2021 ᐈ

A rockery (rocky garden) is a composition of stones and plants that recreates a fragment of a mountainous area. This term is often confused with the popular “alpine slide,” so let’s immediately explain what a rock garden is and how it differs from a rock garden.

Strictly speaking, an alpine hill, which is a rocky and tiered elevation, is just a type of rock garden. There are other varieties: flat rock garden, retaining walls, terraced slope, architectural rock garden, etc. However, among summer residents the idea has long taken root that a classic rock garden is just a flat rock garden, so we will talk about it and its creation in this article.

Flat rocky garden
Flat rocky garden
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So, a flat rock garden is good because:

It looks organic and natural in most Russian landscapes.
It can decorate the area all year round, especially if you use winter-hardy plants.
Undemanding in care. Moreover, it simplifies the care of the lawn and the area around flowers and plants - due to the stone filling, it does not need to be weeded.
Making a rock garden with your own hands is easier than making an alpine slide.
Can continue paving the area or mixborders.

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 a rock garden and a rock garden. Today, many experts combine the two terms, calling this creation a rocky garden.

This decision equates the two directions to rock gardens that emphasize the Japanese style.

In fact, this is not so: a rock garden is a decorative composition that contains 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 significant importance in the entire structure. A rock garden differs from a rock garden in its drainage system.

The difference is that the vegetation used in rockeries is unpretentious in care. Landscape design uses flowers that are easy to care for. Even a novice gardener can create an original flower garden, since arranging a flower bed does not require any special skills. For this reason, rock gardens are popular among summer residents and gardeners.

Dachny

In the center of the plot, a flower bed is laid out with stones, which immediately becomes the aesthetic center of the suburban space. Flowers emerge through the stones, and the brighter their bushes, the more elegant the composition.

If you manage to create high walls of a flower bed from stones, then it is good to lower climbing plants along them.

Garden

In the garden, a rocky miracle can be more expressive and varied. The voluminous boulders mixed with small stones look interesting. It would be better if you can build a cascade through which a stream gurgles, filling the artificial pond below. Pretentiousness in this case plays on the idea: the garden should be “surprised” by the rocky flower garden.

Room option

Yes, a rockery in a room is also possible, including in a country house. It is better to place a small structure where there is more fresh air - on the veranda, balcony. If you make such a decision, you will need a special platform and a “foundation”, and you will also have to take “watch” to maintain light and humidity for the composition.

Site preparation

In the place where you plan to place the rock garden, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil. This way you can prevent the rampant growth of weeds that disrupt the overall harmony.

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

Before creating a rock garden, you need to prepare the soil

Peculiarities

To prevent disharmony in the landscape design of the site with the appearance of a rocky “mountain” with flowers and trees, it is better to take everything into account in advance. Think about what stones you want to see, what plants please you more, how many square meters the finished composition will occupy. To carry out these calculations, it would be good for you to understand the type of rockery.

There are a huge number of their types, we will list at least the most popular:

Mini version. Suitable as an additional decoration for a recreation area. As an example - stones, grass, on top - a bush of bright barberry.
On the slope. This rock garden is good because it is very convenient for organizing a water element.
Coniferous. This is a volumetric composition consisting of a mound of stones and dwarf coniferous trees. Now this is the rage among designers. This beauty is located right in front of the house.

As for the functionality of a rock garden, what matters here is a division such as a temporary rock garden or a permanent, stable one. The temporary option fits organically on a slope or flat surface.

It will be necessary to dig a hole to root seedlings of young ornamental shrubs and place small stones here.

To create a stable stone flower garden, large boulders and small stones are installed “forever”, the gaps between them are filled with greenery, which preferably does not require special care, but is outwardly elegant. For example, spirea, hosta, cinquefoil and other plants are perfect.

Fantasy people prefer changeable rock gardens. Large bright flowers are used for decoration, to which the owners happily plant more and more each year.

Rockeries can be made in different styles. A distinctive feature of English is plants in pastel, non-stressful tones. The range is restrained and natural. No crazy colors, just pine needles and grasses. The stones are mostly gray, gray-white.

European style involves local boulders and bright low flowers. Cineraria, border phlox, tagetis, California poppy, and chickweed will look beautiful.
The Japanese style embodies a symmetrical arrangement of stones, where everything is calibrated and geometrically correct. Floral elements, as a rule, are rare, spectacular plants: dwarf sakura, rhododendrons, azalea hybrids.

The rocky garden is made up of hardy, zoned specimens. But from time to time, the rockery still needs to be watered through a hose sprayer. And don’t forget that every few years you need to add soil and thin out the flower plantings. After all, the main purpose of a rock garden is aesthetics, so at any time of the year the composition should attract the attention of guests and owners.

How to select and install stones

The photo shows that each pebble literally lies in 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 couldn't find good diagrams.

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.
Do the stones have different shades? This is more of a plus than a minus. The only point is that there is less gray granite. He will simply get lost among the abundance of greenery.
Before installing large stones, the soil underneath them is concreted. We have already talked about this, but we will repeat it again. Otherwise, the boulders will simply fall through the ground.

