I am already exhausted!

[Heidi S]

We still have snow in the shaded corners of the yard, and have flurries every day, but the crocuses and scilla are blooming. So, I have been cleaning, raking and clipping the garden for the last week.

A couple of days ago, an friend informed me he had sold his place, and wondered if I wanted to take some of his rock collection as the new owners don't want them. Yesterday we spent time collecting a few larger rocks and boulders. Today we unloaded the car and moved the heavy things into my front yard. We have until May 25th to make return trips and collect more, and we probably won't get it all.

Last year I started a dry rock river bed in the front, and now I have some bigger boulders to work with. I was only using rocks I had excavated from our own yard so this is nice. Our friend has some beautiful colour rocks he has gathered from rivers and streams all over the north of BC. Lovely additions to my evolving space.

[Northpine]

Heidi, I like rocks too. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your project.
Last year my neighbor dismantled a rock wall. Most of the rocks were cemented together, but I was able to salvage some of the flat ones for my flower bed. I was thrilled with the opportunity. I only had to wheelbarrow them across the yard.

[B_BQ]

I posted this pic in another thread. The rock wall is one we built ourselves! We started to make a new bed on the edge of the slope and found that it was full of these boulders! We decided to use them to make a retaining wall at the edge of the slope. Fortunately we had a strong young man doing the heavy duty stuff. We were very pleased with the way it turned out. I had started to fill all the nooks and crannies with creeping thymes, aubretia, rock cress, etc. I was sorry to have to leave it behind when we moved house, as it was just starting to look the way I had envisioned it. I too like rocks and boulders.
~BBQ

[Heidi S]

Hey Marie, The whole rock river started from the ones I found as I dug up grass to make new beds. I congregated them into an area out of necessity. But the addition of my friend's collection (much bigger sizes than mine) will definitely make a difference.

I even made an inukshuk Nunavut-style from some of the ones we brought home. A Nunavut style inukshuk is made of flatish rocks, with no tall legs (like the olympic one). We were in Rankin Inlet last August and saw lots of them, so I wanted to do one just for us.

I have a couple of big purple coloured stones, and a blue shot with yellow boulder. I am working them around my barrel fountain, in between a blue arctic willow and northern azelea. Yes, I am making it up as I go. Neighbours walking by were stopping to look this afternoon. I always get lots of inquisitive stares......

The only problem is my wee little hernia that doesn't really like me lifting rocks!

[Heidi S]

BBQ, I saw your photos on the other thread - it was a lovely garden you left behind. My lot is totally flat and I am trying to think of ways to change it up. It is and always will be a work in progress.

[earwig]

Heidi, I too am a collector of rocks and right now in the process of creating a new little rock garden.

When I started gardening here, I first had to move rocks to get to the soil so hence a few rock walls and pathways and a sitting area and discarding of a lot of rocks so I could have garden beds.

It has been only in the last couple of years I discovered the joy of alpines so I am now lugging rocks back into the garden from places I discarded them and after making a crevice garden, I am now making another rock garden.

It is addictive and great exercise. Looking forward to seeing your creations.

[Smitty]

rocks?? did someone say rocks?? I like rocks too!!
would love to see pics!
a dolly is a rock lovers best friend ya know

[Scrapinthehat]

Oh I like rocks too....so much character. I would love a waterfall!

[Elena Zimmerman]

Lucky you!Congrats on the inheritance like this! I am going to start collecting rocks as soon as snow melts... I am planning to build another rock garden next summer, and one can never have enough beautiful rocks!!! Rocks, mmgh....