In the desire to stand out and transform the territory, summer residents use various tricks, one of which is a rock garden. The best device diagrams and do-it-yourself creation examples will be discussed in this article. Equipping our summer cottage with love and imagination, we always strive to bring individuality to its design.
Rock garden device or what is it
This element of landscape design has a Mediterranean origin, it not only pleases the eye, but also sets the tone for the entire site. One alpine hill, built in the right place, can radically change and decorate even the smallest and most modest garden. What is rock garden? This is the so-called piece of wildlife, artificially recreated by human hands.
Alpine hills are laid out from various stones, most often rocky rocks, decorated with appropriate plants, flowers. Today rock gardens are popular all over the world. According to the designers, all kinds of compositions from stones and plants of all sizes and modifications are created.
Rock garden, photo:
To erect a rock garden on the territory, they often invite competent designers. Their services can cost you quite a bit. This is not surprising, because a successful and attractive final result entirely depends on the competent observance of all stages. The process begins from the development and design design of the structure, the choice of plants. Often, the entire composition is recreated in advance in 3D, in computer programs.
But even taking into account all the nuances, you can create your own rock garden on your own site. If you look in detail, then in this process there is nothing super complicated. All steps will be described below, and the rest depends on your imagination and taste preferences in choosing plants.
Very often, the two concepts “rock garden” and “rockery” are mentioned in one semantic connective. Despite the fact that both landscape techniques are similar in execution style, there is still a difference.
Rock garden and rockery - their difference, first of all, in the main accent of the composition. In rockeries, these are stones that are laid out on a flat surface. To create a rockery, any place on the site is suitable, but for a rock garden, you need an area well lit by sunlight. In the construction of rock gardens used stones, flowers, shrubs, small conifers and other decorative compositions. Simply put, a rock garden is a structure made of stones and plants, a rock garden is a decorative imitation of a stone area, the so-called stone flower bed, a rock garden.
How to make a rock garden - choosing a place
This is the very first point of the plan - first you need to choose a place that will always be in the spotlight, with a good overview from any direction. In addition, most of the day it should be lit by the sun, so the south side of your site is most suitable for the implementation of the plan. The most acceptable place is the center of the lawn. However, depending on the situation and the presence of other garden elements, a rock garden can be built on the edge of the lawn, near the entrance to the gazebo, near the fountain, artificial pond or track. The main requirement is good illumination.
Rock garden in the center of the lawn, photo:
An alpine hill or rock garden should not be placed in the shade of trees or shrubs. These plantings may well create a background, the main thing is that they do not distract attention from the rock garden with their colorful colors. In this case, it is preferable to choose plain plants for the background.
If your site has elevations, slopes or bulges, then this situation can be successfully beaten with the help of an alpine hill. It can be located in / on the natural lowlands or elevations of the landscape.
If you decide to do everything yourself, then all the more you should first draw your future rock garden on a piece of paper, a diagram of which will clearly demonstrate the placement of stones, a list of plants, the shape of the overall composition.
The most popular types of alpine hills:
- "Mountain Valley" - randomly but thoughtfully "scattered" stones. Large boulders, medium-sized stones, as well as very small cobblestones are located on a flat surface. Heather, ground cover plants, wormwood, meadow bells, edelweiss look great in the company of stone blocks and boulders.
- “Forest ravine” - the entire structure is located as if in a depression, to give a greater entourage, large stones covered with moss are laid on the edges of the “ravine”. Also used are dwarf conifers and the so-called mossy (groundcover) plants (sawn mossy, small-leaved, mossy crassula, saxifrage, etc.).
- "Rock" - looks great on natural steep slopes, the largest boulders are located below, which are surrounded by medium, closer to the "top" stones for a rock garden are smaller. In this way, a mini-rock is created, in the surroundings of which conifers, junipers, dwarf varieties of ferns and those plants that usually grow in the mountains look good. A variation of this design is the cliff rock garden.
