ROCK GARDENS, THE BACK YARD, AND THE FAMILY!

One of our family's favorite places to be is outside in the back yard, sitting in the shade on the back patio--relaxing, eating, visiting, or playing with the grand kids and kids on the large back lawn, lined with big fruit trees and rows of roses and perennials. It's sitting here that I enjoy not only my family, but the singing birds, butterflies and hummingbirds.  I also love the rock garden, which divides the patio and the large back lawn.  The rock garden is filled with different plants for each season that blooms, and I know that all through the year there will be be low-growing, colorful bulbs and perennials, miniature roses, lavenders, and mums that will be blooming from early spring through late fall. It is a little haven--secluded and private, where it's fun relaxing and enjoying the beauties of nature.  When choosing plants for the rock garden, I like to stay with plants that aren't invasive, low-growing, sun-loving, and I make sure that I have color from early spring through until late fall.  I do supplement the perennials with petunias in the summer.  Very few weeds grow in this bed, from years of keeping it weed-free, and it is watered from the lawn sprinklers, so it is  easy and carefree! Rock gardens add personality to your landscape--the only hard thing about having one is choosing what plants to have in it since there are hundreds of rock garden plants to choose from in your local nurseries!