Do-it-yourself rock garden (alpine slide): device and design scheme, step-by-step photo instruction. Do-it-yourself alpine hill (76 photos): step by step we create a complex element of landscape design Choosing stones and plants for rock garden

Relatively recently in landscape design replaced, rabatka and plaster sculptures came new types of site decoration - rock gardens . They are arranged in rich estates and summer cottages, in city gardens and squares, on lawns near offices and in the territories of restaurants. Properly and tastefully selected stones and plants will allow you to create a zone of luxury, aesthetics and peace even on the most modest piece of land near.

Being a peculiar and very time-consuming decoration of the landscape, rock gardens seem difficult to perform and inaccessible decorative elements. However, if you understand the technology of creation, then an alpine slide in the country can be arranged without the involvement of expensive designers .

A piece of the Alps in your country house

When developing the design of alpine slides, you need to consider that this is an imitation of rocky natural areas. This means that the basis of the composition should be stones and creeping low plants, characteristic of high-mountain areas. And the definition of "slide" dictates the general shape of the rock garden - a hill with the obligatory elements: sole, slopes and top.

There are several options for rock gardens, which repeat their appearance in different parts of the highlands:

rock cliff - a heap of practically bare large boulders with a minimum of plants in niches and "pockets";

mountain slope - a complex high composition of stones of different sizes and with a wide variety of creeping and low-growing plants;

valley in the mountains - large stones, partially protruding from the ground, surrounded by profusely flowering ornamental plants;

gorge- the most difficult to perform, but also the most spectacular type of rock garden, which can be placed in a natural hollow, framing the slopes with stones and planting representatives of the rock flora.

considered a separate species rockery- a garden of stones, which are the main "characters", in contrast to the rock garden, where the stones serve as a backdrop for plants.

How to make an alpine slide in a small area?

If you have firmly decided that an alpine slide created by your own hands will become the decoration of your garden, a step-by-step instruction will give you the opportunity to avoid gross mistakes and get the desired result.

Before starting work, sketch out a rock garden sketch - this will help you decide what area it will occupy, what configuration it will have and how many tiers you will do on it.

You can even roughly estimate how much an alpine slide will cost you - a scaled diagram will help you calculate how many and what kind of stones you will need, how much drainage, sand and soil will need to be prepared. You need to make a scheme in relation to the terrain in order to use all the advantageous moments.

When deciding on a place for a future rock garden, do not forget that you will need to look at it - choose the most favorable angles. Also, think about it - you might want to spend your free time near it. Then you will need an adjoining flat area with paths, a place for a table and a hearth.

Advice! The planted plants for the alpine slide will need solar heat - it means that the slopes must be oriented to the south and east.

Very interesting visual effects will be obtained when using the natural unevenness of the relief - decorative elements inscribed in the natural landscape will be a great addition to it.

The next step is to transfer your circuit to the site. Make the markup with the help of a string or by filling the necessary lines with a contrasting material - sand, lime. This will allow you to look at the intended location of the rock garden from the side. Perhaps you decide to slightly change its configuration in accordance with the terrain.
The largest boulders are laid along the perimeter of the prepared site. If necessary, they can be buried in the soil - then they will have a more natural look. The internal space is filled with soil, which will become the basis for the next tier, as well as a habitat for plants.
Having retreated the estimated distance from the first row, they put in the next chain of stones, maintaining the desired configuration of the rock garden.

Advice ! When laying large stones, leave free space between them, which will be filled with soil - the planted plants will need a place for the development of the root system.
After completing the required number of tiers, make out the top. To do this, you can lay one large stone, or use several small ones, folded in a pyramid. This will prevent soil erosion, as well as complete the composition.

Advice! It is better to start work on laying the rock garden in the fall, then by spring the soil poured between the stones will sit down, and it will be possible to fill up all the voids that have formed. In addition, before planting the plants, you will have the opportunity to make final adjustments to the placement of the stones.

