Small and simple alpine slides - in the country for your beginners do it yourself, photos and diagrams

The beauty of the mountains fascinates us so much that we even want to have a small part of it on a small area near the house. Therefore, probably, rock gardens and rockeries are becoming more widespread. These are such plantings in which stones are combined with plants, and they differ from each other in the ratio of these components. Rocks are dominated by stones - their absolute majority. Plants in them are present only in very small quantities. In alpine hills - rock gardens - plants can be a significant number. They imitate alpine meadows with characteristic vegetation. And to make an alpine slide with your own hands is not so difficult: you need to know its characteristic features and construction rules, which then apply in practice. All the intricacies of the arrangement of the rock garden will be discussed further.

What are

Since alpine slides copy real mountains, they can vary greatly in the shape, quantity, size and type of stones, the way they are laid, and also in relief. For example, there are layered stone slides, which are also called "Czech rolling pins". They differ in the vertical arrangement of layered rocks.

Czech rolling pin - a vivid example of a layered alpine hill

Rocky slides are the most common type of rock garden in our area. This is a small earthen mound on which stones are laid out. The stones are layered or boulders, the space between them is filled with rubble, pellets, pebbles or smaller boulders. This will be a rocky hill.

Rocky hill - easy to do with your own hands

But there are those in which the fertile layer occupies a significant area. In this case, isolated stone blocks stick out from the green of the lawn, flowers and small conifers stand out as bright spots. Such plantations imitate alpine lawns.

There are alpine slides with a large share of fertile soil

There are alpine ravines. If the site has a similar relief, you can equip it by making an artificial stream. To do this, lay the bottom and edges with stones, make a small pond below, from which water is pumped to the top of your "cliff".

Alpine slide device diagram with a waterfall and a pond and a waterfall

On the banks of a stream and a pond, plant hygrophilous plants; on stones, alpine grasses, flowers and perennials suitable for them. Such a structure, of course, is more complicated in technical terms, it also requires more costs - a pond, stream, slide - everything requires investment. Such complex systems are already considered landscape slides, as they partially change the appearance of the entire site.

And another type of rock gardens - terraces. Dividing the site into terraces is necessary if it is on a slope. Then a multilevel device is the best solution. To level the soil, retaining walls are laid. They are often made of reinforced concrete, and then decorated with boulders. On these retaining walls, ground cover plants also feel great.

The same principle - the organization of terraces - is used on flat areas, but for a different purpose: to make it more picturesque. In this case, the elevation is created artificially, and this is a large amount of land work.

Stones: what and where to take

The basis of any type of slide is stones and there will be a lot of them - several tons, and of different sizes. Choose from the breeds that are more common in your area. Chipped blocks look best, but they are already stale, with dark edges. Pellets with smooth sides can also be used, but creating a natural composition from them is not an easy task. It will take about one fourth of a large size, about the same average - the rest is small stones.

Granite looks great. But it is hard and “cold” on it rarely even the most tenacious saxifrages can grow, and the soil next to it quickly acidifies. This also must be borne in mind and periodically adjust the acidity (or plant plants that love acidic soil).

Slab stones look good on low slides

It is best to use tuff. It removes water well, water flows through it, which is more important - plants grow well on it. What is more important - it neutralizes the acidity, which is pleasant to “Alpines”.

Lime slabs are also good, but they come with slabs, it’s good to shape alpine plains or very low and gentle slides.

How to make an alpine hill

First, select the area where the rock garden will be broken. Depending on the conditions on it, they choose the type of slide and plants that can be planted on it.

Experts recommend not making a “grave” - a mound in the middle of a flat area looks exactly like that. If there is even a small natural or artificial “foundation”, it is better to start the slide from it. It can be a well, a large old tree, even the wall of some structure, from which a rock garden descends from the ledges. On a flat surface, rockery is more appropriate - a flat structure of stones and plants.

The most harmonious slide looks on the slope

How to choose a rock garden type

If the site is allotted boggy and located in a lowland, you can equip a small pond or swamp, the edges of which are decorated with stones. But even on the stones in this case, moisture-loving plants are planted - they will successfully drain the adjacent area. If in such a place to plant drought-resistant rocks, they will languish until they die - they need different conditions.

Alpine valley looks no worse than a hill, but on flat areas, it’s definitely better

For a sunny or shady, but dry area, it is possible to organize a slide of any type. It is difficult to create a large elevation on a flat site - it is more appropriate and easier to do something like a mountain valley, an alpine meadow or a low hill. In the presence of a height difference, you can arrange it in the form of a rockery or increase the existing height difference by arranging a hill on one side, from which a rock garden will "run off" with terraces or a covered slope.

When to start

Unless you beat the relief that you have, you will have to shift and sprinkle soil and stones, sometimes broken bricks and other similar construction waste are poured into the base of the slide. All this is poured with soil and rammed, then earth is poured on top, which is interspersed with stones. And so from the foot to the very top, stones with earth. It is clear that the entire structure will shrink. Moreover, a decent - up to 1/4 of the height. For this reason, an alpine slide with their own hands is often created in two stages: the first - soil work - is carried out in autumn, the second - planting - in spring.

Stones, flowers, water - beauty ...

