

Happy New year,
Becky
Scott Arboretum

By: Angel Clare

Angel Clare — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 18:24:08 +0000

I am planing to start a gravel garden. Your article has provided me with an awesome formula. I will apply it. Thanks!

By: Becky Robert

Becky Robert — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 15:02:49 +0000

In reply to Charles Hover.

Thank you Charles!

I am glad you enjoyed the article and info.

Sincerely,
Becky Robert
Scott Arboretum

By: Charles Hover

Charles Hover — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 08:05:57 +0000

Hi Susan Quinn,
Thanks for sharing this article!
It is awesome!

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 14:25:31 +0000

Nice article, I’m also gardening from last 15 years.

By: Becky Robert

Becky Robert — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 15:02:20 +0000

In reply to Jed Johnson.

Dear Jed,

Below you will find a list of the other plants in this specific formula. These are all great plants but there are many more that can be used and it would be great to experiment with other perennials that you might think would work.

Structural plants: Panicum virgatum ‘Hot Red’, Baptisia ‘Lemon Meringue’, Amsonia hubrictii, Schizacharium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’

Companion plants: Aster oblongifolia ‘October Skies’, Pycnanthemum flexuosum, Salvia nemorosa ‘Blauhugel’, Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’, Liatris aspera

Filler plants: Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’, Dalea purpurea, Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Lohfelden’ or ‘Ingwersen’s Variety’, Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’

Susan Quinn

By: Becky Robert

Becky Robert — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 13:22:15 +0000

In reply to Jen Pfluger.

Dear Jeff,
At this time, our oldest gravel planting is the Roundabout garden. We experimenting with this new technique and do not have experience with part sun with mature trees situations. Our exploration of this type of gardening is based off the recommendations and experiences in German gardens by Cassian Schmidt.

Sincerely,
Becky