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tinytim22_gw

Hiding BIG rocks....

tinytim22
20 years ago

About a year ago I bought a home in Southern Maine (z5). When the house was built by the previous owner they had several LARGE (about the size of washing machine) boulders from the excavation of the foundation hole. They ended up stacking the stones in a far corner of the lot - See attached linke to picture. I've been trying for months to come up with a method of 'hiding' these rocks in a way that looks at least somewhat natural. I thought of transplanting some pine trees or planting some abrovities, but I think it would look obvious since all the surrounding trees are deciduous.

I think either some climbing roses or vines could work well. The site has a direct southern exposure and gets sun nearly all day. Either way I don't want anything that looks to plain. My worry about climbing roses is their exposure during the winter - I wouldn't want them to die during the winter.

Any ideas or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! hanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:655327}}

Comments (19)

  • Judy_B_ON
    20 years ago

    Since it is in a woodlot, why not just leave them alone and see what mother nature does with it? I think the rocks look interesting the way they are and could be the start of a rock garden.

    Are you sure it is in sun all day? From the picture, I would think that once the trees leave out it would be at least part shade. How about adding a little soil to the crevices between the rocks and using various sedums and other sun/dry loving succulents like hens and chicks.

    Or plant a few more deciduous trees in front to increase shade, add some soil to the crevices between rocks and plant with whatever groundcover is native to the woods: barren strawberry, dryland ferns, large leaved aster etc.

  • ianna
    20 years ago

    I couldn't get access to your page. So without seeing it, I just filling in areas with soil and interplanting them with sedums just as Judy recommended. If you can't move the rocks, utilize it as a giant planter. Fill in cavities with soil. If that this not possible, make some using concrete.

  • wasabinsoy
    19 years ago

    Imagine them as "specimens" and move them around!! Some folks, especially those who yearn for Japanese Gardens, would trade their eye teeth for your problem. Great shapes!

    Sabi

  • Ina Plassa_travis
    19 years ago

    treat them as a landscape feature, not an obstruction...

    the coolest part about my parent's front courtyard has always been the rock pile left over from the construction...

    and the big one's taller than I am.

    it's now planted with lamium, spring bulbs, and a small cut-leaf japanese maple, and looks like 10K worth of landscaping.

  • elvis
    19 years ago

    I can't see your pic either. I would definitely turn it into a rock garden instead of trying to hide it, though. I have several gardens based on the excavation rocks from our house construction. I planted just a few of each of these, and they multiplied on their own: ferns, bishop's weed, daylily, euphorbia ciparisius (sp?). It's now a drop dead gorgeous area, and no maintenance to speak of.

  • cindra
    19 years ago

    Great rocks and lots of possibilities! Depending on how much money, time and effort you want to put into this area and if it gets enough sun when the trees leaf out I would dig and build a pond and use the rocks for a custom waterfall. Fill in some of the cracks and crevices with soil, plant some bog plants, vines etc. It could be turned into a nice relaxing nitch-a place to just site and ponder. :-)

  • JohnFromConn
    19 years ago

    Isn't it strange how big rocks look different to different people? A few month after moving into our current house, I had three rather large boulders delivered and dropped in my front yard. My neighbors that that a crazy person had moved in! I have since created a very nice(to my mind) garden that really uses these beautiful rocks to their best advantage.
    You can ship those rocks to me, I'll take 'em!

  • leiahi
    19 years ago

    I see a startings of a dynamic water feature!

  • flowersandthings
    19 years ago

    Wow some people would love big free rocks for their garden...... in Maine since its cool you could build a lovely alpine garden...... you would have to move (could be alot of work) the rocks (so there's more space for dirt and you could view your garden better.....) but you could fill holes with gaps and plant alpines..... Maybe add a shallow space for filling with water like a birdbath...... To just cover the rocks I would suggest shrubs...... see the link on the shade forum about shrubs...... I just asked about them...... :)

    Here is a link that might be useful: shade

  • grammahony
    19 years ago

    You could 1st advertise them for free for the taking, if you don't want them anymore. If there are no takers, plant some ornamental grass around them, and other plants within the cracks as mentioned above.
    Leslie

  • herb_wi
    19 years ago

    Those rocks look sort of like an ancient altar stone or something. Cool. I think your idea of planting a few Arbor Vitaes in strategic places would greatly accent them. Not to hide them. Create a thing of beauty.

