Rock cress bordering tulips and daffodils
I obtained my first rock cress plant by admiring the white flower (Arabis caucasica ‘snowfix’- white rock cress) in our neighbor’s yard. I complimented the owner on the beautiful white rock cress growing in her front border and she gave me a small plant to try in our yard. That original plant was very small and didn’t seem to have many roots. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, I took my free plant and went home not at all sure that my little rock cress would survive transplanting.
That was at least 15 years ago and rock cress has become one of my favorite perennial spring flowers. I find it is just the right border to set off spring bulbs. I now have huge clumps of rock cress and have given a lot of plants away to other gardeners.
A small mounding plant, rock cress sends up 1-foot stems in spring covered with dozens of 4-petaled scented flowers about 1/2 inch wide. They produce so many flowers that the foliage nearly disappears. Rock cress has a long bloom time, starting about the same time as daffodils and continuing to bloom until the tulips are done. It creates a beautiful white foil for all that spring color and I sing its praises every year.
After flowering, spent rock cress blossoms should be cut to neaten up your plants because they will spend the rest of the year as grayish-green foliage plants for a more subdued, but are still attractive front border.
Note: I have tried Pink Rock Cress 3 different times in my garden, but it does not thrive and eventually dies out.
Planting Tips:
- Ease of care: simple to grow
- Uses: Rock cress works well in rock gardens, along a retaining wall, between pavers in a patio and as a front border in a perennial garden
- Propagation: By division in early spring or by seed
- Soil Preference: Tolerates drought but prefers well drained loam
- Light Requirements: Full or partial sun
- Pests: None serious