Rock garden plants: 40 beautiful annual and perennial species

Rock gardens are an interesting alternative to the classic, European garden concepts and can be implemented in an appealing way with a little work and artistic ideas. The right rock garden plants that do not have to hide from other plants with their variety of flowers are important for this type of garden. The number of plant species ranges from perennial succulents to annual flowers that make the heart laugh with their blaze of color.

Rock garden plants

40 species of annual and perennial rock garden plants

The rock garden plants are a world of their own. Due to their properties, they are well suited for a garden that does not only consist of fresh grass, moist soil or vegetable patches. This garden shape exudes its very own charm and inspires with the design options that arise here. Regardless of whether it is a Japanese-inspired meditation garden, an alpine oasis for relaxation or a Mediterranean garden with a stream, the plants provide the special character.

Typical properties of plants and rock gardens are:

• resistant to drought
• come from either alpine or arid areas
• grow best on a slight slope
• prefer south or south-west exposure
• Light requirements are usually high
• stones, gravel or crushed stone are required for the gardens
• some species are even quite thirsty

Another characteristic are the colors of the rock gardens, because they are more often presented in darker shades that immediately catch the eye in the gray, stony surroundings. One advantage of the plants is the possibility of planting them either in groups or individually. Since the stones can be placed either naturally or artfully, the location of each plant for the rock garden is important to the overall look. The individual species differ primarily in their life cycle, which you can include in the project depending on your personal taste. The list below for annual and perennial plants will help here.

Annual rock garden plants

Even if many of the plants can withstand drought and warm temperatures, there are some specimens that are neither hardy nor persistent for several years. Annual rock garden plants make you happy for a certain period of time and must be re-grown or sown in the following year. In comparison to the perennial rock garden plants in the domestic latitudes are clearly in the minority.

Plants from F to S

Rock stone herb (bot. Aurinia saxatilis)

• the annual stone herb is a classic in every rock garden
• it seduces with its golden yellow flowers and bushy growth

Lilac primrose (Primula malacoides)

• it is actually a perennial plant, which in Germany can only be cultivated outdoors as an annual one
• the flowers are a romantic pink

Candytuft (bot. Iberis umbellata)

• this belongs to the large genus of candytufts and often has a multitude of colors that develop in an appealing way
• the growth of the flowers is characteristic of the genus

Summer Adonis (bot. Adonis aestivalis)

• a beautiful annual summer flower
• light leaf green forms the basis for a bloom in deep red and black in the center

Summer azalea (bot. Clarkia amoena)

• this also blooms over the summer and inspires with the flowers, which are similar to azaleas, in different colors
• With good care, they can reach heights of up to 90 cm

Summer carnations (bot. Dianthus chinensis)

• reach an average height of 20 cm to 30 cm and have a lovely aroma
• they shine from June to September in reddish, pink or white tones

Perennial rock garden plants

If you want to enjoy your rock garden for a long time, you should choose perennial rock garden plants from the list below. These are either only perennial, hardy or even evergreen, which of course is a special accent in winter. Since the German and Central European climate is often too humid or cool for rock gardens, the use of alpine plants and those from the Mediterranean area is particularly advisable.

Plants from A to E

Alpine balm (bot. Erinus alpinus)

• This plant feels very good in loose, stony lawns and has attractive red-purple or white flowers that also stand out from the leaves

Alpine gentian (bot. Gentiana acaulis)

• With a size of only 8 cm, the alpine gentian appears in a deep blue color that integrates perfectly into the alpine flora
• Especially in summer, the plant inspires with its beauty

Cyclamen daffodil (bot. Narcissus cyclamineus)

• a daffodil that everyone would like to have in their garden
• the bright yellow is a special contrast to the gray of the stones

Balloon flower (bot. Platycodon grandiflorum)

• with three to six-fold inflorescences, the balloon flower is one of the particularly conspicuous plants
• the large flowers with a diameter of up to 7 cm make them a highlight in the rock garden

Blue fescue (bot. Festuca glauca)

• another fescue species that shows itself in an intense blue
• the ornamental grass turns even bluer with the barren soil

Bronze knotweed (bot. Polygonium affine)

• This ground cover is an alternative to the typical garden concept, because it is only 25 cm high, but the white flowers are literally in a sea of ​​leaves

Edelweiss (bot. Leontopodium alpinum)

• Edelweiss is the eternal classic of every alpine-inspired rock garden
• their color and thick hair are characteristic, and the symbolic value of the plant is even more important

Plants from F to H

Japanese cotoneaster (bot. Cotoneaster horizontalis)

• the most important features of this coton bird are the height of 50 cm, the red fruits and the effect as a bee pasture

Fringed carnation (bot. Dianthus montspessulanus)

• the frayed flowers are unique to the carnation family
• a sight that is worth it
• the plant has prickly pads

Blue garden cushions (bot. Aubrieta cultorum)

• the name describes the perennial blue garden pillow extremely well, as it is a ground cover that grows broad and lies like a pillow on the ground

Common gorse (bot. Genista sagittalis)

• Genista sagittalis is an enchanting dwarf shrub with a maximum height of 30 cm and attractive, yellow flowers with a unique shape

Ordinary cat's paw (bot. Antennaria dioica)

• the distinguishing feature are the flowers, which are reminiscent of paws and stand out far from the leaves

Common pasque flower (bot. Pulsatilla vulgaris)

• the common pasque flower, also common pasque flower, is one of the "stars" among the garden stone plants
• Until a few decades ago, the species in the genus were not often seen, but with the advent of rock gardens, this has become standard

Common Siegwurz (bot. Gladiolus communis)

• with its two subspecies and the year-old inflorescences, the Siegwurz belongs in every romantic rock garden

Gold leek (bot. Allium moly)

• The golden leek, on the other hand, forms golden yellow flowers that bloom for a comparatively long time and thus provide a special aspect in the rock garden

Grassy tufted bell (bot. Edraianthus graminifolius)

• Despite its small size, the tufted bell has large blue-violet flowers that stand out clearly from the leaves

Gray cranesbill (bot. Geranium cinereum)

• Despite the name, the flowers of the gray cranesbill are light pink with purple transitions and dark veins
• this color combination therefore makes them appear grayish

Greek fescue (bot. Festuca punctoria)

• it is a pillow-shaped, clump-forming plant that can be planted well as an ornamental grass in a solitary position