Alpine slide against the wall. Do-it-yourself Alpine slide in the country: what plants are needed

Alpine hill - A stone garden that you can create with your own hands. To do this, you should study thematic articles on the Internet and look at decoration options on photo with step by step job description. Slides are also called rock garden and rockery. They will become an original decorative element on a personal plot.

This type landscape design It is popular, especially among owners of country cottages. They are ready to allocate a large sum for the arrangement of their plot in the courtyard of the house to obtain a corner of unspoiled nature. For this purpose, it is advisable to invite a landscape designer, because he will be able to qualitatively translate all your ideas and wishes into reality.

Those who are unable to pay for his work should try to make a beautiful corner of nature on their own. So you will reduce costs to a minimum and get the desired result of your work.

The main thing is to plan the budget correctly and develop a project where all stages of the planned changes will be displayed. Do not rush and try to think through all the details. Think through all the stages, choose the style of the slide, conduct thorough preparation - this will be your guarantee of getting a beautiful rock garden. Follow the principles and rules of working with plants, study useful articles on the Internet on this topic, consult with a designer.

Alpine slide sequence

It should finally determine the place to place the Alpine slide in the courtyard of the house. The main requirements for this space:

• openness
• spaciousness;
• sunny side. It can be the southern and southwestern parts of the land.

The place must be chosen carefully so that you spend a lot of time here every day. The rock garden is created so that guests and owners of a country cottage have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature every day. This is a place for pacification, relaxation and restoration of strength after a hard working day.

After choosing, you should buy building materials for equipping an alpine hill. Start digging a foundation pit and laying a drainage layer. The depth of the pit is average. For a 2x2 slide, a depth of 0.8-1 m is enough. Think stages of laying a drainage layer. Its quality will determine the life of the slide. Therefore, the layer should be laid out qualitatively, because its function is to provide a reliable foundation of the structure and prevent soil subsidence. This will allow the rock garden not to fail and provide the proper conditions for the growth of flowers and plants.

You can get the desired drainage effect using expanded clay, gravel, gravel and construction debris. Do not use wood waste that will begin to rot in the first months after completion of work. The drainage layer should be covered with sand or gravel of small fraction, pebbles. The final stage is the laying of fertile soil with a thickness of 30-40 cm and its thorough ramming.

What to prepare for equipping an alpine hill before starting work

A self-made rock garden will turn out aesthetically pleasing subject to careful preparation and the correct selection of the site. To do this, choose an open area of \u200b\u200bland for improvement. Buy bricks, gravel, medium and large stones, pebbles. Ask for help from relatives or hire an employee to transport and stack heavy stones.

Decide on plants for planting in the created rock garden. Buy seeds and seedlings for your collection, taking into account the compatibility of plants with each other, the period of their flowering, soil requirements for optimal development and growth. Download from the Internet photos of completed projects, the style of which suits you. These are design projects and the work of craftsmen created by themselves without outside help.

Rules for using stones in rockeries

The dimensions of the stone elements used are determined by the area of \u200b\u200bthe site that was allocated for the creation of the rockery. For a spacious area, you should choose large stones, and for a small area, flagstone and medium boulders are the best option. Pay attention to the color and texture of the stones. To create a harmonious composition, stones are selected for the created ensemble, emphasizing the beauty of the hill and the plot.

Eclecticism is not the best solution for arranging a rockery on the territory of a country cottage. The main requirements are naturalness and natural beauty. Limit yourself to one of the rocks. Use granite, quartzite, sandstone.

Stacking of stones and decorative elements is carried out sequentially in tiers. The principle used is from greater to lesser. The basis of the rock garden is large boulders. They are able to provide a reliable foundation for creating compositions and translating the owner’s design ideas into reality. At the top, place the original small decorative element. It will become a bright accent and make the composition complete.

The classic alpine slide consists of 3-5 tiers. These are stones of different sizes, laid out rationally and clearly. On top of each layer, moistened soil should be poured. Do not forget to leave a space between the stones for the growth of planted plants, their development.

