Plant Beds & Borders made of Natural Stone

Design with Pavers, Cobblestones, Natural Stone

When planting climbers in public/urban spaces or near buildings, you'll also need to consider the plant bed and corresponding border at the plant's base. The choice of material belongs to an overall integrated greening project. Occasionally, and especially in public spaces, some trunk (stem) or tree guard may also be required. Here we offer you some ideas for planning and implementing a natural stone plant base.

Planting ring made of natural stone around a grapevine

Function

Plant bases are delineated areas within a hard landscape surface, which are adapted to the soil requirements of a climbing plant. Basically, the plant is allocated a small area of soil within a rather hostile environment in which to thrive. The challenge is to get a bit of loose soil within the hard soil. If at all possible, the planting area should have a continuous connection with the surrounding natural or imported soil, and not simply be a pot stuck in the ground. The soil of a planting base can be left bare, or can be mulched, graveled, or planted with small ground-covering plants, depending on the requirements of the individual climbing plant.

Plant Borders, Stone Arrangement

The interface between the planting area and the surrounding paved (hard landscaped) surface can be made of cobblestones, paving stones, or shaped (precast) concrete blocks. Not only do they provide an enclosing border around the planting area, but they also protect the surrounding pavement from becoming loose and disintegrating.

Planting base area for a wintercreeper

Espalier pear tree, oval-shaped bed in a traditional limestone pavement

Continuous planting strip for grapevines

Thicket creeper (P. inserts)~ plant bed in the shape of a quadrant (quarter circle), reinforced by a galvanised steel strip along the perimeter.

This planting area for a vine has been cut out of contemporary interlocking pavers and is held in place by a cast-iron tree grate.

Grapevines next to an old cellar window, new pavement made of coloured concrete slabs; white stones decorate the planting area

Historic plant border (made of handmade concrete bricks) and stem (trunk) protection for a grapevine

Very old grapevine with a massive main trunk, in historic cobblestone pavement

Plant rings made with limestone paving, integrated into a permeable gravel surface, possibly hardened with a cementitious mortar.

Wisteria in a plant ring with groundcover and ornamental natural stones; the actual cobblestone border around the plant ring is barely discernible from the cobblestone pavement.

Planting pit for a climbing rose, demarcation only from laid natural stones. Many climbing plants, like clematis and honeysuckle, prefer a cool base, which can be achieved by placing natural stones in this manner to provide shade.

This planting area for a Boston Ivy has been separated from the cobblestone pavement by a special type of old clinker-brick.

Plant base (ring) for a grapevine in pavement made of small paving stones and bordered by a raised ring of natural stones

The planting area here (also for a Boston Ivy) has been delineated by a semi-circular ring of small cobblestones and was constructed before the pedestrian area was asphalted.

Plant ring for ivy; pavement and border constructed of historic cobbles (stones, pebbles) collected in the field. Fully circular plant rings are particularly harmonious, as they echo the round shapes of the plant shoots and stems emerging from the plant ring. It is best to arrange wedge-shaped stones with the narrow part pointing to the centre. This will keep the ring steady and prevent the stones from moving towards the centre.

Recess in pavement of small cobblestones for a standard rose; the inner ring has been set on a concrete support to prevent it from collapsing towards the centre.

Planting area for ivy in historic cobblestone pavement, delineated with a custom cut concrete edge

Graveled plant bed for an old solitary ivy

Grapevine in a recess within a diagonally patterned cobblestone pavement, with groundcover (plants)

Raised and secured cobblestone ring in granite pavers~ for a grapevine

Spacious planting pit for an espaliered apple; demanding plants (that is, with high horticultural requirements) need a large plant bed, and possibly with 'open' ground-- that is, ground left free of groundcover and mulch.

Natural-stone ring for a grapevine. Stone in stone, integrating the surrounding paving

Rings of granite-pavers in cobblestone pavement, for standard (stem/tree) roses

Small semi-circular plant rings for grapevines with a raised but loose inner cobblestone ring; the tree guard is of an historical, regionally typical construction, nowadays used as a decoration-- but in the past, a necessity due to the cattle drives going through the streets!

A sturdy ivy-veteran in a hardened path environment, without a separated planting area

How can we teach animal owners that planting areas are not dog toilets?

Plant ring for a grapevine, made with modern precast concrete pavers

This concrete plant ring was broken open by a wisteria, because it was too small.

Old espaliered pear tree; planting area separated from the modern interlocking concrete pavers with mitred concrete border

Grapevine in graveled planting area; here the stone pavement is not permeable, but instead grouted in order to divert the water.

Plant Beds & Borders made of Natural Stone

Function

Plant Borders, Stone Arrangement

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