- "Mountain Stream" is an alpine hill in the company of an artificial waterfall or imitation of a stream. Instead of water, colored decorative gravel (dry stream) can also be used. Bergenia, primrose, ferns, irises are appropriate to look next to such a design.
- "Lake" - here, as in the case of the "ravine", a natural deepening of the soil on the site can be used. In another case, a small ravine is manually excavated and an artificial pond is set up. Often, the "bottom" of such a hollow is covered with decorative rubble imitating water. This type of rock garden is especially good for wetlands, in such an environment marsh and water-loving plants feel very good. On the edges of the "lake" place rounded stones, which are partially dug into the ground. For greater persuasiveness, you can use wood fragments (driftwood), moss.
If you plan to build an alpine hill in the very center of the garden, then take care of the path to it in advance and, for example, set up a bench nearby.
Mini rock garden is created when your capabilities are limited by the size of the territory. With a creative approach and the presence of imagination, even a small composition of plants and stones can become the highlight of your summer residence. Also, the concept of “mini” includes containerized, so-called portable alpine hills.
These are small compositions that mimic a full-fledged rock garden, but they are only placed in large flower pots or decorative containers. For their arrangement, small plants and flowers are selected, as well as miniature stones, wood fragments. Properly made mini rock garden will become an adornment of a gazebo or staircase, attic, porch. It can also be used as an element of a flower bed or a large garden rock garden.
Rock garden in miniature, photo:
Stones for rock garden, how to choose
The basis of any rock garden, the main building element is stones.
To create alpine slides you will need stone material of various sizes. Your task is to recreate the natural mountainous landscape in a reduced format, so large boulders, streamlined cobblestones, and stones with sharp corners (imitation of rock formations) will go into action. Of course, you can buy stones designed specifically for these purposes, they are sold at the corresponding points of sale of products for landscape design. But it’s much more interesting to assemble the whole composition yourself, all the more stones can be found anywhere if you try: in the field, by the river, in the forest.
The rock garden is a corner of wildlife in your country house, so you will need stones of large, medium and small sizes. Also, do not pass by flat stones - with their help it is convenient to divide borders, draw steps, cascades.
If you delve into the details, then the best material for building an alpine hill can be considered cut sandstone, mountain dolomite, basalt, laminated slate, porous Tibur stone travertine, gneiss, red pebbles of different fractions, steppe crane stone. When you find yourself on the banks of a river or in a forest, pay attention to the moss-covered boulders. They will cost you absolutely free and will be an excellent material for creating a rock garden.
When choosing stones for rock gardens, keep in mind that some of them, such as limestone, can affect the soil (alkaline reaction). In such cases, the soil is slightly acidified so that certain types of plants feel comfortable. But sandstone, landscape design experts unanimously give their preference. It is suitable for work on any type of soil, does not deteriorate and does not change its appearance over time.
The classic technology for laying stone material for an alpine hill looks like this: larger stones are placed below, the higher - the smaller. Their location should not be strictly verified, deliberate negligence, one might say randomness, will create a natural effect of the natural landscape.
Rock garden "Lake", photo:
Do-it-yourself rock garden steps
Landscape architects believe that there are 4 main directions for creating alpine slides:
- European style is the most common, especially in the vastness of our homeland. The design uses plants that bloom at different times and succeed each other. Thus, the goal is achieved - the presence of flowers throughout the season, an attractive form of rock garden. Moreover, all selected plants are characterized by slow growth.
- When designing an alpine hill in the English style, preference is given to rocks with sharp corners. Attention is focused on the active use of dwarf conifers.
- The Japanese trend in the design of rock gardens is characterized by minimalism and conciseness. The plants are predominantly small, there are not very many of them, stones also differ in modest size and streamlined shape.
- The Czech style is the use of layered stones of different sizes, which are set by the edge. The whole structure is laid as if by steps, the rows of stones are arranged one after another. Plants are planted in the distances between the rows.
If we take as an example the creation of a solid “right” rock garden, then the whole process will consist of several points following each other.
