Hill near the house. Alpine hill: a step-by-step description of how to make a rock garden with your own hands

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

What is rockery and rock garden

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

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

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

Alpine slide styles

A rockery is a garden made up of stones, and often on a flat terrain. Large and small stones, gravel pads, waves of sand - each detail has its own sacred purpose. Single plants are maximally underlined. In Japanese rockeries, there may be no plants at all; in the European and English versions, species are planted from the middle lane.

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

Japanese-style rockery - focus on inanimate nature

We make an alpine slide with our own hands

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

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

Scheme of terraced composition

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

Carefully executed in color, the project greatly facilitates further work.

A simple alpine slide for beginners - possible difficulties

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

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

Graceful rock garden-flower bed

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

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

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

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

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

Mini rock garden is relevant for small courtyards

How to choose and where to get suitable stones

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rock garden device

The device of a small rock garden and its construction

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

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

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

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

Video instruction for beginners

In order not to miss a single important moment, creating an alpine hill with stones in the country with your own hands, you can use the video instruction.

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

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

Video: Instructions for building an alpine slide

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

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

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

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

Maximum naturalness

What to consider for a composition with a pond

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

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

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

In the summer, Japanese koi carps look spectacular in the reservoir, but for them it will be necessary to create a wintering pit with a depth of at least 80 cm and aerate it after solidification on the ice surface.

Creating a reservoir bowl - how to avoid disappointment

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

Waterfall scheme

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

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

Rock garden with a pond - a great solution for a hilly area

Technical equipment and artistic decoration of the waterfall

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

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

Pumping equipment is carefully camouflaged

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

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

Placement and combinations of plants

What plants are needed to decorate a garden composition

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

Sometimes it makes sense to plant plants in pots

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

Plant layout

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

Plant selection

Alpine care

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

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

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

Wide expanses of open land mulch

Preparing for winter - how to protect the design corner

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

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

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

Spring work - cleaning up the consequences of winter weather

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Decorating a backyard or summer cottage - there is nothing easier. You can break it with a variety of flowers that will delight their owners all summer. You can plant flowers along the garden paths or just near the house. And you can build an alpine hill to your own delight, to the envy of your neighbors. This object of landscape design is becoming more and more popular from year to year. For help, you can turn to professional designers, or you can build this miracle yourself. Each element should be thought out so that the alpine slide harmoniously fits into the landscape.

The rock garden will perfectly decorate any site, and you can place it on the territory of a different area. A small piece of the rocky surface of the Alps looks very good against any background. To create such a miracle on your site correctly and beautifully, you need to know a few nuances, otherwise it will have to be disassembled and the wasted time and money will be irretrievably lost.

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

First you need to choose a place to place the slide. You can use natural irregularities, you can use a flat surface. The most important thing is that there is enough sunlight, ideally in the center of the site.

If this is not possible and the personal plot cannot meet all the requirements, you should not be upset.

Next is the base. At the same time, approaches to the hill should be considered. Only garden tools are needed for the job. You will also need stones of different sizes, stone chips, drainage material, sand, fertile soil, seedlings of flowers and small shrubs.

To make the alpine slide look harmonious, you need to dig a shallow hole under it, its size is done on a scale of 1: 2, no more than a meter deep. Strengthen the bottom of the pit with a pillow of gravel, brickwork or other construction debris, and pour plenty of water and tamp.

In the central part, the drainage layer should be larger than at the edges. A ten-centimeter layer of sand is poured over it. Pour, tamp, where you need to add sand.

From above, cover with soil with a high clay content, it can be purchased at the store or mixed independently, the proportions of clay soil with peat are 4:1, add a little peat in a ratio of 5:1 to the soil. This stage is very important for the alpine slide, if the drainage is done incorrectly, then everything will spread and settle after a large amount of precipitation.

Stones are placed on top. Moreover, their size and number will depend on individual fantasies. The shape of the alpine slide can be both horizontal and vertical. It is advisable to use natural stones, avoid sharp chips. If flat stones are chosen for the rock garden, then they should be laid with one edge raised.

Choice of decorative elements

Stones are an integral part of the alpine slide. The sizes of the selected stones must be proportional. Huge boulders cannot be used in a small alpine slide. Stones need to be taken in different sizes, large stones are placed in the base, and smaller ones are placed on them.

For structural strength, large stones are sprinkled with earth. Stones must be of the same breed. Symmetry when laying stones will ruin the appearance of the alpine slide, they should look as natural as possible.

Harder stones will last longer. Soft stones, such as limestone, will become covered with moss over time, this will give originality and originality to the alpine hill. Pebbles are laid out from the bottom up, determining a place for each.

