The 2022 class of Master Gardener Interns were assigned the task of building a Teaching Garden in the crevice style at the corner of Shea and Holt drives, right in front of the Chesapeake Planetarium.

Crevice gardens have been gaining popularity in the United States over the last decade, with over 20 books published on the subject in the last five years alone. Crevice gardening has been featured in many gardening blogs and videos online.
Crevice Gardening encompasses several concepts embraced by the Master Gardeners. Using native and Xeric (drought tolerant) plant types reduces the need to water outside of the rain provided by mother nature. Plants are also selected to provide interest through all four seasons.

The garden, which is shaded for many hours of the day by a mature oak tree, features many plants that are both shade and drought tolerant.  Much of the ground surrounds the old Oak’s roots and care had to be taken not to damage or deprive the roots water or nutrients.

The layout of the site started with rocks, from boulder size to gravel. The gravel was spread to provide walking paths for onlookers. Being located on a busy corner, in front of the planetarium, the site paths will offer passersby the opportunity to get a close up view of the wide variety of plants featured in the garden.  The boulder, larger rocks and slabs of fieldstone were positioned to provide crevices to be filled with the specialized soil mixture which was hand mixed by the interns just for this garden.

 

Once the paths and crevices were formed, the interns carefully placed the soil mixture and tucked a large variety of flowering plants and succulents into the nooks and crannies.

After months of planning and one whole day of backbreaking labor, the 14 lady interns had completed the new Comet Crevice Garden, fit for the front yard of the planetarium.