B.N.A.R.G.S.

Berkshire chapter North American Rock Garden Society

About Mike Slater's talk...

Speaker - August 2005  meeting.
 
"Rocks and Plants, Perfect together".

A look at plants in the wild and the rocks they grow beside (and grow over,
and grow around, and grow out of .....)

This slide show gives a little bit of an idea about why I think rocks are so important to my idea of gardening with little plants. Plant and rocks complement each other's appearance so well that on or trips I find myself getting really excited over each new plant and rock combination we come across. I will show many slides of wonderful natural rock/plant associations we have seen all across North America. The range of plants that grow with rocks and look better for the association is astounding. From alpines; to desert plants; to woodland plants and trees; rock and plant combinations are appealing.

Rocks and stone provide a context for plants in the wild and thus when used in a garden together they convey a bit of that same feeling. The rock(s) can contrast or be similar to the plants in texture, color, shape, number and size. In a garden when the plants grow over or around rocks it gives the garden an established and aged character which is difficult to create any other way. For those not lucky enough to have a rock outcrop or mountain in their yard, this program will give you ideas about how to incorporate rock into your garden no matter what plants you grow.

Alpine and other rock garden plants can be grown with out rocks in a garden, but they looks so much better growing with appropriate rocks. So I am tempted to say: "A creeping Penstemon without a rock is like a day without sunshine." But that is too extreme. How about; " A Draba rigida without a rock is like an average day, but a Draba rigida growing on a rock is like a glorious sunny spring morning!" Or maybe "Rock and stone are the spice in a garden recipe!" No what I really mean is a growing rock garden plants without
rocks is like making a "bacon and egg" breakfast without any bacon, it will probably still be tasty and pleasant but it won't reach its full potential and satisfy as it could.

Many gardeners who like and grow rock garden plants say proudly, apologetically or ashamedly "I don't have a rock garden." This nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to apologize for, but certainly nothing to be proud of (unless you are allergic to rocks) and it can be remedied. I hope my talk inspires everyone to use rocks in their garden in a naturalistic way; you and your garden will both be happier with a complete recipe.

Mike's Bio

Background

I started out helping my mother transplant, weed, water etc. when I was young. I didn't do much during my apartment years but when we bought our first house I was ready. I was fascinated with the images of alpine plants I learned about in ecology class in college. Imagine tiny plants with big colorful flowers! The text book had a brief paragraph saying experiments had been performed where these plants were grown at sea level and they retained their dwarf size, it was genetic. I was captivated with the idea that they could be grown and flowered at sea level. I wanted to grow them. It took a number of years but I eventually had a garden and I also managed to make contact with the (North) American Rock Garden Society. The rest is a history of mild craziness. When we had our house appraised for refinancing our mortgage several years ago the description of the landscaping was brief and succinct. Our yard is "Atypical".

I have always liked rocks, ever since a 5th grade science project, but I really got to like them in college when I took a geology course. Then I found out that I REALLY like plants growing with rocks and stone!

So Jan and I have been members of NARGS for about 15 years. I found out that there were many small dryland plants with characters as charming as any high alpine and then Professor Norman Deno (of State College, PA) cast his spell and I had to have a Dry Sand Bed to grow these great plants.

We are also very much interested in growing alpines and similar small plants in artificial troughs where they can grow happily and be appreciated. Small plants for troughs are one of our specialties in the small nursery, specializing in rock garden and woodland plants, we run from our home; called Brecknock Alpines.
Address: Brecknock Alpines,
4411 New Holland RD,
Mohnton PA, 19540
Visitors are welcome by appointment:
mlsater@voicenet.com or 610.775.3757

I wrote an article about dry sand beds which was published in the "Rock Garden Quarterly" Vol. 56 #2 Spring 1998 and an article on making troughs which was Published in what was then called the Bulletin of the North American Rock Garden Society Vol. 52 #2 Spring 1994. These articles have been reprinted in the "Rock Garden Handbook for Beginners" and the "Handbook
on Troughs" respectively. Both book are published by NARGS. I wrote the chapter on growing plants in dry sand beds in the book "Rock Garden Design" written and edited by NARGS members and published by Timber Press in 2003. I have also written an article on the variations in our native Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum and its subspecies, which will appear in the Fall 2004 "Rock Garden Quarterly."

As horticulturist at the Reading Country Club, April 2001 -January 2003 I got to play with lots of bulb and annuals besides planting on the boulders and rock outcrops around the clubhouse and the course. I got to play with planting "Big Rocks"!
 

Education and Experience

B.S. Biology, Allegheny College, Meadville PA

North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS):
    Member, Board of Directors
    Author of three articles for the Rock Garden quarterly
    2004 NARGS SeedEx Intake Manager

Plant Show Advisor

Past Chairman, Delaware Valley NARGS Chapter and Coordinator of plant procurement
and forcing for the DVC exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show.