Rockery alpine slide. What is the difference between rock garden and rockery. Alpine hill in landscape design

The concepts of "rockery" and "rock garden" in landscape design are quite similar, and there is no clear line between them. These are very fashionable and original elements of landscape design, which are becoming more and more popular every year and are increasingly used for arranging personal plots. And in garden and park architecture, these man-made creations have been successfully used for more than two centuries. Both rockeries and rock gardens are considered rocky gardens and consist of stones and a variety of vegetation, but there are a number of important differences between them. These concepts are confused mainly due to the fact that when creating such beauties, the source material for their construction is almost the same - fancy stones, soil, all kinds of plants.

rock garden

rockery

Plants used. Plants growing mainly in the alpine belt (subalpine or alpine belt of mountains) are planted in rock gardens, and almost any plants easily take root in rockeries (conifers have proven themselves well here), the choice of which is usually unlimited. Different types of creeping plants in rockeries are never used, at the same time, such plants are an invariable attribute of rock gardens. Plants in rockeries are also planted in relatively small quantities, since their main decorative effect is based more on the beauty of inanimate nature - it is important that at least half of the rockery area is occupied by gravel and stones. Most of the current "rock gardens" are actually rockeries, since the bulk of alpine plant varieties simply cannot grow normally in our climatic conditions.

Square. Rock gardens are mostly small and occupy a fairly small piece of land. As for rockeries, they require a much larger area (sometimes up to a couple of tens of square meters). Rockeries look more natural, being a natural continuation of the site they occupy, since they do not have borders and edgings, unlike rock gardens.

Regardless of whether a rock garden or rockery is planned to be created on a personal plot, it is very important that they fit into the natural environment as harmoniously as possible, thereby complementing it. The creative and incredibly interesting process of creating rockeries and rock gardens always requires skill and serious skill.

Rock garden - have you heard of this? This is rockery, which conquered more than one owner of a country house. The original composition of plants and stones is distinguished by its beauty and immediately attracts attention with its unusual appearance. Rockeries are often made on their own. This means that you do not need to hire a private landscape designer. Thanks to our website and detailed instructions, you can organize rockeries in the country with your own hands.

Looking at the flower beds and flower beds, you immediately understand that they were built artificially. Rockeries look more natural.

The word itself comes from the English "rock", that is, a rock.

Rock garden or rockery - what's the difference

There are many compositions of stones. Sometimes gardeners confuse rockeries with rock gardens. Plants for rockeries are diverse, while for rock gardens only mountain representatives of the flora are taken, a drainage base is made.

The main difference is that the rock garden is located on an artificially created slope, as well as on a hill. Absolutely flat area without hills and will be a rockery.

Alpine slide requires more time and effort, as well as financial investments for arrangement. It will take a lot more stones, and there is enough trouble with the selection of plants. Created rockeries with their own hands in the country:

1. Remains decorative throughout the year.
2. It only needs a well-designed plan, the right selection of material.
3. Does not require drainage.

However, the key advantage of rockeries is the fact that it is not at all necessary to cultivate high-altitude plants. You can safely use any species that you would like to see on your site.

Varieties of rockeries

Looking at the photo of flower beds, you probably noticed that the rockery device can be different. Several classifications will be discussed below. Read the information - and you will begin to understand rockeries no worse than landscape designers.

By shape

• Slide. The most that neither is a classic rock garden. An elevation in the form of a hill is assembled from stones, plants are planted on it. The more types, the better. A small structure with stone ledges looks very presentable.
• Flat. Horizontal rockeries occupy a considerable area, are located on a flat surface. The design protects the flora from the summer heat and severe frosts.
• Wall. Structures resembling a wall or props are constructed from stones. Mainly used for zoning the yard.

By location

• Under direct sunlight. Sun-loving plants are planted. For example, bells and cereals, gentians, stonecrops.
• In a shaded area. Brunners, geyhers, hosts are provided for landing, as they like to be in the shade.

By style

• Japanese. The Japanese-style rockery in all the photos looks like an area with a small amount of plants. In the foreground are rounded stones. Next to such a design, it is pleasant to arrange tea ceremonies and enjoy the beauties of nature. Therefore, oriental-style rockeries are built for relaxation and relaxation in the garden.
• English. Did you see sharp stones in the photo, more like fragments of rocks? Before you are rockeries, decorated in the English style. The easiest way to equip such a rockery is from conifers, wormwood and cereals. A striking resemblance to the cliffs in some coniferous forest.
• German. Its characteristic features: accuracy, rigor, solid functionality. A pile of stones can be replaced with 2-3 stone structures that perform a practical function.
• Italian. Assumes a fluid aesthetic, with rounded lines and subtle color nuances. If the area allows, you can install a small sculpture or forged furniture.
• European. Characterized by naturalness and diversity. The emphasis is on planting flowering plants that will replace each other throughout the season.
• Alpine. Any video on the topic will tell you that the Alpine style is the same hill, consisting of a pile of stones and creeping representatives of the flora.

