The rock garden is a rather labor-intensive construction, implying excavation therefore, competent planning and serious preparation. Get acquainted with the “pitfalls” of building an alpine slide with your own, which can spoil the impression of the result. Find out how to choose the right material and plants for a corner of wildlife in the garden, and what difficulties you should take care of in advance. Learn the rules of care that will help preserve the composition for many years.

What is rockery and rock garden

It is not uncommon for a site owner to conceive a rock garden, draw a sketch, compare it with images found in magazines, and discover that he is going to build a rockery. To avoid confusion in concepts, let's figure out how rockeries differ from alpine slides.

The best stone flower beds give the impression that the human hand has not touched them.

A rock garden is an artificial rocky hill laid in tiers and planted with continuously flowering herbs and low shrubs. The classic hill is decorated with plants from Central Europe (Alps, Carpathians), although there is a Japanese version that provides for the planting of Far Eastern species, and even a Mexican one with cacti.

Alpine slide styles

A rockery is a garden made up of stones, and often on a flat terrain. Large and small stones, gravel pads, waves of sand - each detail has its own sacred purpose. Single plants are maximally underlined. In Japanese rockeries, plants may not be at all, in European and English versions plant species native to middle lane.

The rockery drawing is based on the contrasts of the texture and size of the stones, while on the alpine hill the main characters are plants. The second basic difference - rock garden involves working with a deliberately uneven terrain, rockery is possible and planar.

Japanese-style rockery - focus on inanimate nature

We make an alpine slide with our own hands

When developing a rock garden plan, it is necessary to remember the main features of such structures. landscape design:

• layering;
• the presence of open stone surfaces;
• the predominance of undersized plant forms;
• combination of contrasting views.

Scheme of terraced composition

When determining the length and width of the composition, a ratio of 5: 1 is usually used, the height is taken from 1 to 3 m, while remembering that the size of the rock garden should be in harmony with the dimensions of the site. It is desirable to depict the project on a scale, as detailed as possible, from all sides and in color, and also to consider seasonal changes in the habitus and color of the plants planned for planting.

Carefully executed in color, the project greatly facilitates further work

A simple alpine slide for beginners - possible difficulties

Having a simple scheme, it is not difficult to make an alpine slide from improvised materials with your own hands. However, any mistake made in initial stage, will result in the composition having to be rebuilt. To avoid this, consider the following issues:

1. Stagnation of water. The combination of such factors as the low-lying area, the abundance of snow and melt water, heavy showers and clay soil, quickly deprive the structure of decorativeness. Rock gardens are equipped with good drainage.
2. Soil settling. Before folding the hill, the soil is compacted under it, otherwise the stones will fall through, bend or even slide down the slope.
3. weeds. Alpine Hill will have to be protected from their penetration from two fronts: from under the soil and from the air. So that the rhizomes remaining at a depth do not let the sprouts up, the bottom of the pit is covered with geotextiles. If the seeds are carried by the wind, the weeds are pulled out by hand.
4. Burrowing animals. The sabotage of moles and shrews is prevented by a fine-mesh galvanized steel mesh, which is placed under the geotextile.

Graceful rock garden-flower bed

The effect of these negative factors is enhanced in the case of the arrangement of rockeries, the relief of which is more easily subjected to deformation. Particularly against weeds experienced designers two to three weeks before planting, the soil is treated with herbicides.

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

To obtain the maximum aesthetic effect, the rock garden on the site is formed in such a place that it can be viewed from at least three sides. It is useful to consider placing a convenient bench nearby under an awning or a dense tree crown.

Often, construction is started in order to hide the lack of relief: a ravine, a hill, a slope, the top of a moraine boulder peeking out of the ground, which cannot be dug out because of its size. The existing elevation difference will allow you to complement the rock garden with a stream and even a waterfall. The best neighbors of the rock garden in landscape design are open lawns and thickets of shrubs, the worst - metal fences.

The grasses of alpine meadows, accustomed to living without a forest canopy, are sun-loving and require full lighting. Rockeries can also be placed with light shading, but then the species composition of plants must be corrected.

