50 Plants to Create a Stunning Rock Garden Oasis
Garden Design and Landscaping

50 Plants to Create a Stunning Rock Garden Oasis

May 27, 2024 by

1. Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)

  • Benefits: Low maintenance, drought-tolerant
  • Description: Succulent rosettes with a variety of colors and textures
  • Ease of Growing: Very easy
  • Zones: 3-8
  • Tips: Plant in well-drained soil, provide full sun

2. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

  • Benefits: Attracts pollinators, aromatic foliage
  • Description: Low-growing, mat-forming herb with tiny purple flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Perfect for between stepping stones, likes full sun

3. Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, ground cover
  • Description: Evergreen, mat-forming plant with masses of pink, purple, or white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Plant in full sun, ensure good drainage

4. Sedum (Sedum spp.)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, attracts butterflies
  • Description: Succulent with a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors
  • Ease of Growing: Very easy
  • Zones: 3-10
  • Tips: Requires full sun and well-drained soil

5. Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca)

  • Benefits: Ornamental grass, low maintenance
  • Description: Clumping grass with fine blue-green foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Prefers full sun, well-drained soil

6. Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, long-blooming
  • Description: Succulent with vibrant magenta flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-9
  • Tips: Needs full sun, excellent drainage

7. Rock Cress (Aubrieta deltoidea)

  • Benefits: Early bloomer, attracts butterflies
  • Description: Low-growing plant with purple, pink, or white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil

8. Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

  • Benefits: Fragrant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Woody shrub with purple flowers and aromatic foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

9. Bellflower (Campanula carpatica)

  • Benefits: Long blooming period, compact
  • Description: Low-growing plant with blue, white, or purple bell-shaped flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Moderate
  • Zones: 3-7
  • Tips: Needs full sun to partial shade, regular watering

10. Alyssum (Alyssum montanum)

  • Benefits: Fragrant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Ground cover with small, fragrant white or yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

11. Dianthus (Dianthus spp.)

  • Benefits: Fragrant, attracts butterflies
  • Description: Low-growing plant with pink, red, or white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

12. Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant
  • Description: Clumping plant with pink, white, or purple pom-pom flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

13. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with feathery foliage and flat-topped flower clusters
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

14. Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)

  • Benefits: Colorful foliage, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with a variety of leaf colors and tiny bell-shaped flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Moderate
  • Zones: 4-9
  • Tips: Partial shade to full sun, well-drained soil

15. Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, compact
  • Description: Small iris with purple, blue, or yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

16. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)

  • Benefits: Ground cover, bright foliage
  • Description: Low-growing plant with bright green or yellow foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, regular watering

17. Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)

  • Benefits: Ground cover, drought-tolerant
  • Description: Low-growing plant with silver foliage and white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

18. Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)

  • Benefits: Evergreen, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Low-growing plant with white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil

19. Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides)

  • Benefits: Ground cover, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Low-growing plant with pink flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 2-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

20. Rockfoil (Saxifraga spp.)

  • Benefits: Evergreen, ground cover
  • Description: Low-growing plant with small white, pink, or red flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-9
  • Tips: Partial shade to full sun, well-drained soil

21. Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with purple, red, or white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

22. Alpine Aster (Aster alpinus)

  • Benefits: Attracts pollinators, long blooming period
  • Description: Clumping plant with purple, pink, or white daisy-like flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

23. Stonecrop (Sedum acre)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, ground cover
  • Description: Low-growing succulent with yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Very easy
  • Zones: 4-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

24. Primrose (Primula spp.)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, colorful flowers
  • Description: Clumping plant with a variety of flower colors
  • Ease of Growing: Moderate
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Partial shade, well-drained soil

25. Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)

  • Benefits: Fuzzy foliage, drought-tolerant
  • Description: Clumping plant with silver, fuzzy leaves
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-9
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil

26. Rockrose (Cistus spp.)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Shrub with pink, white, or purple flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 7-10
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

27. Hardy Geranium (Geranium sanguineum)

  • Benefits: Long blooming period, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with pink, purple, or white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil

28. Golden Alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Ground cover with bright yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

29. Creeping Sedum (Sedum rupestre)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, ground cover
  • Description: Low-growing succulent with green or blue foliage and yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Very easy
  • Zones: 4-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