We also recommend reading

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Choosing a stone for backfilling (video tips)

Types and design features

A lot of things depend on the type of rockery composition: the aesthetics of the yard area, the beauty of flowering plants, their design. There are several options for designing a design object, which differ in their characteristics.

Japanese

This is one of the sophisticated styles that are commonly used to decorate rockeries. At the same time, this design is moderate and discreet. It doesn't have a lot of bright colors. Most of the decor is occupied by stones, concrete paths or marble slabs. A characteristic feature of rockeries is the presence of wavy lines directly on the embankment.

They try to plant ornamental coniferous trees as living vegetation. In some areas, pink flowering plants with small inflorescences may be added.

English

An equally popular design option is English. It should contain only coniferous plants. You can dilute the situation with the help of decorative wormwood and low weaving vegetation. The latter variety should be present in limited quantities.

Over time, it will cover the entire surface of the rock garden and turn it into a rock garden. This project is also very limited in terms of decor.

European

A good idea for decorating a rock garden is the European style. Working on it requires a responsible approach. For this option, you cannot choose any plants. They try to use varieties that are independently capable of adapting to growing conditions. There are no restrictions in terms of variety.

Flowers and miniature shrubs can have different leaf shapes and shades. Plants can smoothly replace themselves in a flower garden, so the decor will turn out to be quite unexpected.

German

This option provides rigor, naturalness and practicality. To replace a pile of ordinary stones in a structure, they try to use stone structures. They can play a practical role in a rock garden, for example, as a bench.

Italian

The main features of this direction are elegance and aesthetics. Smooth lines, delicate shades and rounded shapes of complementary decor are welcome here. Forged furniture will look very interesting in a given setting: a chair, a table. You can install a stone sculpture.

Rockery on a slope with conifers

Creating a rock garden is nothing more than a hobby. This process is very difficult to compare with exhausting domestic work. At the time of project implementation, clear boundaries must be planned and the exact scheme must be known. You can choose one of several or combine different options.

Rockery in the garden Source yandex.ru

An interesting design idea that includes coniferous plants. The basis of this rock garden is formed by decorative pine and thuja. Green non-flowering perennials are also planted. At the foot of the rockery there are low-growing varieties. If you look above, flowers with pink blooms and burgundy leaves predominate in this zone. Decorative flat stones and large massive pebbles serve as reinforcement for such an object.

Mugus pine in landscape design Source yandex.com

Low-growing spruce and decorative pines combine perfectly with each other in one design. Plants growing in the foreground deserve special attention. They can be planted directly in the ground or use the same pots for this. Large stone blocks add naturalness and naturalness to the object.

DIY rock garden Source yandex.com

Most coniferous plants love moist and loose soil, so the soil must be prepared before planting. Such crops include cypress, ornamental pines, blue trees. Each of these varieties of conifers can be combined in a rockery composition along with decorative reeds, feather grass and wormwood. Small-leaved, thick-skinned plants are often planted at the same level as the spruce. If there are tall trees in this rockery, they are always planted in the far corner, then taken for shrubs and ornamental varieties.

Garden around the house Source wday.com.ua

Stones with sharp edges harmonize well with perennial weaving plants. Burgundy begonias, petunias, ferns, purslanes and other plants are planted in the same flower beds. Plants with small leaves try to sow on the tubercles. After they grow, an interesting volume is obtained in the center of the object. The obligatory plant on it is the decorative pine.

Central figure of the courtyard Source samodelino.ru

Differences between a rock garden and a rock garden

The closest relative of the rock garden in landscape design is the rock garden (alpine slide). They have one common feature - both of these landscape compositions are based on a significant amount of stones, advantageously complemented by ornamental plants that do not require constant and careful care. Rockery Alpinarium

However, there are a number of significant differences:

Relief. A rock garden represents a rocky mountain, often even with a clearly defined peak, while a rock garden is usually built on a flat or slightly sloping surface.
Degree of illumination. The rock garden provides for placement in an area open to sunlight. Rockeries, in turn, can be located not only in the light, but also in a shaded place.
Plants. An alpine hill provides an abundance of vegetation, mostly mountainous (or very reminiscent of it). The rockery is much more modest in this regard. The main emphasis here is on stone, and rare islands of flora are intended only to emphasize its outlandish beauty.

Rockery and rock garden: what is the difference

Alpine slide
It is a mistake to consider a rock garden to be a type of rock garden. This is an independent type of flower garden, the design of which has its own rules. Of course, both flower beds have a lot in common, but upon closer examination, one fundamental difference can be identified. The alpine slide imitates a mountain flowering meadow, so the plants on it are an obligatory detail. Stone placers do not dominate the composition; they serve to create a mountain landscape and are in harmony with the vegetation.

In a rock garden, on the contrary, attention is focused on the stone. Vegetation is used as an auxiliary detail, complementing the overall picture. We can say that the plants in the rock garden are a kind of tool that helps emphasize the monumentality of inanimate nature.

