Gabelman Rock Garden

The Rock Garden within Allen Centennial is a nationally acclaimed space that has been associated with the North American Rock Garden Society for the greater part of the past two decades. It won the Frank Cabot Public Rock Garden Award in 2019 due to our wonderful supporting volunteers who work in the Rock Garden with great diligence to keep this area showy and properly cared for. The Rock Garden was started by enthusiasts interested in alpine, saxatile, and low-growing perennials. They are interested in the study and cultivation of wildflowers that grow well among rocks, whether such plants originate above the alpine tree line or at lower elevations. There are many styles and forms of rock gardening, but the plants more often tend to be ones that have adapted to harsh environmental, geographical, and cultural conditions. They may thrive only in very specific conditions. This Rock Garden reflects a number of diverse growing conditions including, but not limited to, tufa beds, high plains and sand gardens, scree beds, troughs, and a crevice garden.