The shape of the slide is entirely your choice. It depends on the imagination, the chosen style, color scheme and the area of \u200b\u200bthe selected land. Do not follow strict stone laying rules. The main requirement is a high-quality layout and a reliable foundation for an alpine hill. So it will stand for a long time and will delight you daily. Ready rock garden should look aesthetically pleasing even without plants!

Falling asleep and planting plants in the created rock garden

Soil mix for an alpine hill - a special composition for planting plants, their normal growth and development. Buy the mixture in a flower shop or do it yourself. The main thing is that it contains all the necessary useful substances and minerals. So planted plants will grow well, making the hill aesthetic and natural.

The optimal composition is 1: 3 (peat and clay soil). Part of the gravel is taken on part of this composition from soil and peat. It is important that the land is clean by removing weeds and their seeds from it. So you prevent the emergence of weeds among planted plants and flowers.

Planting plants on an alpine hill begins at the top. These are beautiful bushes and trees. Next - go to perennials. Initially, rock gardens were created from alpine plants. Now these restrictions have lost their meaning and all the plants, trees, flowers you have chosen will look aesthetically pleasing.

Fit:

• perennial plants;
• shrubs
• ferns;
• cereals, herbs;
• bulbous plants.

They will complement the composition, making it even more aesthetic. The main thing is to take into account the compatibility of the selected plants with each other. So you prevent unpleasant consequences and the need for re-planting plants. Arrange the plants so that your rock garden all year looks beautiful and advantageous. Flowering in different plants began sequentially, replacing each other.

To preserve the aesthetics of the alpine hill in winter, plant conifers. Thuja, pine, juniper are perfect for planting. Show your imagination by adding herbs, deciduous and evergreen shrubs, bulbs, ferns and flowers - daffodils, nasturtiums to the composition.

Before planting, moisten the ground for better growth and survival. After landing, tamp the ground and cover it with a layer of pebble of a small fraction. This will prevent the rapid growth of weeds and maintain the primary form of rock garden. Pour pebbles and ground around the created alpine slide. Photo examples of such compositions can be found on the Internet on thematic sites with step by step description of work performed do it yourself.

Classification of alpine hills for a country cottage

The admiration for the beauty and thoughtfulness of details in rock gardens is amazing. In them, each stone is in the right place, and the flowering of plants lasts all year. Alpine hill - an aesthetic decorative element in the courtyard of a country house. There are 7 styles of its design:

1. Natural rocky surface.
2. "Mountain slopes" with conifers, complex bends and blocks of stone of enormous size.
3. "Valley in the mountains." This style of execution involves the chaotic placement of stones of various sizes on the territory of an alpine hill.
4. "Slope with terrace." Different wall heights, the use of unusual shapes and elements.
5. "Forest ravine" - a decorative space with natural springs, a waterfall. You can create it artificially.
6. "A wall of stone." Here the stones are arranged in a chaotic manner, and the mound has a small height.
7. "Rock from the Czech Republic." The masonry in it is made in layers of stones of the same size.
8. "Lawn in the Alps." This is a combination of wild mountain plants, conifers. All of them sprout exclusively in the mountains, therefore special conditions should be created for their optimal growth and development.

Remember! It is impossible to create an aesthetic alpine slide in one day. This is hard work, which will take at least two weeks. Therefore, you should start preparing now to soon enjoy the beauty of the courtyard of a country cottage or cottage. You have to work hard, because the Alpine hills, created independently - careful preparation, the availability of necessary materials and photos with finished projects.

Create a rock garden base in the fall, so that in the spring, plant seeds and tree seedlings are already planted in the ground. In the summer, you will enjoy the aesthetic beauty of the created composition.

Now it is very fashionable to have an alpine hill in the summer cottage. The fact is that this design pleases the eye of a person who likes to relax after work in the country, for example.