Mini rock garden is relevant for small courtyards

How to choose and where to get suitable stones

Properly selected stones - the beauty and durability of the rock garden. Each breed has its own special qualities, on which its resistance to precipitation and winter freezing depends. The most popular breeds are:

• shell rock, limestone are rough, which allows mosses and lichens to cling to them, absorb moisture and gradually give it to plants, but are destroyed by acid rain and become polluted;
• sandstone - has a beautiful layered structure, slightly weathered;
• granite and basalt are massive, almost impossible to process with home tools, but they are resistant to any influences;
• slate - forms thin even tiles, great for creating deliberately careless stairs.

Large stones of beige tones are an excellent background for lush greenery

In nature, there are fragments of stones with uneven edges and a smooth surface - rolled by the sea or river. Fragments look natural on rock gardens, especially with pronounced traces of erosion. But if, according to the plan, a pond is provided, then its banks are allowed to be laid out smooth.

Excessive variegation disfigures the alpine slides, so it is recommended to limit yourself to one or two types of rocks. The largest boulder forms the center of the composition, the rest will complement the landscape, provided there is a balance between orderly and chaotic styling.

You can buy stones in two ways. If you have a truck or passenger car with a trailer they collect pleasing cobblestones on the banks of the nearest river or in a quarry. It is easier, but more expensive to order them with delivery to the site from organizations that sell natural stone, or negotiate with the workers of the quarry, if there is one nearby.

Rock garden device

The device of a small rock garden and its construction

Before planting the plants, the rock garden should settle down, so do-it-yourself work on its creation is carried out in early autumn. Let's consider them step by step using the example of building a mini-rock garden with a height of about 1 m.

1. Pit. From the contour outlined with twine, the soil is taken out to a depth of 30-35 cm. metal mesh from burrowing animals and geotextiles.
2. Drainage. It is made of expanded clay, broken tiles or bricks. 10 cm of coarse sand are poured onto 10 cm of drainage and spilled with water to prevent the formation of cavities.
3. Lower level device. To prevent large elements from sagging, several rubble stones are placed on the lower tier, and the volume between them is covered with rubble. In this form, the hill is allowed to stand for about a month: during this time, the foundation stones will become stable.
4. Formation. The composition of the stones is laid out in accordance with the sketch, leaving gaps for the earth and roots. Soft rocks, such as shell rock and tuff, allow you to drill recesses of the right size in them under flower pots.
5. Composition of the earth mixture. The soil taken out of the pit is sorted out, removing weed rhizomes from it. Add equal shares of river sand, expanded clay and humus. Granite slide allows the use of peat, but if limestone is used, acid additives are avoided.
6. Filling with soil mixture. This operation is performed on each tier, carefully closing up the voids. It is necessary to water the earth with a spray jet, otherwise the water will wash it out of the recesses.

In this form, the rock garden will have to survive the first winter in his life.

The finished hill is left to winter. In the spring, if necessary, they correct it and start decorating with plants.

Video instruction for beginners

Not to miss any important point, creating an alpine slide with stones in the country with your own hands, you can use the video instruction.

An experienced landscape designer who has decorated dozens of luxurious estates and ordinary summer cottages will tell and show how:

• get by with a minimum of material, money and hard work;
• do not make mistakes when laying blocks and planting flowers;
• properly care for the rock garden so that the decorative effect does not disappear over time.

Video: Instructions for building an alpine slide

Using the instructions, even a beginner will turn the shortcomings of his site into a rock garden or rockery worthy of admiring glances.

The arrangement of plants has its own order: grasses should not be blocked by shrubs

Alpine slide with a waterfall - a duet of water and mountain landscape

The highest aerobatics of skill in relation to stone structures that imitate natural ones is the combination of rock garden and water in landscape design. The rustle of jets or slowly floating in the stream yellow leaf adds European romanticism or Eastern philosophy to the composition.

Maximum naturalness

What to consider for a composition with a pond

If possible, add a pond or even a waterfall to the rock garden, you will have to take into account the following nuances:

• the bottom of the reservoir should not let water into the ground;
• for a pump that raises water, you will need to lay an electrical wire;
• when selecting plants, the difference in humidity along the banks and at the top is taken into account;
• periodically the pond will have to be cleaned, and drained for the winter.

Bright fish in the mysterious water give the composition a special charm.

AT summer period Japanese koi carps look spectacular in the pond, however, they will have to create a wintering hole with a depth of at least 80 cm and aerate it after solidification on the ice surface.

