New Views in the Landscape

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“The crevice garden’s popularity is amplified by natural examples that inspire the style.” The Crevice Garden (2022)

The intent of this article is to give some crevice gardening basics although further research into this style is recommended. In a recent New York Times article (8/3/22), gardening columnist Margaret Roach explores this gardening style and describes the crevice garden as “a rock garden taken right to the edge.” She goes on to explain that crevice gardens are “pretty and functionally forward-facing and work even where water is increasingly scarce.” A crevice, simply speaking, is a gap between adjacent stones filled with a soil medium that can support growth of a plant. Use of these intentionally narrow crevices (minimally, 1” is recommended), can mimic the tougher conditions supporting alpine plants that need to adapt to cold, drought, winds, snow cover, shorter seasons and nutrient deficiencies in their native range. The orientation and configuration of the crevice garden rocks, while allowing sufficient sunlight and airflow, also creates many microclimates with variable temperature, moisture availability and sun exposure in a typically small space. Seth and Spriggs give due credit to Czech rock gardeners that popularized this style in the mid-1980s and explored the virtues and values of crevices for not only growing challenging alpine plants but beautifying tough areas. There is certainly both art and science in creating the crevice garden.

The Rocks

A crevice garden is composed of at least 50% rock coverage. These flat stones, arranged vertically or at a tilt, are meant to replicate rock outcroppings in nature. A wide range of rock can be utilized for the crevice garden and options will be dictated by your location, availability and budget. The best stones add character and tend to have two parallel sides. Appropriate rocks might be quarry sourced, hand-picked or found locally. Using the same type of stone can unite the garden although this isn’t always possible (or intentional). Interestingly, repurposed concrete slabs are finding more frequent use in crevice gardens and add a modernist twist!

Underestimating the necessary volume of rock is typical and should be considered. As should their weight for the sake of delivery, relocation and installation. A significant portion (50% or more) of the rock is sunk, embedded and secured in the ground for stability and the orientation becomes important in creating microclimates. Lighter stone reflects heat while darker stones warm adjacent soil by absorbing heat. The parallel orientation of these rock layers (strata) provides not only a structural framework and nooks for planting but can route water as desired. A topdressing of .5”-1” of crushed stone acts as a nice mulch and further separates the plants from the prepared soil. Crushed or sharp gravel matching the same “parent rocks” will tend to stay in place.

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