As a rule, alpine slides are created with the help of professionals. Obviously, this is a good way to get a quality alpine slide. But you need to keep in mind that the work of professionals will be expensive. Therefore, more and more often, many summer residents create rock gardens on their own. In fact, there are no difficulties in the work. In two days you can create an excellent alpine slide with your own hands. It is only necessary to know some of the subtleties of work.

Alpine slide is created in several stages. So, first, a suitable place on the site for her is chosen. Then we create a drainage system. As soon as these works are completed, we lay out the stones and pour the earth. At the final stage, planting is carried out. And now we will tell in detail about each stage of work.

For an alpine hill, a place is chosen that is noticeable at the entrance to the site. It is important that there is a lot of light. Stones and plants need to be placed so that everything looks extremely natural. The shaded area is not good. An alpine hill is created so that everyone can see it. In addition, you need to choose a flat place as much as possible.

In order for the alpine hill to constantly have a beautiful view, you need to create a foundation so that the structure does not sag. And the drainage system helps with this. So, we take out the foundation pit. The depth of the pit can reach two meters. For drainage we use sand, gravel or crushed stone. But you can not use sawdust. In the end, lay out the earth and ram it.

Stones for the Alpine slide are laid out in tiers. Below we put the largest boulders, below - small stones. The smaller the alpine hill, the smaller the stones should be. In all proportions are respected.

It is noteworthy that there is no specific scheme for placing stones on an alpine hill. The main thing is to do everything so that you like it. The rest is nothing. Any design will be considered correct. It is best to use homogeneous natural stones to make the alpine hill seem natural. An alpine hill should be beautiful even without plants. Stones are laid out in such a way that plants will be planted on the hill. Use fertile soil.

Soil on an alpine hill is prepared independently. You can use peat, chernozem, clay, organic fertilizers, sand and much more.

It is important to choose the right plants for the Alpine slide. An important condition is unpretentiousness. In addition, it is necessary to use only those plants that are found in the wild. So the alpine hill will look as natural as possible. You can even buy evergreen bushes that will delight you all year round.

DIY Alpine slide for beginners

Alpine slide can have a height of up to three meters. Building it can be very difficult. In eastern culture, alpine slides have existed for more than three millennia. The construction came to Western countries not so long ago from China and Japan.

Finally, an important condition for is maximum closeness to natural nature. Only natural stones are used, which are not laid out strictly, as in the construction of a house, but more chaotically.

Today on the Internet you can find many schemes of alpine slides for different areas. There are simple designs, as well as complex slides that a professional can clearly create.

You can always hire specialists who will create a masterpiece called “alpine hill” on your site. The design, first of all, should please not only you, but also guests who can come to the cottage or country house. Caring for a small slide will be easy. As a rule, the same work is performed as on. Plants are fertilized, watered, transplanted on time.

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

So let's get started.

A very important point. The rock garden is preferable to place on a natural relief. But if there is none, they create it independently in a suitable place in the infield. But more on that in the following sections.

The most important aspects to consider when choosing a location:

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

Described here.

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

Drainage

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

How to make drainage for an alpine hill:

• in a chosen place by a swarm of foundation pit (the depth of the pit for a rock garden with a diameter of 2 m will be 70-80 cm);
• at the bottom we fill up sand or gravel (you can beaten brick, construction waste);
• stack the soil;
• by ramming.

The quality of the ramming will determine how much more the slide will remain a slide, i.e. will not sag under the pressure of stones.

To create drainage, you need this scheme

Selection and laying of stones

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

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

A few tips:

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

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

Soil preparation

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

With fertile soil, you need to fill the free space between the stones, designed for planting plants.

Two tips:

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

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

Varieties of plants for different tiers of slides

It is better to choose plants of different sizes and shapes in order to give greater similarity with wildlife. The choice of plants for rock gardens is best to start with stunted and creeping perennials with decorative foliage. They themselves bloom beautifully, and decorate the rock garden.

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

Plants that cannot tolerate shade and do not require much moisture should be planted on the sunny side of the slide, and those that are able to grow even in shady conditions should be planted on the north side. Plants that cannot tolerate drought are best planted on the lower tiers.

