What is the difference between rockery and rock garden. Rockeries and rock gardens in the garden - a photo of unique combinations of stone and plants
Is important element and components of human life. If earlier it was not so developed, now it is the main component for the comfort of a person who has own house. Many people create beauty in the yard on their own, and some invite a specially trained professional to compile a quality design project.
This article describes what is:
- alpine slide;
- rockery;
- difference between these two architectural forms.
Rockery in landscape design
The main feature of rockeries is the possibility of device on steep slopes.. Therefore, the owners of an uneven local area should not be upset, they need to fully turn on their imagination and make the most of the possibilities of such a hilly terrain.
These flower beds can occupy a variety of sizes of territory. For example, the creation of a miniature creation, or bulky and majestic. In size, if rockeries are planned to be about 10 square meters, then in order to maintain balance, its highest point should be raised by about a meter. Then you get a harmonious and regular flower garden.
Whoever has a flat territory will need more effort, time and financial resources, because then there is an expense for imported soil. Stones are the main part of the rockery. There are great amount not only in specialized stores, but also on the ground in principle.
When arranging such a flower garden, it is required to insert stones on a pre-prepared base so that they do not go into the ground. Small gravel is usually poured under the material.
Plants are the second main element of rockeries. These are various mosses, junipers, ferns, dwarf conifers, and others.
Important! Planting plants in rockeries begins with the largest trees and shrubs, the process ends with small herbs, mosses and flowers. This also applies to rock climbing.
Alpine hill in landscape design
A variety of alpine plants collected in a rocky garden, park or square is a rock garden, or an alpine hill. Is some a kind of rockery. However, representatives of the latter can be a variety of plants, not only mountain. This element is arranged quite simply and easily, the main thing is to have everything necessary materials, especially stones and a wide variety of mountain plants that play a dominant role in the alpine slide.
From the very beginning of the device, the base is prepared (fertile soil is brought in, if the terrain is hilly, the existing soil on the territory is used), then stones are inserted at a certain angle and plants are planted.
The difference between rockery and alpine slide
Most gardeners at the beginning of their activities often confuse these two types of peculiar flower beds. Therefore, the distinction must be clear and precise.
There is a significant difference between alpine slides and rockeries, therefore, each owner of his own adjacent territory is obliged to understand these concepts. Only then you can deal with the device landscape design on one's own.
Among a large number of various elements of the landscape, rockeries and rock gardens occupy a special place. Both of these landscape elements are areas on which various compositions are composed. Despite the fact that these gardens have much in common, there are also some differences between them.
Elements of landscape design in the backyard
The differences between these two varieties of compositions are as follows:
- The rock garden should resemble the mountain landscape of the Alps as much as possible, so rock gardens are created in the form of slides. Rockery can be placed on a flat surface.
- In a real rock garden, only those plants are planted that can be found in nature on the slopes of the mountains. For rockeries, small coniferous and ground cover species, ornamental shrubs are usually selected, which are usually not found in such a combination in nature. In the next photo, one of the options for creating a flower garden.
- Rock gardens are placed only in well-lit areas, while rockeries can also be placed in the shade.
- In rock gardens, significantly fewer stones are used than when creating rockeries.
There are also other differences, which we will consider in the following sections of the article.
The basic principles of creating rockeries
When choosing between two types of compositions from plants and stones, it should be remembered that rockeries are simpler in both creating and selecting vegetation. Designers have developed several basic rules for choosing plantings for rockeries:
- For rockeries, it is not recommended to use plants with bright and large leaves. They stand out too much and can disrupt the harmony of the composition.
- In addition to flowers, it is necessary to plant evergreen and coniferous plants. Then your rockery will look beautiful at any time of the year.
- For rockeries, slowly growing specimens are selected.
- It is advisable to plant plants of the same color range in rockeries, since many different bright colors will disrupt the perception of the composition.
- In the case when the rockery will be located in a partially shaded area, select plants that will have a decorative look even in the shade.
Before you equip rockeries, decide on a set of plants and the size of their root system. The depth of laying the drainage under the composition will depend on this.
Site preparation
The first stage of arranging rockeries is site preparation:
- To do this, the soil is removed at the site of the future composition. The depth of removal can vary from 20 to 50 cm.