So that during wintering with plants or without rain and snow melt, the soil will not be washed out much, the most problematic areas are fixed with a mesh, burlap. You will see where the water comes down most after the first rain. You can speed up the process by watering your slide. In those places where the water comes down the most, lay a net, sprinkle with small stones. In the next winters, the roots of the plants will gradually tighten the earth, but they will finally grow only after a few years, so that the stones will need to be covered with soil and the next winter, only carefully.

DIY Alpine slide: sequence of actions

Regardless of the type of landing chosen, the sequence of actions during the arrangement will be almost the same. It all starts with simple but voluminous earthwork, then exercises with weights follow, and only then - landing.

STEP 1. Mark the outlines. In a selected place, you outline the contours of a future slide. They should not be symmetrical - they should look natural. In any case, this is worth striving for. Therefore, it is better if the form consists of different broken and rounded lines. First, you can develop it on a piece of paper, then use a colored rope or cord to transfer it to the ground (you can outline the contours with a path made of sand, for example, etc.).

Marking is the first thing when arranging a site

STEP 2.We remove the fertile layer, organize drainage. On the outlined area, the soil is removed, the roots of the plants are removed. If the soil does not drain water very well, add crushed stone and tamp. This is a drainage to drain water and maintain normal humidity. Plants growing on stones cannot tolerate water stagnation and waterlogging. They are used to minimizing moisture. And create similar conditions for them. Sand is also poured on top of the rubble, with a layer of 10-15 cm, and on top there is already a fertile layer or a special substrate for the selected plants.

If the soil normally removes water, crushed stone is not necessary, but the vegetable soil needs to be removed: the plants will break through the stones and it is difficult to deal with them. Therefore, clean everything with quality.

We remove the turf and the fertile layer to a depth of about 20 cm

There may be another problem with sandy soil: it may be too loose (dusty sands). Then the stones will “float away” all the time. You can solve the problem if you fill in the gravel and drive it well into the ground, if this is not possible - spread geotextiles in the foundation pit (used in road construction and landscape design) and fix it along the edges of the foundation pit. In this case, it is desirable to take a tight one so that it can withstand a lot of soil and stones. He will not allow the stones to change their location and will hold the entire structure. In severe cases, it may be necessary to fill the concrete base - a reinforced slab.

Step 3. The formation of the relief. A layer of soil about 20 cm thick is poured onto the sand. The first, largest stones are placed. They partially need to be "drowned". This will look more natural. For a traditional slide, stones are stacked, not put upright. When organizing a Czech rolling pin, on the contrary - all the plates are placed in a stable. But these are fundamentally different formations and we will talk about the manufacture of rolling pins a little lower - there is another principle of formation.

Correct and incorrect laying of stones uphill

The heaviest stones are laid in the first row. The gaps between them are filled with soil, which can be interspersed with smaller “non-format” stones, which will not look well in the open. Having laid the stones, they check their stability: you need to jump on them. If it’s standing, it’s not moving, you can continue to work. Spread the second tier - the boulders are slightly smaller. And just as they fill the distance between them with smaller stones and soil.

Below are the largest and heaviest stones

According to the same principle, a third tier is formed - small stones are already stacked here, which can be interspersed with very small ones.

Step 4. Planting. As already mentioned, this stage can begin six months after the formation of the relief. Since the conditions are different for everyone, the plants are selected based on them. But if we talk about the Alpine hill, then, in theory, only those plantings that grow in the Alps should live on it. Basically, they are not very bright, and they feel bad in our latitudes. They are planted by true mountain lovers. And the overwhelming majority in summer cottages and personal plots plant plants that they personally like best. Strictly speaking, this is a flower garden or a composition with stones ... But, no matter how the structure is called, it has the right to exist if it brings pleasure to the owner.

What can I land on a low hill or in rocky

What is the difference between a Czech rolling pin device

As already mentioned, the Czech rolling pin is made up of vertically placed slabs. Such plates in our market can be bought from sandstone or limestone. Find more or less than one color, but of different shapes and thicknesses - from one centimeter to tens. And look for those in which at least one face was dark - weathered. They are put out. Some more will be needed with two tanned edges. When compiling the slides, they are put out - so beautiful and "more natural."

The beginning of the formation of the Czech rolling pin

It also starts: marking the site and excavation, backfilling the drainage layer. This is where the differences begin. “Ridges” are formed from large plates and they are placed on a rib with a slight slope - of the order of 5 °.

Between the dominant ridges, we lay out smaller layers, we fill the gaps between them with a substrate or soil. If you intend to plant alpine plants, they do not need too nutrient medium. In it, they can even die. They need to create conditions that are close to natural, so you have to adapt to them and make your own soil mixture for each type. The basis can be considered as follows: in equal parts, mix light meadow land, river sand with large grains and stone chips. In order for the soil to better hold the water of brick chips: in summer we have higher temperatures than in the Alps and dries faster. With this soil mixture and fill in the gaps between the plates.

Filling the gaps with soil and smaller layers

Plants are planted in these “rocky outcrops”. Then the remaining gaps are covered with about 2-3 cm with a layer of small stone chips of the same color. This is, firstly, it will add naturalness, and secondly, it will protect against drying out. The problem with the outflow of water is solved automatically - it goes perfectly into the vertical slots. And since the soil mixture is loose, no stagnation is formed.

Alpine slide plants: planting rules, names and photos

To obtain a decorative effect, it is more important not only and not so much flowering plants, as those that have beautiful and lush foliage that preserves decorativeness throughout the period: from spring to late autumn.