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

Step-by-step planting instructions

In order for the rock garden to please you with healthy and flowering plants, and not sluggish and dried sticks, you should responsibly treat the seedlings.

Each tier has the characteristics of planting plants, we give detailed instructions for planting each of the tiers.

Plants for the upper tier

Since this will be the highest section of the hill, it is not surprising that there will be less moisture and stronger winds than on the other tiers. This means that there is no place for “tender” and moisture-demanding plants.

The best option for landing in the upper tier is Edelweiss. Seedlings can be bought, but you can grow them yourself. To do this, at the end of winter, you need to scatter the seeds of Edelweiss in a specially prepared box and, covering it with glass, put it on the windowsill on the south side so that the seeds are warm and light.

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

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

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

In the same year, flowering should not be expected, but next year the plant will surely please you with flowers. Every 2 years he will have to be transplanted so that he continues to bloom.

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

Perennial carnations will fall to the place, those that grow by bushes will look prettier, so a large area will be planted and flowers will please with their abundance.

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

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

The cultural observance, having begun flowering in May, will delight until July with its bright flowers.

The main thing is to regularly and abundantly water the plant, but at the same time prevent an excess of moisture.

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

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

You can supplement this picture with a jailer who will delight with his unusual and unusual silver-colored leaves. Chistets stands out among other plants, due to its rare color.

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

For the lower tier

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

An ideal place for bryozoans of the awl-shaped, which will please you with active flowering in the midst of summer. Caring for her is not complicated and does not require much time. The main feature of this plant is the need for regular and plentiful watering. If the plant is provided with comfortable conditions, it will cover the lower tier of the rock garden with a green carpet.

So the bryophyte awl looks in the lower tier of the hill

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

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

Spikelet lyatris in the middle of summer will delight you with its hairy inflorescences. Unpretentious in care, requires moderate watering, but at the same time drought tolerant.

Photos of these and other plants for the lower tier see here:

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

Alpine hill is a fashionable attribute of arranging modern garden and park territories. Do-it-yourself rock garden device in the country: step-by-step photos, diagrams, selection of plants.

Choosing a place for an alpine hill

When choosing a place for an alpine hill, it is important to provide for the following conditions:

In landscape design, there are many styles of garden design, including elements of a desert landscape, rocky gardens, ponds and bridges, which must be in harmony with the erected slide.

Doing a slide with your own hands is most preferable when designing a garden. When doing the work yourself, you can avoid the high costs of landscape architect services. Having step-by-step photos and diagrams of arranging the slide, it will not be difficult to complete the work on erecting a rock garden with your own hands.

It is very important to carry out the preparatory work correctly so that the slide is stable

Alpine slide - preparation

First you need to determine the place on the site where the slide will be located. Nearby should not grow perennial shrubs and trees, which can eventually obscure the plants on the hill. A place open on all sides, accessible for viewing from all corners of the garden, must be dry. High groundwater levels will adversely affect the durability and strength of the slide base. The groundwater level in this case needs to be lowered using special drainage.

Drainage under the alpine hill with your own hands (step-by-step guide).

DIY alpine slide arrangement scheme

While there is natural shrinkage of the soil, you can draw a diagram, determine the location on the hill of boulders and stones, choose the type of vegetation for planting. To create a rock garden you will need:

• natural stones, including pebbles;
• coarse sand;
• ornamental plants and flowers, including miniature trees and shrubs;
• moss sphagnum.

Scheme: arrangement of the alpine hill

The scheme and detailed plan by which the rock garden will be created should take into account that the construction of the slide is carried out at an altitude of 1 to 3 m.

Tip. With a rock garden height of over 1 meter, a slide core device is required.

Alpine slide is a very unusual element of the garden, changing its appearance several times during the season.