Creating a reservoir bowl - how to avoid disappointment

They begin to make a reservoir simultaneously with a slide in order to immediately remove the soil from under both objects. At this stage, the depth of the pond is determined, which rarely exceeds 30 cm: a shallow pond is easier to clean, and the pebbles at its bottom become especially expressive. The bottom section intended for the installation of the pump should be deepened. At the same stage, an electric cable is connected to the pond to power the pump.

Waterfall scheme

It is advisable to place a pond from the northeast of the hill so that it is in its shade for several hours every day, otherwise the water will bloom too quickly. It is better to leave the walls with a slope, this will facilitate the placement of stones on them.

The bottom of the pond is covered with a layer of sand 10 cm thick and carefully compacted. Geotextiles are first laid on top of the sand, and on top of it - a waterproofing film made of butyl rubber, the service life of which is 20-30 years. For reliability, the edges of the film should protrude 30-40 cm beyond the pit. Subsequently, they are added dropwise to the ground, but by the time the bowl is filled with water, the edges of the film are left free.

Rock garden with a pond perfect solution for hilly area

Technical equipment and artistic decoration of the waterfall

A pump for a small waterfall is purchased with a power of 70 watts. It is installed in the basin of the reservoir on a special stand to minimize contact with bottom silt. The device itself, as well as the hoses that take in water and push it out, are masked with stones. Be sure to check the security of the connection to the electrical wire.

By this time, the slide should be laid out to the point where the water begins to fall. The ejector hose is brought to this point, hiding its tip among the stones.

Pumping equipment is carefully camouflaged

The decoration of the waterfall is carried out with the help of rough flagstone, which prevents slipping on wet stone. Sometimes it is appropriate to use large ceramics in the decor, for example, an old jug, which can be slightly deepened when lying on its side.

The presence of water dust in the air will affect the selection of vegetation: ferns, mosses, bathing suits, and bergenia will take root near the mirror of the pond. Potted specimens also look good if they are planted in wide flowerpots, reminiscent of limestone in shade and texture.

Placement and combinations of plants

What plants are needed to decorate a garden composition

In order for the rock garden to always have a well-groomed appearance, plants are selected for it taking into account the time of their flowering. They should enter into the best time of life in turn and permanently create a joyful variegation. In this case, the appearance and range of colors will change with the seasons of the year. General rule is this: the clump of any plant should not grow rapidly and thereby suppress neighboring species.

Sometimes it makes sense to plant plants in pots

The second factor influencing the choice of flora is the stage and direction of the slope. The northern part is populated with stonecrops, milkweed, violets, saxifrages. Iberis, thyme, alyssum, pike, cat's foot are ideal for the southern slope and peak. In the lower tier, it is allowed to land such favorites of landscape design as Tagetes, highlanders, and hosts.

Plant layout

Support the decorativeness of the rock garden all year round allows a bush of low-growing juniper, whose elegant greenery will be emphasized by the snow that has fallen on the stones. When the flowers bloom again, this dark conifer will set off their beauty.

Plant selection

Alpine care

A rock garden requires less attention than, for example, a flower bed or a garden bed, but you should not forget about it either.

Preservation of attractiveness depends on the well-being of the plants settled in the rock garden.

1. Open areas, heated stones and free winds contribute to the drying of the soil, so alpine grasses need accurate, but systematic watering with a spray jet. The frequency of watering depends on the weather, but it should not be carried out more than once a day in order to avoid rotting of the roots.
2. Feed the plants at least once a month complex fertilizer, bringing it under the root along moistened soil and preventing the liquid from flowing down the slopes.
3. During the summer, dead shoots are cut out, monitored for the appearance of unwanted insects and their larvae, if necessary, add mulch, weed out weeds and remove wind-blown leaves. If the rockery contains crushed stone laid in waves or ridges, it will need to be corrected with a rake from time to time.

wide spaces open land mulch

Preparing for winter - how to protect the design corner

Before the onset of winter, care should be taken to ensure that the plants can survive the bad weather. Species for which winter temperatures regions are unacceptable, dug up and transferred to protected ground. The rest of the plants are covered with agrofiber - a material that does not allow damping. Ephedras wrap them completely and tie them over with twine.

To protect against wind and frost, the slide should be well covered with snow. The shields placed around will help to keep it: old doors, the remains of a profiled sheet and slate. In order not to spoil the aesthetics of a snowy alpine hill, you can weave special fences from wicker with your own hands.

The pond available at the rock garden is drained or several children's rubber balls are thrown into it, which will take on the pressure of the ice. The pump and hoses are taken out and stored in the house.