- A layer of broken brick or rubble is laid out at the bottom to remove excess moisture.
- Next, coarse-grained sand is poured with a layer of at least 10 cm.
The base for rockeries must be sufficiently dense, otherwise the stones will begin to sag and damage the roots of the plants.
Selection of stones and plants
The choice of stones is very important when arranging rockeries, because they are the central element of the composition.
- It is necessary to choose stones of natural shape, large enough. Stones covered with moss are great.
- The largest of them must be placed on a site with prepared drainage before falling asleep with earth.
- Next, you can add a layer of soil and place smaller stones (as in the photo).
- Planting begins with the largest specimens, gradually moving to smaller ones.
- The unplanted areas between the stones are filled with ground cover plants. To do this, you can use shaving, sedum, spirea or undersized juniper.
- The soil is mulched with marble chips or gravel.
- As a result, you should get a harmonious composition.
The design also uses such an element as a mini rockery:
- This is a small rock garden housed in a container.
- As a container, you can use any suitable size container with obligatory drainage holes.
- The bottom of the container is covered with a layer of sand and then work is performed in the same sequence as in the arrangement of a large rockery.
The convenience of a mini rockery (pictured) is that it can be easily moved to the right place.
How to equip an alpine slide
As the name implies, the Alpine corner is an attempt to recreate the beauty of the Alps on its site. The rock garden repeats the mountain landscape and is created in the form of a hill or a rocky slope, as in the next photo.
A prerequisite for choosing a place for a rock garden is its good illumination. If you want to recreate a mountain slope, position it facing south.
Since the main task of the rock garden is to recreate the mountain landscape, the method of laying stone in the form of layered mountains is very often used.
For this, flat stones are used. This method has several advantages:
- Each plant has its own section, this helps distribute root system more evenly.
- The location of the stones stimulates the growth of the root system deep into the ground.
- By mulching the space between the stones with marble chips or pebbles, weeds can be eliminated.
Site preparation for rock garden is carried out in the same way as for rockeries.
- First, a drainage layer is built at a depth of 30-40 cm.
- Next, you need to form an elevation for the future rock garden.
- After that, you can proceed to the placement of stones and backfilling of the soil and the last stage - planting.
Plants play the main role in rock gardens, so they are chosen very carefully.
- Very bright and colorful plants are not suitable for planting. Preference should be given to flowers with a long flowering period.
- When choosing plants, it is necessary to take into account their soil requirements, because some stones can change the acidity of the soil. The soil becomes more acidic when granite and volcanic rocks are placed, and sandstone and marble can alkalize the soil.
- When choosing plants, it is necessary to take into account the size of the root system. The thickness of the soil layer, which will need to be placed on the base of the slide, depends on this.
The more drought-resistant the plant, the higher it can be placed on rock gardens. Moisture-loving flowers and shrubs are placed closer to the base (pictured).
The stone garden is very popular among summer residents. Almost every homestead owner wants to create a rockery on his territory. To competently create such a flower garden, you should study the types and design features of rockeries in landscape design.
What it is?
The history of this flower garden began about 15 years ago. Then, in all publications that were related to landscape design and architecture, they began to draw a clear line between rock garden and rockery. Today, many experts combine the two terms, calling this creation a rocky garden. This solution equates the two destinations with rock gardens that emphasize the Japanese style.
In fact, this is not so: rockery is a decorative composition in which there are stones and miniature plants. A rock garden is a hill made of stones where creeping types of plants grow. The rock garden requires special drainage systems, which are of great importance in the entire structure. A rockery differs from a rock garden by a drainage system.
The difference lies in the fact that the vegetation used in rockeries is unpretentious in care. In landscape design, flowers are used that are easy to care for. Even a novice gardener can create an original flower garden, since knowledge of special skills is not required to arrange a flower bed. For this reason, rockeries are popular among summer residents and gardeners.
Types and styles
Before arranging rockeries, it is necessary to decide on the type of future composition. There are several conventional names for this flower garden:
- Landscape. Such a flower bed is arranged in the garden, based on the design of the entire site. The composition acts as a component of the design of the entire landscape space. With its help, you can combine all the elements into a single picture.