Large stones should be placed at the very bottom, it is advisable to place small stones at the top. Be sure to provide "pockets" for planting plants. The main rule at this stage is the stability of the stones (if necessary, they are additionally strengthened) and the asymmetric arrangement of all elements. An almost finished slide should be shed with water and, if necessary, add soil in sagging places.

Plants for alpine slides

Plants for slides need to choose a different flowering period. From early spring to late autumn, she will look playful.

Another rule is the location of plants. They cannot block rocks. Perennial small plants are better suited, they should be unpretentious. When choosing plants, it is worth remembering about seasonal changes.

It is customary to decorate the top of the hill with small trees or shrubs, it can be juniper, thuja, dwarf pine. Flowers that complement the composition better than natural origin, they can be found in the nearest forest, they should not be tall so as not to cover the stones.

Plants such as saxifrage, edelweiss, poppy, violet, cactus, spirea, cinquefoil are suitable for this. The main thing is that they get along with each other and withstand the conditions of your climate.

Plants for rock garden - Phlox subulate and young
Multi-colored purslane on an alpine hill

Plant in shallow holes, filling with soil with the addition of a small amount of very small stone. This will keep weeds from growing and help retain moisture.

50 examples of alpine slides for every taste

Alpine slide photo gallery

The rock garden is an original flower garden, ahead of traditional flower beds in popularity. Even a novice landscape designer will be able to clearly show himself in his arrangement, since this work opens up great scope for creativity. Do-it-yourself alpine slide is created for one season and does not need special care. It is only important to choose the right stones and perennials that will take root even on poor soils and are undemanding to watering.

Where to begin

It is believed that a good start is half the battle. When creating an alpine slide in the country, the preparatory stage is even more important. The external attractiveness of the flower garden for years to come depends on how competent the first actions will be.

Location selection

Many experts agree that the hill is the main decoration of any site - cultivated or preserved in its original, "natural" form. To accomplish this task, a place downhill:

• should be visible from all corners of the garden;
• be sunny, free from tall trees that cast shade;
• be located on the south side of the house or fence, if the slide is “tied” to any structure;
• be protected from the winds.

A large alpine slide is best placed in the center of the site

A summer resident can work on a rock garden in any season convenient for him. However, experienced people recommend doing this in early autumn, until it is time to harvest. In addition, during the winter, a flower garden usually settles naturally, and the gardener has a reserve of time to correct the defects found before planting plants on the hill.

Rock garden schemes

Landscape designers have developed many schemes that help the summer resident "see" the future structure, navigate the choice of material and plants, and "attach" the flower garden to the area.

The stones in these schemes are the main actors, depending on their placement, rock gardens are:

• a rock (such slides are the steepest, the stones at their base are large, and the structures at the top are small);
• mountain slope (solid boulders - at the top, below - stone scree);
• terraced slope (arranged in the form of steps);
• "Czech rolling pin" (thin slabs are buried in the ground with the end part);
• a valley in the mountains (the composition is built horizontally, the location of the stones is free);
• a ravine (the rock garden is arranged in a shell-like recess, using moss-covered boulders).

Tall plants can be located on the side of the rock garden

Alpine classics is the shape of the pyramid. Its highest point is most often located in the center of the flower garden, but asymmetry can make the composition more original. The schemes provide for the height of such structures from 1 to 3 m. If the rock garden is small (the base diameter is 1 m), then the height is also small - 20 cm on average.

High varieties of coniferous trees can be planted in the pyramidal center

What plants to choose

The rock garden scheme is usually supplemented with detailed recommendations on the selection of flowers and shrubs for its design.

You can go a more complicated way - choose the plants yourself, taking into account the design of the future slide, the features of the local climate, the type of soil in your area, and, of course, your own preferences. For rock gardens, it is customary to use perennial crops that:

• undemanding to soil fertility and climatic conditions;
• undersized and moderately growing;
• not breeding "aggressively".

Since the emphasis is on slow-growing crops, voids may appear in the composition of "young rock gardens" that can be filled with annuals:

• gypsophila;
• marigolds;
• purslane;
• lobelia.

To fill the upper tier of the slide, the most persistent perennials are selected, since they will get the least amount of water and they will suffer from the wind more than other inhabitants of the rock garden. The famous mountain edelweiss is well suited for this role. It blooms in the second year after planting, and to maintain decorativeness requires regular transplants.