Spring work - cleaning up the consequences of winter weather

The most large-scale work on the care of the rock garden is planned for the spring, since at this time of the year it will be necessary to restore the masterpiece after snowfalls, blizzards and an abundance of melt water. Usually it is found that some of the plants have died, some stones have slipped, and the whole structure is covered with unattractive rotten foliage. Carefully removing the covering material, perform the following operations in the spring:

• fan rakes remove dead plant residues;
• “escaped” stones are returned to their place;
• pour soil and mulch;
• plants that have wintered in the heat are planted and new ones are added.

At the same time, they draw conclusions about what mistakes were made in preparing the rock garden for winter, so that the upcoming cold season would not become so destructive.

In order for a rock garden, rockery or other stone and flower arrangement to become a true decoration of a country estate, follow the three golden rules:

1. Divide the volume of the slide into zones to get a plateau, scree, rock, stairs. This will allow the eye to never get tired when contemplating an object.
2. Avoid excessive garishness. 3-4 different-sized color spots look ideal on a dense green background of ground covers.
3. Do not buy flashy, gaudy jewelry made of ceramics and plastic.

We bring to your attention beautiful examples registration for garden plot alpine slides and rockeries. Of course, each of them is tied to a specific area, so when transferring the idea to your hundred square meters, you will have to make adjustments to the sketch.

Doing the design of an alpine slide with your own hands is worth it, if only because it reflects the character and mood of the author as much as possible. Rock gardens are unique, each has its own zest, unique pattern, inimitable compositional notes. Building a slide with your own hands is an amazing compromise between the severity of the garden and the indomitable riot of pristine nature.

Editor Rock garden and rockery 6774

Blooming from early spring to late autumn, the alpine slide is a gardener's pride and trouble. Beauty revived with one's own hands seems simple and natural, but behind this is labor multiplied by creativity. The more natural the alpine slide looks in the country, the more effort was put into it by its creator.

The idea of ​​​​creating a corner of wildlife in the country is very tempting. The ideal composition is a combination of stones and plants. Well-chosen variations resemble a mountain landscape. Exist certain rules arranging alpine slides with your own hands, but this only applies to laying technology. The visible upper part is the process of personal creativity. The gardener can rely on recommendations, however, he will receive only his final result. There are no two similar alpine slides. It is always a manifestation of individuality. The presence of one or more large stones a prerequisite for composition. This emphasizes the desire to be like mountain peak. Country hill is no more than two meters high. The slopes are planted with low-growing evergreen and seasonally flowering plants.

The main misconception of novice gardeners is the idea that a pile of stones, half covered with fertile soil and covered with a vegetable carpet, can already claim the title of an alpine hill. I would like to emphasize once again that making an organic composition with your own hands is a creative, time-consuming process associated with financial costs.

The rock garden has a history

The mention of the Alps suggests that the idea was born to create a mountain landscape in the garden somewhere in Europe. But it's not. The Japanese are considered to be the founders of stone gardens. It was they who discovered to the world the art of combining the hardness of stone with the tenderness of flowers. Spectacular rock gardens on distant islands rising sun known and described thousands of years ago. This idea came to civilized Europe in the 16th century, and to Russia only in the 18th century.

What is rockery?

Rockery is a composition of stones and plants, where hard rock plays the main role, and herbs and flowers serve as a background. Only one type of stone is used here. They are arranged randomly or folded with their own hands in parallel rows into low walls. There is an illusion of a rocky mountain environment.

Plants play the main role in rock gardens. It is their beauty among the stones that attracts the eye.

You should not confuse these concepts and know what exactly you want: rock garden or rockery.

The main green components of the rock garden

Feature for all herbs and flowers:

• unpretentiousness in care;
• short stature;
• survivability in adverse conditions: with excess water and in case of drought.

You can change the image of the flower bed every year by planting annuals with your own hands. But it is better to immediately focus on perennial specimens. Then every year appearance will become more and more attractive. You should take into account the seasonality of flowering of each inhabitant of the flower bed and pick up a variety of specimens.

In the natural environment, there are several representatives of the wild flora, which have long been cultivated as garden plants.