Advice! The main rule is that the rock garden should look decorative and beautiful even without flowers. Stones should create a stable and extremely natural composition in a harmonious and balanced way. The less symmetry it has, the more organic it will look.

Many people think that an alpine slide is a chaotic heap of stones of different sizes. But in fact, such a composition of carefully selected stones and plants imitates a natural mountain landscape. Professional masters of landscape design recommend starting the arrangement of an alpine hill in September-October. In autumn, it is necessary to carefully consider the design of the structure and precisely mark the territory of the site.

Alpine slide scheme

The first step in creating an alpine slide, without which it simply will not be possible to correctly plan the work, is the development of a drawing. First you need to consider the configuration and number of tiers. The scheme is drawn up immediately in relation to the terrain and landscape of the existing site, in order to make the most of all the advantageous moments. On a piece of paper you need to make a plan and indicate the location of stones and plants. It is better to draw the drawing to scale and paint with colored pencils in order to have a clearer idea of \u200b\u200bits final form. Only after that the scheme can be transferred to the site. Marking is carried out using ordinary twine.

If it’s difficult to think out a plan yourself, you can view photos and diagrams of alpine slides on landscape design sites. Based on them, you can easily draw your own composition without much difficulty. Below is the original diagram:

Video

Site preparation. Location selection

Of course, I would like to decorate more than one corner of the garden with such a structure. But in order for the alpine slide to show itself in all its glory, it is better to choose a spacious, well-viewed and illuminated place for its arrangement. The best option is a plot on the east side of the house, so that in the morning the sun illuminates the mound well, and in the evening the rock garden would be in the shade. Do not forget about the arrangement of a recreation area near the rock garden.

In order for the composition to be perceived naturally, it is necessary to provide favorable foreground and background. In front of the hill, it is best to either fill it with stones, and behind it, plant a hedge or a group of coniferous shrubs.

The composition of the soil also plays an important role. On a sandy night, you can immediately break up a rock garden, if the earth is clay, you need to prepare drainage. To do this, remove the top layer of soil (30-35 cm) and select the roots of perennial weeds.

Site drainage

All plants that decorate alpine slides prefer well-drained soil. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare good drainage:

Form a bottom layer about 10 cm thick from slag, gravel or brick fragments. Pour all this with plenty of water.
The material of the second layer is coarse sand. Sand should be evenly scattered over the bottom layer (thickness 5-10 cm) and poured with water. Sand facilitates the deepening of stones into the ground and provides additional drainage.

Mountain plants do not like stagnant water, so these works are indispensable.

soil for plants

Next, you need to prepare the ground. It is necessary to mix in a ratio of 1: 1: 1 the earth, cleared of stones and weeds, sand and humus. This mixture is poured onto the previous layer and a mound of the required height is formed. The mixture should be light, airy and crumbly. It is recommended that instead of ordinary soil, take the earth that the mole raised to the surface. Such mounds are found in abundance in parks and forest plantations.

After this, work on creating a slide should be suspended for 3-4 weeks so that the drainage layers of the base become denser and shrink.

Stone laying. Installation principles

When the prepared layers have shrunk, they start laying the stones. Stones should be of the same type so as not to disturb the naturalness of the composition. The larger the rock garden area, the larger the stones should be. There are many stone laying schemes, one of the simplest looks like this:

Large stones are laid out along the edges of the site, burying them in the soil by ¾ of their size (less as possible). Then they will be more stable, besides, they will imitate real rocks well.
Next comes a line of medium-sized stones.
Then small stones are laid on the top of the mound.
The final touch is the decoration of the top with one massive stone or several smaller stones.

In the process of laying, you should not worry about maintaining symmetry. There is nothing symmetrical in nature, so all the rules of geometry can be discarded. The rocky landscape created by human hands should imitate real mountains in miniature to the maximum. It is necessary to achieve such a result that the laid stones look beautiful even without plants.

If the hill is large, then it is worth laying paths of stones along it. In this case, the stones must be laid out with the flat side up, so that it is more convenient to walk. Stones are checked for strength and stability, if necessary, fixing them with smaller ones.