Next to edelweiss, you can place evergreen iberis, the snow-white buds of which bloom from May to June, and different varieties of undersized carnations (grass, gray carnation), one after another delight with their flowering throughout the summer. Purple rugs of creeping thyme look great in the upper part of the composition, attracting butterflies and bees with their aroma.

The record holder for endurance is young, an original plant from fleshy leaves collected in beautiful rosettes. He, too, will find a place at the top of the composition. Small gaps between stones are enough for the plant to gain a foothold in them for many years.

Young can take root in the most unassuming places

There are a lot of contenders to fill the middle tier zone, where representatives of the flora get more moisture, and the sun's rays are less burning:

• styloid phlox - differs in a variety of colors, blooms in May;
• cultural shaving - its buds bloom after the phlox, at the beginning of summer, in addition, the plant can bloom again closer to autumn;
• Carpathian bluebell - blooms beautifully and for a long time, but is somewhat aggressive in reproduction, best suited for the western slope, where it behaves more restrained;
• woolly cleaner - valued for its fluffy leaves with a silvery color;
• Monetary sunflower - an evergreen shrub, white, pink and yellow flowers of which bloom throughout the summer;
• aster alpine - with beautiful large buds;
• cotoneaster is an excellent ground cover plant;
• stonecrop (several species) - forms a rich, lingonberry or yellow carpet.

At the foot of the rock garden, on its lower tier, there are plants that are more demanding on the presence of moisture: Indian duchenea (its fruits resemble strawberries), creeping tenacious, saxifrage.

The northern slope of the hill requires special attention, on which only plants that are absolutely not afraid of the shadow can feel comfortable. Experts suggest choosing Pozharsky's bell, Caucasian rezuha, Haller's corydalis.

Of the trees, preference in rock gardens is given to undersized coniferous species:

• juniper;
• mountain pine;
• Canadian spruce.

All types of juniper have an exceptional decorative effect, which any gardener will appreciate.

Deciduous trees for alpine slides are practically not used, and experts recommend growing from shrubs:

• Thunberg barberry - its height does not exceed 30 cm, flowering continues all summer, and red berries look very decorative in autumn;
• evergreen boxwood - tolerates winter well under snow cover;
• Japanese spirea is a spherical miniature bush with elegant foliage.

Selection of stones

Suitable for slide equipment:

• basalt;
• sandstone;
• granite.

These rocks are strong, with little porosity. Tuff and shell rock, which do not have similar advantages, are not suitable for rock gardens - they are easily saturated with water and collapse. Not suitable, already for decorative reasons, imitation of boulders and blocks of industrial production, devoid of naturalness.

As for the shape, stones with sharp corners and rounded ones are not the best option. The variety of breeds and colors within one rock garden is also not welcome (this usually does not happen in nature).

You can not lay the stones too tightly, this will not allow the plants to develop normally, especially those with branched roots.

How to make an alpine slide with your own hands - step by step instructions

On mistakes - learn. The most serious and, alas, common among beginners is that they are too lazy to make a reliable drainage system. As a result, the earth sank, and the hill almost leveled with the surrounding landscape. Water began to stagnate in the flower garden.

Here is what the procedure should be after the place for the rock garden is determined:

1. Make a markup for the pit, outlining its future boundaries with pegs and "enclosing" tapes. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe pit should correspond to the size of the proposed flower garden or slightly exceed them. It is necessary to delve into the ground, also focusing on the parameters of the rock garden. If, for example, its length and width are 2.5 m, you should dig to a depth of 1 m.
   

   The minimum depth even for miniature rock gardens is 0.8 m

2. At the bottom, pour drainage from crushed stone, pebbles, brick fragments and construction waste appropriate for the task. The layer (at least 0.3 m thick) should turn out to be even, and not in the form of a slide. It is spilled with water. Then lay another layer of drainage, sand and gravel, its thickness is from 5 to 10 cm. It must also be leveled, spilled with water and rammed.
3. On top of the drainage, pour out the earth taken out during the digging of the pit. But first, clean it of debris, plant roots.
4. Start the installation of stones in 2-3 weeks, waiting until the soil shrinks. The largest specimens are laid first, they must be securely buried in the soil.

   Small stones are placed so that they cannot be washed out of the composition by heavy rains.

5. At the end of the formation of the hill with stones, proceed to landscaping work.

   Plants should be planted according to the season.

small slide

Even a small slide looks decorative, while it takes very little space to arrange it. A one-sided slide is placed near the fence or wall of the house, a round one - in the center of the lawn or plot.

A miniature rock garden can have a stepped design. For its design, you will need stones of an unusual shape and color, very accurately selected plants with a long flowering period.