- terraced. This flower garden is used in areas with slopes. Such a system combines stone walls with different forms and height.
- Rocks and cliff. This rockery can act as a separate composition or be a component of a complex landscape design. The design of places for vegetation is carried out in the process of creating a flower bed.
- Mountain valley. This is a flower garden in which there are stones sunk into the soil. Paths should pass between the boulders, distributing the territory into several zones.
- Mountain slope. The creation of such a rockery is carried out on the slopes. Outwardly, it looks like a mountain scree with fragments of rocks and creeping vegetation.
There are several styles in which you can decorate your stone garden.
Japanese
You will immediately recognize this design due to the many stones with the moderation of bright colors and decorative vegetation. Most often, granite is used in such an interior. The Japanese style is able to show the beauty of wild stones, the exotic setting contributes to peace. When creating a flower garden, harmony should be observed. Plants in pots, Buddhist statues, small tables and cages with singing birds will fit into the atmosphere. Lighting can be provided.
English
AT English style there are evergreen conifers that create a pleasant environment. You can add cereals, decorative wormwood, various flowers and deciduous vegetation to the flower garden.
European
In European design, it is necessary to use plants that can adapt to the climatic conditions of the middle lane. The pattern changes due to wild flowers, smoothly replacing each other. You can plant perennials, miniature shrubs with colorful leaves, or whatever plants you like.
Alpine slide
This direction represents bulbous and coniferous varieties of plants growing in the mountains of Italy, Switzerland and France. As a decorative component, you can equip artificial water structures in your garden.
You can arrange rockeries in different styles that harmoniously fit into the overall picture of the chosen style of landscape design. There are temporary flower beds that are suitable for areas where flat terrain or a slight slope prevails. For the middle bands, low shrubs are relevant, which take root without problems in the data. climatic conditions. If you have artistic knowledge and skills, you can create an original design by diluting your country cottage area exclusive garden.
When choosing a planting scheme, consider the parameters of an adult plant and its crown. While the plants are small, use temporary fill and small stones. As the shrub grows, it will be necessary to replace the old elements with large boulders. Rockery should look beautiful, the design should take into account the size of the shrub.
Rockery can be located near the house. Decorate the composition with mountain plants, among which lavender, moss, fern will grow. Thanks to a discreet range, you can emphasize the style of a chalet or any of the rustic trends. The decoration may consist of natural elements (eg driftwood, logs, boulders) with natural forms.
photos
Location
Once the design is determined, you will need to select the location of the stone garden. The selected site must have all the conditions for arranging rockeries. You need to create a project of the territory, study the area of the site, the features of its landscape, soil. For example, pompous stone heaps should not be placed on a small area: they will look unnatural. In large areas, small rockeries can be lost, so the choice of the size of the future flower garden should be approached with all responsibility.
When choosing a place, preference should be given to ravines, terraces and other uneven surfaces. You can beat these areas with your imagination and turn unattractive areas into an original creation of nature. If you plan to make rockeries in the country, it is important to take into account the fact that not every site may have a ravine, pond or terrace. There is no need to be upset, since the stone flower garden is successfully located on any type of terrain.
Consider the lighting of the selected area. If possible, choose the sunny side: not every plant can grow in the shade. The flowerbed should be located in such a way that the rockery is in a conspicuous place and pleases others with its composition. Beginning gardeners are encouraged to carry out their work in small areas. For arranging a large area, it is better to turn to professionals (not every beginner is able to cope with a large amount of work on their own). Avoid placing rockeries along the fence and next to buildings. If this option cannot be ruled out, fill the area with climbing plants.
A little about stones
The choice of stones should be based on simple tips:
- all stone components should have an interesting shape. You can opt for porous stones, cobblestones with attractive cracks, moss-covered boulders. Black sea stones are suitable for creating rockeries;
- the color scheme depends on the taste preferences of the creator. If you have a good artistic taste, you can easily combine a rocky garden in shades;
- for beginners who are afraid to make a mistake, you can use plain stones of the same type. To dilute the composition, you can experiment with sizes and shapes;
- the best view have flower beds with two large stones in the center. The rest of the representatives must have the same size. Choose stones that are 30-40 cm long;
- if you decide to break a flower garden on a slope, laying stones should be done from the bottom up. Each tier is laid out sequentially. Initially, you should install large stones that will act as a support. To make the structure reliable, boulders can be dug up to the drainage base. Some gardeners use cement mortar to fix;
- any stones are suitable for construction work: crushed stone, granite, fragments of bricks. Tuff is popular (rock boulders that are created from volcanic ash and other debris). When choosing stones, choose durable varieties that can withstand sunbeams and time.