The planting of shrubs and trees must be approached very carefully: they grow, nevertheless decent in height, attempts to prune them only harm the appearance. If you want, look for dwarf varieties, but specify their growth. We can recommend horizontal junipers - they grow to the sides, and almost do not grow upwards. You can use mountain pine or nesting spruce. But this is with a sufficient height of the relief. In any case, trees and shrubs are planted in the “lowland”, so that it does not block the view.

An example of planting trees and bushes

Plants are planted in groups, but so that there is a solid free space between them, filled with stones or small crumbs. A solid carpet is not for rock gardens. Here each plant is a soloist and for each there should be a separate scene. Therefore, in the foreground - the lowest, behind them - of medium height and the highest - in the background.

Ahead - the shortest

Some plants that are often planted in rockeries in the country or near the house with a photo are presented in the photo gallery. Please note that one or two varieties are shown mainly, and there may be more than a dozen of them (this is usually the case).

What is the difference between rock garden and rock garden?

Rock garden and rock garden are two different ways to design flower beds, which have much in common. Due to the large number of identical characteristics, sometimes even gardeners with great experience are confused in these concepts. Both that and another represents a flower garden for which arrangement use flowers and stones. What is the main difference between the two?

A rockery is a pure stone garden. Creating it, use only one breed of stones.They are laid in two ways: randomly, not following any order, or in parallel rows. This helps create a visual effect of wildlife. A minor element of the composition are plants and flowers, which in this case serve only as a natural floral background.

It is the role of plants in the flower garden that is the main distinguishing feature between the alpine hill and rockery. In this type of stone garden, such as a rock garden or a mini rock garden, the main emphasis is on plants. Its composition consists of various types of colorful, unusual colors and their combinations, turning the flower garden into a small magical world from which it is impossible to take your eyes off.

Rockery differs from an alpine hill in its emphasis on the natural beauty of stones, in this case the flowers serve only as an addition

Ideal place to create a small rock garden

Also, choosing a place for a rock garden, it is important to take into account not only how it will look, but also pay attention to other points related to its placement:

Illumination. The place must be sunny so that the plants receive the necessary amount of light. A shaded area will cause the flowers to fade and stretch.
The lack of trees and drainpipes nearby. When the flower garden is under the tree, the leaves from it will crumble and spoil the appearance of the entire composition. Rainwater from the drainage system can cause erosion of the earth.
In the flower garden should be placed "neighbors" who get along with each other and have similar conditions of care and cultivation.

An open, well-lit meadow will be a great place to build a rock garden

Small Alpine Slide Options

Starting to work on a miniature rock garden with your own hands, you need to consider the choice of style in which it will be designed, it completely depends on the desires and fantasies of its creator. Photos of the most spectacular and colorful mini rock gardens can help to dwell on some specific option, for example:

Common alpine slide in miniature. It is a stepped structure, which is installed directly on the ground. It can be a wonderful decoration for the entire flower garden as a whole.
Mini-rock garden, combined with a pond. Amazing effect is achieved due to the presence of even a small bowl at the base of the stones, which will simulate a pond. Such an element of the composition will make it even more charming and attractive. The addition in the form of a mini-waterfall or fountain will make this place the most attractive in the whole country territory.
Little alpine slide in a flowerpot. A great solution in the absence of free land. You can always find a lot of photos of such mini-rock gardens, and not only in flowerpots, but also in various other containers.

A rock garden can be completely different - from a mini composition in a pot to a large slide with waterfalls and a fountain

Materials for the design of the slide

To create a small, simplest alpine hill, even beginner gardeners will not need a lot of skills and a lot of effort. The main thing is to get creative. The process itself will not take much time, since the mini-rock garden is a completely small and labor-consuming project.

Organic stone laying gives the impression of a natural landscape

As soon as you decide to equip a small rock garden with your own hands, you will need quite a bit of material, which definitely is in any cottage:

several large stones
gravel,
ceramic shards.

Sometimes even old shells or leaky cans can act as improvised materials. They also really transform into a true floral masterpiece.

To make the composition more interesting and original even with a minimum of vegetation, stones with an unusual shape and color should be preferred. It is advisable to surround cobblestones of a widespread gray color with gravel of different shades or bushes with bright flowering.

Choose plants for a small alpine hill

Which plants will make up the composition of the mini-alpine slide is determined by the area that the latter will occupy. In the case of small areas, miniature plant species are also required. The most suitable are dwarf conifers, as well as rocky species that grow slowly. Among them you can choose:

Samshit
thu
juniper,
Erica grassy
saxifrage,
awl-shaped phlox.

If we want to dilute the composition with bright colors, we should plant low-growing plants that have small flowering, for example:

In the case when the mini-garden of stones will not remain for the winter, then it is permissible to include cacti and succulents in its composition, for example, a fat girl or agave. A miniature rock garden in a flowerpot with the advent of autumn is enough to remove from the street to the room.

The sequence of creating a mini rock garden for beginner gardeners

In various sources you can find a lot of schemes and step-by-step instructions with photos on creating mini-rock gardens. The simplest sequence of actions, which is easy to translate into reality and a beginner in gardening, is as follows:

marking the site for a mini alpine hill,
placement of stones and fixing them in the ground,
planting plants between the stones.