Another important feature is the terrain. Usually a rock garden is created in the form of a hill (hill), which is decorated with brightly flowering unpretentious plants. That is why the name “alpine slide” is used as an equivalent to a rock garden. The classic version of the rock garden, on the contrary, is arranged on a flat, open area, where the space between the stones is filled with bedding. Plants are planted pointwise, without dominating the overall picture.

Benefits of rock garden

Rock gardens have some advantages compared to rock gardens:

In the case of flat terrain, there is no need for labor-intensive and rather labor-intensive construction of a slide; it is quite possible to use a gentle slope or a flat surface.
Any unpretentious species, not necessarily of mountain-alpine origin, is suitable for plant decoration of rockeries, which greatly simplifies the process of selection, acquisition and planting.
Thanks to the small number of ornamental plants, maintaining a rock garden in exemplary condition is much easier than a blooming rock garden.
The undeniable advantage of rock gardens is that they not only decorate the site, but also protect the soil from erosion.

Design options

Using conifers, you can create various compositions that perform decorative and practical functions. Having decided to create on the site, you can choose one of the following options:

hedges - act as a fence or zone individual parts of the rock garden;
group plantings - used instead of a round flower bed with roses. In such a slide, all the plants are combined in color and shape. For example, columnar varieties of thuja or spruce are in harmony with spherical and creeping juniper;
mixborders that combine conifers and deciduous plants. In this case, coniferous inclusions are located in the center of the rockery or in the background of perennial flowers. An excellent option would be a composition of evergreens and hydrangeas.

If rockeries are planted only for the warm season, then the plants can be placed on the site in containers. In winter, they are removed to a place protected from wind and frost.

Choosing plants for rock gardens

Biologists and designers argue that unpretentious plants should be used for landscape design decoration. Often these include perennials, conifers and many others. They are conditionally divided into several groups:

Coniferous rockery

The stone garden has a lot of plants of different varieties. In such a flower garden it is customary to plant mini-coniferous trees: thuja, miniature cypress, spherical spruce. All this is complemented by cobblestones to give the design a natural appearance.

Shrubs

Among them, honeysuckle, jasmine, cinquefoil, and different varieties of cotoneaster are chosen for planting. Remember that these types of plants must remain compact even when actively growing. Otherwise, they will spoil and hide all the beauty of the rockery behind their size.

Perennials

These include ivy, red rose, and burdock. Both bulbous and herbaceous varieties can be planted at the same time. However, many people use grass for sowing on large lawns. For this purpose, a small irregularly shaped area is allocated in the rock gardens.

Groundbloods

These vegetation representatives include cat's paw and phlox. Among these varieties, variants with sparse and pale flowering are welcome. It is very important that as a result there is no strong contrast in the decor.

When creating a rock garden, be sure to follow the rules of combination. For example, two or three varieties are selected from each group of plants. They can be planted in separate zones or combined into one.

On a note! Do not confuse the concepts of “rock garden” and “rock garden”. The first is located on an exceptionally flat plane of the courtyard area. As for the rock garden, it is characterized by elevation, sometimes it is even made artificially for decorative purposes.

A few words about choosing stones

Special attention is always paid to stones. Large boulders are especially demanding to install. They must be chosen carefully. Only bare options without mosses and lichens are acceptable. Such specimens should have natural attractiveness.

Give preference to cobblestones of different shades. Using them you can create miniature decorative areas. In such cases, they are installed at some distance from each other. An important condition is a minimum of granite. Its gray tint will not be visible at the moment when decorative crops begin to grow.

Irises for decorating rockeries Source flo.discus-club.ru

Be sure to fill the area with concrete before installing the boulders. Otherwise, the stones will begin to collapse under their own weight. For backfilling, they try to use certain types of gravel or coarse crushed stone. It is allowed to use gravel or granite to arrange the outer boundaries of the rock garden.

Small stone island Source ag-gardendesign.ru Ground cover shrubs Source www.new-garden.ru Rockery near the gate Source landscape-design.rf

Large stones for home rock garden Source vosledoma.com

Rockery stones

The choice of stones for a rock garden directly depends on taste and budget, although, of course, one should not forget about the stylistic orientation.

As a rule, stone gardens are built from natural stones characteristic of a given area. However, if you wish, you can order delivery of any, even exotic, copies.

Among designers, the most valuable are old stones that have stood the test of time. The bluish lacy coating of lichens gives them a special charm.

Depending on the shape, there are several types of stones:

Boulders are pieces of rock of different sizes that have a smooth, rounded surface. Used to create flat rockeries.
Blocks are large, unprocessed, sharp-angled fragments. Suitable for simulating mountain landscapes.
Plates are samples that have a layered structure. Used for the construction of stepped compositions.

Experts say that any rock garden must contain large stones. Symbolizing reliability and solidity, they enliven the composition and look much more impressive than a simple scattering of small fragments of the same size.

Types of rockeries

Of course, there are many types of rockeries. We will present to you the main types that are used most often.

