Part 1:What is Crevice Gardening?

Phlox subulata 'Creeping Phlox'

Nobody would want to be stuck between a 'rock and a hard place.' But the opposite happens when it comes to nature. I am amazed at how certain plants adapt to such harsh growing conditions (rocky, sandy soil, drought) and still flourish.

Crevice gardens are naturally formed on the alpine regions where there is little or sans fertile soil available; drier surroundings, and lesser oxygen supply...plants survive adversity, grow up to be healthy and give off a glorious display of foliage and blooms. It's as if these plants just popped up from the cracks or crevices created by a pile of rocks! Many mountain trekkers who have seen the savage yet alluring contrast between stones and flowers, have decided to create a garden of their own resembling that of the natural display of plants growing in a 'sea of rocks.'

The stark contrast between delicate, pretty blooms and the rugged, rough gravel and rocks make crevice garden a masterpiece of its own (I guess those nooks and crannies in the garden are useful after all).

Calluna vulgaris 'Heather' growing between rocks.

These photos were taken when I was walking along the neighborhood in Fairfield, Victoria. The flowers are so beautiful to ignore that I had to stop and greet them with my camera. I happened to come across a house with a crevice garden so I took a picture of it. The garden was just occupying a small area on the front yard.