Plant selection
Once you have decided on the stone base, you can begin to select the vegetation. Plants divided into 4 categories take part in the creation of the flower garden:
coniferous flower garden
Usually mini-trees are planted in such rockeries. An attractive stone garden will look if it contains thuja, juniper, dwarf firs. You can equip the original flower garden in a pine design.
shrubs
Suitable vegetation includes honeysuckle, cinquefoil, and various varieties of cotoneaster. Planted plants should have a compact size, as they have a secondary role.
perennials
A combination of bulbous and herbaceous plants will look good in rockeries. Annual varieties are not popular, as such flowers need to be planted every year.
groundblood
Phloxes or a cat's foot can be attributed to the number of such representatives. When choosing plants for your rockery, remember that you can not plant colorful and bright flowers. The composition should be based on stones, representatives of the plant world only complement the ensemble of such a garden.
If you have chosen conifers, you should follow a few rules:
- plants should be low;
- choose varieties that are characterized by slow growth;
- trees must be shaped;
- if you do not know if this variety can take root in your area, use planting along with a tub.
Once you have decided on a place for plants in the flower garden, you can start choosing flowers. You will need to achieve constant flowering. When one kind of flower stops blooming, it must be replaced by others. You can use different varieties of plants, based on the climate of your area. Many gardeners know such names as: rhododendrons. These perennials are often used in the arrangement of Japanese rockeries. Only in rockeries you can find plants that cannot be found in natural conditions.
Basic requirements for vegetation:
- Undersized varieties of plants should be planted in rockeries, which during the flowering period reach a height of no more than 50 cm.
- Give preference to varieties that are distinguished by massive flowering and an attractive crown.
- Ornamental varieties of plants look good in a stone garden, which do not lose their attractiveness during growth and maturation.
- Pay attention to plants with resistant forms: such varieties will not require frequent transplanting and division.
To create a stone garden, you can use different varieties tulips, wild violets, hyacinths. Follow the planting order: plants with well-developed roots should be planted first. Next, you can plant ground-blooded representatives. Such vegetation performs decorative and applied functions. It is entrusted with the strengthening of the upper layer of the soil, due to which erosion of the surface is excluded. If there are no slopes on your site, you can plant moisture-loving plants (for example, primrose, astilba). For flat rockeries, cereals should be selected: they will give the composition a little carelessness.
photos
Landing Rules
When the stones, seeds and seedlings are selected, you can begin to create a rockery with your own hands. At the time of the start of work, you must decide on the style of the future composition, choose the location of the stone garden. A step-by-step guide to creating a rockery is as follows:
- no project is complete without a blueprint. Before starting work, it is necessary to draw drawings on which it is worth displaying all the components of the stone garden;
- construction should be done in late autumn or spring. Mark the perimeter of the future flower garden on your site;
- remove 20 cm of soil and remove weed roots from the top layer;
- then you will need to cover the selected area with non-woven material;
- lay the drainage layer. It should contain gravel, pebbles and bricks. Compact this layer with sand. The final drainage thickness should be 20 cm. If you do not create a drainage layer, vegetation that does not tolerate moisture will die;
- in this state, the site should stand for about 2 months. This time will be enough for shrinkage;
- after 2 months, you can continue the arrangement of the flower garden. You will need to install large boulders on sand that has already reached sufficient density;
- do not overdo it with the number of stones. When creating a rockery, remember that each stone must play its part in the garden;
- the remaining space must be covered with a substrate in which plants will then be planted;
- when choosing a substrate, remember that in rockeries the main role is played by stones. For this reason, it is not recommended to choose fertile formulations. The only quality that you should pay attention to when choosing a mixture is the permeability of air and moisture;
- check the stones for stability and make adjustments if necessary. If the boulders sway, you can fix them with cement;
- When watering the substrate, care should be taken to ensure that it does not erode. Otherwise, you will need to redo everything again;
- when the mixture settles, you can start planting vegetation. The order of planting depends on what composition device you came up with;
- First you need to plant coniferous shrubs. They are deepened into the soil through a circle cut in the film;
- at the next stage, you can plant shrubs, flowers;
- when you finish working with vegetation, the film must be sprinkled with soil again;
- at the final stage, you need to add small stones and backfill for decoration.