Site preparation

Starting the arrangement of the flower garden, it is necessary to remove all weeds and roots from the site intended for it. This will save time and effort in the future.

Since the mini-rock garden occupies a small area, there will be enough pit depth of about 50 cm. A similar hole should be dug in the place where most stones are planned to be placed and filled with drainage. As a last resort, ordinary construction waste, which is not toxic, may be suitable. After compaction, it is covered with earth. It is important to carry out intermediate watering of the earth, which is added in layers. Such a measure contributes to a better seal and prevents subsidence of your creation in the future. To mark the tiers of the rock garden, twine and stakes are used.

Placement of stones

Quite often in the middle of the flower garden they have one of the most impressive stones. It is installed on a special substrate, which is buried in the ground so that its base is flush with the ground. As a support, a gypsum bowl or a substrate made of cement mortar can serve. First you need to install the support in the right place, drowning it in the ground, and then lay a stone on it. You can make the placement of stone reliable by resorting to cement mortar or gypsum.

Further, according to a similar principle, one should arrange and fix smaller stones. When creating an alpine mini-slide, the most commonly used are: shell rock, dolomite and tuff. Especially elegant look samples with a natural color and structure, although modern methods of landscape design allow the coloring of stones, the appearance of which does not fit well with the overall composition. Usually, while designing miniature rock gardens, they try to use small samples of stones of the same color scheme, but it is quite possible to use bright colors that create a contrast to the main background. This will give gloss and elegance to the flower garden.

Stones that have an even and flat shape should be laid out in layers, placed round in addition to one or more together. The main thing is that the number of stones in the group be odd, and it is necessary to emphasize one of them.

Disembarkation

In the process of placing and installing stones, it is important to leave a place between them, which will subsequently be occupied by plants selected for mini-rock garden. These inter-stone spaces must be filled with fertile soil. Plants and flowers can be planted not only between, but also around stones. First of all, the largest plants should be placed. As for dwarf trees, which have a fairly powerful root system, they must be planted when the first stones are still laid. At the end, medium and small plants are planted. At the end of all work, the flower garden should be watered. After this, it remains to apply the final design touches. To do this, you will need sand, small pebbles and any elements of garden decor.

How to install a miniature pond

However, you can build such a container yourself from improvised materials, for example, an old basin. First you need to mix the cement mortar with a consistency similar to sparse sour cream, and add medium-sized crushed stone to it. The inverted pelvis should be coated with a uniformly obtained mixture with a layer with a thickness of 1-2.5 cm.

When creating a rock garden with a pond, it is not at all necessary to purchase expensive structures; you can use unnecessary containers, for example, a bath or a basin

It will not be superfluous to create additional decor. It may be a pattern scratched on the outside, or a lined mosaic. For mosaics, ceramic shards, broken glass, shells and tiles are suitable. Decor should be done when the cement mortar still remains wet. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to add crushed stone to the solution.

Now you should prepare a place for installing a dried container. To do this, a pit is excavated, at the bottom of which expanded clay or gravel is poured as drainage, with a layer of 5-7 cm. The tank itself is installed in the pit above. On the edge of the created pond, you can nicely lay out small pebbles.

Useful Tips

Below are a number of useful recommendations that will help novice gardeners avoid mistakes when designing a mini rock garden:

The right choice of plants. Playing an important role in the composition, not all flowers are suitable for this type of flower garden. For example, ordinary garden flowers, such as phlox or daylilies, do not look the best among a pile of stones. It should be noted that garden species of flowers require extensive open spaces, while mini-rock garden soil is quite poor. As a result, plants simply cannot exist normally. It is worth stopping your choice of plants for a miniature alpine hill on those species that are compact and winter hardy.
The final general view. When planning a future mini flower garden, it is important to consider how it will look in the end. The higher the slide, the more stones should be in its composition. So, plants, especially on the upper tier, will be protected from freezing. Everything turned out right if your creation resembles a mountain landscape with rocky stones, fertile gentle slopes and shaded hollows.

Planning the composition and design of an alpine hill

So, how to make a composition, how to choose and arrange plants and stones? Full answers to these questions will not fit in the framework of one article, but in short, here are a few main rules and principles that you must adhere to:

According to canons, an alpine hill should not consist of boulders and rolled stones (with the exception of rock gardens at ponds), but of rough and broken ones. For example, it can be: tufa, sandstone, limestone, granite or slate.
In one composition, it is desirable to combine no more than 2 breeds, otherwise the rock garden will look unnatural.
As a rule, the height of the alpine hill is 3-5 tiers (it is better that the number of tiers is odd). It is better not to make country rock gardens too high - their optimal height is 50-80 cm.

Little alpine hill

In choosing the design of an alpine hill, be guided by a sense of proportion - the composition should look natural and organically fit into the landscape. Cliffs and rocks (see photo below) in summer cottages most often seem foreign. But simple simulations of a slope or a mountain valley without a pronounced peak are relevant everywhere.

In a small suburban area, high types of rock gardens as in this photo are not too appropriate

Now let's talk about choosing plants for an alpine hill. If you build a rock garden strictly according to the rules, then the flora for it must be selected strictly of alpine origin: miniature conifers, shrubs, ground cover, bulbous and herbaceous perennials.