Description of rockeries (video)

Rockery planning: how designers do it

Any landscape designer will tell you how to make rockeries with your own hands. But if you ask: “Where do I start?”, The answer will be simple and quite expected - with preparation. Step-by-step instructions for preparation are already waiting for you.

• We choose a place. Rockeries should not be placed thoughtlessly. Ideally, a rock garden should blend in with the natural topography of the garden or yard. Any elevation changes should be smooth and harmonious, combined with a nearby artificial reservoir, natural streams.
• We build away from fences. Indeed, the farther rockeries with conifers from buildings and fences, the better. Of course, this option is not always possible. You can try to simply drape the flowers for rockeries with shrubs or luxurious loaches.
• The soil is compacted with gravel. This is especially true in situations where the ground is quite loose. A simple design technique will help you prevent subsidence of large stones, it will become a good drainage for plants.

How to choose and install stones

The photo shows that each pebble literally lies on a special place reserved specifically for it. Let's figure out how to lay out stones correctly if you don't have a video with recommendations, and you couldn't find good schemes.

• First of all, we pay attention to large stones. Because they will become the basis of your garden. Choose pebbles that have a natural appeal.
• We take 2-3 large stones as a base. They are quite enough to create a mini rockery or a medium-sized composition.
• Are the stones different colors? This is more of a plus than a minus. The only point is less gray granite. He will simply get lost among the abundance of greenery.
• Before the installation of large stones, the soil under them is concreted. We have already talked about this, but we will repeat it again. Otherwise, the boulders will simply fall through the ground.

Site preparation

In the place where it is planned to place a rocky garden, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil. So you can prevent the violent growth of weeds that violate the overall harmony.

The largest boulders are placed in the chosen place and deepen by about 1/3. The rest of the site is laid out with a drainage layer. Mulch is poured on top, in which plants will be planted.

What plants to choose for rockeries

You have already received detailed information about what rockery is like, what it is, how it differs from an alpine slide. It's time to find out which representatives of the flora are best suited for planting.

1. Dwarf varieties of conifers. Both in the photo and in reality, coniferous rockery looks perfect. It is most preferable to use juniper, thuja and dwarf spruce.
2. Low shrubs. These include cotoneaster and honeysuckle.
3. Perennial. An incredibly simple scheme will help to add variety to rockeries. We boldly combine geranium and primrose, daffodils with tulips, hyacinths with crocuses.
4. Ground covers. They will help to give the flower garden a natural, luxurious moss. This includes classic moss, cat's paw.

Procedure step by step

You have already chosen a site, carefully prepared it, and outlined a rockery plan. You can start arranging.

Step 1

When large stones are laid, the gaps between them are filled with earth. It is not necessary to use fertile soil. The flora will grow quickly, there will be too many flowers. And you have a completely different goal - to bring rockeries as close as possible to the natural look. We advise you to take the soil from an ordinary garden and mix it thoroughly with sand.

Step 2

The second stage is planting plants. We take conifers as a basis. Thanks to them, rockeries will look "alive" at any time of the year. Next, we plant dwarf shrubs. You can take Chinese lilac or rhododendrons will help add brightness. Ground covers help complete the composition, but after shrubs it is better to plant perennials and bulbs.

Step 3

The walkthrough includes a third step. This is a decoration of the territory with small pebbles. You will also have to follow certain rules.

First of all, medium-sized gravel is laid. It acts as a cushion that will help form a decorative layer. The composition takes on a more natural look.

You can simply scatter gravel over the entire area or create fancy patterns by adding stones of various shades. A layer of ground cover plants will begin to break through between them.

Video of the phased arrangement of rockeries

We offer a look at the photo of ready-made rockeries. Perhaps they will inspire you to create a truly original garden design.

How to care for rockeries

The advantage of rockery is that it almost does not need serious care. Much depends on which particular representatives of the flora were chosen to create a rocky garden. Moisture-loving plants need regular, fairly plentiful watering. However, it is best to do this with a hose with a sprayer, so as not to wash away small pebbles.