For an alpine slide fit:

• edelweiss; a romantic symbol of love that overcomes all obstacles; frost-resistant perennial; spreads on the ground with small rugs; flowering season - early and mid-summer;
• rejuvenated or stone rose; flower with earthy fleshy leaves; grows rapidly between stones; light purple flowers; resistant to any weather changes;
• lumbago; small perennial from the buttercup family; blooms the very first; grows well;
• stonecrop; represented by several varieties; perfectly spreads along the ground with creeping stems, destroys weeds around it; changes color under the influence of the sun;
• saxifrage; likes northern or shaded slopes; weaves a green flowering rug even over stones;
• crocus; small bulbous stars of a wide variety of colors; bloom from March to May; breed well;
• dwarf barberry; refers to the type of shrubs; creeps on the ground; suitable for the lower tier; in spring it pleases with flowering, in autumn with red berries;
• juniper; evergreen undersized bush; can serve as the center of the composition; unpretentious and stable.

Alpine aster, dwarf barberry, aquilegia are also used; phloxes; Japanese spirea. All plants need time to show themselves in all their glory. Applying multi-tier landings, it will be possible to achieve a better result.

Location selection

It is advisable to define a spacious, well-lit corner for the rock garden. The flowerbed should be visible from all sides. Handmade beauty needs to be shown.

The composition looks more natural in spacious places: in the center of the garden, between the paths, as an independent flower bed. The location in the corner, between the trees and buildings will not allow you to fully show the beauty of creation.

If one of the slopes of the hill is shaded, this is not a reason to be upset. You will have to choose plants for which such conditions are the most comfortable.

Drainage is a necessary procedure for soil health

The nature of the soil must be taken into account. Sandy soil is better and is natural drainage. There will be no problems with excess moisture. For clay soil and clean, fatty chernozem requires a mandatory layer of drainage from any comfortable materials. The work is simple, done by hand.

You can arrange the drainage system around the entire perimeter of the base. If the problem of fluid accumulation is not for your area, it is enough to dig a few holes.

The equipment technology is simple:

• remove a layer of soil to a depth of 30 cm;
• fill up 20 cm of crushed stone or gravel, any small construction waste will do;
• ideally, it is better to cover the drainage with a layer of geosynthetic textiles; it allows water to pass through, but does not allow even the smallest particles of soil to leave with the liquid; separates the layers, does not allow them to mix; subsidence of the soil is excluded;
• then a 10 cm layer of sand is poured;
• layer of earth.

Each part of this cake must be well watered after backfilling.

soil mixture

To form the best natural base, they are combined in equal parts cleaned and sifted earth, coarse sand and dry humus.

If this is the first experience at the base of the rock garden, then its height is desirable no more than 1 m.

Stone laying

Three tiers is enough. At the stage of formation of an earthen hill, large specimens are laid in the lower tier so that they look out of the ground.

After that, you need to take a break from work for two weeks. During this time, the soil will settle, compacted. Problem areas will show up.

Then the creative process of laying stones in tiers with your own hands begins. Remember that the natural environment is being formed. Stones should not lie on the surface, but seem to peek out of the ground, forming a single whole with it. There is no need to rush and observe symmetry. Change, move, flip until you get what you like.

The principle of placement of tiers is a pyramid. Small samples should rest securely on the lower large ones. It depends on taste, but it is desirable to select specimens that are uniform in structure and color.

You can draw a diagram of an alpine slide top view. Then it will be easier to do what you want in practice with your own hands.

Top construction

This is the final stage construction works. There are several options:

• hoist to the top, a massive beautiful stone; it will protect the slide from surface erosion;
• create a mini-pyramid with your own hands with a hollow middle and plant flowers there;
• make a crown of small but attractive samples.

After the completion of construction, it is better to wait a week. Next, proceed to the landing of green inhabitants.

And a few more tips:

• do not use artificial materials, garden sculptures, and unsuitable plants in decorating the slide; the task of obtaining a corner of natural nature should be paramount;
• mountain compositions look great on the edge of lawns;
• it is more convenient to fill the slide with flowers from above;
• fertilizers should be applied in limited quantities, especially when planting; plants must take root on their own; top dressing is necessary after the third year;
• small voids and dips will periodically form; fill them with a mixture of clay soil with peat;
• always water the hill from the foot; impregnated lower layers will not allow soil and microelements to be washed out from above.

A spectacular element in the landscape is an alpine slide created by oneself. A rock garden is a small area in the garden, designed in the form of a natural corner.

Many homeowners are interested in how to make an alpine slide with their own hands?