European rock garden. Quite an ordinary, standard rock garden. It got its name because of the plants that are used for this rockery. To get such a flower garden, you need to use plants that grow in the middle zone.

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English rockery. This rock garden is already more interesting. It differs in that in the design of this rockery you need to calculate everything as accurately as possible, because any mistake can cause failure. Usually, they try to fill such a flower garden with greenery as much as possible.

Japanese rock garden. This look is classic. This is what is meant by the most ordinary rock garden. The basis is stones of different sizes and shapes. Regarding plants, there are no special recommendations, use according to your taste.

Layout

Before you start creating a rock garden, it is best to sketch out a drawing of the structure. Then you should fence off the construction site with tape or cord. All that remains is to create a drawing of where the stones will be located and where the plants will take their place.

Next, you should read the instructions and follow each step step by step:

Clear the area chosen for the hill in detail, remove all debris and weeds.
Remove the top layer of soil (about 10-15 centimeters) to deal with fresh soil. In poor soils, they are replaced with a fertile composition.
All soil is dug up and loosened, the roots of bushes and trees are carefully removed.

Next, the area must be covered with polyethylene or geotextile. This will serve as a barrier to spontaneous roots or weeds that can move stones and destroy the rock garden, and will also protect the structure from moles and mice.
A very important point is drainage. Due to the film, the natural outflow of water will be disrupted, so it is necessary to create artificial drainage. Crushed stone and slag are placed at the bottom of the pit. Then a solid layer of coarse sand is covered.
Now it’s the turn of the soil - it is filled up, focusing on the project. The level of the embankment depends on whether you have a high or low rockery. The soil must be compacted as thoroughly as possible. If you have time, then you can generally leave the rockery to “rest” for a season, then the soil will settle down properly and form in natural conditions on its own.

Check the drawing and start installing the stones. They must be immersed in the ground at least half the height to ensure the reliability of the structure. Plant powerful boulders on a crushed stone cushion. You can even cement the base for strength. This will prevent heavy stones from sinking too deeply. The soil is poured little by little between the stones, pressing it down with your hands.
The time has come to plant plants. Where each of them is located is planned in your drawing. You can add a little fertilizer to each flower hole. Make sure that the plant receives exactly the fertilizer that will improve its growth. The more comfortable your seedlings feel, the faster the slide will come to life and be decorated.
Finally, the rockery needs to be watered thoroughly.

Consider the possibilities of the site and the “new building”. If there is not enough space in your dacha, you should not erect a rockery that is too bulky. It will seem unnatural and tasteless.
A small “oasis” also does not correspond with a large space; it will simply get lost in it. So turn on your imagination and act based on the balance of the area and garden of your dreams, as well as your own ideas about harmony and comfort.
If there is a hillock, a ravine, or a terrace on the site, then “attaching” a rock garden to them would be a very smart step. Subtle natures have also tried such original ideas for creating a rocky garden as “valley”, “gorge”, “steep slope”, “cliff”. Although on a flat, flat surface, the garden also does not lose its charm.

Just make sure that your composition does not look like a lonely “statue”, but fits into the surrounding terrain.

For beginners, it is better to start with a small rock garden, because it is easier to care for and, using its example, you can practice attractively arranging flowers and shrubs among the stones.

The best coordinates for the composition are a hillock, well illuminated by the sun. After all, adjusting the view for a rock garden at the back of a site or in the thickets of a garden is very problematic.

Options for arranging a rocky composition

Setting up your own garden plot is an exciting activity. Before you start creating a rock garden, you need to decide on the look and style, choose a suitable location, select plants and stones.

Coniferous

Conifers are one of the most grateful plants. They do not require constant care, grow well and delight others with their beauty all year round. Evergreens go well with stones.

The best addition for rockery from conifers - heather, cuckoo clover, young

The recommended location is a well-lit, sunny area. Mandatory plants are various types of fragrant junipers. There are also cypress, thuja, and dwarf pines; the voids are filled with ground covers.

It should be remembered that many of the above plants will increase in size several times in 4–5 years. And there should be room for this. Various shades of conifers - green, golden, blue - will allow you to create an original English design.

Flat

A flat rock garden is characterized by the appearance of rock outcropping onto a flat surface. An undeniable advantage is the ability to use plants with an intensive root system. In addition, a larger number of plantings can be placed per unit area.

The flat rock garden blends harmoniously into the surrounding landscape

During rainfalls and when snow melts, the soil is not washed away. Large stones will add volume to a flat surface. To ensure stability, they must be buried in the ground. The selection of plants depends on the chosen style of composition. If it is necessary to emphasize a flat topography, preference should be given to low-growing plants. To create a large format, dwarf trees and tall shrubs of different shapes and colors are suitable.

With a pond

If there is a natural reservoir on the site, you can create an amazing landscape using cobblestones and greenery. You can make an artificial mountain stream yourself. Moisture-loving plants are planted near water. Boulders will emphasize the effect of naturalness.

A rocky garden near a pond looks good with both artificial and natural water sources

A rock garden on a hill, which can be made from earth dug up during the process of creating a reservoir, looks most advantageous next to water. At the same time, the dimensions of the pond and rocky garden should look organically with each other.