A small rock garden would be appropriate in a decorative flowerpot, which is installed on the terrace or porch of the house

Landscape designers recommend including a body of water in the composition - even a tiny one, in the form of a small bowl imitating a lake, will make the hill more attractive. Creative ideas when creating mini-rock gardens are generally welcome - they can, for example, be equipped in an old sink or basin.

In a slide with a waterfall or fountain, everything should look very natural. The most common version of the composition is an elevation created from three combined tiers, supplemented by a stream.

When making such a rock garden, it is important to take into account a number of nuances:

• the place should not be too sunny, otherwise the water will quickly turn green under the influence of bright rays;
• an absolute shadow is also not good, it will adversely affect the growth and flowering of plants;
• close neighbors in the form of trees will not work either - their falling leaves will clog both the drain and the reservoir, and regular cleaning will be required.

Since water constantly flows down the hill, the design must be made reliably. If the height of the rock garden is 0.5 m, the top layer of soil will first have to be removed, replacing it with crushed stone.

It is also desirable to use geotextile - a modern inexpensive material that protects against water erosion (in this case, heat-sealed, with a density of 250-400 g / m2, is suitable).

It is important not to overdo it with the choice of plants - if there are too many of them, they will cover the entire surface of the reservoir with leaves.

Under the waterfall 1 m high, prepare the foundation. Fill the hole dug to a depth of 20 cm with crushed stone to half its volume, lay reinforcement from iron rods (the parameters of the “windows” are 20x20 cm). Pull the intersections with clamps, then fill the contents of the pit with concrete - in 2 weeks the structure will turn into a monolith.

To create the effect of a waterfall, you need a pump (submersible model). Power is selected depending on the height of the waterfall.

A rock garden of this kind expands the choice of plants. It can be arrowhead, sedge, water chestnut, water lily.

Hill with a decorative pond

The depth of the reservoir, equipped near the alpine slide, averages from 0.8 to 1.5 m. The main tasks when creating a pond are to isolate its bottom and ensure water circulation.

To prevent the water in the pond from stagnating, a pump is installed at the bottom of the reservoir.

First, pour a 5-centimeter layer of sand into the dug pit, pour it with water and tamp it down. Lay a special insulating film along the bottom of the pond or purchase and install a ready-made form, carefully sealing all the resulting gaps. Place stones near such reservoirs in the form of beads (sometimes in 2 rows), which will strengthen the banks and hide the edges of the insulating material. Of the plants for decorating the coastal zone, delphiniums, swamp irises, junipers, thujas are suitable.

One of the easiest ways to create an alpine slide pond is with a regular tire.

Such a pond will not take up much space, but will become a central element of landscape design.

Features of care

A year after the arrangement of the rock garden, you may have to strengthen the stones on the hill. What needs to be done is to add soil, which will be regularly washed out by rains and during irrigation, until after a year or two it is completely compacted.

Plants will also require care: they will need treatment with Epin when planting seedlings (to relieve stress and better rooting), and in the future - pruning, removal of faded buds and dried leaves and top dressing (without the use of nitrogen fertilizers, provoking active growth of green mass). Watering is carried out using sprayers to protect the soil from erosion. Pest control may be required.

To save yourself from unnecessary weeding, before planting the plants, treat with some kind of herbicide (for example, Glyfor) and repeat it after a few weeks.

If the plant is seriously ill, it will have to be removed so that the infection does not spread to other inhabitants of the rock garden

Moss, often used in alpine compositions, requires special care. By the way, it is fixed on stones with the help of a mixture consisting of earth, kefir and sugar, mixed in a blender. It is applied to the stones with a brush. In order for the moss to take root, it is watered for the first 20 days.

In winter, plants, especially from the upper tier of the hill, need protection from the bright sun, so trees and shrubs in rock gardens are covered in advance with special agrofiber or ordinary burlap.

From frost and excess moisture, decorative crops are protected by boxes or structures such as huts. So that the ground cover does not suffer from decay, remove fallen leaves from the hill in the fall. It does not hurt to install a shield near the alpine hill, which will protect it from penetrating winds.

If there is a ledge or unevenness in your dacha, plot or garden, make an alpine hill.

Firstly, such a flower bed is very beautiful, in a year its stony cliffs will cover with a solid carpet lovely cushions of flowers, herbs and mosses.

Secondly, the construction of the rock garden itself is a fascinating activity. Here you need to think everything over: where to plant coniferous shrubs, what stones and perennials to choose, so that a colored carpet in the middle of the rocky scree plays with colors for a whole year.