We try to remove seeds and wilted leaves. Otherwise, next year there will be significantly more plants, and they will begin to grow in the most unexpected places. The appearance and perception of the composition will deteriorate significantly.

With rapid growth, we thin out the flora. Heat-loving varieties are covered and insulated with the onset of cold weather. As for top dressing, in most cases you can do without it. Once every 2-3 years, new soil is added - that's the whole trick.

conclusions

You were able to make sure that creating a stone garden with your own hands is a fairly simple task that almost anyone can do. Even with minimal care, rockeries will delight with an attractive appearance, make the garden plot original and unusual. Knowing how to make rockeries, everyone can feel like a landscape designer and do everything possible to improve the dacha.

Rockery or rock garden will help to give a noble look to the site. But what is it?

Rockery is a modern decoration of the site, 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 an area of ​​natural virgin wilderness.

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. A distinctive feature of this style is the 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.

Characteristic features of rock garden:

1. A rock garden can look like a rock, as if rocks rise above the surface of the earth.
2. Its design may resemble an alpine meadow with a limited number of stones and boulders.
3. The design of the alpine hill reproduces the mountain landscape to the maximum.

Rockery features:

1. It contains a variety of colors, unusual shapes, interesting textures.
2. 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 alpine slides, is chosen in the same way, but in order to achieve a decent result, you need to consider some rules:

1. A stone bed should fit perfectly into the landscape of your site.
2. Take care of the background against which the rockery or rock garden will be located. If you have buildings or an inefficient 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.
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. It is not recommended to plant large, very lush, brightly flowering varieties of 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.
3. 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 gardens.
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:

1. Do not use sharp stones.
2. Fix the lumps well so that they cannot wriggle out.
3. If there is a hole with water, do not leave children alone.
4. 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 a 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.

The hill was named after borrowed from the Alps. It was they who became the prototype of plants grown in artificial conditions. For self-construction, the creation of an earthen embankment equipped with good drainage is required. The upper, visible to the eye, part of the structure is laid with stones of various shapes and colors, between which pre-planted flowers sprout. Special care is not required, sometimes it is necessary to provide watering.

To make a rock garden as soon as possible and enjoy the beautiful view, you need to choose the right place to create it.

The design of rock gardens varies slightly and depends on the chosen style, of which several are known:

1. European style involves planting plants that grow and bloom slowly, but life cycles occur at different times of the year, so they can bloom alternately almost all year round, delighting the owners. The general view of the rock garden is always attractive, there are young buds, flowers.
2. English style has its own characteristics. Stones for the site are selected non-standard, often they have a pointed shape or unusual branches. Among them are coniferous plantations that grow for a long time and never get too high, which makes it easier to care for them.
3. Japanese style includes exquisite details, but their list is small. The stones are not stacked end-to-end, they resemble small ovals in shape. Plants are selected multi-colored, but inferior in number to other styles. Undersized, but bright and long-flowering options are appreciated.
4. Czech style resembles a constructor, the modules of which are interspersed with various colors. Slabs are selected by size, using the same, and sometimes playing with their shape, contrasting colors. The elements are stacked like a mosaic, mounted on the edges. The field for laying the main pattern is defined by holes in which seeds or plant seedlings can be planted.

The elements are stacked like a mosaic, mounted on the edges. The field for laying the main pattern is defined by holes in which seeds or plant seedlings can be planted.

When choosing a place to create a rock garden, it should be taken into account that it should be a picturesque island, so you should refrain from designing it on the location of a bad landscape. You should not place it near large bushes, trees, buildings, if they do not look harmonious. You need to choose a well-lit area, preferably throughout the year. You can orient yourself to the south, providing for any possible inconvenience.

It will not be possible to sow tall plants in front of the future flowering hill, and it should also be taken into account that the possibility of using the territory for storing something will not appear for a long time.

To harmonize the rock garden with other elements of the landscape or buildings, you can frame it with any building materials of the desired color. It is worth remembering that the addition of additional elements expands the entire structure.

A lawn is created next to the stone masonry, dim plants, mostly green in color, are planted on it.

Compared to other plants rock garden must rise, so you should additionally bring the earth, pour and compact the mound.

Rockeries: simpler designs

To create a rockery you can use certain plants that have long been tested by compatriots, which will help get rid of the risk of taking plantings unsuitable for the climate, caring for plants for which you need to develop individual methods of watering and feeding.