Schematic: Alpine slide in layers

Stones for rock garden - choose the right

Usually, natural rock stones are used in the construction of slides: basalt, granite, sandstone, limestone, as well as rare rocks with low porosity and strength. It is undesirable to use tufa, shell rock and dolomite for the construction of the slide. These rocks strongly absorb water, as they are porous, so the stones quickly collapse.

Stones for an alpine hill must be durable, of different sizes

Of great importance are the shape and color of the stones. Rounded stones, as well as excessively acute-angled boulders, should be avoided. Stones of different colors look harmonious only on alpine hills of a certain type. The classic version of the arrangement of the slide involves the use of stones of the same breed, but of different shapes.

Schematic: Stone Deepening for an Alpine Hill

The stones are placed on the hill so that the edges in the observation area have the most attractive shape. It is necessary to mask stones with defects, placing them in the most favorable way. Stones should be laid taking into account the size and weight, watching the most harmonious appearance of the created slide. Stones should be placed randomly, most naturally, so it is better not to use stone blocks and artificial boulders made industrially.

DIY Alpine slide - selection of plants

The installation of an alpine hill, especially the selection of plants, requires additional knowledge about plant varieties and agricultural technology. Plants are selected depending on the type of slide. A rocky hill for sunny places requires specific, drought tolerant plants. The classic version of rock garden provides for the planting of miniature trees and shrubs, perennial grasses and flower crops.

Example No. 1. Making alpine slide plants

Perfectly established themselves when landing in rockeries: fescue, rock alyssum, geranium, stonecrop, Iberis, young, lumbago. Small onion plants planted in small groups feel great on rocky hills: crocuses, scylla, miniature, stunted and hazel grouse. Small bulbous plants bloom in the spring when few more plants bloom and the slide looks unpresentable. Everything changes when bright, blooming crocuses appear from under the snow.

Example No. 2. Alpine slide plants

To create a highly decorative slide, planting of perennial plants having different flowering periods is required. Then the slide will look unusual and decorative throughout the entire period. The riot of colors of flowering plants will delight the eye from spring to autumn.

It is especially important to consider the height of the plants used when planting in rockeries. Too high specimens should not oppress low-growing varieties, thereby affecting their full development. Bright plants should be placed in the foreground, in the observation area.

The basis of the composition are miniature trees, especially conifers: spruce, juniper, cypress, pine. These plants have a different shape of the crown and look great on an alpine hill.

Decorative flowering shrubs used to equip an alpine hill: rhododendrons, Erica, blueberries and lingonberries.

Of the perennial crops, the Alpine hill is perfectly complemented: incense, daylily (stunted), reeds drooping.

Alpine hill surrounded by lawn

Tip: when forming a rockery, one should give preference to decorative deciduous plants that retain beauty even in the absence of flowers.

How to care for rock garden?

In the first year, it will be necessary to add soil several times, which is washed out during irrigation and precipitation, and also to strengthen stones if necessary. Watching various videos and photos taken by professional landscape designers will help you get these jobs done right. The soil is poured neatly and compacted.

The soil should be evenly distributed between the stones

Plant care consists of timely watering, removal of faded flowers, damaged leaves, pruning. During the season, several times should be fertilized plants with appropriate fertilizers. You should not use nitrogen fertilizers, they cause rapid plant growth, which should be avoided when planting on a hill.

Tip. Do not overfeed plants on an alpine hill. Plants should not be overgrown.

Watering plants carefully produced from a hose or watering can with a spray, making sure that the soil does not erode.

Shattered and falling stones, it is desirable to strengthen.

Different small ponds will look very nice on an alpine hill

If necessary, plants are treated with pests. Sick plants that cannot be cured must be removed with soil replacement at the place of their growth.

When transplanting plants, you can use a special drug, epin, to relieve stress.

Alpine hills in landscaping

The alpine hill, which does not require painstaking care, will be a wonderful decoration of the entire summer cottage

The design of park areas increasingly includes the creation of decorative rock gardens. The rockery is a continuation of rocky gardens, in perfect harmony with ponds, bridges, decorative lanterns, lawns and vertical landscaping. Creating an alpine slide with your own hands on a summer cottage will perfectly decorate the territory, and will bring charm and diversity to the landscape design of the site.

