The tradition of decorating gardens with stones is hundreds, if not thousands of years old. In some cultures, this is not just a decorative technique, but a whole philosophy. For example, in Japan, the rock garden is endowed with special symbolism. With the help of raw boulders and cobblestones, you can create a rocky valley, a gorge and even mini-Alps in your country house. In this article we will tell you how to make an alpine slide in the country with your own hands and show photos of interesting solutions.

All about the creation and arrangement of the alpine slide

What is an alpine hill
Choosing a place on the site
Types of Alpine slides
Suitable plants
– Perennials
– Bulbous
– Cereals
— Coniferous
– Shrubs
Making an alpine hill
Decor
Helpful Hints
Care rules

What is an alpine hill

Rockery, dry stream and alpine slide — these concepts are often confused. And it is no coincidence. What unites such elements of landscape design? All of them are varieties of rocky flower beds. And at first glance they really look alike. But in fact, each has its own characteristics.

Rock garden in the classical sense is a small hill of flowers and stones. It has a top, a slope and a bottom. Of course, everything is in miniature and quite compact.

Usually, the top is symbolized by a large voluminous boulder. And at the base there are flatter stones. Use a variety of breeds. It can be granite or limestone, sandstone, slate or basalt.

Unlike rockeries and a dry stream, the stones in the alpine hill play only a secondary role as a background. The main party remains with the plants. Ideally, you need to choose exactly those that grow in the highlands of the Alps. They are planted between stones in specially laid «pockets» with soil.

Choosing a place on the site

The correct alpine slide made of stones and flowers looks as natural as possible. Therefore, it is so important to correctly fit it into the landscape.

The ideal option is to break it on a natural hill, slope. Also suitable are descents along the stairs or a retaining wall on a site with a slope, an area near a natural reservoir.

It is desirable that this place is clearly visible from all sides. It was also quite bright and sunny. Only a small penumbra is allowed. Do not place the composition in the shade of large trees or high walls.

Types of rock gardens

In fact, there is no generally accepted and official classification. But if you focus on the form of the composition and the place of the alpine slide in landscape design, we can talk about these types of rocky flower beds.

All-round slide

This is the same classic option that we have already talked about: a low artificial hill in an open space, with a boulder-shaped top, gentle slopes and foot. Plants are planted in the «pockets» laid during laying. Stones are placed in tiers.

Retaining wall and stairs

This is a design option for a site with a slope or difficult terrain. Retaining walls allow you to divide the site into several tiers. As a result, a kind of terraces are formed.

Plants in this design are planted in pre-prepared holes in the walls. And on the terraces. The stairs are usually decorated with stones and flowers on the sides. Ground cover varieties can capture the edges of steps.

Czech rolling pin

A very interesting option. For this design of the flower garden, almost flat stones are used.

Stones are dug into the ground with an edge up, that is, vertically. And in between, they plant flowers.

Water

This may be a composition descending to a small pond. Or in the form of a waterfall.

This is the most time-consuming option that requires additional equipment. After all, you need to organize the supply of water to the top of the hill.

Lawn

Composition on an almost flat horizontal surface, without a large hill.

Consists of flowers and large boulders. Sometimes complemented by a fountain or geyser.

Plants for an alpine slide

Ideally, the design should be decorated with varieties that actually grow in the Alps. But it is not always possible to create suitable conditions for them. Therefore, local flora is now freely used in such compositions. Usually choose low or creeping, ground cover varieties. If shrubs and trees — then only dwarf ones. In addition, they should have approximately the same requirements and claims to living conditions. Among the popular types for rock garden are the following.

Perennials for alpine hills

• Phlox subulate. This is a herbaceous perennial, resembling a bright flowering carpet.
• rejuvenated. It is also called the stone rose. This succulent really does resemble a rose with its dense, multi-layered rosettes of thick green leaves.
• Saxifrage. Small and modest saxifrage flowers look very touching in contrast with heavy, massive cobblestones.
• periwinkle. Another modest perennial with delicate blue-violet flowers.

Bulbous

It is worth choosing low and not too large flowers. Suitable crocuses, muscari, blueberries and others.

