Are you trying to buck the odds here, and go against nature? Sounds like it is the environment you need to deal with, not the plants that grow there. If you want more subdued growth, the easiest way, I think, is to reduce the sun. First get some understory trees growing that you like. Maybe, Pagoda dogwood, Nannyberry viburnum or blackhaw (sp?), Musclewood, and the like. I am not sure what grows well in TN. Reducing the amount of sun, and increasing root competition will tame your wild growth. Although this is not the road to an alpine rock garden, it doesn't sound like you have the right combination of environmental factors for alpine plants anyway. Hope this helps.

Would it hurt to spray the weeds etc with RoundUp ...then plant with Ferns, Hostas, Astilbe etc??? Just asking...as I too am in TN ...lots of rocks around my area...I think you would be better off with just a shade garden...not a rock garden ...as such. This is about as close to a rock garden as I can get...:)

PJTN

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:371995}}

thanks for the good advice. It is all shade in there due to the huge oak trees. It is a tiny hill, and the rocks are very big with narrow winding paths. There are small areas available for planting things, but the weed trees find cracks between the rocks to take root. I have always wanted to make a waterfall or babbling-brook-with-pond water feature in there. It doesn't look like that would be very hard to create. I can imagine it so easily, it's like all that's missing is the water. The worst part is getting rid of the weeds, and keeping them out. I guess it comes down to elbow grease and determination!

Round up kills anything it touches the green of (and connecting roots), but has no killing action in the soil. Make sure NO drift gets anywhere you don't want it. Bluegrass is especially susceptible. The label says you can plant within 2-3 days of applying, but I would wait a week to be safer.

I like your idea of a waterfall and babbling brook. Our property has a lot of rock, big and small. I am in the process of completing my waterfall/pond on a hill. While terracing I uncovered several large boulders that I just incorporated into the landscaping. The hardest part was the snow berry. Those roots!!! If you take roundup, straight, put it in a small spray bottle, and right after you cut the weed tree, spray the wound. I guess these trees create a coating over the cut, so it can just send shoots further down the root. I tried roundup on the snow berry with little success. Part of the leaves died, new shoots did go ahead a start after the other part died off. Good luck, it sounds like nature gave you the makings of a really nice rock garden--big rocks included.