However, these “Alpines” are not so easy to find and grow in the middle lane, so you can choose any plants that are characterized by squat (height up to 60 cm), unpretentiousness and, of course, decorativeness. On the northern slope, it is better to plant shade-tolerant plants: tenacious, periwinkle, fern, incense, and others. On the southern slope, respectively, photophilous plants grow better: lavender, barberry, adonis, iris, acena and others. Evergreens, such as mountain pine, Canadian spruce, juniper and others, will harmoniously fit into the “mountain ensemble”.

It is advisable that the plants of your rock garden maintain decorativeness all season, otherwise the withered leaves will spoil the entire composition, and it is unlikely to hide them under the blossoming "neighbors". For this reason, it is good to use airmen in the design of an alpine hill. Although they are not entirely “canonical,” they will adorn the rocky garden for a long time.

Step-by-step instruction from 8 steps

Having roughly imagined what our rock garden will be, we can begin to create an alpine slide with our own hands.

The technology for creating an alpine hill consists of the following steps:

Choose a place, determine the size,
Draw a rock garden diagram,
We designate the circuit, remove the sod,
We make a drainage layer,
Preparing fertile soil and falling asleep,
We raise the core of the hill, sprinkle the soil,
Planting plants
We bring the finishing touches.

And now let's talk about each stage in more detail.

Step 1. Draw an alpine slide plan

Creating even the simplest alpine hill is best to start with the development of the project. The simplest option is a schematic sketch in accordance with the approximate sizes of stones and plants relative to each other. For example, it could be something like this.

1 - Mountain pine, 2 - Creeping thyme, 3 - Canadian phlox, 4 - Scrub of Evers, 5 - Gray fescue, 6 - Alissum rocky, 7 - Narrow-leaved lavender, 8 - Smear visible, 9 - Fragrant root, 10 - Steller's wormwood. Note: the scheme of the alpine hill is depicted without taking into account the time of flowering plants

Ideally, a slide, especially a large and multi-tiered one, should be designed on a scale of, say, 1:50 or 1:25 (1 cm on paper corresponds to 50 or 25 “natural” centimeters) and with a grid with cells 2 × 2 cm (that is, at transferring the mesh to nature, the cells will correspond to cells of 50 × 50 cm at a scale of 1:25).

Step 2. Choose a place

Here are some tips for choosing a place for an alpine slide:

It is desirable that the rock garden is located in a sunny place, and the slope is oriented east and south. Of course, you can choose a shaded place, but then the choice of flora will be limited - only shade-tolerant plants will have to be planted.
Well, if the composition was placed so that it was visible from different angles.
The installation of an alpine hill near a house or other buildings is undesirable, since from melting snow or a drop, the flower garden can sag and be damaged.
A rock garden on the background of the fence is not a good idea, but if no other place is found, bushes planted along the fence or lianas as in the photo below will help to refine the background of the slide.

An example of an alpine hill on a background of a fence. By the way, here the rock garden is designed to hide water communications

This small alpine hill would have looked much better if the fence had been entwined with vines or planted with shrubs.

You should not build an alpine hill and under the trees (deciduous and flower), otherwise every autumn you will have to clear the rocky garden from fallen leaves.
If the site has uneven terrain created by nature, then this is the best option for rock garden.

The front area of the site,
Entrance area
Recreation area (in the barbecue area, by the gazebo, pool, pond),
Garden,
Backyard,
At any stony retaining walls.

Rock garden near the house

Rock garden at a canopy for firewood

Step 3. Remove the sod

In accordance with the plan, we designate the contour of the future slide on the selected site: we drive in the pegs and stretch the twine through them.

Next, we remove the sod to a depth of a little more than 30 cm and leave it aside for a while. Later, based on it, we will prepare the soil substrate. Pursuing land work, do not forget to remove the rhizomes of weeds.

Step 4. Prepare the base

So, we have a “foundation pit" rock garden. Now we need to fill it with a “sandwich” of drainage and soil. As the first layer of drainage, you can use broken bricks, pebbles, gravel or medium-sized gravel. We fill it with a thickness of 10-15 cm, depending on the size of the stones. Next, we fill up a layer of sand with a thickness of 5-10 cm, carefully ram it and fill it with water to achieve maximum density.

To prevent the destruction of the composition from raids by moles and shrews (if they are found in the vicinity of your dacha), you need to lay a small metal mesh on the bottom of the pit.
If you arrange a rock garden on a slope with dry and loose sandy soil, then you can not do drainage.

Step 5. Paving the way

When the laying of the drainage layer is completed, you can begin to prepare fertile soil. We will mix it from equal parts: previously dug turf, peat, humus and sand.

Soddy soil before preparing the soil substrate must be thoroughly cleaned of weeds and their rhizomes.

Step 6. Raise the hill

The construction of the alpine hill begins with laying the most beautiful and largest boulders around the perimeter of the future rock garden.

Stones should lie as stable as possible. To do this, they must, firstly, be laid on the ground with the largest side, and secondly, if necessary, place smaller supporting stones under them or add gravel or soil. The bottom row of boulders needs to be dug up one third or two thirds into the ground at all - so you will achieve not only stability, but also the desired natural effect.

Having folded the first row of large stones, we pour the prepared soil into the center of the composition and at the same time lay out the middle stones, forming the second tier.

The base of a small alpine hill

Finally, small cobblestones are placed on the top of the hill and on the slopes where you need to fill the voids. At the top of the hill you can put one large or two medium-sized stones. When erecting an alpine hill, do not forget to check your pattern and leave enough space for planting plants. At the end of the construction of the alpine hill, it must be abundantly watered and left for a couple of weeks for shrinkage.

