Free big limestone rocks-what to do with them?

17 years ago

Hi All,

Happy Easter (if you celebrate it).

I am writing in a hurry...someone on Craigslist posted that they have several tons of limestone rocks. I went over and sure enough they do. Now, they recommended a bobcat but it's just me, my hands, and my Honda civic! I've tried looking online for rock garden photos but it seems most folks are using little stone (baseball size) or flat ones for retaining walls. We hope, eventually, to add a "Japanese garden" in the back of the house --behind a fence. What's there now is the start of a cottage garden--or at the least a happy thing with flowers.

I think my fiance will kill me if I try to bring in more stones--he already thinks I'm nuts.

Can anyone recommend websites or share photos of what you've done with big rocks? Some of them were a bear to get into my car--but manageable with leverage! I'd say some are a 12" long by 10" high x 10-12" wide. So...not huge, dramatic "billboard" types...but the size where you'd hold out your arms to hug someone. (Are you laughing at these descriptions!)

I hope I haven't taken too many with nothing to do with them.

We have almost no landscaping so I thought I could plop a few here or there into the beds for "structural" interest.

Brand new to rocks and trying it on the fly while the rocks are free!

Thanks (and my apologies if this is somewhere online and I haven't found it yet)

Comments (8)

nicky_bklyn
17 years ago
I'm looking for some free rocks. The largest I could handle is 18" diameter. Where are the rocks you found are are there any left? I'm in Brooklyn NYC.
andi956
Original Author
17 years ago
Tennessee!

Sorry I can't help you.

Now if I can just figure out what to do with them. Right now they are just scattered here and there and it looks like it.
Pudge 2b
17 years ago
Lots of ideas on the Gardening with Stone forum. And if your fiance thinks your nuts, have him read thru the Stone Collecting: Beware thread - those people have created something incredible and their ongoing story is the best yet that has been posted on Gardenweb.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening with Stone forum
pellie_grower
16 years ago
create a limestone rockery. Just look at the Czech Tour May 2007 links from here - Day 1, day 2, day 3 and day 4. There are some stunning gardens shown

Here is a link that might be useful: Scottish Rock Garden Club
codered
16 years ago
I know this posting is a little late, but where in TN is the rock? Do you think they have any left?
tracyvine
16 years ago
{{gwi:370446}}
We inherited a large lump of rocks when we moved in our new house. I couldn't stand it because it was a giant lump of rocks just covered in wayward sedum.
After a while I started creating nooks and filled them with potting soil and amendments. I filled them with all kinds of sun loving perennials. Purple Yarrow and Rock soapwort, Creeping Phlox, Canterbury Bells, lavender, forget me nots, and Purple Coral Bells.
I love the way it looks now. I did this last summer and as long as I water regularly, everything stays pretty lush. I will probably keep changing things around, it's fun to see a little change every now and again.
andi956
Original Author
16 years ago
Tracyvine - Thanks for the photos. Love what you did.
I ended up just putting them here or there and they look pretty good, but should I come across more, I'll have a good idea to copy!
:-)

What does your bed look like in the fall/winter? I've planted rock loving stuff but it'll all die back leaving me a blank slate. Need to see if I can find some asters or something. (Am reading Beth Chatto's books, etc)

Codered- I'm in Nashville. Not sure re rocks. Sorry!
tracyvine
16 years ago
Hi, I disappeared for a while putting in a large shade garden! Love starting a new project.

The rock garden looks pretty bare in the winter except where I have the creeping phlox. This does very well through the hot weather if I keep it watered well. Stays green throughout the winter. I did some rearranging of that this summer so I will have some evergreen to look at out my kitchen window. I also have lavender in one of the wells, It does keep it's leaves during the winter but they turn a greyish green during the winter. I cut it back in the spring and get lush new growth. Very fragrant.

I do like the way it looks when we have plenty of snow on the ground. Nice lumps of fluffy white on the different ledges. The center top always looks like a snow cone! I am still looking for more evergreens to place in the wells I made to keep some color in there when the snow flies. If I come across some good ideas I will definitely pass it along.

I keep adding on to the mound. I just finished adding two more wells. These were on the side facing the house and the base facing the rest of the yard. I threw some annuals in there to add some more color while I impatiently wait for the soapwort to rebloom. I cut that back recently because it was starting to seed heavily. New growth is starting up again. I should have it trailing back down in another week or so.