Well I personally would do it all myself! As you say, the prices are just crazy so why not take on the whole project yourself? A hell of a lot cheaper and I'm sure you could do the membrane yourself aswell, it's all part of the fun of gardening - learning and admiring your own hard work :o)

Hi Geraldine we have created lots of rockeries and raised alpine beds. When you say you have pulled everything out does this include the rocks too? There is an art to creating a rockery that looks reasonably natural so if you are expecting a landscape gardener to start rom scratch then I would say the prices you have been quoted are perfectly reasonable! If you go down to the bottom of the page and click on 'R' and the rockery you will get lots of ideas.

By the way rhododendrons, azaleas and other shrubs are not alpine plants they are woodland plants. A 'rockery' in strict terms is made up of wee dainty alpine plants most of which are fully herbaceous and only flower for a short period every year. Plants I would suggest include: aubretia, campanulas, saxifrages, gentians, cyclamen, the European primulas (Asiatic ones prefer damp feet), sempervivum, miniature bulbs - these are wonderful for spring colour, arabis, alyssum, armeria, small dianthus... the list is endless.

One last point you normally top dress a rockery with gravel or crushed stone not bark.

I don't actually think that the quotes are all that bad for having a professional come and give youir rockery a makover, Geradine. I have always done this sort of thing myself, though, and you might want to look at some of my blogs for ideas. Why membrane? This should be quite un-necessary beneath a garden bed. For more advice you could consider joining the Aberdeen Group of the Scottish Rock Garden Club, they have members all over the county who would be happy to help you.

I have a large rockery which I did myself, lots to know such as the way you position the rocks with up to 2/3rds buried and the grain running the same way, also creating things such as crevices and then plant selection is important so you dont get a few invasive/dominant plants. The poorer the very gritty soil the better for some plants etc. This is what you pay an expert for but with some research you can do it yourself very successfully. I dont see why you would put a membrane down either, add lots of grit and top dress with pea gravel, (keeps the splash of the plant leaves and helps stop weeds) coloured gravel, even crushed slate, bark would be counterproductive? If you plant miniature rhodendrons and azaleas you will need to have an acidic soil and if your soil is in very poor condition you may need to add compost. You do get what you pay for if you want something really great than you will have to pay? but check credentials and in the contract make sure everything you expect is written down.

Think of the satisfaction in doing it yourself.
The only time I'd get the professionals in would be if i couldn't physically do it myself.
I'd look on the photos here to get some ideas of what to plant out. I think the time of year for planting - and actually finding the plants to buy is wearing past though.
Research now, save up and it'll be a job for spring!!

I too have a rockery, i adore alpines - they're gorgeous :-))))
My answer would have been exactly the same as Moon growers, almost word for word - great minds :-)

thanks for all your suggestions.i had bark on it for 20 years because when i first came here it was such a large area that weeding never stopped after i had the membrane and bark i never needed to. it was mainly heathers but they all got overgrown and straggly. i think now i am going to get the membrane and bark and take my time in choosing plants.

Thank Louise... interesting the different concepts of what a 'rockery' actually is!

I agree !