Try to stack the stones so that the landing pockets are horizontal and not inclined, since the plantings on the slope are not very convenient to water.
Before laying each new stone, the soil under it is pre-compacted.
Remember that a rock garden should have as little geometry and symmetry as it is rare in nature.

Some experts recommend that the core of the slide be formed not from fertile soil, but from sand mixed with a small fraction of crushed stone (the soil is filled only in the planting pits, and then the entire embankment is covered with it to hide light sand). So the hill will turn out more reliable and durable. High slides require a core of three layers: gravel (or other rocky placer), sand and soil (see diagram below).

Step 7. Planting Plants

When the composition of the stones suits you, proceed to the most pleasant stage - planting flora. To do this, first arrange the pots with seedlings on the slopes according to your project, starting with large and ending with small ones. Planting plants must begin from the top, gradually going down. The depth of the planting pits depends on the size of the root systems of specific species. Finally, the finished slide needs to be poured with water, washing off the earth from the stones.

Planting plants Ready Alpine Hill

Do not overdo fertilizers to avoid unwanted growth of plants in breadth and height.
Soil substrate (acidity and alkalinity) can be adjusted for each species.

Step 8. Add the finishing touches

Hooray, the alpine slide is ready! Now you can supplement the hill with a filling (pebbles, gravel or gravel) where necessary, or set the decor (garden figures, lamps, etc.)
Finally, we suggest you to watch a visual master class on how to make a simple alpine slide with your own hands.

See also the gallery of rock garden ideas in the country:

Features

One of the most spectacular and unlike anything landscape design elements is the Alpine slide. On the one hand, it creates an atmosphere of peace and promotes a complete rest, on the other hand, the flight of imagination for its arrangement is not limited by practically anything. In the absence of time, you can turn to specialists, but often the price for their services makes you wonder if this is necessary.

Nothing prevents an enthusiastic summer resident from creating a rock garden at the cottage himself, even from improvised materials. Moreover, no education is required for this. Even a novice can do it.

There are several types of rock gardens, each of which is a copy of a mountain landscape:

rock - consists of large stones and boulders,
mountain slope - located in areas with a slope,
valley - for relatively flat areas,
Alpine lawn - a great option for a beginner, manually designed on a summer cottage, using small stones and many colors,
ravine - good in the presence of a natural fracture of the relief,
Stone Garden - rockery, in the spirit of the Japanese rock garden.

You need to know that the technology of creating a rock garden consists of the following steps:

Design. At this stage, the required amount of materials and plants for the future object is calculated, their types are selected, which will be used, and a drawing is created that allows to present its appearance in perspective.
Choosing a location for the location of the rock garden, and preliminary marking of its boundaries and shape on the site.
Preparation of a site for construction, which includes soil drainage, if necessary.
Laying stones. The device of the reservoir, if planned.
Planting plants.

After this, there is only constant care for the hill and, if desired, updating the species of plants that inhabit it.

Location

The best place to place an alpine hill is the eastern or western slope - so landscape designers advise. But this does not mean that it cannot be built on the north side of the site. Just then you have to choose shade-tolerant plants that love moisture. But you can do it cunningly and create a hill oriented to different parts of the world, making the southeast and south slopes more gentle than the north and northwest.

When choosing a place for a future alpine hill, it is important to consider a number of conditions:

If the garden has natural natural bumps in the relief, they are perfect for decorating a rock garden, saving the owner time and effort.
The composition should be visible from every corner of the site, so it will be correct to place it in an open area. The presence of trees near the rock garden is undesirable, because, firstly, in the autumn there will be problems clearing the hill from fallen leaves, and secondly, a tall tree near the hill can suppress it, distorting its actual size.
It is better if the alpine hill is illuminated by the sun, because alpine plants are photophilous. It is especially successful if the rays of the sun are directed to the hill before noon. It is important to note that the area that will be in the shade will dry longer after rains and showers. But this can be prevented by simply planting fern plants.

The soil should not be wet and possibly rocky. Alpine plants do not tolerate moisture well.
Avoid placing a rock garden near a wall or fence, right if the background is of a vegetative nature. Too close to home is also undesirable, since in winter there is a chance of snow falling from the roof.
In the garden, the rock garden will also look inappropriate. The very idea of an alpine hill is to create an atmosphere of comfort and pacification for the owner, which is unattainable among the beds and greenhouses. Against the background of outbuildings (garage, chicken coop, barn), the Alpine slide will look ridiculous. For its placement, that section of the garden in which the owners intend to relax is ideal.
A flat site is not suitable for creating an alpine hill, because the name itself implies uneven terrain, even a small one.

The addition of a rock garden can be a flower garden, a flower bed (or several), a beautiful lawn, with which you can also bend around the hill around the perimeter. Looks great pond or pond at the bottom of the hill, even better if it flows into a small waterfall or cascade located on the side of the mountain.

Landing patterns

When planting a plant for an alpine hill, you need to act clearly and consistently. Best of all - never step back from a project. In this case, the arrangement of the slide with your own hands will pass quickly and without unnecessary costs. Novice gardeners are better off using simple schemes.

