The best flowers for rock gardens are easy to care for, can tolerate a little neglect and a lack of watering, and can transform a rocky area into a stunning floral paradise. Hardy rock garden plants thrive best in sunny locations, so sun-loving plants are a must in your planting plan.
Benefits of a rock garden with flowers
There are a variety of flowers that are great for rock gardens. Without drought-tolerant plants, your garden may look a little dull. Not to mention thatFlowers in your gardenare much more useful for pollinators.
Which winter-hardy rock garden plants are suitable?
Whether you want to add color variety with alpine blooms or soften harsh edges with creeping ground cover, your rock garden is sure to shine with these varieties, which are fantastic hardy plants for sunny locations.
Evergreen: Rock Jasmine
Rock jasmine (Androsace studiosorum) is a small, evergreen, perennial plant. It soon spreads to form a low-growing mat of foliage and colorful flowers in a modern rock garden. Die seidige Behaarung der Blätter lässt sie vor allem im Winter silbrig erscheinen, und im Frühjahr erscheinen die Büschel der kleinen rosa Blüten.
Hardy rock garden plants: cranesbill
With its long flowering period from May to September, cranesbill (Erodium species) is a must for any garden, whether yousmall rock garden ideasor looking for something for a larger rock garden. This native perennial, with its wavy foliage and round pink flowers, typically grows to just 10cm tall, although the 'Matilda's Purple' variety is slightly larger and blooms throughout the summer.
The unique heart-leaved ball flower
The fluffy, blue pompom flowers of the delicate, evergreen perennials of the heart-leaved globe flower (Globularia Cordifolia) are a real eye-catcher. The foliage with its long, spoon-shaped leaves is also interesting and makes this small plant even more attractive. It is also a very bee-friendly flower and you will be rewarded with a large number of pollinators flocking to your bed from April to July.
Cute porcelain florets
The round flowers of the small, evergreen perennial porcelain rose (Lewisia cotyledon), which come in a variety of flower colors including white, pink, peach and red, are framed by narrow leaves. The flower grows to about 20 cm high, blooms from spring to summer and tolerates a few hours of shade per day. We recommend the 'Darcies Gems' variety with its mix of bright colors.
Hardy rock garden plants: houseleek
The houseleek (Sempervivum) was previously grown on roofs to protect against fire and lightning. She is incredibly popular forSucculent Anbauideen, because it is a robust little plant that is very hardy and likes well-drained soil. But it's not just their sculptural shapes that make them so popular. Flowers also appear on the upright stems in summer. Succulents are also easy to propagate from cuttings, so you can increase your population by inserting leaves into cracks and crevices.
Radiant ground cover: stonecrop
The low-growing, creeping, evergreen stonecrop (Sedum Spathulifolium) has densely packed, round leaves. The purple-colored, gray foliage forms a beautiful background for the yellow, star-shaped summer flowers. Use thesePlant as a ground cover.It is hardy and likes full sun and well-drained soil, making it perfect for these conditions.
One of the most popular flowers: crocus
The crocus (Crocus chrysanthus) comes in a variety of pretty colors and bicolors, including 'Snow Bunting' (cream), 'Blue Pearl' and 'Advance' (multicolored). You will achieve the best effect if you plant crocus bulbs in clusters. They like full sun and well-drained soil. Like other spring bloomers, you should get these bulbs in the ground before fall.
Hardy rock garden plants: carnations
Carnations (Dianthus) are small alpine plants. They have pretty blue-grey foliage and an abundance of delicate flowers, which usually only open when other alpine flowers have already finished blooming. Opt for 'La Bourboule' (pink), 'Evening Star' (pink and crimson), and other varieties. Some varieties, like Dianthus 'Memories', even give off a lovely, clove-like scent, making them a welcome addition to a tranquil garden. They need good drainage and low fertility to thrive. That's right, the poorer the soil quality, the better for these flowering rock garden plants.
A classic ground cover: gentian
When it comes to rock gardens, the gentian (Gentiana) is hard to beat. The piercing blue flowers perched on small, evergreen plants are enchanting. They prefer calcareous soils, so consider adding some lime or limestone chips to your garden if you choose these plants. Although they prefer well-drained soil, they also like a little moisture and can thrive in partial shade.
Flame flower: a perfectly suitable plant
Don't overlook flowering phlox if you're looking for ground cover plants to fill difficult spots. Plant the flowers 30cm apart in good but well-drained soil in full sun for best results. The low, creeping and vigorous alpine phlox is the ideal plant for container garden ideas with a rock garden character. So if you have flowersin a raised bed
Hardy rock garden plants: pasqueflower
Die violetten, roten, rosafarbenen oder weißen Glocken der Kuhschelle (Pulsatilla) nicken an aufrechten Stängeln und werden von flauschigen Samenköpfen gefolgt. The white cultivar 'Alba' and the pale pink cultivar 'Pearl Bells' slowly form dense but lush clumps of feathery foliage. You can plant the flower from seeds in January. They should be sown in pots with granular compost. Cover the seeds with more soil and move the pots outside to cool. Germination should begin in spring once the weather warms and they can then be planted in the rock garden.
Sikkim leeks come from the Himalayas
Sikkim leek (Allium sikkimense) is also known as Himalayan allium as it comes from the Himalayas in Tibet, which should give you an idea of the type of habitat it is used to. The clusters of blue flowers above the narrow, green foliage prefer full sun, but can also be used as shade-loving flowers. Their total height is about 10 cm.