In order to create this corner of wildlife on your site, you need to familiarize yourself with the intricacies of landscape design.

Usually this masterpiece is located in the most prominent place. In addition, the rock garden needs a sunny place, so this corner is usually located in an open area.

Since the alpine slide has a calming effect on a person, it is best to place it near the place of rest.

The quality of the ground cover should not be discounted, since the most favorable soil for rock garden is sandstone, but if the earth has a clay base, then it will be necessary to make drainage.

When is the best time to create a rock garden

An alpine hill can be created at any time of the year, with the exception of winter, since it is impossible to plant plants or prepare the soil in winter cold. However, experts consider autumn to be the most optimal for creating a rock garden.

Since the natural shrinkage of an alpine slide can take several months, then, according to landscape designers, for the autumn landing you need to prepare from the spring.

Creation of an alpine slide

Landscape designers, answering the question of how to make an alpine slide, offer universal schemes and projects for arranging this natural corner, taking into account all the subtleties and scope of work.

However, knowing the basic rules for creating a rock garden, you can organize it yourself.

The first thing to pay attention to is the location. So, the rock garden should be clearly visible. Most best option- this is the creation of an alpine slide in the form of a pyramid, in which maximum height centered.

In addition, all elements of the rock garden should be located freely, symmetry is inappropriate here. In the event that it is possible to organize a rock garden on a natural slope, then its elements are best marked at the same level.

In terms of parameters, the height of an alpine slide should be proportional to its size, that is, 1 meter of area corresponds to a height of 0.2 m, so a flower bed measuring 4 m² in height will be 80 cm, as in the photo of an alpine slide.

Preparatory work

Even the simplest alpine slide requires careful preparation. So, when creating a rock garden, it is required to make drainage, the fact is that the use of stones causes the soil to subside, which means that it is impossible to do without drainage.

Drainage material can be fine gravel, pieces of red or white brick, small pebbles or rubble.

Before laying the drainage, it is necessary to dig a hole 1 m deep into a flower bed with an area of ​​8-9 m². Then drainage is laid out and the soil is filled with water. Next, a layer of earth is poured.

As a soil for a rock garden, it is best to use the composition of the soil from the usual earthen soil, peat and river sand. All components of the soil should be in equal proportions.

Note!

stones

The basic element of any rock garden are stones. Usually these are large stones of the original form.

Most often, pieces of granite, sandstone, limestone are used to create an alpine slide; you can also use wild stone, as well as tuff.

When making rock garden stones, you must follow the following rules:

• It is best if the size of all stones is the same;
• Stones must be of the same variety;
• Stones should be uneven in structure and shape;
• You need to arrange the stones so that they are asymmetrical.

You can arrange stones according to own taste, however, experienced designers can offer you several suitable projects. Recently, a scheme has been in fashion when massive stones are scattered on the site, and small pebbles between them.

An alpine slide looks interesting when the most spectacular stone is set in the center, especially if the rock garden is located on a slope.

Note!

When laying stones, especially massive ones, you need to make sure that they are stable, for this you can even fix some of them with cement or dig them a little.

A properly organized alpine slide in the country can become a favorite vacation spot for the whole family.

Green spaces

2 months after preparatory work you can start planting green spaces. The most convenient for rock garden design are plants such as undersized spruce, thuja, mountain pine and juniper.

A small alpine slide is great landscape solution for small area. When creating such a rock garden, it is best to use undersized, herbaceous plants, such as wild carnation, short marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies and bluebells.

If desired, the alpine slide can be combined with a small pond in the form little pond, however, in this case, the process of creating a rock garden will be even more laborious, but it will be a real work of landscape art.

Do-it-yourself photo of an alpine slide

Note!

Now it is very fashionable to have suburban area alpine hill. The fact is that this design pleases the eye of a person who likes to relax after work in the country, for example.

As a rule, alpine slides are created with the help of professionals. It is obvious that this good way get a quality alpine slide. But you need to keep in mind that the work of professionals will be expensive. Therefore, more and more often, many summer residents create rock gardens on their own. In fact, there are no difficulties in the work. In two days you can create an excellent alpine slide with your own hands. It is only necessary to know some of the subtleties of the work.

Alpine slide is created in several stages. So, first, a suitable place on the site for her is selected. Then we create a drainage system. As soon as these works are completed, we lay out the stones and pour the earth. In the final stage, planting is carried out. And now we will tell you in detail about each stage of the work.