  • PattiOH
    19 years ago

    You could 'soften' the appearance of the rock with something like Isanti Red Dogwood. It grows about 5 feet tall and spreads. Have never grown it myself, so can't tell you how it behaves, but it has white flowers in spring, and handsome red bark.

  • ginger_nh
    19 years ago

    Tip the top row of boulders off the pile. Rent a mini-Kobota to move them in line with the others, spreading them out a bit. Then landscape with perennials, vines, small shrubs. Natives would be nice.

    If it doesn't look right to you now, covering it up with plants, then having to weed and care for something you don't like won't solve the problem. Doesn't look right to me either. Just a jumble of stone. With a bit if jockeying it could be a stunning part of your landscaping.

    It is not impossible to move large stone. Might be worth hiring two men with experience in doing so. Ask around at a stone yard, construction businesses, handyman ads in the papers, etc.

    Ginger

  • bluebel2
    19 years ago

    I have just moved and our rocks are covered in 15 years worth of ivy. I love them but they are a little smaller than yours. We have spent 2 days cutting it back, some vines are over 6" thick. I would love to find an easier way of iradicating this pest?

  • mooseonwhidbey
    19 years ago

    SO Tinytim

    I want to know what you did with your big rocks? It has been a year! I just found this forum and find it fascinating, you had some great suggestions..I would like to see you spread the buttermilk-yogurt-moss mixture (maybe this can be done with fern spores even?!) over the rocks and green it year round. I just bought 71/2 acres of alders, berries, MAine-like stuff here in Washington States Pacific Northwest Island County..Im into covering things as well, looking at climbing vines, etc...stay away from balckberries, they will take over--this I can assure you
    Moose

  • vicki_ca
    19 years ago

    I just found this forum, and I too am wondering what you did with those rocks. When I saw the picture, my first thought was, why keep them there? Some people pay an arm and a leg to add large bolders to their landscape. The only problem with those rocks is the way they are piled up. The stack of rocks looks very unnatural and it becomes an odd focal point. If they were unstacked, spread out in small clusters, and partially buried, it could be beautiful and would look like a natuarl rock outcropping.

  • tinytim22
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Wow! I hadn't checked in on this posting in a while and was plesantly surprised by the response! There were certainly some interesting ideas. As far as people dying to get big rocks like these, they're a dime a dozen in this part of Maine. Some of them are actually fairly interesting to look at and have real nice marbling.

    Anyway, to fill everyone in, I got tied up with other projects last year and didnt have a lot of time to devote to my 'rock' project. I tried planting climbing vines but they didn't hold very well. By mid-summer I mulched around the base of the stones and planted a few small roses (I think they'll like the sun and moist soil). I still want to do more though. The water feature idea is intriuging, but a tad ambitious to be completed this year. I like the idea of adding plants in some of the crevaces and letting them drape down (possibly several different plant types for interest?), and ideas on good plants for this? I've also thought of putting some plantings on either side to 'soften' the edges and blend them with the surroundings. The surrounding woods are pretty mature though (tall trees) so I don't think bushes or small trees would 'blend' all that well. Also, maybe a bench and arbor in front of the stones, or maybe off to the side...

    The photo I posted shows the stones, but not really how they work with the yard. I'll try to take a few better ones from different angles and see what everyone thinks then.

    Keep an eye out for new photos, and thanks for all your suggestions - they've been very helpful!

  • kitova
    18 years ago

    sedum will grow between the rocks and cascade down. also, have you tried growing clematis around the rocks? they need some support wire to twine around but that's about it. they can tolerate sun to partial shade and the masses flowers on a mature plant can compliment your roses very well. many varieties are hardy to z3 and will do fine in your zone.

    Here is a link that might be useful: clematis forum

  • Hawkeye_Belle
    18 years ago

    If the site gets 8 hours of sun, rugosa roses will do well there. Look at William Baffin. He's a climber as is John Davis. You will have to order these as I don't believe they are commanly available.

    Pickering Nurseries has a good variety of rugosa roses. You can view them at the site below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pickering Nurseries