Such a composition may require a large amount of rock. A composition in the Japanese style, where stones play a primary role, will look very impressive.

Small

When creating a miniature rock garden, all design elements must be of the appropriate size. In this option there is no place for large cobblestones. When choosing flowering plants, it is better if they have small inflorescences. As for the style, it can be absolutely anything - European, English or Japanese.

Succulents are perfect for small rock garden areas.

A small composition from a combination of plants and stones can be made even on the terrace. An old box is used as a base. Parts of the rock and various types of plants called young, which are popularly called stone flowers, look great together.

Rock garden diagram with a list of plants

In order not to get confused with the placement of plants, you need to first imagine how the decor will look - sketch or arrange the existing varieties directly in pots, furnish the place with stones.

Among the plants in a small rock garden you can find:

day-lily;
medium juniper;
cotoneaster horizontal;
Carpathian bell and others.

It is necessary to create a composition strictly according to the scheme. It is advisable not to plant all the plants at one point. This will adversely affect aesthetics.

Sometimes a rockery is created on a slight hill. Ornamental and dwarf plants are used.

In the rocky flower beds, which are located on the hill and go down to its foot, the following varieties are planted:

barberry;
juniper;
caladium;
spruce;
dwarf Japanese pine;
bloodroot;
astilbe;
acacia;
blue spruce;
juniper.

The shape of the rockery is characterized by its elongation. The base is coarse crushed stone. Borders are made from cobblestones or pieces of chopped brick.

Flower beds can be arranged in small areas. Typically, the area of decorative zones is 5-8 square meters. In such compositions you can do without stone bedding. When decorating, we try to use the following types of plants:

Lungwort;
Thuja occidentalis of different varieties;
Barberry;
Juniper;
Prickly spruce;
Hydrangea.

Please note that the plants listed have quite rapid growth. Accordingly, they will have to be thinned out regularly.

A plot of a given area can be used to create rockeries in different design options.

Among the popular plants for such a flower garden are:

sedge;
maned barley;
blue fescue;
glaucous cirrus.

Remember that these plants need moderate watering. Their roots rot very quickly if the soil is too damp for a long time.

On a note! If plant varieties are heat-loving, they will have to be wrapped up for the winter, and so that they have time to “wake up” after the cold, they need to be opened in early spring.

Definition: rockery

A rockery is a rocky flower garden dominated by perennial plants of different varieties. For this zone, the use of stones of different structures and decorative trees of non-standard shape is encouraged. Often this decor is used instead of alpine slides. You can equip it directly on a slope or in a lowland.

Japanese rock garden Source ganyapani.business.site

The rock garden has an individual drainage system. This prevents moisture from stagnating in the soil during periods of precipitation or after intensive watering. The main feature of the decorative object is that all vegetation does not require special care. Sometimes the rockery does not even hide under a greenhouse for the winter, since all plants can withstand frost.

To arrange such a flower bed, no special knowledge is required, the main thing is to complete the preparatory work.

Tips for arrangement

Some useful recommendations for those who decide to arrange a rock garden on their site with their own hands:

Plants with large and bright leaves should not be used for planting among stones. They will be too noticeable and, standing out sharply against the general background, can disrupt the harmony of the entire composition.
The floral set must include moss, preferably even different types. This will ensure the decorative appearance of the structure during the cold winter period, when most herbaceous plants completely lose their attractiveness.
It would not be a good idea to use plants in a rock garden that quickly take over the territory and thus can disrupt the harmony of the composition.
When designing a rock garden, it is important to adhere to a certain color scheme. A significant number of bright inclusions can spoil the correct perception of the intended picture.
The same principle applies to stone. In one composition, without disturbing the harmony of perception, the simultaneous use of no more than two types is allowed.
Before starting work on arranging a rock garden, it is very important to take care of a high-quality foundation. This will protect the composition from such negative influences as subsidence of the soil, displacement of stones and the intervention of digger animals.
And finally, all the vegetation planned in the design of the rock garden is planted at the final stage, when the placement of the stones is almost complete.

How to make a rock garden with your own hands on the site: step-by-step instructions

Creating a rock garden on a summer cottage does not require strict adherence to a certain plan and style. Some things can be taken from one example, some from another. Don't be afraid to combine styles and shapes. The main thing is that the result is not a meaningless pile of stones and plants.

Do-it-yourself rock garden option with a pond in landscape design

Choosing the optimal location for a rock garden or mini rock garden

The main selection criterion is a site where shrubs and trees do not grow. Everything else is optional: the terrain does not have to be perfectly smooth. Some designers prefer to make artificial hills even on flat areas, using embankments of sand, stones or soil.

Simple rules to follow when choosing a place for a rock garden:

On a large area, a rocky garden will look better in a recreation area.
It is undesirable to place a rock garden in close proximity to buildings, since there is a risk of damage to the flower garden by a layer of snow sliding from the roof.
In those areas where there are already decorations in the form of ponds, fountains or streams with bridges, a rock garden selected to match the overall style would be a good option.

