Gardening in Rocky Soil?

Q: I have very rocky soil making any digging with a shovel very difficult. Any suggestions? I've been here a year and already have two large piles of roundish river rock of various sizes. I don't know if I should try to use them to build a short stone wall for a raised bed garden because I have no experience doing anything like that. My other idea is to use a concrete or morter mix in a box or other container, add in the stones and make my own "blocks" for raising a bed. Any suggestions?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Debbie in the Draft from Stuarts Draft, VA

A: Debbie,

Both ideas sound like winners to me-and yes, don't forget to save some of your rocks for a rock garden. Strategically placed piles of rock can become a great design element and will also provide a safe haven for a multitude of beneficial insects and small animals. It certainly sounds like creating raised beds is a good option for you. Framing your beds doesn't need to be complicated. How you use the rocks for a border isn't that important. You're just trying to keep soil from eroding and keep things looking neat and tidy. My advice would be to dig up and mound your beds first, and then lug the rocks (or blocks) around the edges to create you border. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!