My front yard is rock ledge; we even had to use a jackhammer to create a driveway. In between the two portions of driveway is a fenced-in half-circle where I've planted various things through the years, some successfully, most not. Loosestrife loves it, as do chives and a "burning bush" that barely turns red in the fall. All it seems to to is send out shoots and I waver between giving up and letting it take over and killing every last shoot. I've had success with woody sage and mixed success with tulips.

I'd like to have climbing roses on the fence, but don't know how they'd do. The soil is shallow and errodes toward the road. I know I can place rocks around to build it up to probably a max of 15 inches. Would that be enough?

Also, although the area is only about 4 ft front to back and 12 ft wide, it always looks bare and too flat. I can't go too high because then I wouldn't be able to see up the road, but it does need some strong elements that would add bits of height here and there. Potted plants and most architectural elements are out because I live near a college and high school, and fear they'd either disappear or be destroyed, especially during that crazy period near the end of the school year when the kids go wild and destroy mailboxes, etc. Any ideas?

Somewhere on the forum is a picture of what someone did to create an ocean garden using rocks and succulents. It looks great and would definitely deter vandals. I'm not sure where it was posted but It is probably back sometime last year.

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