How to create an alpine hill from scratch: video

Alpine hill: photos

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 inexplicable freedom, a special union with pure, untouched nature. And so I want to keep these wonderful feelings in my soul longer. The alpine hill will help in this, which you can create with your own hands on the 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.

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

The rockery is very close to the alpine hill, so both of them are a composition of plants and stones. But you should not confuse these two types of flower beds. Rockery is an imitation of a mountain plateau or scree, located mainly on a flat area and is not limited in the selection of plants. A rock garden is always slides and slopes, and the selection of plants is limited to the alpine zone.

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

Since the alpine hill 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 arranging an alpine hill with your own hands will require enormous physical and time costs.

But despite these disadvantages, rock garden has undeniable advantages.

• Unconditional originality and unique beauty of the composition.
• Ability to use waste land. Only a rock garden will help to decorate the slope. Alpine slide will hide an abandoned place.
• Undemanding in leaving. The correct selection of unpretentious plants will make caring for the flower garden easy.
• Interesting creative work. Do-it-yourself Alpine slide in the country house can be created together by the whole family and turn this time-consuming process into a fascinating activity.

If you are not afraid of difficulties, then first we will choose the appropriate type of rock garden, then to start work in early 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.

By the type of placement of stones, these types are distinguished:

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

Hillside or talus

1. 1. Terraced slope. Will create a stone composition in the spirit of an “abandoned” garden. It is just perfect for a hillside plot. This alpine slide with your own hands is created in the form of steps, which serve as a backup stone blocks or special walls of large stones.

Terraced slope

1. 1. Mountain valley. The solution for a flat area with a large area. To create an image of a high mountain valley, huge boulders and boulders are distributed over the allotted territory and dig into the ground to half their size. Between them are arranged tracks. Plants for this type of alpine hill should correspond to the image being created, these are mosses, miniature shrubs, cereals, and also plants with a long flowering period.

Mountain valley

1. 1. Gorge. A fairly complex option, but also characterized by the most natural beauty. This do-it-yourself Alpine slide can most easily be set up on a site with an uneven, hilly terrain. However, embankments can also be made artificially. Such hills are surrounded by very large stones of various heights. Stone “walls” of the gorge are decorated with moss and creeping plants, and dwarf plants are planted in the middle.

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

Mountain waterfall

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

Mountain waterfall diagram

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

Czech rock (rolling pin)

If the traditional arrangement of the Alpine hills 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 established between the walls, it is covered with a fertile soil mixture, and then plants are planted. Such a flower bed can be arranged in the form of small races of different levels. On such terraces, hanging plants look very nice, as well as slow-growing ones. This flower garden takes up little space and is very decorative.

Multi-level terrace

We did not name all models of rock gardens. Despite the differences, all existing alpine slides are very beautiful and will be able to adequately decorate any landscape.

Striking with originality, undemanding in care, giving room for imagination - a small part of that bestowal ...

Preparatory steps for creating a rock garden

Stage 1. Selection of a place.

Initially, you should determine the location of the alpine hill. Most of the day it should be sunny. There should not be a high level of groundwater. It is undesirable to place an alpine hill near trees and large shrubs, as they will create an undesirable shadow and falling leaves will greatly complicate the care of the flower garden.

Be sure to use the features of the landscape of your garden - hilly terrain, a plot with a slope, a pond. They will help to create the most natural composition.

The size of the rock garden should be consistent with the size of the site.

Stage 2. Preparation of foundation pit and drainage.

At the chosen place, with the help of pegs and rope, you need to mark the borders of the alpine hill. If the area of \u200b\u200bthe rock garden is more than 10 square meters, then at this stage you should determine the future location of garden paths and passages. Then, within these boundaries, dig a pit about 50 cm deep.