1. The planting area is relatively even, so it is necessary to select plants that are in harmony with each other in color and shape. Extraordinary species will stand out brightly, but ridiculously against the general background.
2. Flowers should bloom and stay green all year round. This property will help make rockeries attractive all the time, and in winter it will not spoil it with bare stems that have grown mixed with stones.
3. It is necessary to decide before creating a rockery which plants will be planted: fast-growing or slow-growing. Mixing these two varieties will make the overall look untidy, all the stems will be different in size, which would normally look in a rock garden. As a result, stronger plants will drown out the rest, so when connecting several types of dissimilar plantings, they should be placed at a distance from each other.
4. When selecting plants, they try to adhere to a certain color range or brightness of shades. When forming rockeries, the choice of color is especially important, so you should think in advance about the general appearance of future plantings and their combination with each other.

Unlike climbers, where refinement and light shades are valued, when creating rockeries in a dark place, you can make the site beautiful without a lot of sunlight. Rock ferns and ephemeroids will look great in the middle of small stones, casting a whole range of transitional, contrasting shades.

What is the main difference

Speaking of rockeries and rock gardens, they often mean the same type of flower garden. This is a mistake, as differences can be seen in any garden plot. Rockery is usually located horizontally, however, for its correct formation, several tubercles are often used. Randomly occurring hills will help make the terrain as unusual as possible, help you independently build additional jumps in the growth of green spaces and their location. It is easier to install stones on a smooth base, but laying out a memorable composition is almost impossible, so the work is complicated.

In the first photo there is a rock garden, and in the second a rockery.

Rockery has an advantage over rock garden, since for its construction there is no need to buy plantings that are especially resistant to negative factors, it is enough to purchase weakly growing plants. Alpine varieties will not be useful, as the terrain will be lighter, calmer. Usually necessary or very beautiful plants for rock gardens are unsuitable for growing in mid-latitudes, so many owners prefer to build rockeries rather than rock gardens.

When choosing a stone for rockeries you should focus on monochromatic colors, slight wear, general dullness after installation. The rock garden involves the creation of an eye-catching pattern that attracts attention even without grown plants. Stones and tiles of any kind can be used, since the hilly structure allows you to look at objects gradually, in contrast to the moderately flat surface for rockeries, where the overall picture is visible at first sight and any bust in color can be regarded as bad taste.

Determining the materiality of the differences between rockeries and rock gardens should be remembered that you need to stick to your own taste. If there is an opportunity to demonstrate design skills by creating unusual stone areas with the addition of flowers, it is worth a try.

With a competent approach and a clear understanding of the differences between the two types of structures, your own flower garden can turn out to be brilliant.

Quick navigation through the material

According to the canon, both alpine slides and flat rockeries should be decorated with plants of exclusively alpine origin. However, in central Russia, they are, firstly, not so easy to find, and secondly, to grow.

Therefore, today we will talk about which plants and flowers are as close as possible to the "Alpines" in terms of decorativeness and drought and frost resistance, as well as how to choose plants for an alpine slide and rockery so that the composition is harmonious and remains beautiful all season.

10 principles for choosing plants for a rock garden

Principle 1. You need to decide on the types of plants at the design stage of a rocky garden

It is best to work out the composition options on checkered paper / graph paper at a scale of, say, 1:50 or 1:25. Or at least draw an approximate scheme for planting plants and stones, taking into account the size of their growth (see the example below).

1 - Mountain pine, 2 - Creeping thyme, 3 - Canadian phlox, 4 - Evers stonecrop, 5 - Gray fescue, 6 - Rocky alissum, 7 - Angustifolia lavender, 8 - Stonecrop, 9 - Fragrant rue, 10 - Steller's wormwood. Note: the scheme of the alpine slide is shown without taking into account the flowering time of plants

Principle 2. The composition of an alpine slide or rockery is made up of at least 5 groups of plants

Group 1. Conifers

Mandatory elements of any alpine slide or rockery, because due to them the composition remains beautiful all year round, they give the rocky garden texture and mountain flavor. The main condition is that only miniature conifers with a slow growth rate are suitable.

Popular plants: Dwarf spruce, mountain pine, creeping species of juniper, arborvitae, cypress.

Tip: Conifers on an alpine hill and in rockeries look good right next to the stones.

They also need to be short.

Popular plants: Cotoneaster horizontal, iberis, dryad, cinquefoil, barberry, ceratostigma, spirea.

Tip: Deciduous shrubs in an alpine hill / rockery are not very desirable, as they are required to clear the garden of fallen leaves.

