You could always paint them, or cover them with stucco.

See pictures at bottom of the page on link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Build a Raised Bed

well, YOU are a hot ticket! what a great thing you have done to document that 'how to build a rock garden'. Brilliant!
for my purposes of a cinder block here and a cinder block there, the stucco idea is a bit cumbersome but i do like the idea of further masking the blocks by painting. i've been wanting to find out about 'masonry stains' so this will spur me on.
thanks much,
mindy

Mindy, your post was helpful and I agree with you about torajima! I'd never have thought that I would consider a raised bed out of cinder block, but now I will.

I didn't think I would like an "artificial" rock garden until I saw this. How lovely! And I like the idea of the stucco too!

Thank you for introducing me to a new plant.

We are installing a retaining wall in our back yard with a row of purple leaf sandcherry shrubs that we plant to grow up into a tree form. I've been looking for an underplanting for the rest of the bed, so this may work for me. I like that it's evergreen, and the flowers are a plus.

I read they're susceptible to black spot the same as roses...have you had this problem? Do you apply a fungicide periodically? How easy or difficult is it to establish this plant? Do they self seed, spread by underground runners, or do I space them where I want them? Do you have yours in shade, sun, .. and, how much should I expect to pay for a plant at a local nursery?

Thanks

never seen black spot on any hellebore. very pest free no- fuss plant.clumps grow larger every year; not self seeding or runner spreading.part shade to full sun for us.blooms alot even w/ no direct sun. no longer rare as it once was;should be priced the same as most perennials in your local nurseries.

if you are growing the sandcherries into tree form, i think it's best to start w/ trees (strong single trunks). but don't you want them as shrubs-to best hide the wall? whichever, you may want to underplant or interplant w/evergreen shrubs too- to graduate your heights down from tree to ground. hollies, inkberries etc can handle the shade under sandcherries and will give you evergreen screen of the wall for the winter.
best,
mindy

I have cinderblock beds and I LOVE them. However, they are indeed butt-ugly. I have toyed with different ways to camouflage them, but between my indecisiveness and my procrastination, they are still naked. I don't care for myself, but I do think of the neighbors, since these beds are pretty much front and center in my yard.

For now, I plant trailing annuals in some of the holes, and have a nice stand of dwarf irises in front of one. Once the garden is really going people notice the flowers and vegetables, and not the cinderblocks, but they are pretty dull and prison-like in the winter, lol.

I wonder how that stucco holds up to weather? My beds are nowhere as level and even as that bed in the photo either - there is uneven rock ledge underneath them. But I suppose I could fill in the gaps before I did any stuccoing.

{{gwi:12838}}

:)
Dee

My house foundation is cinderblock covered with stucco. It's flaking off in places, and one day I'll get around to redoing it. However, the house is 45 years old, and we've been here for 15, so the stucco does have a decent lifespan.

Thanks Mindy. We grow the shrub form of the purple leaf sandcherry .. I believe there's a tree form too, but have friends who use the shrub and trim to a multi stemmed tree form. A lot more tame and easier to manage.

I'm planting mine on a very short retaining wall at the back of the yard - my fence is the backdrop which will be covered with clematis vines. Next to the row of sandcherries we'll have an evergreen arborvitae in the corner. No evergreens around the base of the sandcherry - not enough room and I like the look of the sandcherry stems anyway.

I'll have to consider hellebores. Glad to hear they don't have mildew problems.

Not my yard, but attached is pic of sandcherry shrubs trimmed up to tree form. The shortest one was a replacement.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:224379}}

Thanks Mindy. We have some hellebores and love them too. Just wanted to mention that if you're in Winchester, MA, I believe you are in zone 6a.

hi lala,
I don't mean this to come off too snidely, BUT the ghosts of the zone 6 plants that i lost for too many yrs to recount- will be surprised to hear that......and snickering.

your partner in hellebore love,
mindy

lessons: A seasoned gardener is all too aware of her actual zone. And microclimates do exist.
I am reminded of my past error in correcting runktrun on her martha's vineyard z.7 i.d.

Arbo and diggerdee, I just finished constructing 2, 5'x10' cinderblock raised beds in my front yard.I put the 8"X16"x2" slabs on top to cover the holes( think they are sold as stepping stones) and now have a place to sit while working the bed. I got concrete stain in dull green and put it in a spray bottle.Sprayed in many layers of irregular passes to cover in a fairly even speckled pattern. The gray is gone and the block pattern is less noticeable. I have gotten compliments from the neighbors, some being surprised it was cinderblocks. Oh yeah, they are 2 blocks high.I will be planting hanging trailers at the edges for coverage too. The beds will be a Daylily collection of 30 all in white, pinks and reds with 3 pink roses and mystic penstamen. and a lot of lambs ears. I will be learning how to post photos soon and will share. Good luck!

wren-garden, sounds nice! Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see them.

I have somewhere on my computer a picture of a very formal and elegant cinderblock planting. The person topped his/her walls with a red stone, and it had an arbor, and it was really very nice. I don't know the etiquette/ethics, though, of posting someone else's pictures, so I'll refrain from doing so.

But I'd love to see yours, wren-garden!

:)
Dee

geee wren, how helpful of you! plse tell me about the stain. is it water based? is it transparent rather than opaque like paint? how often will you need to renew it? i'm asking all this because I long to stain to a moss green our very white sidewalk, recently put in by the town.
thanks for your help,
mindy

Arbo... I didn't create that document, only linked to it. I found it at "Wild Ginger Farms".

Mindy, The stain is translucent, thin and watery. I got it at Homedepot. You choose the color you want from the stain collection and they color it for you like they mix paint colors to order. I just did it so I don't know how it will wear. I put in 2'x2'cement stepping blocks from our driveway to the front walk and sprayed that too, so we'll see. I tried brushing it on but it pooled in odd spots and looked terrible so that is why I went to a spray application. Much better.With spray the gallon went farther too. Try it in an out of the way place. You will have to cover any plants or grass nearby to protect them from spray. Don't do it on a windy day and it should not rain for at least 24 hours or more after application. I wore safety glasses when I did it. I'll check back in case you have more questions. I still have to learn how to post pictures, but I will soon.

tora,
you are still wonderful for having posted such a helpful thing!
best,
mindy