At the bottom of the pit, it is imperative to equip the drainage. This will avoid stagnation of water, which means it will prevent subsidence of the soil and protect plants from jamming. To do this, first carefully compact the soil at the bottom, then lay out a drainage layer of fine gravel, broken brick, expanded clay or crushed stone with a thickness of about 30 cm. A small layer of coarse river sand (7-10 cm) can be put on top. The drainage pillow is also well compacted. On top we lay a layer of the soil mixture consisting of garden soil, peat, sand in half with fine gravel (3: 1: 1), 30-50 cm thick. Now you need to water it all thoroughly and allow it to stand for 2-3 weeks to shrink.

It’s therefore recommended that you start setting up an alpine slide with your own hands in the fall, so that winter shrinks naturally. This will make the foundation of the composition more reliable.

Rock garden layouts

While the soil is shrinking, you need to make a diagram of your future rock garden and select stones for the composition. The diagram should indicate a place for each stone (based on the prepared material) and determine the plants.

When planning, you need to take into account that the alpine hill must be at least one meter high, otherwise it will already be a rockery. It is important to remember that it should look as natural as possible, as well as attractive at any time of the year.

To facilitate your task, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with sample schemes of an alpine hill. From them you can draw some useful ideas.

Stone laying principles

Stage 3. Stacking stones.

After the shrinkage of the soil is completed, you can begin to place stones on an alpine hill. Their choice depends on your preference, it can be granite, limestone, basalt, sandstone and others, characterized by low porosity and high strength. Rocks such as shell rock, tuff or dolomite are very porous, and therefore, absorbing a lot of moisture, quickly destroyed. It is best to use stones of the same type, but different in shape and size.

Important points of this phase:

1. First, the largest stones are installed, and then smaller ones.
2. The larger the stone, the lower it should be located. At the top, you can install a small, but most original stone.
3. When laying large stones, they should be deepened into the ground at least half, or even better, 2/3 of their volume. You can strengthen the boulders with concrete mortar. The lowest tier should be exposed with a slight slope to the top of the hill.
4. Stones need to be stacked in groups, not straight rows.
5. Joints should be vertical. It is unacceptable to put stones in a dressing, this will resemble brickwork.
6. Place small stones denser to each other otherwise the alpine hill will look ugly. In the cracks you can plant small plants.
7. Do not forget to leave space for coniferous as well as ornamental shrubs.
8. Be sure to pour over each tier of stones with well-moistened soil and compact. Then check for stability.
9. Since the alpine slide in the garden is designed to imitate a wild mountain landscape, try to arrange the stones in a natural “mess”, so that even without plants the stone composition looks attractive.

Rock paths

Understanding how to make an alpine slide in the country, you can not ignore the issue of paths and steps. The tracks should provide access to the flower garden for caring for it, and in some types of rock gardens (for example, a mountain valley) they should be present in the middle of the composition.

It is important to consider that the alpine hill is required to have natural winding paths, straight lines and sharp corners should be avoided.

Paving stones should be selected flat and durable. They need to be fixed thoroughly so that they lie flat and do not stagger. Large stones should be no smaller than a human foot, they need to be laid at a distance of one step from each other. Between such stones lawn grass or trample-resistant pillow-shaped or ground cover perennials are necessarily sown.

Terraced alpine slide in the country can not do without steps. They are built between terraces of the same type of stones as the base of the rock garden. Stones for steps should be about 12 cm high and about 40 cm wide with a flat surface. When laying, small cracks (about 4 cm) are left, which are covered with earth. It should be very careful to strengthen them, well pressing on the sides with a foundation of stones.

In Japan, the art of creating stone gardens has developed for centuries. It is from there that the roots of modern ...

Plants for rock garden

Stage 4. Planting plants.

After installing the stone composition, we proceed to planting the plants. This stage also has a number of basic rules:

1. Plants for an alpine hill should be unpretentious, combine well with each other.
2. Choose plants specific to your region, this will simplify their care.
3. Decorative flower garden should be ensured all year round.
4. When applying, it is preferable to use undersized species.
5. Plants should not completely cover the stones.
6. When choosing colors, consider the location of the rock garden.
7. Plants on an alpine hill should not cover the overview of the entire composition, so flowers and stunted plants are planted in front, and dwarf trees and shrubs in the background.
8. Small and pale-colored flowers are best planted in groups.