Alpine slide decoration

Alpine slide is a decor and decoration of any garden, therefore it does not require the use of additional decorative elements made of glass or plastic. The same applies to the use of various garden figurines. A strict taboo is imposed on artificiality. The naturalness of the natural landscape should not be disturbed by artificial materials. The combination of strength and tenderness in the form of stones and flowers gives an unsurpassed effect and does not need any additions.

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

So let's get started.

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

The most important aspects to consider when choosing a location:

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

It is described here.

And how to independently arrange automatic watering of the lawn, read.

Drainage

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

How to make drainage for an alpine slide:

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

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

To create a drainage you will need this scheme

Selection and placement of stones

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

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

A few tips:

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

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

Soil preparation

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

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

Two tips:

make sure that there are no weeds in the soil, they can greatly spoil the look of the rock garden;
if you are not sure that you can make a good primer yourself, it is better to buy one.

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

Plant varieties for different tiers of the slide

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

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

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

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

Step by step instructions for planting plants

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

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

Plants for the top tier

Since this will be the highest section of the slide, it is no wonder that there will be the least amount of moisture and stronger winds than on the other tiers. This means that there is no place for “tender” and moisture-requiring plants.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the lower tier

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

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

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

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

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

Spikelet lyatris in the middle of summer will delight you with its hairy inflorescences. It is unpretentious in leaving, demands moderate watering, but at the same time it is drought-resistant.

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

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

Do-it-yourself alpine slide is an original element of landscape design, consisting of mountain plants and various types of wild stone, imitating hills and rocky peaks destroyed by time. The rock garden should correspond as much as possible to the miraculous beauty of the Alps.

The main forming element of the composition is natural stone. Plants are designed to emphasize the natural beauty of the blocks. In nature, such areas are formed in places of mountain faults. Under the influence of the external environment, a soil layer gradually appears on them, on which flowers begin to grow. This magnificent creation of nature can be independently recreated in your own country house.

Distinctive characteristics

A rock garden differs from an ordinary flower bed in its arrangement.

If the flower bed includes a composition of flowers and green spaces, then the latter is a special structure made of stones framed by plants characteristic of the alpine flora.

Visually, it looks like a mountain landscape. The stones symbolize the mountain peak, and the flowers repeat the rocky landscape. The larger the garden composition, the better it will look.

Kinds

There are several varieties of alpine slides:

Alpine meadow. This species has the form of a green meadow, which organically passes into the mountain slope. The meadow is sown with herbs, bulbous plants and annuals that grow in the Swiss and French Alps.

Mountain slope. To create it, you need a small hill or mound. Stones of medium and large size are located on the hill in a chaotic manner. Conifers are planted on the slopes - pine, juniper. Empty spaces between plantings are covered with ferns and dwarf trees.

Japanese garden. This is a mini version of the rock garden, which is suitable for connoisseurs of Japanese culture, philosophical teachings and meditative practices. A distinctive feature of the Japanese garden is the absence of large boulders. A compact rocky structure, decorated with coniferous plantations, is welcome. Between them is placed boxwood evergreen or small-leaved.

Swamp. When there is a wetland in the local area, it can be turned into an original alpine slide. To do this, they dig a small pit, on the bottom of which stones, pebbles and sand are laid out. Over time, the pit will fill with water and turn into a natural pond. Its edges are decorated with rounded stones, snags and moisture-loving plants.

forest ravine. On its slopes, a rocky slope is made of dug stones. Ferns and moss are planted near the boulders.

Scheme

Alpine slide scheme (click to enlarge)

Before proceeding with the construction of a rock garden, it is necessary to develop its detailed scheme.

In addition, draw a sketch on paper, think over the desired size, make a list of plantings and the location of all structural elements, taking into account landscape design.

This plan will serve as a kind of instruction for work and will help to avoid improvements, because moving boulders is much more convenient on paper than on the site. Also of great importance is the illumination of the site and the degree of its moisture content.

