Do-it-yourself alpine hill in the country: what plants do you need?

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

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

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

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

Types of rock gardens

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

• rocky cliff - a heap of almost bare large boulders with a minimum of plants in niches and "pockets";
• mountain slope - a complex high composition of stones of different sizes and with a wide variety of creeping and undersized plants;
• a valley in the mountains - large stones, partially protruding from the ground, surrounded by profusely flowering ornamental plants;
• the gorge is the most difficult to perform, but also the most spectacular type of rock garden, which can be placed in a natural hollow, framing the slopes with stones and planting representatives of the rock flora.

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

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

1. Open location - the slide should be visible from all corners of the garden.
2. The rock garden is located in a bright, sunny place not shaded by tall trees.
3. It is better to build a rocky hill in a place isolated from the wind.
4. Depending on the design of the territory in a single style, it is planned to plant certain types of vegetation in the rock garden.

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 hill.

Making a slide with your own hands is most preferable when decorating a garden. By doing the work yourself, you can avoid the high costs of the services of a landscape architect. Having step-by-step photos and schemes for arranging the slide, it will not be difficult to do the construction of a rock garden with your own hands.

Basic rules for arranging an alpine slide

Professional designers have long developed typical schemes for arranging an alpine hill, taking into account all the smallest nuances associated with its location and the desire to plant certain plants:

• If the rock garden is located in the center of the site, it can be viewed from all sides, then its shape should resemble a pyramid with the highest point in the center of the composition. Not necessarily this design has the same sides and the highest point in the middle of the rock garden. The less symmetry is maintained, the more interesting the composition is;
• A rock garden on a slope can be either single-level, parallel to the slope surface, or multi-level, reducing the height of elements and plants from a further point down;
• The smaller the size of the horizontal elements, the more original the visual perception of the slide, the more interesting it is to consider it, each time coming across a completely new view, just changing the viewing angle. A properly equipped alpine slide (photo) should resemble a wild forest, constantly surprising with new discoveries.

Its height depends on the area occupied by the slide. In the classic version, there should be about 20 cm of height above the ground per meter of approximate diameter at the base.

What stones should be chosen for the alpine slide

Stones for alpine hills, first of all, perform a decorative function, but different breeds have different degrees of fragility, different degrees of moisture absorption, so it is better to have an idea about some of the properties of the stones in order to make the right choice. Most often today, limestone, sandstone and granite are used to create alpine slides.

If you want to plant bright flowers, it is better to choose a stone in a neutral color - it will play the role of a background. When using plants that are not particularly expressive, pick up bright stones - against their background, the plants will look more expressive, more contrasting. When piling up stones of different breeds, there is a risk that the hill will turn into a pile of cobblestones, use stones of similar shape and similar colors.

The height of the hill also matters - stones with sharp corners are more appropriate for a high embankment, and rounded stones are more suitable for a flat composition. In the water rock garden, sandstone laid out in layers looks good. The slide on your site should look harmonious, without violating the uniform style.

What plants should be chosen for an alpine slide

You need to select plants for rock garden guided by your own taste and imagination, but taking into account the general style and location on the site.

There are a few basic rules to follow:

1. It is imperative to take into account such aspects as:

• Climate;
• soil type;
• Humidity of soil and air.

2. Initially, you need to draw up a diagram and carefully consider the location of each type of plant. Lighting is an important aspect. Plants may not tolerate full sun or shade;

3. Another fact that will play a significant role is the size of the plants. It should be calculated according to the size of the rock garden;

4. It is important to remember that alpine slides are not made up of plants alone. They should not only be “diluted” with stones of various kinds and sizes, but it is also possible to equip a waterfall, a pond, etc.;

5. You can not "go too far" with the number of flowers, since an incorrectly calculated number of plants can lead to the fact that one species can crowd out the others if it grows too wide.

Brighter specimens are given more attention. They should be planted more apart.

Once again, we draw your attention to the fact that the alpine hill should bloom all year round, so the following are seasonal plants:

• Spring - bulbous plants
• In summer - most of the existing flowers
• Autumn - Colchicums
• In winter - decorative coniferous trees

How to make an alpine slide in the country

The phased creation of an alpine slide requires a certain sequence of actions. When planning, it is taken into account that the rock garden looks as natural as possible when its height does not exceed 1 meter. Facilitate the tasks of the scheme of alpine slides.

Step-by-step instructions on how to arrange a rock garden:

• Site selection. The southern or southwestern side of the infield is preferable.
• Site preparation. Provides a high-quality drainage system.
• Purchase and laying of soil. If the price allows, it is better to buy good soil. Make your own by mixing clay soil with peat 3:1.
• Selection and placement of stones. Depends on the chosen style. It can be shell rock, granite, basalt, limestone, sandstone and others. The color and texture of the stones should be in harmony with the overall picture. To make them look natural, arrange them randomly.
• Selection and planting of plants. Arrange them so that they do not cover the stones and the view of the entire composition. Flowers are planted in front, then low-growing shrubs, and dwarf trees in the background. Flowers of the same color are planted in groups.
• Walkways and steps. They are designed to provide access to the flower garden for care. Avoid sharp corners or straight lines, because they do not exist in nature. For paving, strong and flat stones are selected, which are fixed thoroughly. Ground cover perennials or lawn grass must be sown between them.

Alpine slide in the country with their own hands