Good morning,
By now everyone knows about my rock garden from all the help I've received in making it a success this far!!!

This rock garden came about one day when me & the hubby were standing at the top of the hill talking about what to do about it.We talked about putting a patio at the bottom where it level's off just before dropping off even more.Of course this kicked my mind into garden mode.I decided to plant a big mound of upright sedum & then around that i put semp's.I have 9, one with lots of babies & I've ordered 4 more & a jovi to arrive in April.I don't want to plant to many to soon,if i do something & kill them at least it won't be a lot of money.

I have planted a couple of plants that will not be in the pea gravel their more for some color along the tree line that's to one side of the bed.I now want to ask what are some good companion plants.I have Lithodora 'grace ward' I know this plant spreads but i think if put in the right place it won't be to hard to control.This slope is long enough to put many types of flower beds,a concrete bird bath & bench and then to work in a patio big enough for a table W/chairs,extra chairs & grill.Now i have told you what we are working towards,i am starting at the top with flower beds Mitch is starting at the bottom on flat land.My question got lost in there somewhere what i'm asking is what are some good companion plants for semp's and how to plant them such as how close as well as what not to plant around them.If the Lithodora is a bad idea i will simply put it further down the hill.It has beautiful blue blooms i thought would really stand out under the sedum & around the semp's.


Sorry so long I always get lost and off track!!!
Any advice or opinions is greatly appreciated,i love to hear experiences!!

Jo, don't know where you are ordering semps from online or wherever but I find after reading lots of posts that people are happy and excited to find and try and shell out minimal amt of money for semps at Home Depot, Lowe's or other big box stores or even at Ace Hardware or Fred Meyers or other places people have mentioned. That way you can try different semps and if they die you aren't out of too much money.
Dont know whether you are asking for more succulent or non succulents companions but I'm a succulent fan so i was intrigued with Lynn and Clints' delosperma adventures and thought for my semp bed they might make a good addition. So I am experimenting with a couple of plants in the bed.

Ohhhh, we have a great article coming up during 'Sempervivum Week' that will answer some of those question.
Meanwhile, I like Bev's idea of buying some inexpensive pots of semps from your local big box stores.
Lithodora is a great plant to grow at the foot of your tall sedum, I love that picture in my head. Another great blue flowered plant is the ground cover type of veronica.
We will have a great discussion on this topic come Wed. next week. Get ready for some really great ideas.
Do you have your pad and pencil ready Jelinda?

Well, I am a big lover of iris, so I must put in a pitch for them! My full sun bed is for my iris, and I have planted semps along the edges (and now they are planted everywhere in between) b/c they both like the same conditions.

That is why I planted that little dwarf iris in one of my semps beds. Now to find other dwarf iris in different colors.

Another plant I love that would do well, just a bit away from the semps is Tradescantia, there are a couple lower growing ones, and they have a pretty bloom. (yes I know they can get out of hand, so keep them on the edges of the bed!!)
Also there is "blue eyed grass" or it comes in yellow too, and it looks like mini Irises, again I'd put this on the edge, not right next to your semps.
What a fun project Jojoe!

Greg ~ blue eyed grass (sisyrinchium) is in the Iridaceae family too Lynn, do you you have miniature dwarf bearded, or standard dwarf bearded or both? Schreiners catalog comes out this week!

Patty I know, I think they're so cute! I don't currently have any, but have been thinking of adding some again!

Patty, I think mine is Iris reticulata. I'm not sure, I'll have to look. I know it is a type of bulb and not a rhizome. I don't know very much about Iris, just that I love these tiny ones. I do have a few of the Bearded Iris that I got years ago from my mom. I do love them, but have no desire to collect them.
Can't wait to see the one I got from Greg bloom.

Greg ~ your garden must be bigger than you are letting on since you keep adding, and thinking about adding, all these plants!

Patty, the problem is that its an apartment building, so at any time "my lease could be up" so to speak, that would have me quite panicked - I won't even think about it...Anyway, there is a lot of shade, and there are spots that border the parking lot, and there is a shade covered, formerly weed covered rock wall that stretches along the sidewalk, which I may plant things in. The Clematis are going to go along the parking lot, which is on the south side of a high wall, so their tops will be in full sun, but because cars park in the lot the wall is now part shade. I had my Irises there, but new people moved in and they have large vehicles so what was full sun plantings are now shaded, because these vehicles rarely move Oh well, they have every right to be there. So I'm hoping the clems to great, I think they will and if they do they will be very visible and amazing!! They are also bordered by hydrangeas which I moved there last fall.
I have 2 raised beds on the south side of the building, and these are shared space which I've taken over for my semps - but really at any time someone can say "hey I'd like to grow tomatoes" and I'd have to figure that out...which is why I'm thinking of all types of vertical gardening options...there ya go! Its a lot of space, yet its not really "mine" just occupied!

Greg: 'squatter'

Well,...., I find that weeds make a great companion to my semps. No effort to find and plant them, they always manage to come up by themselves. I only have to pull out the ones I don't like or don't look too nice.

Seriously, most sedums will out-compete the semps, but so far Sedum dasyphyllum 'Major' has behaved itself for me. Also, S. requieni, but that one needs some shade and regular moisture or it will die out, so needs to be sited with care.

Shh don't tell anyone, a "squatter" with "alley" semps!

Hey Twit good to see you! Yes that's what happened in my semp bed, I placed a few small type sedums, yet they still are taking over, I'm in the process of moving them all out! I don't even know how these weeds get in there! Some of them grow right from the middle of the rosette!

No, Greg, don't drink that kool aid! You are not a squatter... You are the "grounds beautification manager" if anyone asks. If they want tomatoes tell them to go to Freddie's!! And if those vehicles don't get a move on the clematis might grow into them.

Patty RIght!! You're giving me ideas! I love cars covered with plants, there's something of a "back to nature" about it! but then they would move them and take half my clems with them not good!