For an alpine slide, a place is chosen that is noticeable at the entrance to the site. It is important that there is a lot of light. Stones and plants should be placed so that everything looks as natural as possible. Shaded area is not suitable. Alpine slide is created for everyone to see it. In addition, you need to choose a level place as much as possible.

In order for the alpine slide to constantly have a beautiful view, you need to create a foundation so that the structure does not sag. And the drainage system helps with this. So let's dig a hole. The depth of the pit can reach two meters. For drainage, we use sand, gravel or crushed stone. But you can't use sawdust. In the end, lay out the earth and tamp it down.

Stones for the alpine slide are laid out in tiers. Below we put the largest boulders, below - small stones. The smaller the alpine slide, the smaller the stones should be. Everything is in proportion.

It is noteworthy that there is no definite scheme for placing stones on an alpine hill. The main thing is to do everything so that you like it. The rest is rubbish. Any design will be considered correct. It is best to use homogeneous natural stones to make the alpine slide seem natural. Alpine slide should be beautiful even without plants. The stones are laid out in such a way that plants will be planted on the hill. Use fertile soil.

The soil on the alpine hill is prepared independently. You can use peat, black soil, clay, organic fertilizers, sand and much more.

It is important to choose the right plants for the alpine slide. An important condition is unpretentiousness. In addition, it is necessary to use only those plants that are found in the wild. So the alpine slide will look as natural as possible. You can even buy evergreen bushes that will delight you all year round.

Alpine hill can have a height of up to three meters. Building it can be very difficult. In Eastern culture, alpine slides have existed for more than three millennia. The building came to Western countries not so long ago from China and Japan.

Finally, important condition at - maximum proximity to natural nature. Only natural stones are used, which are laid out not strictly, as in the construction of a house, but more randomly.

Today on the Internet you can find many schemes of alpine slides for different areas. There are simple designs, as well as complex slides that a professional can obviously create.

You can always hire specialists who will create a masterpiece on your site called "alpine hill". The design, first of all, should please not only you, but also guests who can come to the country house or Vacation home. Caring for a small slide will be easy. As a rule, the same work is performed as on. Plants are fertilized, watered, transplanted on time.

Here is a step-by-step instruction for creating this beautiful landscape composition. If you follow all the tips, your slide will look spectacular and natural, and the plants planted on it will delight you with abundant flowering.

So let's get started.

A very important point. Rock garden is preferable to place on natural terrain. But if there is none, it is created independently in suitable place household plot. But more on that in the next sections.

The most important aspects to consider when choosing a location:

• the hill should be exposed to direct sunlight;
• it should be the south (in extreme cases, the southwest) of the site;
• the rock garden should be noticeable, not hidden from the eyes; after all, what is the point of making such beauty if it is inaccessible for contemplation.

And about how to arrange yourself automatic watering lawn, read.

Drainage

Drainage is a set of measures aimed at ensuring that the slide does not sag.

How to make drainage for an alpine slide:

• at the chosen place, we dig a pit (the depth of the pit for a rock garden with a diameter of 2 m will be 70-80 cm);
• we fill the bottom with sand or gravel (you can broken brick, construction garbage);
• we lay the ground;
• rammer.

The quality of the rammer will determine how long the hill will remain a hill, i.e. will not sag under the pressure of stones.

To create a drainage you will need this scheme

Selection and placement of stones

For an alpine slide, boulders of any shape and breed are suitable, it all depends on your preferences and the availability of materials in your area.

You can also lay them to your taste, guided by aesthetic considerations and common sense.

A few tips:

• if your rock garden small size, do not lay huge stones on it; firstly, it is ugly, and secondly, the slide will sag under their weight;
• put larger stones at the bottom, smaller stones at the top;
• choose one breed of stones, it will be more natural;
• do not stack the stones too close to each other, remember about the space for plants;
• lay stones in tiers, there should be at least three of them.

Experts say that a rock garden with properly laid stones looks great even with a small number of plants or without them at all. And they are absolutely right

Soil preparation

You can buy it or make it yourself. If you have a clean clay soil or you know where to get it, then consider that most of the work has already been done. You will also need peat and gravel. Mixing ratio: 3 parts soil to 1 part peat. Add a little gravel, by eye.

