Bilston Creek Horticulture was brought on board for this gravel garden project to implement a design by the talented Erik Fleischer of Symbio Studio. The garden was designed to be waterwise to the extent to need no supplemental watering during summer months as well as deer tolerant. The plants that are naturally adapted to going many months in their natural climate often are prone to rotting in rich organic based soil. Using rock mulch simulates their natural habitat and prevents roots rotting in the winter rains. The use of rock mulches (also know as gravel gardens) is a practice growing in popularity in places that are facing prolonged summer droughts Europe but not widely used yet in our region.
This was our first time building a garden using a rock mulch. Before the renovation, the existing area was 2 tiers of lawn with a small garden border and 1 upper tier of garden. Anna and Kara worked hard removing all the sod and existing plants bar one Magnolia stellata (Star Magnolia). Pathways were then marked out with careful attention to detail and good guidance and collaboration with Erik from Symbio Studio. The existing soil was a clay-based soil very typical to Saanich. Many of the plants selected for the plantings prefer a sandy soil so approximately 24 yards of coarse sand was brought in and mixed into the clay soil with a rototiller. After then new sandy soil was graded and leveled, 19 yards of gravel was brought to create a 5cm deep covering of gravel throughout. Passersbys looked on with confused looks and one remarked “planting rocks, hey?”
Once the gravel was in place, it was time for planting. Some plants were grown by Erik himself and many provided by Amy Sanderson at Stellata Plants in Central Saanich. Plants were planted in the late fall and more added in the following. The plants grew fast in their specially suited soil and by summer 2022 the garden looked very full. Overall, the client is very happy with the outcome of the project and the majority of the plants have been a great success. As expected, working with the deer has been a challenge at times but most things, they have left alone. Other things they will graze in the winter only, when their food sources are scarcer. Bilston Creek Horticulture provides ongoing care of the garden along with the client who has a strong green thumb of her own. The gravel garden has been a great opportunity to try a new method of cultivating a garden, work with new plants and expand our knowledge of dry gardens.