This instruction will help equip your stone garden in the country and avoid the mistakes that beginners often make. Follow the above rules to correctly create a rockery that will decorate your summer cottage.
Care
For rockeries, you should select plants that are resistant to the climate of your region. It is necessary to choose varieties that do not need daily care. Despite the unpretentiousness of the stone garden, it periodically needs to be moistened with water from a hose with a sprayer and top dressing should be added. Soil filling is carried out once every few years. For the winter, the vegetation is covered, the dried components are removed. If your rockery has grown, it should be thinned out.
Rockery or rock garden will help to give a noble look to the site. But what is it?
Rockery is modern decoration plot, which came to us from the West. It is a landscape composition that imitates a rocky area, such a stone flower bed.
A rock garden or alpine slide is a place on a site where alpine (mountain) plants are grown, surrounded by large stones that imitate mountain peaks.
These two areas in landscape design are very similar, but each is interesting in its own way, so let's figure out what exactly will look more interesting on your site and how to create such beauty with your own hands.
What is rockery: design of rockeries, basic styles and types
To replace the usual flower beds, a modern rockery has come, which looks much more interesting and harmonious. It can be placed anywhere, on a slope with a difference in elevation or on flat terrain. Such a landscape design element can imitate a rock or a natural virgin area. wildlife.
There are several styles of rockeries, the most popular are (the design of these rockeries is shown in the photo):
- Japanese style. It consists in the location of granite stones on a flat area. Here you can find neatly arranged plants in pots. Decorative pieces of furniture and Japanese figurines are not alien to this style.
- English style. hallmark This style is landscape, coniferous vegetation and cereals are used here.
- Italian style. There is a special aesthetic here, preference is given to large rounded stones, spectacular figures of sculptures, a lot of various greenery is planted. The presence of forged items is allowed.
- European style. The emphasis is on plants that replace each other and bloom all season. The composition is diluted with various stone sculptures of European design, as well as plaster flowerpots and lanterns.
- German style. The most conservative and thoughtful. Here, ordinary stones are replaced by stone structures that can perform not only a decorative function, but also a practical one. This rockery is distinguished by the severity of the stones laid out “under the ruler” and the plants planted in a row.
- Alpine style. This style earned its name due to the location of the rockery on a hill, imitating a mountain descent. The vegetation planted is that which grows in the alpine regions, mainly conifers and bulbous flowers.
Differences between rockeries and rock gardens
Alpine style rockeries and alpine slides are similar to each other in terms of arrangement, choice of stones and planting with vegetation. But still, there are differences.
Character traits rock garden:
- A rock garden can look like a rock, as if rocks rise above the surface of the earth.
- Its design may resemble an alpine meadow with a limited number of stones and boulders.
- The design of the alpine slide reproduces the mountain landscape to the maximum.
Rockery features:
- It contains a variety of colors, unusual shapes, interesting textures.
- It means many huge boulders and blocks from the same rock.
These two styles of landscape design are united by the fact that the composition of stone and plants should look organic and fit as naturally as possible into the overall style of the site.
Where is the best place to place an alpine slide and rockeries?
The place for placing a stone composition, both for rockeries and for an alpine slide, is chosen in the same way, but in order to achieve a decent result, you need to consider some rules:
- A stone bed should fit perfectly into the landscape of your site.
- Take care of the background against which the rockery or rock garden will be located. If you have buildings or an ineffective fence on your site, then you can plant weaving plants that will close the unpresentable view of the buildings and serve as a great frame for the stone composition.
- Take into account when arranging such moments as natural phenomena. Since strong streams of water flowing down from the roofs can inadvertently damage the flower bed.