Options for arrangement of rockeries: photo gallery

The wall rockery option favorably emphasizes the transition between levels and hides uneven terrain. A mini rockery is comfortably located in a corner of the garden plot.

Rock garden option for large areas

A beautiful rockery blends harmoniously with the greenery of the lawn

Site preparation

It begins with determining the area of the future garden by marking, for which pegs and twine stretched between them are used. You can also simply outline the area, remove a 15–25 cm layer of soil and thoroughly clean the prepared area of roots.

Marking the territory and removing the soil layer

In the resulting depression, a cushion is constructed from expanded clay, crushed stone, ASG or broken bricks of medium or fine fraction. In this way, drainage is formed, which can be dispensed with only when choosing a rock garden, the style of which does not include heavy stones.

Creating a cushion that will provide the necessary drainage

Important! If there are problems with invasions of moles and shrews at your summer cottage, a steel mesh with small cells should be placed at the bottom of the rockery under the cushion. Such measures are necessary to prevent damage to plant roots.

Choosing the material from which the rock garden will be decorated

The main element of any rock garden is stones, when choosing which you need to take into account some nuances:

The stone should not be freshly taken from the quarry - old natural boulders, polished by nature itself, are better suited for a harmonious composition.
You can choose absolutely any type of stone.
Despite the fact that stones are the main part of the rock garden, they play the role of a background for plants, so the appearance of this material should be discreet.
If the site has stone walls or paths, the ideal solution for a rock garden would be stones of the same type.
The sizes also play an important role - they should be different (a couple of boulders, a few smaller stones, and the rest small, to fill the free space).
When placed in a rock garden, any of the selected breeds should look as natural as possible - the same as they look in the wild.
If particularly large boulders are to be placed in the rock garden, a foundation must be laid under them.

Possible options for stones for rock gardens

Important! You should not skimp on stone when creating a rock garden. This is the kind of material that you can’t have too much of. A surplus can always be used for a specific purpose, but a deficiency will have a bad effect on the overall appearance of the composition.

Choosing plants for rock gardens

There are also certain rules here. First and most importantly, plants should not be tall and fast-growing.

Other nuances:

Like stones, greenery and flowers should not be too bright. In the overall composition, both elements should complement each other, but not overshadow each other.
To get a harmonious composition, before you start choosing its elements, it would be best to sketch out at least a rough plan and create a sketch in paint.
Alternatively, you can look at ready-made solutions in landscape design magazines.
The main criterion for choosing a particular plant is the length of its growing season. The longer it remains green and blooming, the better the rock garden will look.

Saxifraga, sedum, young plants and other plants that thrive on rocks in nature will look beautiful in any rock garden.

Flowers most often chosen for rockeries: photographs

Saxifraga looks impressive among boulders

An incredibly beautiful plant that will decorate any rockery

Stone rose (rejuvenated) is ideal for creating a Japanese-style rockery

To plant the first two plants, a layer of soil of 10 cm will be enough, and for a stone rose, a handful of soil placed among the stones will be enough.

Among the conifers, dwarf thuja and juniper, microbiota, and blue spruce are perfect. For these plants, a deeper layer of soil will be needed—about 40 cm. All this must be taken into account when preparing the site for the rockery.

Conifers in the design of rockeries

Dwarf spherical thuja is an ideal option for decorating an English-style rockery

Microbiota looks great in a terraced rock garden

The favorite of landscape designers is the Glauka Globoza spruce

Dwarf juniper goes equally well with flowers and with other conifers

When choosing a specific place for planting a particular plant, you should also take into account its moisture-loving properties. Place drought-resistant, light-loving specimens higher, and those that love shade and moisture more - in the lower part of the rockery.

When creating a rock garden, it is very important to borrow from nature - to match the plants with the chosen stones. The most correct decision would be to find out the growing conditions of flowers, trees and shrubs in their natural environment. Inconsistency can lead to disease and death of plants.

Read more about the nuances of selecting plants for a rock garden in a separate article.

Stages of rockery formation

When a place has been selected and prepared, a cushion has been arranged, and stones and plants have been selected and purchased, you can begin to form the main part of it.

Priming. Most plants love a loose, light soil mixture. You can buy such soil or make it yourself. Options:

2 parts turf soil and 1 part coarse sand.
3 parts garden soil, 2 parts fine crushed stone, 1 part compost.

Preparing the soil for planting plants in a rock garden

The thickness of the soil layer for planting is selected in accordance with the characteristics of the root system of the selected plant.

Placement of stones. Large stones must be placed so that they are stable. To do this, take the widest part as the base. To give stability to an uneven boulder, small pebbles are added to the place where it is placed. Especially large boulders should be buried 2/3 into the soil.

An example of the arrangement of stones in a rock garden

Planting. In order for them to take root well, the plants need to be planted in holes generously moistened with water.

Nuances:

The size of the holes should correspond to the root system, which should not be constrained.
The distance between individual specimens depends on the height of the plants (short ones are planted with an interval of 5–15 cm, taller ones – 15–25 cm.