And, thirdly, if the soil in your dacha is poor, sandy or rocky, and is completely unsuitable for organizing other types of flower beds, then alpine hill plants in such conditions, on the contrary, will develop normally and bloom well.

Not everyone understands correctly what an alpine slide is. Structures made of plants and stones on the site are far from alpine slides.

Rock garden (alpine slide)- these are landscape compositions that imitate a mountain landscape with platforms like terraces with stones, squat shrubs and long-flowering perennials.

Consider some of the subtleties of designing an alpine hill flower bed

Rock garden in the garden, if possible, should be:

• isolated from outbuildings, playground, etc.;

• proportional to the entire area of ​​the site;

• removed from flower beds with bright lush flowering;

• located in the most illuminated place of the site, close to the source of water supply (if this is not possible, then it will be necessary to equip additional irrigation points);

• as plausible as possible to the mountain landscape;

• located near the house or recreation area.

Many people thought about how to make an alpine slide with their own hands. And only a few, especially stubborn and patient, decorated their summer cottage with terraced hills. Where did they start? Of course, with the choice of location.

In order for a rocky flower bed to organically fit into the garden environment, it is not necessary to look for a large space - alpine plants are so compact that it costs nothing for them to fit in dozens on a modest area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hill.

The height of the rock garden should not conflict with the already existing landscape. If possible, you need to make sure that the forms, textures and colors of the slide blend harmoniously into the concept of landscape design.

The alpine decorative flower garden in the garden looks very expressively against the background of dense, tall bushes or small but lush trees.

Do-it-yourself Alpine slide - step by step instructions

What materials and tools do you need to buy for an alpine slide?

• stones of the same breed, river sand, crushed stone, gravel, turf, humus, peat, limestone, earth and planting material;

• tape measure, cord, pegs, bayonet shovel, scrap metal, garden shovel with a long handle, wheelbarrow, scissors, ladle (in order to rake the earth out of the wide slide sump), garden watering can.

Is everything at hand? Then get to work!

• Any alpine slide project begins with a breakdown of the site and drawing the outline of the future flower garden (this is where you need a tape measure, pegs and a cord). The area under the flower garden is cleared, the soil layer is removed to a depth of 30-40 cm, weeded thoroughly and weeds are removed.

• When the clearing is completely finished on the deepened area, it is necessary to make a gravel cushion - to fill in a layer of gravel, slag and construction waste (broken brick, limestone or granite crushed stone is suitable), 10 cm thick. This kind of drainage will protect the roots of plants from waterlogging, preventing stagnation of groundwater, and provide adequate aeration.

• The water-permeable layer should be made thicker where the soil is very dense, structureless, silty and poorly permeable to water. Wetlands are the first enemy of alpine plants - ascetics are used to growing on slopes in light, stony-sandy, acidic soils.

• On top of the drainage layer (the base of the rock garden), it is necessary to make a sand cushion - pour a layer of river sand (5 cm thick), tamp well and water.

• Next, mix in equal proportions soddy soil (it can be prepared in advance or bought at any nursery), perlite, sand, pine bark, wood chips, fine gravel, crushed peat, humus and sphagnum.

• Do not add too much fertilizer to this layer. The over-enrichment of the land can lead to the fact that the trees and flowers on the hill grow too large or, conversely, die altogether. It is recommended to feed only some tuberous and bulbous, and then as rarely and carefully as possible.

• The finished soil mixture is poured over the entire surface of the hill, while modeling the relief of the rock garden on the model of the natural landscape. The embankment of the earth does not need to be made uniform and neat. Both on a large and on a small alpine hill in the garden, it is necessary to manually form "cliffs" and "valleys", "tops" and "plateaus", paths and transitions.

• After the residual backfilling of the area with a ball of earth, you can start laying stones, “laying” “pillows” of river sand under them.

What shape should the stones be in rock gardens and how to arrange them correctly?

Consider what stones are needed for a small and large alpine slide, their names and laying methods.

To organize such an exotic flower garden, you need to choose only those stony rocks that will not transfer heavy metals and salts to the soil, and will not oxidize the soil.

Hewn over the years, water and wind, irregularly shaped rocks in the landscape of the garden will look much better than freshly mined ones. Stone screes should be similar in structure, and preferably exactly the same, but at the same time different in size.

An excellent choice for rock garden has always been and will be: natural granite, organic limestone or decorative sandstone. Suitable forest boulder, dolomite, travertine, gneiss or basalt. Another option: serpentinite, elbrus, jasper, serpentine, quartz, etc.

