Comments on: Gravel Gardening: Swarthmore Entrance Rock

By: Susan Quinn

Susan Quinn — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 13:20:31 +0000

Thanks for your questions, Linton. The sedums don’t need much. They will start rooting out in gravel or well drained soil easily. It is possible to cut them up and spread them out on the gravel and they will take root. In the case of the entrance rock, they arrived with roots already so I planted them in the gravel. I can’t say that will work for all sedums because it is a large genus that native to different parts of the world with different growing conditions but I would say that it’s a safe bet with the lower growing ones. If you’re wanting a specific sedum it is worth looking up it’s growing requirements and habits.

The perennials in the roundabout grow up through the gravel and gravel mix or straight gravel. The top of the roots don’t necessarily have to be completely in the soil. They can be in the soil/gravel mix and have the bottom of the roots touching the soil.

Please let us know how it works out for you in your garden.

By: Linton Stables

Linton Stables — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 00:45:50 +0000

When you say that some of the sedums are “tucked into the first layer of gravel” does that mean they have no soil at all? Would that work for most short sedums? Also, for the rest of the plants you say (in the roundabout article) that the plants are planted low so that the roots grow into the soil. That seems to indicate the top of the roots are about 10 inches below the top surface. Do the stems grow up through the 6” of gravel, plus the 4” of soil-gravel mix? A diagram might be helpful.
I want to use this method in one small part of my garden, which is why I’m asking these questions.
Thanks!

By: Susan Quinn

Susan Quinn — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 12:03:55 +0000

In reply to beverly rogers.

Hi Bev, Here is the promised link about the roundabout:
http://www.swarthmorean.com/articles/scott-arboretum-landscapes-the-roundabout/

By: Wendy C

Wendy C — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 12:01:38 +0000

Great information and makes total sense as our summers get hotter and water levels become lower. The idea of planting deeper is a good one.

By: beverly rogers

beverly rogers — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 08:48:00 +0000

I am very interested in this technique for a public garden here in MD where I volunteer. But I do not see the Swarthmorean link promised?

Many thanks, bev