Planting plants in a rock garden

Attention! Do not forget about the placement rules - low plants on the edge, tall ones in the center.

Protective covering. After placing all the plants in the ground, the area must be covered with black lutrasil. Above the plantings, cross-shaped cuts are made in the material for the plants. The edges of the cuts are carefully sealed under the young plantings. Crushed stone or river pebbles are poured over the top of the lutrasil.

Protective coating and decoration of rock gardens with pebbles: photo examples

A protective coating made of black lutrasil will prevent the germination of weeds

Option for decorating a finished rock garden with various types of pebbles

Landscaping Landscaping Placing stones on top of lutrasil

Selection of decorative elements for rock gardens

There is also a huge field for imagination here. The main thing is not to overdo it. Here are some tips to help you decide on decorations:

If the design includes a small pond, flowerpots in the shape of white swans will look good as an addition.
Figurines of gnomes in the company of Snow White or other characters from German fairy tales will help add mystery and soften the strict German style a little.
A rocky garden in the English style will be well complemented by such fairy-tale characters as Alice from Wonderland in the company of a rabbit.
To decorate a rockery, it is not necessary to choose any specific fairy-tale characters. These can be simply beautiful figurines of birds, animals or small children.

Examples of decorative elements for decorating stone gardens

Fairy-tale heroes are the choice of people who are young at heart and have not forgotten how to believe in miracles

Snow White and the Dwarf will delight the eyes of the little cottage owners

Swan flowerpots are an excellent solution for rockeries with a pond

A figurine of a gnome will enliven the strict German style. A turtle with a shell made of juveniles is suitable for an alpine rock garden.

Figures of a duck and a drake will look good in a rockery with a pond

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 require daily care. Despite the unpretentiousness of a stone garden, it needs to be moistened periodically with water from a hose and a sprayer and fertilizing added. Soil is added once every few years.

For the winter, cover the vegetation and remove dried components. If your rockery has grown overgrown, it should be thinned out.

Every spring you need to perform a number of simple procedures that will help your stone garden remain attractive:

clean up dry components;
pruning shoots of ground-blooded plants that have begun to grow in the wrong direction;
check the condition of the vegetation after wintering; in case of death, replace old flowers with new ones;
check how firmly the boulders are installed (if necessary, the composition should be strengthened);
in early May you can sow annual vegetation;
in the middle of the month you can plant seedlings;
stones should always be the accent of your composition;
the soil should be weeded and mulched;
Watering can begin after the soil has dried 8 cm;
If necessary, fertilize the plants.

Regularly check the condition of your stone garden: a neat flower garden looks harmonious on your summer cottage and can give it a beautiful view. Proper preparation of the base and soil is considered the main component of a healthy garden.

Preparatory stage in arranging the composition

Don’t thoughtlessly scatter stones and plant any plants you like between them. Creating a stone garden is a slow process that requires some planning. Choosing a location, preparing the soil, selecting stones, flowers and shrubs are important preparatory steps that must be done before starting work.

Selecting a location

The choice of place to place the composition should be approached with all responsibility. It is necessary to determine in advance the size of the future composition. It is optimal if it is a sunny place in the garden. But such a rocky garden will also look good in the shade. You should not organize it close to your home. After a snowy winter, as the snow melts, there is a risk of flooding, ground subsidence and, as a result, damage to plants and general appearance.

An area with dense soil is suitable for rockeries.

A rocky flower garden should look harmonious against the background of the entire landscape design. It is a key element of the exterior. You can view it from all angles. The optimal solution would be to locate it away from trees and tall bushes that would block the view of the future object for aesthetic pleasure.

Recommended time of year for arrangement

To arrange a flower bed with stones, you must first of all have a desire to create. Good sunny weather will contribute to the right mood. The optimal time of year is late spring. During this period, the ground is no longer frozen. At the beginning of work, you will have to remove a layer of soil to create drainage, so it is good when the soil is no longer very wet. The process of initial design and laying of stones is not fast, it can take from several days to a couple of weeks. It all depends on how creative you are. There is absolutely no need to rush into this event.

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Planting should begin after placing the cobblestones. Most shrubs and flowers can be planted throughout the warm period. But some types of plantings have time restrictions. For example, tulip bulbs need to be planted in the fall before frost.

Schemes of ready-made solutions

The choice of plants and their arrangement in the composition depends on the topography of the soil and the desired style of the future rocky garden. The site may have a flat surface, a small embankment or a slope. Any of these options will be acceptable.

The rock garden diagram will help you navigate the choice of plants

When creating your own scheme, you need to decide on the compositional center. These can be tall shrubs or dwarf coniferous trees. The remaining plantings are placed around the main two or three plants.

The layout of the rock garden and its components is drawn to scale or schematically

Having studied samples of ready-made solutions and determined the most interesting options for yourself, you can begin planning and drawing your own flower bed. In this case, it is important to take into account the size of plants in adulthood, the combination of color of leaves and inflorescences.