Stones do not need to be collected in the fields and meadows. You can buy good copies in the quarry. The weight of one stone can reach approximately 15-100 kg. That is, for a stone flower bed measuring 1.5 x 3 m, the developer will need about 1-1.5 tons of stones.

We go further. Laying should begin from the bottom (from the foot) up - gradually moving from larger specimens of stones to smaller ones. The first form the core of the alpine slide. For this purpose, the largest and most beautiful boulder is chosen and placed in a small recess. To prevent the stone from rocking, it can be strengthened with rubble.

Advice. It is not necessary to lay with equal distances and geometric harmony - in the natural environment, on mountain slopes, stones and blocks are located in a chaotic mess.

When laying, you need to gradually deepen not only the core of the composition, but also all the other stones. The resulting sinuses are lightly covered with an earthen mixture for rock garden and watered with a sprayed jet of water - plants will be planted in them a little later.

In the upper part, a conical boulder looks beautiful, symbolizing the top of the mountain, surrounded by flat stones.

In the process of placing stones, landscape designers are advised to move away from the composition and evaluate the result from different angles. An alpine slide, decorated with your own hands, is considered ready if it looks holistic and harmonious even without conifers, shrubs and flowers.

But that's not all. Huge weight boulders and stones should lie down for two or three weeks, "settle down", so to speak. And only when the earth settles and you can start arranging a flower garden on an alpine hill.

Plants for an alpine slide - the key to a spectacular design

Hardened by the harsh climatic conditions of the highlands: cold, low atmospheric pressure, strong winds and temperature fluctuations, flowers for the alpine hill show amazing endurance in the difficult climate of Russia.

In order for the rock garden created in the country to really look like an oasis of a mountain landscape, shrubs and plants must be selected according to the following criteria:

1. unpretentiousness to climate and soil;
2. short stature;
3. moderate growth;
4. non-aggressive breeding method;
5. multi-year development cycle.

Low-growing and ground cover plants for an alpine slide

• Acena Bukhanana;
• young;
• Hairy beard;
• Mining grate;
• tenacious;
• Kostenets hairy;
• Fern;
• Stonecrop short-leaved;
• decorative cabbage;
• fat woman;
• Sagebrush;
• Geichera;
• Spurge;
• Stachys.

Advice. Ground cover plants with a powerful root system are placed on the slopes of an alpine hill to prevent its erosion.

Flowering plants for an alpine slide

• Barberry;
• Colchicum;
• Veronica;
• Carnation;
• Gentian;
• Gypsophila, wulfenia;
• Delphinium;
• Dryad;
• Gorse lancet;
• Poskharsky's bell;
• Primula Allioni;
• Saxifrage;
• Bloodroot;
• Burachok;
• Buttercup is cereal;
• Edelweiss;
• Kachem creeping;
• Oenothera Missouri;
• Iberian catchment;
• Thyme;
• Gargan bell;
• Phlox is undersized;
• Soapweed basil leaf;
• Yaskolka;
• Draba evergreen;
• Mertensia maritime;
• Fuopsis long columnar;
• Krylovychinnik round-leaved;
• Strawberry decorative;
• Rose Rhodiola;
• Chiastophyllum oppositeleaf;
• Himalayan geranium;
• Mountain cornflower;
• Hellebore;
• Liverwort;
• Anemone;
• Cat's paw;
• Rezuha;
• Violets and daisies.

Advice. Each of the flowering individuals in the rock garden composition plays a role, so the flowers should not obscure and interfere with each other. It is important to achieve a smooth change in the shades of the slide. This can be easily achieved by combining alpine plants in terms of flowering.

Long-flowering plants for an alpine slide

Onion and bulbous

• Decorative Karatav;
• Cornflower and island bow;
• Tubergen's bow and Besianum;
• Scylla;
• Vesennik;
• Sternbergia;
• Cyclamen;
• Snowdrop;
• Ranunculus;
• Pushkinia;
• Clivia;
• Rhodohypoxis;
• Brandushka;
• Hyacites;
• lilies of the valley;
• Babian;
• Corydalis;
• Merender;
• Sisyrynchium;
• Thecophylea;
• Poultry farmers;
• Moricia;
• Muscari;
• garden ranunculus;
• Dwarf varieties of irises, daffodils, dahlias and tulips.

Advice. The rocky structures of the rock garden will look as decorative as possible if you know the exact timing of the flowering of the bulbous. And yet, when planting onions in a rock garden with good drainage (stones and gravel prevent the bulbs from rotting), leave enough space between them to grow. Mulch temporarily empty places with tree bark or pebbles.

