The rocks from a 2" barrier, it is suppose to suppress most of the grass and weeds, though not all of them. We’ll see how it works out.
As the bulbs expand over the years, it should change the look of the beds. But haven’t really thought beyond that.
I hope it works out for you. IM limited E, gravel can be a challenge. And, if you ever decide you want to change to an organic mulch, the racks can be a royal PITA to remove.
I’ve seen some places around here that have very nice looking gravel beds. I always imagine it must involve either/both considerable chemicals and/or labor.
Thanks for the entire post, especially this information. I looked at carrot seeds today and bought these:
I was definitely a bit haphazard with the planting, but there’s seeds in the ground. And I watered them.
Thinking next year to rip out that planting area and dedicate it to foodstuffs. I have a tree peony that only had 3 flowers this year (last year it had more than 10) and it’s throwing a lot of shade on other plants. Maybe I’ll try transplanting it this fall.
Full sun is best, though I recall there was a planting behind the garage when I was growing up that only got a few hours sun a day and there were flowers every year.
The hardy bananas have rebounded well here from this past winter’s -4F low. There are now at least 20 trunks of Musa basjoo, the tallest about 4 feet high already. Musa sikkimensis and Musa ‘Mekong Giant’ are also growing. Still waiting for definite emergence from Musella lasiocarpa and the snow banana, Ensete glaucum. Hopes for an edible banana crop rest on the tender lady finger banana I’ve been growing in a pot indoors but which recently went outside and is destined for a border spot. It’s supposed to be able to fruit at 5 feet in height.
Last year’s chives are blooming beautifully, and the peas & nasturtium seedlings are loving the off-again-on-again rain and sunshine mix.
My tiny pomegranate “tree” is in bloom! It’s maybe three or four feet tall right now, and I doubt its branches can support any actual fruit. But, considering that it’s at deer-eye-level, I doubt we’ll find out for sure anyway. 
We no longer have a yard since the Big Move, but we do participate in the planting of beds around the building. In fact, today we planted our two tomatoes and a whole bunch of herbs. We also have some flowers to pot, but haven’t gotten to it yet.
When we moved in the yard was a mess, we’re slowly turning it around. After 2 years of removing all the vines choking out one shrub and trimming it up. This year it really rewarded the effort. I’ve almost removed all the Carolina creeper from the yard. Probably 95% or higher since we moved in.
So many flowers and looking good. I’ll need to do a plant ID on it.
ETA: appears to be Old fashioned weigela. Now to find out about maybe taking some of it and transplanting it.
As @Dinsdale suspected, my white gravel bed is not a success in suppressing weeds. I’m going to try a few different things to rescue it.
Pull rocks up in one section, remove all the weeds and grass, put down the weed block paper (with holes for the bulbs) and recover in rocks.
Pull rocks up in another section, remove all the weeds and grass, and put the rocks back mashing them into the ground this time and compacting them.
Anyone have any experience with Allium? We have some that are over 4’ tall already and still haven’t flowered, though they’ve looked like they’re ready to for at least 2 weeks now. The package had said late spring to early summer, but I never expected a 4’ spear.
Refers to anything in the onion family.
But there is something called “Giant Globe” which is ornamental and grown for its hyuuuge purple flower balls.
If that’s what you’ve got (or something similar) give it a bit of time & water.
Four-foot spears sound like there’s something very rewarding - or ominous - on the other end.
Yes, these were Giant Globes Allium. I knew allium was onion family but I thought when talking flowers it meant the bulbs with the giant purple flower clusters.
We planted in 2 groups around two dogwoods. The ones in the sandy soil are really thriving. The others are doing fine, but the tallest one is still under 3’, which is more in line with expectations.
Yes, any gardener I’ve encountered would know what you meant by saying Allium, without requesting further clarification.
Saw some at the golf course this morning - a nice collection of tall purple, tall white, and shorter purple.
Our neighbors planted a bunch of very tall, large purple allium. They look kinda odd, just because they are not combined with anything else.