30. Silver Mound (Artemisia schmidtiana)

  • Benefits: Low maintenance, silver foliage
  • Description: Clumping plant with fine, silver foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

31. Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’)

  • Benefits: Ornamental grass, colorful foliage
  • Description: Clumping grass with green and red foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Moderate
  • Zones: 5-9
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil

32. Woolly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus)

  • Benefits: Aromatic foliage, ground cover
  • Description: Low-growing, mat-forming herb with fuzzy foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

33. Basket-of-Gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Ground cover with bright yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

34. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)

  • Benefits: Ground cover, colorful foliage
  • Description: Low-growing plant with blue, purple, or pink flowers and dark green to bronze foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-10
  • Tips: Partial shade to full sun, well-drained soil

35. Purple Rock Cress (Aubrieta deltoidea)

  • Benefits: Early spring blooms, attracts butterflies
  • Description: Low-growing plant with purple, pink, or white flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil

36. Helianthemum (Helianthemum nummularium)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, long-blooming
  • Description: Low-growing shrub with yellow, orange, pink, or red flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

37. Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)

  • Benefits: Evergreen, ground cover
  • Description: Low-growing shrub with blue-green foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

38. Partridge Feather (Tanacetum densum ssp. amani)

  • Benefits: Silver foliage, low maintenance
  • Description: Low-growing plant with silver, feathery foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

39. Rock Jasmine (Androsace spp.)

  • Benefits: Ground cover, early spring blooms
  • Description: Low-growing plant with tiny white, pink, or yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-7
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

40. Spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Low-growing plant with blue-green foliage and yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

41. Catmint (Nepeta spp.)

  • Benefits: Fragrant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with purple, blue, or white flowers and aromatic foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

42. Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

  • Benefits: Decorative foliage, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with scalloped leaves and yellow-green flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-8
  • Tips: Partial shade to full sun, well-drained soil

43. Thrift (Armeria maritima)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant
  • Description: Clumping plant with pink, white, or purple pom-pom flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

44. Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus)

  • Benefits: Aromatic foliage, drought-tolerant
  • Description: Low-growing shrub with silver foliage and yellow flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 6-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

45. Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro)

  • Benefits: Drought-tolerant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with blue, globe-shaped flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 3-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

46. Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

  • Benefits: Long-lasting blooms, colorful foliage
  • Description: Clumping plant with bright yellow-green flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

47. Ornamental Oregano (Origanum spp.)

  • Benefits: Fragrant, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with purple, pink, or white flowers and aromatic foliage
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 5-9
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

48. Silver Speedwell (Veronica spicata)

  • Benefits: Long blooming period, attracts pollinators
  • Description: Clumping plant with blue, pink, or white flower spikes
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

49. Saxifrage (Saxifraga spp.)

  • Benefits: Evergreen, ground cover
  • Description: Low-growing plant with small white, pink, or red flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-9
  • Tips: Partial shade to full sun, well-drained soil

50. Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)

  • Benefits: Long-lasting blooms, colorful foliage
  • Description: Clumping plant with bright yellow-green flowers
  • Ease of Growing: Easy
  • Zones: 4-8
  • Tips: Full sun, well-drained soil

Tips for Rock Garden Success

  • Soil Preparation: Ensure well-drained soil to prevent root rot.
  • Sunlight: Most rock garden plants prefer full sun, but some tolerate partial shade.
  • Watering: Many rock garden plants are drought-tolerant, so avoid overwatering.
  • Spacing: Give plants enough space to grow and spread.
  • Mulching: Use gravel or small stones to mulch and retain soil moisture while preventing weeds.

Jonathan Holmes is an experienced and enthusiastic gardener who has been cultivating his green thumb for over 20 years. His love of gardening started in Scotland, where he gained a deep understanding of different plants and flowers, as well as the importance of soil composition, watering techniques, and sunlight exposure. After moving to Australia, Jonathan adapted his gardening skills to the different climate and growing conditions of his new home, experimenting with different plants and techniques to create sustainable and beautiful outdoor spaces. He is known among his friends and family for his impressive gardens and often shares his knowledge and tips with others who share his passion for gardening.

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