Low-growing grasses for an alpine slide

• Quaking grass;
• Lagurus;
• Highlander;
• Cuff;
• Alyssum;
• Oregano;
• Reed grass spicy;
• Feather grass;
• Pennysetum orientalis;
• Fescue gray and red;
• Liriope;
• Sheep evergreen;
• Barley is maned;
• Esholz;
• Heathers;
• Erica.

Advice. Herbaceous plants remain attractive until late autumn, while others have already withered or have not yet blossomed. Acting as a background, ornamental grasses serve as a juicy decoration in the creation of an alpine slide.

Compact shrubs for alpine hills

• mountain pine;
• Boletus boletus;
• Blue spruce;
• Barberry;
• Cotoneaster horizontal;
• Juniper;
• Larch;
• Thuja western;
• Miniature Pine;
• Korean fir;
• Euonymus;
• Spirea;
• Dryad;
• Rhododendron;
• Daphne.

Advice. Plant dwarf trees and bushes first, highlighting the most spacious sections of the hill for them. Do not plant them on the sole or on top of the ground. The optimal place for upright dwarf forms in rock gardens is near large stones along the edges of the hill, at a great distance from each other. When properly planted, deciduous and coniferous shrubs will not require any special care from you. But some of them, for the winter period, you will have to cover by tying the plant with burlap or a special cover.

Very often, moss is included in the design of alpine slides. The transplantation of moss plates from the forest onto rock garden stones is carried out as follows. First, the moss pillow is cleaned from its native land, and then it is thoroughly mixed with a blender with a couple of tablespoons of sugar and 200 g of kefir. With the resulting homogeneous mass, you need to lubricate the sections of stones (using a brush), on which in the future they want to see a green carpet of moss. The plant will take root faster if it is regularly moistened within three weeks after planting.

A neatly trimmed green lawn can become a good frame for an alpine slide.

Advice. No need to try to place more species in the rock garden. You will succeed in a holistic composition only when, having learned about the types of plants from A to Z, you will be able to provide, albeit for a small number of flowers, a worthy existence.

Alpine hill - landing scheme

Between the stone scattering there should be enough space for the normal development and growth of green spaces. In a small hole dug at an angle, as shown in the figure, seedlings are planted, their roots are straightened, lightly sprinkled with earth and tamped. After planting, the hill needs to be watered. It is better to do this from top to bottom - the water, flowing down, will saturate the soil well and go straight to the roots.

When planting rosette flowers on a hill: orostachis, gentian, levisia, etc., do not plant them next to ground covers. The latter grow rapidly and can crowd out tender plants.

Plant bulbs will not spread if planted inside a limiter - a jar or an old bucket without a bottom.

Schemes of alpine slides (with the names of plants)

Scheme No. 1

Scheme No. 4

Types of Alpine slides

The paradoxical unity of fragile vegetation and boulders gives real pleasure to summer residents, disposes to reflection and soothes.

And after reading the article, you only have to choose: admire the bizarre harmony of the alpine slides in the photo or recreate one of the views on your site. Moreover, there are 7 of them at the stony flower beds at once:

• "rock" with natural fractures of the surface;

• rather difficult in execution "mountain slope" with coniferous and huge boulders;

• landscape "mountain valley" with asymmetrically placed groups of stones;

• "terraced slope" with retaining walls of various heights, lengths and shapes;

• decorative "forest ravine" with a spring or an artificially created waterfall;

• "stony wall" - a low mound with randomly scattered stones;

• the extravagant "Czech rolling pin", the defining technical feature of which is layered masonry;

• the most stylish of the stone compositions is the "alpine lawn" with wild plants growing exclusively in the highlands.

Conclusion

Do not listen to those who assure that a rock garden in a country house can be planned and created in one day. Of course not. Well, perhaps the simplest version of a mini alpine slide, and even then not in the garden, but in a city apartment.

Want to make things right? Then lay the drainage, fill the ground and form the base of the hill in the fall, and lay the stones and flowers and plant them only in the spring.

Alpine hill - photo of beautiful rock garden design options

Mountain landscapes have always attracted people with their simple and natural beauty. Being on a mountain plateau or standing on a rocky cliff overgrown with grass, small plants and delicate flowers, you feel an inexplicable freedom, a special unity with pure, untouched nature. And so I want to keep these wonderful feelings in my soul longer. An alpine slide will help in this, which you can create with your own hands on a garden plot. It will become not only a small island of harmony, but also a magnificent decoration of the garden, an object of universal admiration.

An alpine hill or rock garden is a reduced model of a mountain landscape, as close as possible to the natural one, which provides for a harmonious combination of stones and plants of the alpine and subalpine highlands. Between themselves, these two concepts differ only in scale: a rock garden is a large composition, and an alpine slide can be quite small.

