Rocky soil vs. clay soil

We have a rocky soil, where we are at now. My plants (flower gardens) thrive on the airated soil. Well I also have some humus in there too, but everything seems to grow very well and blooms in full. Moving to Wylie, we'll be leaving behind the rocky soil and gaining clay soil. Murphy has clay soil too (where I grew up) and I can recall it being harder to get flowers and plants to take in it...although our vege gardens did GREAT! Plus the clay shifts alot, needs more water so it doesn't develop massive cracks, etc. I am going to be bringing some plants with us, when we move. I'll transplant my irises, very hardy anyway, and perhaps a rose bush. I'm a little worried about how the rose bush will take the move and change of soil though. Any ideas or thoughts? Any suggestions on what will grow well in the clay?

I will ask my Dad in the morning. I can tell you though that your Irisis will do fine in the clay soil.

Sorry, it took me forever to read this post. We naturally have clay soil too and have found that the best thing to do is dig a larger hole then needed for the bush and fill in the dirt with Miracle Grow dirt from Home Depot, discarding the clay. So far my Rose buses are doing great! The clay is terrible for rose bushes, really most plants. Good luck!

mulch a few time a year - you'll have decent soil after the first couple of years. and you might look for howard garret's plants of the metroplex. using beneficial nematodes for pest control instead of chemicals will keep the good critters alive so you'll still get some aeration. we have about 2 feet of clay over solid white rock, and my roses do fine. i've never had to touch them.

christine