Group 3. Herbaceous perennials

Perennials greatly simplify the care of a rocky garden, and therefore you cannot do without them, although most of the representatives fade by mid-summer.

Popular plants: Carnations, Carpathian bellflower, rocky beetroot, saxifrage, gravel, armeria, multicolor spurge, small-leaved hostas, bergenia, irises.

Group 4. Ground cover plants

Ground cover flowers are the backbone of the rock garden flora as they remain ornamental from early spring to late fall, are very unpretentious, grow rapidly and suppress the spread of weeds.

Popular plants: stonecrops, phloxes, jaskolka, alyssum, soapwort, cistus and many others.

Group 5. Bulbous

Thanks to them, the alpine slide / rockery blooms from early spring.

Popular plants: Snowdrops, blueberries, chionodoxes, late tulips, pushkinia, chickweed, autumn crocuses and autumn crocuses.

Tip: Since after flowering, most bulbs completely disappear, they are not given a special place, but planted along with ground cover.

Principle 3. The composition of an alpine slide or rockery is made up in such a way that any flowering plants are constantly present in it

In a rocky garden, withering foliage is especially noticeable and it is not always possible to hide it behind the "neighbors". Therefore, to create an alpine slide or rockery, it is advisable to choose those plants that will bloom all summer or will retain the beauty of the leaves after flowering.

In this sense, it is very good to include annuals in the composition, which, although contrary to the rules, compensates for the lack of flowers after the bulbs and perennials have faded. The main thing is to choose creeping low-growing varieties with small flowers. For example, it can be: alissum, tricolor violet, lobelia or erigeron Karvinsky.

However, if your dacha has a lot of mixborders and flower beds, then a modest coniferous alpine hill or rockery from mid-summer, on the contrary, can successfully set off a riot of colors and look fresh.

Principle 4. The basis of the flora of an alpine slide or rockery is ground cover plants

In order for an alpine hill or rockery to be picturesque and colorful, their flora should consist of 60-70% of ground cover plants. The rest can be allocated to other plants.

Principle 5. The flora of the alpine hill / rockery should not be too diverse

From a large number of assorted flowers and leaves, the composition can become too colorful and artificial, the stones will be lost against such a background, and in fact they should be the main focus of any alpine slide or rockery. Moreover, if we take into account that most of the rocky garden is occupied by ground covers (ideally, about 1 square meter of area should be allocated for 1 species), then there will be very little space left for the rest of the plants. So, for example, for an alpine slide with an area of ​​10 sq. 6-8 meters of plant species will be enough.

Principle 6. All plants, including conifers, should be undersized

For flowers and shrubs, the optimal height is up to 60 cm (during flowering). It is better to use conifers only those that grow up to 1.5 meters and grow very slowly (say, 3 cm per year).

The height of all plants should be commensurate with the stones. Creeping plant species should be selected for small and low stones, and tall and lush conifers, shrubs and perennials can be planted next to large boulders and boulders.

By the way, with the help of plants, you can visually increase the height of an alpine hill or rockery on a slope by planting conifers on top or, conversely, balance the elevation by planting tall plants at its foot.

Principle 7. Plants in rock gardens / rockeries should be unpretentious

To take care of the rock garden to a minimum, avoid actively growing ground cover and deciduous shrubs, and also plant more perennials and conifers.

Separately, we will talk about ground cover. Some of their species grow so quickly and actively that in one or two seasons they can hide most of the garden under their carpet, including large stones. Correcting the situation will not be easy. Therefore, when planting such plants, for example, sapling, phlox or stonecrop, firstly, be prepared to periodically cut off the excess, and secondly, take preventive measures - protect the plant with border tape or plant it in a wide container to prevent the spread of unwanted rhizomes. And, of course, do not use fertilizers.

Principle 8. Consider the impact of stones on the soil

Plants that prefer slightly alkaline soil should not be planted near granite and basalt. And next to limestone, on the contrary, you can not plant plants that need acidic soil.

Principle 9. An important factor in plant selection is the duration of illumination of a rocky garden during the day

Here are the lists of plants for a semi-shady and sunny rocky garden.

Principle 10. The flora of a rocky garden should match the style of the site

If the house and the plot are decorated in a traditional style, then the plants for rockeries and rock gardens should be selected in a variety of colors, with a lot of flowers and in a multi-color range.

But for modern dachas and country houses, monochrome or contrasting compositions with a large number of mosses, conifers, evergreen shrubs and perennials, bulbous and even succulents are best suited.

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