Rockery is very close to the Alpine hill, as both of them are a composition of plants and stones. But these two types of flower beds should not be confused. Rockery is an imitation of a mountain plateau or scree, located mainly on flat terrain and is not limited in the selection of plants. A rock garden is always hills and slopes, and the selection of plants is limited to the alpine zone.

The art of creating alpine slides came to us from England, but then it was undeservedly forgotten. Now the fashion for such flower beds has returned, although they have changed a bit. For example, in modern rock gardens, you can use almost any flowers that can grow on stones and blend harmoniously with the mountain landscape. The emphasis in this composition has shifted from stones to ornamental plants.

Since the alpine slide is a rather complex composition, its creation requires very careful planning, as well as a large amount of work. Therefore, this project is always expensive. And the arrangement of an alpine slide with your own hands will require huge physical and time costs.

But despite these shortcomings, the rock garden has undeniable advantages.

• Unconditional originality and unique beauty of the composition.
• Possibility to use waste land. Only a rock garden will help decorate the slope. Alpine slide will hide an abandoned place.
• Undemanding care. The correct selection of unpretentious plants will make caring for a flower garden easy.
• Interesting creative work. An alpine slide in the country with your own hands can be created together by the whole family and turn this laborious process into an exciting activity.

If you are not afraid of difficulties, then first we will choose the appropriate type of rock garden, so that we can start work at the beginning of autumn.

Rock garden design ideas

When deciding how to make an alpine slide in the country, you should get acquainted with the existing types of such flower beds.

According to the type of placement of stones, the following types are distinguished:

1. Rock cliff. This version of the alpine slide will be appropriate in any area. It is a steep hill with large stones at the base and smaller ones at the top. Vegetation in this variant is planted in "pockets" between stones and crevices. On the top of such a cliff, a stone of the original form is placed or a large plant is planted.
2. Mountain slope or scree. This is an excellent solution for areas with natural gentle slopes. In order to naturally imitate mountain scree, large boulders are placed on the top of the slope, and at its base there are small pebbles with rare larger stones. Such a composition is fixed by dwarf and creeping conifers, as well as creeping plants.



Mountain slope or scree

3. Terraced slope. Creates a stone composition in the spirit of an "abandoned" garden. It's just perfect for a slope. This do-it-yourself alpine slide is created in the form of steps, which are supported by stone blocks or special walls made of large stones.
4. Mountain valley. Solution for a flat area of ​​a large area. To create the image of an alpine valley, huge boulders and boulders are distributed over the allotted territory and dug into the ground up to half their size. Paths are built between them. Plants for this type of alpine slide should match the created image, these are mosses, miniature shrubs, grasses, as well as plants with a long flowering period.



mountain valley

5. Gorge. A rather complicated option, but also distinguished by the most natural beauty. This do-it-yourself alpine slide can be most easily equipped on a site with uneven, hilly terrain. However, mounds can also be made artificially. Such hills are lined with very large stones of various heights. The stone "walls" of the gorge are decorated with moss and creepers, and dwarf plants are planted in the middle.



6. Ravine. If your site has a natural hollow, then such a lowering of the soil can be used in the construction of an alpine hill in the form of a ravine. The walls are fixed with dug in large stones, and shade-loving plants are planted below. Or you can equip an artificial mini-reservoir at the bottom of the ravine.
7. Mountain Lake. If you are a happy owner of a small reservoir on the site, then a small alpine slide can be created on its shore using moisture-loving plants.



mountain waterfall

And experts will be able to help equip even a miniature mountain waterfall, since it will require the installation of a water pump.



Scheme of a mountain waterfall

8. Czech rock (rolling pin). A very popular version of rock garden now. An alpine hill of this kind is created from vertically installed flat stone plates. A small space is left between these plates, which is filled with a fertile soil mixture, and then compact, slow-growing drought-resistant plants are planted there.

Czech rock (rolling pin)

If the traditional arrangement of alpine slides is impossible for some reason, then, as an alternative, you can equip a flat rock garden, which is a raised flower bed. First, a fence is formed, drainage is arranged between the walls, covered with a fertile soil mixture, and then plants are planted. Such a flower bed can be arranged in the form of small multi-level terraces. Hanging plants look very beautiful on such terraces, as well as slow-growing ones. Such a flower garden takes up little space and is very decorative.

Multi-level terrace

We have named far from all models of rock gardens. Despite the differences, all existing alpine slides are very beautiful and can adequately decorate any landscape.