Consider all the nuances when planning, you should not break such a flower bed directly near the garden or outbuildings.
The advantage of such a composition over a conventional flower bed is that for its breakdown it does not matter at all what kind of soil is on the site, what kind of lighting and what kind of relief.
The place where it is planned to break a stone flower bed should be without large trees and large shrubs, since such overall vegetation is not used in this type of landscape design. Any uneven surface available on the site will do, if there is none, it does not matter, you can create it yourself.
Such beauty should be placed in the most prominent place. The ideal place where you usually relax or the area adjacent to the house, which will be visible from all sides.
Drainage and soil preparation
First of all, we mark out the place, on the site where we will place the rockery or alpine slide. This can be done with rope and pegs. It is necessary to remove the fertile layer of the earth.
Now you need to think about drainage, which will be filled into the base by about 5 centimeters. Gravel, pebbles or crushed stone can be used as drainage, broken brick is also suitable.
This is necessary so that excess moisture does not accumulate in the design of the future rockery, and large stones do not sag over time.
To achieve a natural type of vegetation that will grow in such a flower bed, a special land mixture should be prepared.
- The first half of the mixture is land from the garden.
- The second half consists of sand, peat and gravel in equal proportions.
- We mix all this and get the necessary substrate.
The choice of plants and flowers for rockeries and alpine slides
In order for the finished composition to harmoniously fit into the landscape design style of your site and please with its appearance, you should opt for plants designed in the general style.
The beauty is that you can choose the plants you like, but there are a few rules to follow.
- Vegetation and stones in rockeries should cover the area of \u200b\u200bthe flower bed in a ratio of 50 to 50, and in rock gardens 75% of the area is stones and 25% plants. As for the plants themselves, the optimal ratio is 35 to 65, coniferous and deciduous to ground cover. In rock gardens, rich mountain flora should prevail.
- It is not recommended to plant large, very lush, bright flowering varieties plants. Because they will divert attention from the stones and turn the stone flower bed into an ordinary front garden. Perennial ornamental conifers, ferns and bulbs are perfect - tulips, crocuses, snowdrops and others.
- It is necessary to seat plants, based on the individual characteristics of the plant. We take into account the light, shadow and composition of the soil.
Stones for rockeries and alpine hills: which ones to choose?
Stones are the main component of both an alpine slide and a rockery, so they must meet the following criteria:
- durability - to be used for as long as possible;
- naturalness - to have a natural look;
- decorativeness - decorate and transform the territory;
- natural - not to be artificial.
It is necessary to select soft stones of natural shades, this willthe composition is naturalistic and will emphasize the beauty of plants.
It is better to choose stones of large sizes, with coarse fragments, of the same breed for rockeries and different types for rock climbing.
The most popular are:
- granite;
- sandstone;
- slate;
- limestone.
Let's take a closer look at them.
- Granite stone is one of the most durable, hard, slowly aging, resistant to weathering, highly decorative.
- Sandstone - does not weather, because of this, the stone has sharp edges for a long time. It happens: with a red tint, sandy, creamy-grayish.
- Slate stone - This is a natural rock stone, has a layered structure. Has a large selection of colors. It happens: black, green, brown, gray, red, purple, burgundy, red, yellow, golden.
- Limestone - the main advantages of such stones include the ability to weather. Thanks to this, the corners are smoothed and the surface of the stone is overgrown with moss and lichen, which gives it a natural look and increases its decorative value. It happens: white, gray, cream, golden and blue. Often blocks of limestone imitate rocks well.
Rockery and rock garden device: step by step instructions
Since the organization of the rockery and rock garden does not differ from each other, the instructions for breaking them down will be the same.
Step 1 - Planning
You should make a plan or diagram of a future stone flower bed, taking into account all your requirements and the possibility of recreating them on your site.
When creating such a plan, consider whether all the necessary materials are available. Decide what type of structure will be. Which plants and where will grow, depending on whether the sunny side or not.
Step 2 - Work on the site
- Initially, they clean up the site.
- Next, the outline of the future composition is broken, this can be done with a rope.
- The fertile soil layer is removed by about 10-20 cm.