Alpine perennials are suitable as the main elements of the composition., which over time will grow and, as it were, form a kind of living cover. This, for example, geranium, wormwood Schmidt, obrietta, lavender. To enjoy the view of the slide all season, it is good to plant in groups in a circle plants that bloom in different periods of the season. Make it easy. It is better to isolate the brightest and most attractive flora specimens to highlight them visually.

In a multi-tier rock garden, plants are planted sequentially, tier by tier. At the top are the most photophilous and drought tolerant species, for example, ground cover. Plants suitable for shade, but loving the sun, are suitable for terraces. At an average level, higher humidity. At the bottom of the slide, they plant crops that love moisture and shade.

Coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs are planted first, occupying the largest areas. At the foot of the slide they should not be placed. After the shrub planting is completed, grasses begin to be planted, after that - ground cover plants.

When forming the composition, the flowering periods of plants and their compatibility should be taken into account. Using both annuals and perennials when planting in the rock garden, you can achieve constant flowering and attractive appearance, and, in addition, it will be possible to partially change the composition of plants every year.

A large stone of an interesting shape, an unusual tree, a beautiful flower or a stream can become the dominant element in the composition, adding sophistication and completeness to the entire structure.

If there is no main accent, then you need to decide what will be more vivid in the rock garden - flowers or stones. If the flowers, then the stones should be neutral shades. If the stones are original and bright, then the flowers should not draw attention to themselves. To avoid turning the rock garden into a pile of randomly scattered stones, it is recommended to avoid the use of stones of different breeds.

What it is?

Alpine slide is one of the methods of landscape design, which is created on a flat place or a small hill, imitating with the help of stones of various sizes mountain slopes, overgrown with dwarf shrubs and perennial flowering plants. Variations for creating an alpine flower garden are very diverse - in addition to plants, they can contain small ponds, bridges, garden sculptures inside the composition. Very unusual and beautiful look are slides made in the form of tiers-terraces, as well as with the use of illumination in the evening and at night.

Of course, the construction of such structures requires certain design developments and experience translating ideas into reality. Much of the appearance of the flower garden will depend on the breed of stones and their shape, which will be taken as a basis. The sizes of stones also play an important role.

Skillfully combining the texture of the stone and choosing the right plants is a difficult task, but it’s quite feasible, anyone who can understand the subtleties of creating an artificial landscape can cope with it.

When creating a landscape flower garden, you can use simple ready-made design schemes on your own or resort to the help of specialists to individually develop a project and carry out all the necessary work.

You can equip garden landscapes using various types of rock gardens:

Hill of stones - this is the easiest option to manufacture, it needs a small hill in the form of an earth embankment and stones of various sizes, which are located in random order on this hill. The size of the slide can be any, and the simplicity and conciseness of this design allows it to be appropriate anywhere in the site,

Flower garden using existing landscape - the plain site or the natural slope are taken as the basis for constructing the composition. The scope for creativity here is unlimited - you can decorate the landscaped area with a waterfall, organize a pond, place artificial decorative elements. In the performance of this type of rock garden is quite simple, since it uses a naturally created basis, to which the necessary additions are added,

Rock garden using architectural components - this type of landscape design must be developed in such a way that it is combined with the general architectural idea of the house located on the site. The structure of such an alpine hill contains a clear and regular form of terraces, tiled curbs, paths. Creating such a project is quite difficult. It is necessary to take into account many points, which consist not only in the selection of forms and materials, but also in the selection of plants corresponding to the general concept,

Stepped terraces - to implement this option, an embankment with a steep slope is needed, where low walls are fixed at various levels, which serve as a support for holding the soil. The length, height and frequency of such walls can be chosen any, depending on the design plan. The terrace itself can be small and narrow, or vice versa, wide and high. Plants are planted on the terrace surface using large or mini-specimens so that they do not obscure each other and harmoniously complement the overall appearance of the composition,

Rock or hill - this type of structure involves the creation of a large hill, imitating a miniature of a rock or cliff. Sometimes, for the construction of such a hill, plastic imitations of large stones are used or natural large-sized specimens are brought. The process of creating this kind of design is quite laborious, but this rock garden looks great in finished form. Often, designers use this type of rock garden in areas where the terrain itself has a hilly landscape,

Rockery - A kind of rock garden created on a flat surface of a platform made of stones and gravel. Against the background of the general landscape, compositions with large stones indicate the highest points, creating a peculiar accent that attracts attention. To this end, round boulders or limestone may be used. Often rockeries are made with a small pond.The implementation of such an idea does not require a global expenditure of effort, time and money, therefore this type of rock garden is very common. The rockery can be large or miniature, made literally of improvised means taken as the basis - a large clay pot or ceramic pot, an old boat, even unusable shoes can be turned into a mini-garden, pleasing to the eye,

Alpine lawn - this type of landscape consists of a skillful combination of small alpine hills, flat rockeries and rocky hills. The most important condition is that the combination of these species should be so harmonious that an impression of naturalness is created. A rather large surface is needed for an alpine lawn, therefore it is suitable only if the land area allows this. Another complication is that the plants used for such a flower garden begin to compete with each other for space and the stronger ones displace the weak, while the balance of the decorative composition is lost. In addition, weeds also actively intervene in the artificially created landscape and violate the overall harmony even with good and regular care. And after a few years, the whole lawn has to be radically redone,

Gravel flower garden It is quite easy to create and looks spectacular. Gravel and large stones are placed on the soil covered with a protective film, any garden sculpture or fountain may become the center of the composition. Near large stones, a small amount of plants is planted - most often these are perennials or evergreen coniferous dwarf species. The flower garden is decorated with backlight. If desired, the elements of the composition can easily be replaced or supplemented with other types.

