Lucky Greg! I need it to clear up here as well. It's been raining non-stop for about a week now. Its really depressing. But my new semps sure brought some cheer my way.

Kate I hope your semps are going to be ok.

Thanks Lynn and Greg, I'll remove some of the top soil and mix compost and grit into what's left.
Jackie I think I'm going to turn into an insomniac when these plants eventually go in. I wont be able to sleep for fear that they aren't happy

valleylynn said: ...once you become a sempaholic, you are officially nuts.

This ought to be carved on a big stone somewhere...

Kate, if you can in between running in and out, work the stones into the slope as soon as you can, it will help to keep most of the dirt from sliding downhill. Also your slope will be great for the plants in that there will be natural drainage...

I've got a couple of lines of bricks on the slope when I'm not taking pics of it lol they seem to be holding the soil back, but I'm hoping (weather dependant) to get at least some of the rocks in tomorrow. But deciding on a layout is scaring me. I don't want to end up with something that looks naff after all the work.

Kate, What's "naff"?
You will find that no matter what you do, you will be moving, and tweaking and unearthing and replanting rocks and plants. Don't think it will be finished, finito, or done, etc the first time. After my semp bed was put in and all planted for almost a year, I went out and bought 12 of four inch pots of semps and was going to incorporate into my bed, but decided my soil line was too low so I used a screwdriver to lift every single planting of semps and push dirt underneath to make everything sit higher so that when I add more soil around, the plants wouldn't get buried. Reminder: here's size of my bed: (click to see the white rock at top of pic is only halfway of the bed...)

Oh wow Bev, that must have taken you ages, looks great though!. Naff = sort of tacky, messy, uncool. Even if it doesn't work out first time, I'll get there in the end. I'm nothing but determined!

Can't see you coming out with "naff"; aren't you the one who planted the "tin baths" and planted the semps in there? Who was that?

Yes, it was me with the tin baths lol

Bev, again I love that pic of your bed!!

Kate, Im sure it will turn out looking great! I have the same fears myself!

Bev totally agree about moving things around and trying to get exactly the right look! For me it was my soil height in the bed, I'd filled it for veggies, not semps so it was almost a foot below the top line...didn't like that for semps, even though I'd planted them that way last year, once I have been on ATP, I wanted it to look better, also once I realized that I'm "taking the plunge" around NOIDs, and keeping labels on my plants! (for years I'd resisted this as a somewhat "nerdy" thing, but now I totally "get it" and also I am a bit nerdy, so - I'm celebrating my inner nerd!)

Dont worry Greg nerds are very interesting people

I'm not "sciency" enough to be a nerd though! Totally a slacker nerd! But thanks Jackie! People seem to find me "interesting" all right, and not always in a good way!!

gg5 said:I'm celebrating my inner nerd!

You crack me up! A slacker nerd - that's a new one!

I didn't label things when I first started gardening either, but yup, I sure do now.

Same thing hear.

Well can i ask,how deep show you make a raised bed for semp's.How deep do they root.I guess they aren't shallow rooters,i have pulled some out of pots that have a good length of roots.My bed is raised sorta i just added to the ground to improve the soil.If the roots grow past what i added it's not like they will hit concrete.Will it be harder for them when/if they start to grow into original soil.OH YEA,i seen the first earth worm while plants a semp the other day!! That's a good sign for soil under the bed as well correct???

Bev,love your bed!!! When was that picture taken? winter colors or fall colors? That a good picture you must have a nice camera i can't get that much in one picture so clear & you can make out every plant!!

Jojoe I agree I love that photo of Bev's semp bed!!
These plants are used to growing in the crevices of rocks, so where ever their roots can grow they will! I've noticed that with my larger plants the roots are often huge, but that the ones who are in pots (people have given me) and the root is all in a tight ball - they seem totally fine with that! I think the main thing (which you already have heard over and over! ) is make sure the soil drains well!!
Btw I love your "quote" in your signature line!! I completely believe that! Hard work, passion and listening/observing what they want and need are what in my opinion makes a good gardener!

jojoe said:
Bev,love your bed!!! When was that picture taken? winter colors or fall colors? That a good picture you must have a nice camera i can't get that much in one picture so clear & you can make out every plant!!

Pic was taken this early early spring in March. Colors came in and I had just planted 12 pots of semps that I purchased from nursery in CA west coast. The 12 pots of semps were the first 12 medium to large size semps. All my previous semps were mini small to small medium because that's the size of semps I had used for my living pictures. I thought it time to put in a variety of sizes. I don't have any of those big babies that Clint and Lynn occasionally dazzle us with...
I sneak off with my DH's iphone version 4 to take my semp pictures for you guys seeing as you all have that high standard of viewing...

I really like your bed. Its very natural.

I love that bed Bev. The colors, textures and different shapes and sizes. And the rocks make your eye stop and notice what is in the bed.