It is important to know: in order for the alpine hill to retain its original beauty, you need to correctly select flowers and plants, consider their planting.

We must not forget about seasonal flowering. It is better to plant flowering plants that ripen at different times.

Location selection

The key to the successful creation of a rock garden is its correct location.

If there are any irregularities on the territory, then it is better to choose the highest section for the slide. It should be borne in mind that it will be quite difficult to build it on sandy soil. Clay soil requires the installation of a drainage system.

A sunny and ventilated area is best. Since the alpine slide is the highlight of the garden and the pride of the owners, it should be located in a conspicuous place and viewed from any angle.

On the sunny side, light-loving flowers should be planted that tolerate the sun's rays well. The east side is better to decorate with mountain plants. A hill is erected away from outbuildings or a garage. The best option would be a location near a flower bed or a natural reservoir.

Device and design

Often, the construction of a rock garden comes down to the formation of a composition of plants and stones.

After some time, such a "structure" will lose its attractiveness and shape. Therefore, one should adhere to a step-by-step construction, which begins with the arrangement of the drainage system.

Drainage. So that the stones do not change their original position as a result of erosion by groundwater, it is necessary to make a drainage layer as in the photo. To do this, remove about 15 cm of the topsoil, remove the remaining roots of plants that can destroy the structure. Further, the resulting recess is filled with gravel or crushed stone. The material is carefully compacted and watered with water to compact. Then the drainage system is covered with a layer of soil, watered and compacted again.

Soil preparation. For a rock garden, simple land from the site is suitable. It must be free of debris and weeds. The soil is mixed with peat and coarse sand in equal proportions. The finished soil is laid out on the prepared drainage layer with a small slide of 1 meter. As soon as the stones are laid, the voids are also covered with earth.

Plant selection. When choosing flowers and plants, it is important to focus on varieties that easily adapt to different climatic conditions. It is preferable to choose unpretentious plantings that retain their decorative qualities after flowering. Since the rock garden is created for a long time, perennials must be used in its design. Usually, when organizing a slide, the following groups of plants are involved: rosette, bulbous, ground cover, evergreen.

Plants and flowers

Edelweiss

In the harsh conditions of the highlands, flowers and plants have to win their place under the sun. Therefore, flowers that do not need careful care are suitable for rock garden decoration.

If desired, the slide can be updated with annuals every year. Perennials of bright colors are suitable to preserve the initial result. The following plants will be a rational choice:

Edelweiss. This beautiful flower is not afraid of frost and winds. He lines the hill with a beautiful rug. The flowering period falls in the summer months;

Saxifrage. Small flowers prefer to grow in dark places. Green saxifrage nets can even cover boulders;

Younger. This is a common inhabitant of rock gardens with fleshy leaves and unusual colors. Its purple flowers are not inferior in beauty to other undersized plants;

Lumbago. A perennial from the buttercup family begins to bloom in early spring, decorating the site with rich colors.

Note: in order to recreate the atmosphere of the alpine landscape as reliably as possible, it is necessary to adhere to the multi-tiered arrangement of plants and stones.

Saxifrage

Japanese spirea, awl-shaped phlox, aquilegia and dwarf barberry will successfully fit into the design of the rock garden. By combining various types of plants, you can create a magnificent landscape composition.

A rock garden like a swamp is decorated with hyacinths, water lilies. They must occupy at least a quarter of the water surface, otherwise the pond will look abandoned. We must not forget about the plants that support the aquatic ecosystem. These include elodea and hornwort.

If all the conditions were met during the arrangement of the rock garden, drainage was correctly performed, the layout of stones and the selection of plants, then the hill will serve as the main decoration of the backyard for a long time and give joy from contemplating natural beauty. Beautiful ideas for inspiration can be viewed on the video:

Hearing the phrase "alpine meadows", we immediately imagine mountain plateaus with fragrant, delicate flowers, protruding rocks, on which unpretentious plants miraculously grow.

We even begin to smell the crystal fresh air. And this piece of nature can be transferred to our garden.