You should not try to place everything that the owner of the local area dreams of. It is recommended to use about 1 m² of land for each group of plants. It is advisable to choose shrubs with a moderate root system, since many different specimens will be planted in a relatively small area.

It is necessary to ensure the correct proximity of plants in the rock garden

Depending on where you plan to arrange the flower garden, preference is given to shade-loving or sun-resistant plantings.

Which plants to choose

With the help of plants, you can create the appearance of a large slope or emphasize a perfectly flat surface. By placing thujas and dwarf trees on top, the slope seems sharper. It is recommended to follow the 30/70 rule - no more than 30% of plants can be tall. The rest, 70%, should consist of ground cover or low-growing plantings.

Conifers in rockeries are often given the main roles

The basis of most types of rockeries are conifers. First of all, these are junipers, especially creeping species, and dwarf trees. Not a single English landscape composition can do without this plant.

The universal cotoneaster tolerates haircuts well for modeling purposes.

Horizontal cotoneaster feels great on rocky surfaces. In spring it pleases the eye with its white flowers, and in autumn it is covered with red fruits.

Dwarf spirea is often used for rockeries

Dwarf spirea goes well with most plants. The flowering period occurs at the end of spring and beginning of summer. However, the value of the shrub lies not in the inflorescences, but in the leaves, which change color from early spring to late autumn.

Bright barberry berries will decorate a rock garden in autumn

Barberry is also distinguished by its unusual leaf color. Its homeland is the western part of Russia, so the bush is used to create a European style.

Winter-hardy rock aurinia is on the list of the best plants for rock gardens

In spring, Aurinia rocky will delight you with its bright yellow flowers. An absolutely unpretentious plant that tolerates drought well.

In the wild, alpine carnation grows in the northeast of Italy and in the heights of the Alpine mountains

Alpine carnations will decorate with their blooms a composition in a European or English style.

Saxifraga is loved for its bright and long-lasting flowering

Saxifraga is one of the varieties of ground cover that takes root well on rocky surfaces. During the flowering period, the plant is covered with small flowers.

One of the most decorative flowers for rockeries is awl-shaped phlox.

Phlox subulate grows very quickly and blooms profusely from mid-summer until the onset of the first frost. The root system is underdeveloped, so growth does not require much soil. The plant is one of the favorite plantings of landscape designers who design rockeries.

In addition to the above plantings, Iberis, aubrieta cultivated, Caucasian rhizome, edelweiss, thyme and other low-growing perennials and ground covers look harmonious.

Video: plants for a rocky garden

Selection of stones

Selecting stones is no less important a task than selecting plants. The most interesting are the boulders that received their shape thanks to nature and winds.

The right choice of stones is half the success in creating a rock garden

A stone garden does not require ideal forms. Natural chips and irregularities emphasize the beauty and naturalness of the composition. When using different types of boulders, you should adhere to the rule of unity - use only hard rocks or exclusively soft ones:

hard - basalt, granite, gneiss, slate, basaltic lava, porphyry and others;
soft - sandstone, gray wacke, shell rock, limestone, travertine, calcareous tuff, dolomite, etc.

Beautiful examples

Designers can offer numerous ideas for creating an unusual rock garden. You can use certain components to visually divide the mound into several compact zones, each of which will have its own season.

A similar effect can be achieved using a selection of colors.

For spring you should choose delicate shades of flowers, for hot summer - rich ones, for autumn leaf fall you can choose golden and purple vegetation. The rock garden is an amazing area that will give unforgettable emotions to your family and loved ones.

You can always make adjustments to the flower garden design and change the style of the garden depending on your mood.

Many gardeners make solid rocky mounds from rock gardens. For such a design, you should take a more serious approach to the choice of plant representatives: not every variety is able to withstand such living conditions. Ground plants and saxifrages feel good in such a flower garden.

Original individuals will like the option where the rock garden acts as a wall. This flower garden is a vertical structure that will require a lot of effort to create. This design step will be appreciated by all your friends.

Arranging an unusual stone garden with climbing plants will be the final touch of the composition.

Some owners of summer cottages decide to mix styles when creating a stone garden. The combination of European style with Italian design looks good. With this composition you will get a unique celebration of colors and fragrant flowers.

Three-dimensional artistic ideas are popular. The 3D effect is achieved using a 360-degree view of flower beds with various highlights. This rock garden would be appropriate in a recreation area. The stone garden should be located in such a way that it can be viewed from all sides.

A compact garden from Japan can amaze everyone. In this style, stone blocks will command over small plants. Choose climbing varieties of herbs that have a pleasant aroma. This design evokes a feeling of peace and harmony.

Procedure step by step

You have already chosen a site, carefully prepared it, and drawn out a plan for the rock garden. You can start setting up.

Step 1

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

Step 2

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

Choosing plants for rock gardens

Step 3

The step-by-step guide includes the third stage. This is decorating the area with small pebbles. You will also have to follow certain rules.

First of all, gravel of medium formation is laid. It acts as a pillow 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 push through between them.

Video of the step-by-step arrangement of a rock garden

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