We are purchasing a home whose owner used red rock has a cover for her plant beds. I personally do no like the look of it. But if we decide to keep what plants do well with this type of rock cover? W e want to plant tropical plants as we will be living in FL. Thanks!

Answer #1 · Maple Tree's Answer · Nancy-Normally the type of mulch used in a garden doesn't dictate the type of plants that can be used. I personally do not like the looks of the red rock but of course this is ones personal preference.
The red coloring of rock and different types of mulch other than red volcanic rock may be dyed with chemical dyes that are not organic. Some of these dyes have been proven to be harmful to plant life if enough of this chemical over time is leached into the soil. The red rock can also absorb and add more heat to the soil than wood mulches will. In order to keep rock mulches from mixing with the soil many will lay down black plastic before spreading the rock. This black plastic not only holds heat in the soil it does not allow for penetration of water and oxygen to the plants roots for healthy growth. I like using bark nuggets or wood chips as they break down in time adding nutrients back into the soil where rocks have no nutritional value. In my opinion the red rock or other red mulches attract attention to the mulch and not the plants taking away the natural look of a garden. The hardwood mulches I use complement my plants, keep weeds under control, add nutrients back into the soil, help in keeping moisture in the soil during the summer months, and insulate the plants roots from winter damage. The benefits of using organic mulches over rock far exceeds the benefits of using rock in my opinion.

As you can see I also do not like the looks of the red rocks and their use in the garden other than possibly for pathways. As I noted you should be able to plant what ever plants you like whether using the red rock or not. Factors such as your hardiness zone, type of soil, amount of sun or shade will be the determining factors in what plants will survive well in your location. I noted a few links below to articles regarding mulches and their use in the garden you may be interested in reading. Just click on the links to go directly to the articles.

http://www.gardenality.com/Articles/910/Projects/Landscaping-Projects/Different-Types-Of-Landscape-and-Garden-Mulch/default.html

http://www.gardenality.com/Articles/981/Reviews/Product-Reviews/Is-Rubber-Mulch-Beneficial-In-Landscape-and-Gardens/default.html

Hopefully this has helped. Please ask if you have any other questions.

John)