A lot of ideas for creating flower beds can be gleaned from nature itself. To do this, you just need to carefully observe it in natural conditions, look at materials about the mountain flora and lowland landscapes.

Any flower garden will please the eye and will successfully fit into the general architectural concept of the site only when it is as close as possible to natural forms and proportions.

Seat selection

Before starting work on creating an alpine hill, you need to decide on its location. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the general plan of the garden or land, taking into account the existing trees and buildings. It is necessary to build a flower garden so that it is clearly visible from any point on the site and each side of it looks harmonious.

The most successful places for accommodation are considered:

not far from the entrance to the plot,

near the entrance to the house,

on a site in a recreation area,

opposite the front of the house,

by the terrace or from the side of the house where there is a balcony.

In a garden with tall trees, a place for a rock garden is best chosen on a site remote from the trees so that their shadow does not impede the growth of small plants. If the land is located on a slope, the best place for a flower garden will be a place on its upper part, where there is a lot of light and fresh air. To break the alpine hill, the best neighbor can choose small shrubs, against their background the whole composition will look appropriate and realistic.

But near the iron fence, the flower garden will look loser, and when heated in the sun, the metal will not create the best microclimate for plants.

Plants for rock gardens usually choose perennial, ampelous or evergreen. Therefore, for them the optimal conditions would be a place where there is partial shade and good air circulation. Constant sunshine, stagnation of water in the ground and frequent strong winds can adversely affect many types of vegetation.

Preparatory work

After the place for the hill is determined, it is necessary to create a model of the future rock garden. It can be done in the form of sketches yourself or use a ready-made design project. According to the planned sizes on the site, the territory is marked out, indicating the contours of the structure, as well as the location of large significant elements. In this case, clear geometric shapes must be avoided, as irregular shapes will look more realistic.

The technology for constructing an alpine flower garden implies the creation of a certain autonomous ecosystem, which should correspond not only to its decorative purpose, but also provide conditions for the growth and development of living plants located in it. It is important for them that the soil has good drainage and there is no stagnation of water in it that would lead to rotting of the root system.

Therefore, the first preparatory stage will be the creation of a drainage system of the flower garden.

To do this, adhere to the following work algorithm:

remove the topsoil by about 20-30 centimeters,

Gravel and broken bricks are laid out in the resulting pit, and then well compacted, while the total thickness of the layer should be 10-15 centimeters. If the project provides for the use of large stones, it is advisable to install them after shrinkage of the soil, which occurs three weeks later in a natural way,

the second layer is laid sand of a large fraction also to a height of 10-15 centimeters and well compacted it,

a mixture of peat and humus is laid in a third layer, forming a platform for a flower garden. After the next natural shrinkage of the soil, it is already possible to outline the contours of the hills and place the remaining stones. For smaller stones, it is necessary to make depressions, otherwise the effect of precipitation and wind will erode the soil beneath them, which will lead to a loss of stability. Between the stones you need to leave free space for placing plants.

Most often, preparatory work is carried out in the autumn. This is done so that the soil during the winter can properly settle. By spring, the prepared site will be fully ready for the rest of the work.

Choose stones

The choice of stones directly depends on the design concept of the flower garden project. In the natural environment, stones have chips and uneven surfaces, which creates a unique landscape, for which we want to recreate it in our area. Therefore, choosing a stone, it is best to give preference to limestone, shell rock, sandstone, granite and basalt rocks.

Shale rocks have a flat appearance and are well suited for creating terraces, stylized steps and edging outlines of the flower garden.

Rounded forms of stones are also often found in rock gardens, but they are used more often to create lawns, borders, as well as in structures using artificial ponds.

Brick or concrete is not used in alpine slides. These materials cannot be organically integrated into the landscape design structure, as they are artificial, which will immediately catch the eye and spoil the appearance of the composition.

Sometimes it is allowed to use stylized artificial imitations of large blocks of stone. Such copies can be purchased in specialized stores, they serve for quite a long time. Their most important advantage is their absolute resemblance to natural boulders. In some cases, it is really more expedient, for economic reasons, to purchase such an artificial boulder than to look for the possibility of transportation to the site of a multi-ton stone specimen.

Plants

In order to arrange a flower garden, you need not only landscape elements, but also living plants. Making flowers is a rather serious stage of work, since it is important to choose them in such a way that the flower garden looks interesting throughout the year.

In warm time, the flowering of some plants should be replaced by the beginning of the flowering of others, and in the fall, conifers or deciduous plants, which retain their decorative properties until they leave under the snow, can please the eyes. Even in winter, the flower garden can please the eye - for example, juniper looks very beautiful under the snow, which will begin to bloom already in early spring.

Ideas for arranging flowers in a flower garden should be as close as possible to a realistic natural environment. The main part of the plants should be resistant to drought and have leaves with pronounced decorative properties. Some plants are planted in containers, so that with the onset of cold weather they can be transferred to the greenhouse for wintering, and again placed in the flower garden in spring. One of the main requirements for them is that they should not grow rapidly and overwhelm nearby plantations.