Fertile soil needs to fill the free space between the stones, intended for planting plants.

Two tips:

• make sure that there are no weeds in the soil, they can greatly spoil the look of the rock garden;
• if you are not sure what you can do good soil on your own, better buy it.

The next step is planting. It is important to choose those that fit all the criteria described below.

Plant varieties for different tiers of the slide

Plants to choose different sizes and shapes to give a greater resemblance to the wild. The choice of plants for rock garden is better to start with undersized and creeping perennials with decorative foliage. They themselves bloom beautifully, and the rock garden will be decorated.

In order for the plants to grow and please you, you need to carefully consider their seating.

Plants that do not tolerate shade well and do not require much moisture should be planted on sunny side slides, and those that can grow even in shady conditions, plant on the north side. Drought-tolerant plants are best planted in the lower tiers.

For rock garden it is preferable rocks plants, shrubs, dwarf trees, you can supplement the composition with moss. If you want to see other plants that are not related to mountain varieties, such a rock garden will be called rockeries.

Step by step instructions for planting plants

In order for the rock garden to please you with healthy and flowering plants, and not with lethargic and dried sticks, you should take the seating of the layers responsibly.

Each tier has features of planting, we will give detailed instructions for the landing of each of the tiers.

Plants for the top tier

Because it will be the most high area slides, no wonder that there will be the least amount of moisture and more strong winds than on the other tiers. This means that there is no place for “tender” and moisture-requiring plants.

The best option for landing in the upper tier is Edelweiss. You can buy seedlings, or you can grow your own. To do this, at the end of winter, you need to scatter Edelweiss seeds into a specially prepared box and, covered with glass, put it on the windowsill on the south side so that the seeds are warm and light.

Edelweiss will be an ideal option for the upper tier of rock garden

And at the end of spring, when the time comes for planting seedlings, you need to prepare the soil. Between the stones, earth mixed with sand and gravel should be poured to create natural natural conditions.

You should not feed the soil, everything should be natural, otherwise the plant will refuse to grow.

In the same year, flowering is not worth waiting for, but on next year the plant will surely please you with flowers. Every 2 years it will have to be replanted so that it continues to bloom.

Also, the upper tier can be decorated with Iberis, which will delight with its evergreen color. For a slide, it is better to use the kind that reaches up to ten centimeters in height. And at the end of spring, he will delight you with his flowers.

Will come to the place perennial carnations, those that grow in bushes will look more beautiful, so a large area will be planted and the flowers will delight with their abundance.

The active flowering period of this plant is in the spring, which means that you need to make sure that some other plant takes over the flowering baton so that the middle layer of the rock garden does not remain empty in the summer.

Aubrieta cultural is a good choice for the middle tier of an alpine hill

Cultural obrieta, having begun its flowering in May, will delight until July with its bright flowers.

The main thing is to water the plant regularly and abundantly, but at the same time not to allow an excess of moisture.

You can also plant a Carpathian bell, which takes root faster and begins to grow.

However, it is worth watching it carefully, because rapid growth can interfere with other plants of the middle tier. As soon as it starts to crowd out the neighbors, it should be reduced.

This picture can be supplemented with a cleaner, which will delight with its unusual and unusual silver-colored leaves. Chistets noticeably stands out among other plants, due to its rare color.

You will see even more plants for the middle tier in the photo:

For the lower tier

The bottom tier is different high humidity, which means that here is the place for moisture-loving representatives of the plant world.

An ideal place for styloid bryozoan, which will delight you with active flowering in the height of summer. Caring for her is not difficult and does not require much time. Main Feature This plant needs regular and abundant watering. If the plant is provided comfortable conditions, it will cover the lower tier of the rock garden with a green carpet.

This is how awl-shaped bryozoan looks in the lower tier of the hill

Suitable for the lower tier, feeling great in stones and poor soils. It is important to provide her with moderate watering. To obtain seedlings, you do not need to plant it in a box in advance, but only at the end of spring you need to sow seeds on a hill.

The original decoration of the lower tier, and of the hill as a whole, will be an Indian dusheney. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that its flowering is compared with strawberries.

Spikelet lyatris in the middle of summer will delight you with its hairy inflorescences. Unpretentious in care, requires moderate watering yet drought tolerant.

See photos of these and other plants for the lower tier here:

Well, now you know the basics of how to make an alpine slide with your own hands. Now it's only up to your imagination and desire.