Rock won't roll !

[edprocoat]

Or, People with stones shouldn't live in glass houses.

I am in a quandry, for the past 5-6 weeks I have been stopping every chance I get and walking down creek and stream beds here in Ohio looking for a decent rock to put a Greenmound Procumbens on R-O-R style. I have found nothing except your standard Ohio smooth rocks that look as if they have been tumbled in a rock tumbler most are white with the random green or red one in the mix. Occasionally I see one with a flat bottom and of course you find the flat plate types that actually have some texture but they are usually 2-3 inches thick and would make a better slab.

Yesterday I stopped by a Pet-Smart and after nearly being eaten by a collie mix that the owner kept insisting, " She won't bite, she just wants to say hello", this while the dog was straining at the leash with teeth bared looking much like cujo trying to get to me, finally the manager asked them to leave. I found this nice white rock with red through it, fairly square and smooth but I was able to chop it up and give it some angles. This rock would probably show the roots off well, but I do not know if it wouod be a distraction from the tree. Then returning from work today I noticed that a rock and some dirt had fallen off a truck on the corner a block where I live, this rock is almost volcanic looking with holes and pits and crevasses on any side you care to turn it, but its pretty dark colored and I do not know if it would hide the roots.

So after that long annunciation heres both the rocks and what would you choose and why ?


Rock3 by EdsBonsai, on Flickr


Rock2 by EdsBonsai, on Flickr


Rocks1 by EdsBonsai, on Flickr

I like them both, so I am torn. I do not know if I should use the Juniper on the white rock to showcase the roots and get so0mething with a lighter root for the darker rock.


ed

 

[rock]

Rock does roll
Rocks and rolls


the dark one, me likes better

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

The white and red rock needs to go back where it came from, it would be way distracting from the tree and wouldn't match most any plant or pot you could use it with.

The truck fall rock is what you need. Some where in Ohio they harvest a fossilized coral. It has a name that I can't think of right now. But it's main source is Ohio. That may be a chunk of it you have found there. And if I lived in Ohio I'd be looking for where it comes from cause it is wonderful for bonsai work.

 

[PaulH]

You need to go buy an aquarium to put the white/orange rock in. But go to an independent pet store like mine, not petsmart.
The brown rock looks great for bonsai though.

Paul

 

[bougie nights]

The brownish rock could be a piece of slag. Even so, it is very neat.

 

[Paradox]

Neither

White rock is too bright and distracting

Brown "rock" doesn't look like a rock but looks like some kind of concrete amalgum type thing.

I would go to a landscaping place that sells rock pieces for gardens and see if you can find a small rock there.
I live along the coast and here we have jetties made from grey stone (granite?) and there are always small pieces laying around the edges.

 

[edprocoat]

Thw white and red rock was a spur of the moment decision as I could not find a rock anywhere. Thats the reason I posted it here, after spending $14 bucks on it I needed confirmation of what I thought after I brought it home and took the time to look at it, meaning I realized its just gawdy and would be distracting and very unnatural looking with anything planted on it. I used the drak rock, its almost like the grooved surface ion the top in the first picture was designed for the roots of my juniper as it fit do well. I will post some pictures of it next year when I reveal some of the roots.

Thanks for the replies, the cheap bastard in me was hoping a few people would say, that red and white rock is great, use it.

ed

 

[GrimLore]

You could make either work - I would choose the one that makes you happy or perhaps both Myself I try to use local natural stuff

 

[jk_lewis]

Brown "rock" doesn't look like a rock but looks like some kind of concrete amalgum type thing.

That was my first thought -- cement-truck leftovers.

Keep looking -- and remember, the higher upstream you go, the less worn and smoothed the stones will be. So you may need to head over to SE Ohio and head uphill.

 

[edprocoat]

That was my first thought -- cement-truck leftovers.

Keep looking -- and remember, the higher upstream you go, the less worn and smoothed the stones will be. So you may need to head over to SE Ohio and head uphill.

I brought it too a geoligist the brown rock is a fossiliferous concretion. They are naturally formed under pressure and usually come from N.E. Ohio. They are found in different areas due to erosion and movement from flooding and such. This probably fell from one of the trucks up the road from us that do well drilling as they always drop hunks of mud off the trucks and trailers as they ride through the neighborhood.


B.T.W. I do a lot of concrete work and have never seen any multi-colored cement before. .....

ed

 

[GrimLore]

After seeing a few natural ror's (1st two pics) I decided to go for a more natural look then ornamental. The three stones I collected from the Trout Stream that forms one of the borders of our property will give me what I think will be a more natural look... they need to be cleaned up a bit but I have until Spring

My first attempt will be with a couple of Bald Cypress Saplings and possibly a Maple. May sound silly but I have been playing with some ground moss and it seems to grow fine for me and was thinking to use it on the finished product(S). Was curious if that is common and also wondering if anyone has incorporated Spanish Moss

 

[edprocoat]

After seeing a few natural ror's (1st two pics) I decided to go for a more natural look then ornamental. The three stones I collected from the Trout Stream that forms one of the borders of our property will give me what I think will be a more natural look... they need to be cleaned up a bit but I have until Spring

My first attempt will be with a couple of Bald Cypress Saplings and possibly a Maple. May sound silly but I have been playing with some ground moss and it seems to grow fine for me and was thinking to use it on the finished product(S). Was curious if that is common and also wondering if anyone has incorporated Spanish Moss

Grimlore those rocks look big and flat, its hard to judge but I was going by the power strip in the background. I suppose you are going to grow the plants on the rock like a slab or pot? If not perhaps a rougher surface rock, taller and not as wide that the roots could grow over and around and have something to grab on to would work better. Unless of course you are using the rocks like a pot.

ed

 

[GrimLore]

Yes indeed! And a honest Thank You! I am quite new to this whole ROR thing so good advice such as yours is greatly appreciated

My first thought with those pieces was to bind the saplings to them and stand them on the ends placing them vertical not horizontal but I get your point and have a LOT of rocks available and of course I have until Spring