Late in the season around here we frequently see what are commonly called ornamental chives - also in the allium family. Much shorter and clumping.
We have some chives that just went to flower in the flower box on the deck rail.
Well, an ornamentals gardener would. A food gardener quite likely wouldn’t. Somebody who does a lot of both might guess the right allium from the context.
I didn’t know that there’s one and only one allium commonly grown as an ornamental.
I’m a big fan of using the correct scientific name when it helps avoid confusion/mistake. In this context IMO there was no such risk.
Don’t worry, there isn’t only one, and I’ve never encountered “Giant Globe” allium in the wild. The only large-flower variety that I recall seeing are called “gladiator allium” at the garden center. I do have a large clump of “drumstick allium” at the base of a palmetto tree. There’s also some “society garlic” in my yard, but that’s not a true allium
I redid the first 2’x3’ section of my rock bed.
I stiff rakes the rocks out of the way.
I cut the turf and pulled the grass and weeds and took out maybe 2 gallons of material.
Then I laid down a section of weed barrier cut to allow the bulbs through
I put the rocks back.
I will see how this works out.
Bits of debris/dust/soil will blow into that bed along with weed seeds, and weeds will grow among the rocks. Weeding will be harder because of roots penetrating into the weed barrier and rocks are not kind to hands trying to pick out the weeds.
Gravel and rocks including lava rock used in an attempt to stop weeds are a pain to deal with, both in the near future and for unfortunate gardeners who’ll come along later. After several years at this house, I’m still finding decaying weed block fabric in front border areas, tearing out the decaying fabric which causes soil compaction and lack of water penetration, and facilitates the growth of weeds that sprout in the mulch overlying the fabric.
Preach it!
OK, most of this is pretty new to me.
I’m having fair luck with wood chips/mulch, but that requires refreshing yearly it seems, though not as much. It also still needs weeding.
The rock experiment, despite my reading, does look like a semi-expensive fail.
Joining in a bit late on this- I moved a bit over a year ago and now have a decent size (by UK city standards) garden. The previous owners were clearly keen gardeners, but as tends to happen to people, they got elderly, and it looks like they hired a maintenance company with not much time or clue, who just hacked everything into lollipop shapes.
When I took it on, the front was mostly covered in gravel and weed fabric, with a load of weeds growing through and a side garden with lot of really really overgrown shrubs. Plus a back bit which is largely paved for a washing line (which is the shadiest bit of the house). In amongst this tangle was a few really nice plants…
So far this year I’ve cleared the gravel beds and half planted up a cottage style garden, though a lot of the plants were more or less bunged in because my Mum gave me a load of bare root stuff before I had all the gravel off. I’ll be shuffling things around later. I’ve removed, including stump, entirely with hand tools, a conifer with about a 15" diameter, plus more sycamore saplings and horribly spiky plants than is entirely sane (including over 35 half dead roses, several of which had reverted to the rootstock and none of which had any scent), and planted a damson, gooseberry, blackcurrant, rhubarb and assorted small ornamentals.
I’ve cleared, but not yet levelled, a space for a polytunnel, which I probably will need because despite being in a city there’s a park opposite with roe deer which can easily hop the fence, plus this is Scotland and the season is short. I’ve planted a row of beech saplings (which I collected myself as they were being weeded out of a local woodland) to try grow a hedge. I’ve got a small veg bed planted with beans and potatoes, which would be just starting to come up if the local cats would just stop sitting on them for 5 minutes.
I still have to finish digging out about 5 more decent size unwanted shrubs, somehow kill a large sycamore which is growing out of the retaining wall at the back, build another smaller paved area somewhere that gets some actual sun, and plant more fruit bushes. Then clear another gravel area at the back, replace the back fence which is looks like it was stuck up as a temporary measure some time in the mid 90s, and finish planting up the borders there. Oh, and put up a shed.
I wish I could afford some staff, but I’m on a student budget… and I’m trying to renovate the house at the same time, so any spare time and money is spoken for about 5 times over.