Summarize the stages of the construction of this design into a single scheme:
- At the first stage, a future alpine hill is projected, many examples are viewed, the required dimensions are calculated, a plan is drawn.
- They are determined with the choice of stones, purchased at points of sale or use their own material.
- A drainage “cushion” is being prepared for the rock garden, it will support the upper layer of the soil and remove excess moisture. A small depression, about 60-70 cm, is dug out at the site of the future construction. What size rock garden is supposed to be, of such width and dig a foundation pit. A layer of gravel or chipped bricks (30 cm) is laid at the bottom, then sand is poured (also 30 cm), and water is poured from above.
- Further, pure (without plant residues and debris) earth is poured over the sand. Ideally, its composition should be suitable for future plants. A layer of earth should be approximately 80-100 cm, keep in mind that in 10-15 days it will still settle.
- The next stage - stones for rock gardens and their placement: laying out slides, walls, any other conceived stone structure. How to lay stone material - was described above (large at the bottom, small at the top). All details must be stable, the stones are buried in the soil, strengthened with smaller fragments. Between them leave land for planting
- The choice of plants and flowers should correspond to the artistic design and nature of the alpine hill.
Plants are selected with the condition of soil composition at the rock garden site, their reaction to sunlight, while the climatic features of your region also play a significant role.
Small rock garden in the country, photo:
Plants for rock garden
By and large, the choice of plants depends on your taste, the choice of color and size is entirely determined by your preferences. The main thing is that everything should look harmonious, taking into account the speed of growth of neighboring representatives. The most popular and favorite plants for alpine hills are conifers (including dwarf ones), groundcover, heather crops, fern plants, small trees. On top of the structure should be more drought-resistant species that feel comfortable in the sun. At the foot of the rock garden you can plant small shrubs (dwarf spirea, almonds, barberries, Cusius broom), miniature trees, lush flowering species.
Plants for rock gardens should be stunted - this is a general rule. Large representatives should not be placed for the reason that they will simply clog the low "neighbors", create an unnecessary shadow, upset the harmony of the composition. Various bulbous, tuberous, rosette plants, junipers have proven themselves well. Among the soil protectors are dryad, starfish, diasius, brunner, soap dish, ethionema, arabis. Of the shade-tolerant - ferns, saxifrages, hosts, stachis, incense, astilbe, periwinkle, Corydalis, primrose, anemone.
The range of plants for the design of the Alpine hills is very wide, to list everything is simply unrealistic, so the most creative and enjoyable part - landscaping, completely falls on your shoulders. Choosing sun-loving representatives, pay attention to the swimsuit, heliantemum, adonis, irises, lavender, acene, antennaria, phlox. Decorative onion, auret (aubretia), edelweiss, gentian, aquilegia, calla Eliot, oreganum, sunflower, erigeron are very attractive. Universal plants with an unpretentious nature - these are bells, crocuses, ramonda, soap dish, violet, cinquefoil, stonecrop, scilla, phlox, muscari, lyatris.
Heliantemum in the design of the rock garden, photo:
Primrose (1), Aubrietta (2), tenacity (3), stubble (4), periwinkle (5), photo:
Summary
To care for the Alpine slide should be the same as for any other flowerbed. It is necessary to remove faded and dried plants, periodically loosen the soil, remove weeds, and water. Top dressing is carried out mainly before the arrival of winter. With the advent of cold weather, the rock garden can be covered with wood shavings, branches of coniferous trees or special covering material. When the snow falls, it is desirable to form snow mounds at rock gardens, this will help plants survive the frost.
Such elements of landscape design have their own philosophy based on the individuality of execution. No matter how many alpine hills there are in the world, each of them will be unique. If you decide to make a rock garden in your cottage, the best device schemes and an example of creating with your own hands, for example, with your neighbor, will still differ from your version. Properly and thoughtfully designed composition that imitates the natural landscape is a unique flavor of the Alpine mountains in your country house, and also made by yourself.