Coniferous plants for the Alpine slide are planted first. These are dwarf and creeping spruce, pine, cypress, thuja, juniper. With their emerald greenery they will support the decorativeness of the flower garden in winter.

Ground cover plants for an alpine hill are simply irreplaceable. They beautifully fill the voids, decorate the stones. For example, thyme, arabis, stonecrop, periwinkle, auretus, tenacity, Iberis and others.

Small bulbs will become a worthy adornment of the rock garden in spring, and colchicum will accentuate color accents in the fall. Various perennials will form the basis of your composition. And flowering annuals will be able to add bright colors and mask wilted bulbous. There will be a place for cereals: fescue, oats evergreen, hare and others.

Planting plants in prepared places, if necessary, add soil mixture, water them well. Then it is necessary to mulch the soil with fine gravel. This will help maintain moisture and prevent weed germination.

Wintering rock garden and care for him

So the device of the alpine hill is completed, all the work is behind. But, like any flowerbed, it requires care and attention.

• It is necessary to carry out regular watering of plants. This should be done starting from the bottom, gently and gradually moving up. This simple technique minimizes soil erosion.
• Fertilizing is necessary, but in small volumes, so that our green friends do not grow much.
• Weed, we control the excessive growth of certain plant species. If necessary, add soil and restore the mulching layer.
• It is necessary to cut dry inflorescences and other parts of plants on time. To clean the fallen autumn leaves and various garbage. Check regularly the stability of the stones.
• We monitor the health of plants and timely carry out treatment from diseases and pests.
• We make the necessary transplantation (especially onion bulbs), “patch” bald spots with new colors. We carry out sanitary pruning of shrubs.

In the classic version, plants for an alpine hill are unpretentious and frost-resistant (as befits an alpine flower). Now gardeners are moving away from strict canons. Therefore, if you planted plants with poor frost resistance, then at the end of autumn they need to be hardened and mulched with peat, sawdust, straw or other material. As necessary, from above, such plants can be covered with spruce branches, reed shields, roofing material and other materials.

In dwarf trees and shrubs, as well as in conifers, branches are connected for the winter so that they do not break under the weight of snow. Closer to spring conifers shade from sunburn with burlap, agrofibre or thick paper.

As you can see, the alpine hill requires a very simple care.

The main mistakes when creating a rock garden

In any case, it is very difficult for a beginner to avoid mistakes and miscalculations. And so that your alpine hill turns out successful, let us dwell on the most common of them.

1. 1. Bad location. You should not place a rock garden near farm buildings, in the shade of tall trees, on piles of construction debris, and also in places with close groundwater.
   2. Inadequate drainage and weak strengthening of stones. Poor drainage or lack of it will lead to subsidence of the alpine hill, soaking of plants. And insufficiently strengthened stone blocks not only destroy your flower garden, but can injure people.
   3. Wrong selection and use of stones. Only one type of stones should be used in one composition. Do not use concrete slabs or other artificial materials. There should be few stones; the main emphasis in rock gardens is placed on plants. The smaller the alpine hill, the less voluminous stones should be used in it.

1. Clarity of lines and symmetry. Forget about symmetry and even angles. Everything should be naturally asymmetric and smooth. This applies to both stone compositions and planting.
2. Incorrect planting. When landing, you can not leave empty places (bald spots), but the stones should be clearly visible. Do not plant fast-growing species, as they will eventually close up small pebbles and drown out neighboring plants. If you plant flowers in the crevices between the stones, make sure that they are not through and the soil will not spill out, exposing the roots.

Now you know how to make an alpine slide in the country yourself. Although this is a laborious, but very interesting activity. And the delight of the result will make you forget about all the difficulties and efforts.

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