Gardeners often dedicate much of their efforts to ridding their gardens of native rocks, only to spend money on imported rocks to decorate the landscape: a waste of valuable time and resources. Instead of discarding rocks as you unearth them, save them to create a rock planter made of native rocks that blends well with your landscape. The planter acts as a raised bed, allowing easier access for tending the garden, warmer soil for extended growing seasons and better control over soil conditions. Rocks with flat sides work best for building a planter because they are easier to dry stack.
Clean the rocks with water and a brush to remove any clinging soil from the rocks.
Sort the native rocks into piles according to size and shape to make it easier to find a particular stone when constructing the planter.
Mark the area for the rock planter with landscaping paint. If the planter will only be accessed from one side, keep it no more than 2 feet wide; keep it no more than 4 feet wide if it will be accessible from two sides. The planter can be as long as you desire if the width is narrow enough to allow access.
Excavate inside the marked area, as needed, to make a level surface. If you don't have well-drained soil, it helps to add a few inches of compacted gravel where you will lay the stones, to prevent them from shifting over time.
Lay the first course of stones over the outlined area, spaced tightly. Choose rocks that fit well together, leaving the least possible amount of space between each rock.
Place the second course of native rocks on top of the first course, staggering the joints to make a more stable wall. Use smaller rocks to stabilize rocks that are not completely flat and don't balance well, or to fill large gaps between stones.
Continue laying additional courses of native rock until the desired planter height is achieved. The planter can be as short as 6 inches up to about 30 inches or even taller, if desired. For stability, taller walls should start with a wider base.
Cap the planter with a course of flat rocks so that it has a smooth, flat top.
Add a few inches of gravel, crushed rock or sand to the bottom of the planter if the planter is taller than 18 inches. This improves drainage in the planter and reduces soil compaction.
Fill the planter with topsoil combined with finished compost and organic amendments, such as straw, grass clippings, leaves and shredded bark, to improve soil texture and drainage.
Plant vegetables, flowers or other plants in the planter, ensuring the chosen plants are the proper size for the new planter.
Things You Will Need
- Landscaping paint
- Measuring tape
- Digging tools
- Gravel, crushed rock or sand
- Organic compost
- Organic soil amendments
- Build the planter so there are as few gaps between rocks as possible. This "dry stack" technique is very stable when constructed properly.
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