Let it not seem unbelievable, everyone can create a simple alpine slide, and in the future, as experience is gained, the whole garden, if desired, can be arranged in this spirit.

For the device of a simple rock garden, certain knowledge is required, compliance with the basic principles and rules, which we will consider later in the article.

Basic principles and materials for creating a rock garden

A characteristic feature for any alpine slide is the use of perennial plants, which allows you to save its decorative effect all year round. Their distinguishing feature is unpretentiousness, they are mainly people from the high mountain regions of the Alps. Hence their name.

It seems incredible their ability to grow on almost bare stones. But excess moisture and an excess of nutrients are a negative factor for them. Basically, these are small plants, which will create a small alpine slide on the site.

The next important mandatory component is properly selected and stacked.

Preference should be given to natural material - boulders, granite, limestone, sandstone, shale. It is necessary to focus on their size, shape and surface structure.

As a result, these should be large irregularly shaped stones with a structurally heterogeneous surface that has veins, various inclusions, and may also have recesses where small plants and mosses can be planted. Also, an interesting effect is achieved by the inclusion of sea and river pebbles.

The main thing when arranging a simple alpine slide is the use of one or two types of stones, the number of which prevails or is equal to the number of plants.

The right place to create a rock garden in the garden- a guarantee of prosperity and durability of your masterpiece. The most suitable is a natural slope in an open, well-lit area away from trees, bushes and fences. But it is also possible on a flat surface or with the formation of an artificial slope.

And with the correct installation of stones and proper selection of plants, the mini rock garden will take root on the northern slope. However, if you are not a professional and do all the work yourself, then it is better to stick to the most suitable option.

From improvised materials you will need broken brick, gravel, crushed stone, sand, pegs, rope and a shovel.

How to make an alpine slide, selection of assortment

Often we don’t know where to start, how to do all the work correctly and consistently, so below we’ll take a closer look at how to make a small alpine slide with our own hands.

If a flat area is chosen, we select upright plants, lay the stones slightly obliquely, creating the appearance of a natural occurrence of rocks, and also observing the parallelism of the layers.

If we arrange a rock garden on a slope, all rows of stones should also be parallel with a slight slope back.

It is desirable to select stones of the same thickness, but if they are different, then we stack them so that the top is on the same level.

When designing an artificial slope, you must try to give it as much naturalness as possible, using smooth lines and curves. If we move the soil from one place to another to create a hill, drainage must be done at the excavation site to prevent water from accumulating.

When constructing from imported land, a low retaining wall, for example, made of bricks, is made as a strengthening option.

Main stages of work:

We mark the place with a peg and a rope.
We dig up the soil, remove the rhizomes of perennial weeds and debris.
We do drainage. We remove 30-40 cm of the top layer of soil, fill it with broken bricks, crushed stone and gravel, fill it with sand. Then a layer of earth and water abundantly so that everything settles.
We lay the stones according to the above diagrams. To prevent weeds, you can first lay a black perforated film.
Sprinkle with a layer of soil with the following composition: compost, sand, crushed stone, a little sawdust. Watering again. We repeat the laying of stones and adding soil until we achieve the desired result. We leave for a few days.
We plant plants next to stones, in crevices. First the big ones, then the small ones. The rule is that the smaller the plant, the more of it in the group. It is better to place in groups and curtains, between which maintain a distance. Consider different flowering periods when choosing an assortment for decorative rock garden all season.

An assortment of some plants for an alpine slide in the garden:

Ephedra - dwarf mountain pine, Cossack and its creeping forms, conic spruce;
Herbaceous plants - awl-shaped phlox, soapwort, saxifrage, grass carnation, creeping tenacious, Carpathian bell, arabis, rocky beetroot;
Ferns are dwarf;
- white, thin, eversa, rocky, prominent;
Bulbous - crocuses, mouse hyacinth (muscari), daffodils, dwarf tulips;
Young, dwarf hostas, gray fescue, wormwood, thyme, heathers, alpine aster, comb barley.