How can I line a rock garden organically to keep soil from seeping?

Julie Hahn
by Julie Hahn

I am building a 2-3 tier rock garden (depends on rock sizes). I have lined the bottom with newspaper. I have noticed many holes between rocks. I want to line the sides but not with newspaper and definately not plastic. Any ideas?

  10 answers
  • Oliva Oliva on Jul 23, 2018

    Heavy pond liner plastic works best.

  • Julie Hahn Julie Hahn on Jul 23, 2018

    Thanks Olivia. I'm attempting to keep it eco friendly.

  • Mindshift Mindshift on Jul 23, 2018

    Rock gardens began in Great Britain in the early 1800s. Wealthy individuals traveled to the Alps and became enamored with mountain flora. The original rock garden is more correctly an alpine garden. It wasn't until the late 1800s that gardeners started getting it right. A rock garden should emulate a natural area. The area must be well drained, and coarse gravel is often a base for the larger rock. The rock is not a stacked border, but successively higher levels of plant pockets between the rocks. Always better if you have a hill, though that is not required.

    http://www.robsplants.com/images/garden/rg100523a.jpg

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d3/85/f5/d385f5fc537cb1330cd9f2c024ba0476.jpg

    http://www.the-ark.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Landscape-Designs-image.jpg

    • Julie Hahn Julie Hahn on Jul 25, 2018

      I loved your response and it did give me ideas. The pictures are great! Thank You.

    • See 1 previous
    • It's a brick for shipping, wet it and it loosens up. It's a chunk of compressed fibers

  • Connie Connie on Jul 24, 2018

    i recently layed sheets of newspaper down and covered with mulch and it has kept weeds at bay. Would something like this stuffed between rocks work? Also, use ground covers that don't spread invasivily

    • Julie Hahn Julie Hahn on Jul 25, 2018

      I have thought of that as I did line the entire bottom with a thick layer of newspaper. I did get the cardboard inserts to the bottle deliveries at the local liquor store. I'm thinking of that as well. I also thought of stuffing peat moss into some of the larger holes. I am growing that and have easy access to it. Purslane is also a ground cover I have readily accessible. It can be invasive, but is also easily controlled. Thank you.

  • Mindshift Mindshift on Jul 25, 2018

    I ran out of time the day I previously answered. I also wanted to note that multiple layers of wet newspaper can be laid down below a pond liner to protect the liner from rocks or other things that might puncture the liner from below. But the newspapers also form a water tight barrier that slows water from escaping the liner should a puncture occur from top or bottom. I do not know that newspaper would react the same in the case of an above ground placement, but I thought you should know. A better, free-draining soil containment material is landscape fabric. It resembles screen wire in hole size, but is supple and drapes well over irregular terrain. I mainly use it to cover the drain holes in the bottom of pots, especially those with multiple holes. It may only last 2 to 3 years, but by then the soil will have settled.

  • Julie Hahn Julie Hahn on Aug 03, 2018

    Different angles of the finished project. I used the cardboard, that goes between liquor bottles for delivery, as a side liner. It was long enough to create an 'L' so it covered the bottom and side. I then used more rocks to create an inner wall to hide the cardboard. In the garden I have 2 Azalea bushes, Sunflowers along back & Purple basil, Beets in center, pepper plants to front. (all plants that will be removed @ frost or sooner except Azaleas) I also spotted throughout purslane that will eventually cover the ground area. I like the purslane because it is easy to control and other plants can grow with it as well. In October, I will be planting a large number of hard and soft neck garlics for next summer's harvest.

  • 4002639 4002639 on Aug 18, 2018

    This looks great!

    • Julie Hahn Julie Hahn on Aug 18, 2018

      Thanks Lori. I am very pleased with how it turned out. It has become my sanctuary.

  • Burlap may be an option for lining the sides. Good luck!

  • Gigi Gigi on May 05, 2023

    Hi Julie,

    I know this is an old post, but I'm getting ready to construct a couple of rock gardens and I'm wondering how well the cardboard held up? I've read that well-soaked cardboard is good for the bottom but did the newspaper work well? Your rock garden came out great!