- After the hole is dug, all roots should be removed from the soil to prevent clogging of the fertile layer with weeds.
- Cover the recess with geotextile. This material is excellent at preventing weed growth.
- The next step is drainage. Small gravel or material that is available is poured.
- All this is sprinkled with sand, and carefully compacted.
In the end, a fairly rigid base is obtained, which can pass the necessary moisture, while preventing the stones from sagging.
Step 3 - Arranging the Stones
Only after preparing the soil, you can start placing stones. They need to be selected in different sizes, so the flower bed will look more interesting.
Under the stones you need to make small indentations. This will contribute to their stability, fill the flower bed with sand around the perimeter.
If the stones are very large, then you should deepen them by a third, and even better by half. They should be laid on the drainage or buried even deeper, the stones should not swing, and even more so turn out.
It should be taken into account that the stones must be oriented in one direction, thus, the impression of rocks naturally looking out of the ground will be created.
We should not forget about the place between the stones for the ornamental plants themselves.
Step 4 - Planting
Plants should be chosen such that a successful combination of size, color and shape can be obtained. Imagine how they will look in a couple of years.
Plants should be planted in tiers:
- the tallest plants are suitable for the first tier;
- for the second - average;
- respectively, for the third - the lowest or creeping.
At first, you can put the plants in pots, so to speak, take a closer look, you might not like it, and you will change something.
The location is very important, since alpine plants love a lot of light, this should be taken into account when breaking an alpine slide.
If you place rockeries next to a lush flower bed, then the composition will be completely lost.
The size of the structure also matters. A huge rockery on a small plot area will look ridiculous, and a small alpine slide can get lost and lose its charm in the corner of a large plot.
Wrong selection of plants
Many people do not pay attention to the choice of plants, and therefore the stone flower bed is empty due to the wrong selection of plants in terms of growth rate, flowering, size and location.
plant load
Too many plants in a stone bed cover the beauty of the stone and it seems that this is not a rockery or rock garden, but an ordinary flower bed.
Wrong selection of stones
Alpine slide, and rockeries, as planned, should imitate a certain natural area. Therefore, when choosing stones, it should be taken into account which stones should be placed on a stone flower bed.
In rock gardens, stones should be sharp, not smooth, similar to the fragments of mountains, and round stones are quite suitable for rockeries. Since there are no brightly colored stones in nature, natural colors of the stone should be preferred.
Incorrect stone placement
Some, creating a hill or rockeries, settle stones with geometric clarity - in a circle or with a square at the base, and a regular pyramid rises to the top. This is wrong, because in nature this does not happen.
Save per device
When, when constructing a rockery or rock garden, in an attempt to save money, they use "improvised" material that is lying around on the site, in the dacha, in the yard, it turns out that the stones do not match the style of the flower bed, and the arrangement of the composition is thoughtless. On such slides, plants very often rot because there is no drainage system, and also fail and die for the same reason.
Caring for rockeries and alpine slides
Maintenance of such a flower bed is minimal. If this is a hill, then it needs to be watered in the spring, when the plants begin to actively develop. You may need to moisturize in the summer as well. To do this, use a watering can or a hose with a sprayer.
Periodically, it is necessary to remove dried flowers and broken branches from ornamental plants. When weeds appear, you need to weed.
Top dressing should be applied infrequently, and fertilizers should be weak. For the winter, it is better to hide the plants, if they are not frost-resistant enough, in bags put on top. Sometimes you need to add soil.
Security issue
When creating an alpine slide or rockery, one should not forget about safety, especially for families with children. When creating a structure from stones and plants, consider the following rules:
- Do not use sharp stones.
- Fix the lumps well so that they cannot wriggle out.
- If there is a hole with water, do not leave children alone.
- Enclose the stone flower bed with a small hill.
The device of a rockery or rock garden is not very difficult, the main thing is patience and a desire to get good result. Such a flower bed is able to create coziness in the yard. Thanks to this design, the site will sparkle with new colors, and you will enjoy its beauty for more than one year.
Creating a stone flower bed on your site with your own hands makes it possible to feel like a landscape designer. There is always room for creativity here. You can make changes to your composition, add stones, plant new plants. This place will become a favorite vacation spot for the whole family.