Cereals

Along with flowering species in rock gardens, cereals look harmonious. For example, fescue — graceful, openwork perennial. Also suitable sedge, keleria and others.

Conifers

Not only flowers and cereals will be appropriate in rock gardens. They are perfectly complemented by undersized conifers. For example, dwarf varieties of pines and firs, juniper.

shrubs

Low shrubs will become decoration: boxwood, heather, some varieties of barberry, lavender.

We make an alpine slide in the country: instructions for beginners

Of course, the technology for arranging an alpine slide will greatly depend on the terrain. But there are general steps that will have to be followed in any case.

Instruction step by step

1. After choosing a suitable place, you need to mark the future flower garden on the ground. To do this, you can use pegs and rope.
2. Now we are preparing the foundation of the future rock garden. We remove the top layer of soil. Typically, the depth of the pit is about half a meter.
3. If your soil is not sandy, drainage is necessary, otherwise the water will stagnate. For the drainage layer, gravel or crushed stone is laid at the bottom of the pit. Sand is poured on top. Then — a layer of fertile soil. Tamped, spilled with water.
4. Now it’s time to set the stones. Usually they are laid in tiers. It is advised to start with the largest. They are located at the base. The distance between the boulders must be significant. Smaller cobblestones are laid between large cobblestones, as well as above them — the second and next tiers. Randomly scatter pebbles. A large cobblestone is installed at the top. It is important to firmly sink the stones into the ground so that they are stable. Sometimes they are buried by a third or even half.
5. Be sure to leave room for plants. Special «pockets» should be moderately deep and wide enough so that the root system is not cramped. These holes are filled with soil or ready-made substrate.
6. Some experts recommend not immediately planting plants, but letting the structure stand. This is due to the fact that the structure shrinks. It is better to take a break of a few weeks or even months. Therefore, earthworks are advised to be carried out in the fall, and in the spring to start planting. Large specimens are planted first, then medium and miniature ones.
7. And the final step. After all the plants have taken their places, you can add decorative elements to the composition.

Decor

The rock garden is self-sufficient. The combination of massive boulders and delicate flowering and green plants is good in itself. But sometimes such compositions are supplemented with decorative objects. Here are some ideas.

• Clay jugs, pots and dishes, pottery shards.
• Old wooden barrels or their imitation.
• Wooden wheels from carts or wheelbarrows.
• A miniature bridge thrown over a rocky gorge looks interesting.
• In the evening, lighting will help to emphasize the relief. These can be light bulbs built into the ground or decorative ground lights.

The main thing is not to overdo it. One or two decorative elements will be enough.

Rock garden tips for beginners

• The rock garden is an imitation of the natural landscape. Therefore, naturalness is important here. Do not strive for symmetry, too clear and even, geometric shapes. Free, heterogeneous contours will look better. Slight negligence, ease is allowed and even welcomed.
• The scale of the composition should be related to the size of the entire site, other design elements and even buildings. If the area of ​​​​the site is modest, you should not place a bulky structure.
• What to plant on an alpine hill? Bet on perennials. They should become the basis of the floral design of the composition. And annuals will be a good addition and will allow you to update the rock garden from year to year.
• Plants are best selected according to flowering periods. Then one will replace the other. It is good to use conifers so that the composition remains decorative even in late autumn and winter.
• Equally important is the choice of stones. Experts in landscape design believe that 1-2 species are enough. This will preserve the harmony and naturalness of the rock garden. Too much variety is likely to look artificial.

Care rules

The process of caring for a rock garden is not much different from caring for ordinary flower beds. Plants, even if they are unpretentious, need watering, feeding, protection from diseases and pests. It is important to get rid of weeds, fallen leaves in time. Loosen the soil regularly.

There are nuances. For example, watering flowers in rock gardens should not be directed, but with a sprayed stream of water, under low pressure. Otherwise, you can wash all the earth out of the holes.

For the winter, plants should be protected from freezing, including the root system. There is not always enough snow cover. You can cover plants from the cold with spruce branches or special material. You can specially sprinkle them with snow in winter.

In the spring, most likely, it will be necessary to correct the location of the stones, return them to their places. And also to revise the plantings, prune dead branches or even replace whole plants that have not overwintered.