How to make a slide of stones for flowers. Video: self-planting plants from the nursery

November 25, 2015

No mercy for those who call a pile of stones and earth a rock garden! Landscape designer Olga Kirillova reveals professional secrets creating a real alpine landscape in the garden plot and gives valuable advice. The author will sort it out typical mistakes, and at the end of the publication you will find a bonus: a large table with the types and varieties of plants for the alpine hill, the features of caring for them and an indication of the growth rate.

If you are confident in your abilities, do not be afraid of strict criticism from a specialist, do as your heart tells you, based on the practical recommendations you have received. Moreover, some rules can be ignored, but some must be followed. Strictly, critically, to the point - this is the article that we bring to your attention.

Alpine slide in the country

Alpine slide, or rock garden, is a small architectural element garden plot, which is both a flower garden and a small architectural form simultaneously. Roughly speaking, on an artificially created small hill there is a flower garden with stones and sometimes water elements. A slide can be created in absolutely any shape and size, but, in my opinion, it is fundamentally wrong to create a miniature-sized structure in the corner of a flower garden and call it an alpine slide. We'll talk about this a little later.

Almost every customer of mine asks to allocate a place on his site for an alpine slide, since this is a very common, although not cheap, element of landscaping. But as the years go by, landscape designers, adhering to modern trends and guided by their own experience, try to use it as rarely as possible in their gardens, despite the fact that amateur gardeners insist on originality, uniqueness and the need for a slide on their plots.

In this article, I do not want to praise this form of landscaping as zealously as the authors of other articles on the same topic. I would like to talk to you about real things and real situations that you may encounter during and, most importantly, after implementing an alpine slide on your site.

Variety of alpine slides

Each alpine slide is unique. There will not be a single stone or a single plant that will be located in it in the same way. Of course, in their structure, all rock gardens are approximately similar, but they are often used to play up certain elements of the garden: a staircase, a retaining wall, uneven ground, a pond or a spring flowing on the site. Since the situations on the plots are always different, the hill in each garden will have its own character and its own unique atmosphere.

Perennials, conifers and deciduous shrubs and sometimes dwarf trees, but this is not always the case. In general, a classic rock garden is not characterized by placement coniferous trees and shrubs, but to preserve the decorative effect of the flower garden for as long as possible, this rule can be neglected.

All plants must be frost-resistant and undemanding to watering. It is advisable to select slow-growing plants, then you can spend less time controlling the growth of planting zones.

Do it yourself or trust a designer?

This is what real alpine landscapes look like:

Beautiful, isn't it? Probably everyone, admiring such landscapes, is ready to feel the frosty clean air mixed with sweet aromas flowering plants. Of course, most gardeners near their home want to get closer to the beautiful or to bring the beautiful closer to themselves, therefore, inspired by such photographs, a person who has no experience in creation begins to draw diagrams and plan where on his site this structure will be located.

This is what happens in the end...

I don't think it looks like a source of inspiration. Of course we have limited areas plots and financially we are often not ready to scatter, but why do such flower beds look so strange? A pile of earth clogged with stones and chaotically scattered plants cannot become the PEARL of your site. In my circle of friends among landscape designers, we call such alpine hills “dog graves”... Please don’t be angry, those who still like this, but not beaten by anything, a small mound appeared in the middle of the lawn or on the corner of a flower garden, lined with pebbles and flowers. with which it is not associated with anything else. Look again at the shapes of the slides shown in the photo above, at their location on the site - you should never do this!

Creating an alpine slide is indeed an extremely labor-intensive process. Without creating experience, it is incredibly difficult to make something tasteful. I remember when I created my first slide... Now I can’t even look at it without tears. It is important to take into account absolutely every touch, the stones that will be used, their location, the height of the embankment, the location on the site, the placement and abundance of plants on it.

Moreover, this is not a cheap pleasure if you do everything at once. For the most unattractive-looking flower garden, depending on the size, a self-taught owner can spend from 50,000 to 150,000 rubles. If you do good slide decent looking, then you need to count on an amount above 300,000 rubles (at least in the Moscow region).

The larger the flower garden, the more natural it looks, the more natural it is and is not associated with anything bad. But, naturally, than larger size, the more significantly more expensive.

Should you do it yourself or trust the designers? Looking at what gardeners are doing, I still recommend contacting a designer who has Practical experience in the creation of alpine slides. It won’t be much more expensive, if not for the same money that you would spend yourself, but it will look as it should, and not as it turns out...

How to build an alpine slide with your own hands

When is the best time to start making an alpine slide?

The construction of an alpine slide begins with selecting a location on the site. It should be protected from the wind and slightly shaded.

The slide itself can be made at any time you wish throughout the summer season, but the time for planting the plants will have to be decided in advance. If you are going to sow some perennial species with seeds, then most often this is done in the fall, but it is better to plant perennial seedlings in the spring - this will make it easier to decide on the quantity and location of planting and replant if something happens. If the plants were purchased in pots, then there are no specific planting dates, since root system formed and does not suffer during transplantation.

As I said above, it is extremely important to organically fit the rock garden into the area surrounding it, so that it does not look like a randomly formed bunch. To do this, be prepared to use a significant area. It’s good when the garden smoothly flows into an alpine hill, that is, as you approach it, stones and similar plants begin to appear more and more often, this will connect and balance the transition.

I recommend not making artificial sharp boundaries of the flower garden. If on one side the rock garden is limited by a path, then extend its part on the other side. On the other hand, it is not necessary to lift the soil too much and lay large boulders; a few strokes are enough to complete the composition. If the alpine slide, limited by the path, is quite large, then there is no need to extend it on the other side.

When we drew a diagram of the location of the flower bed on the site and a planting diagram, I would also recommend making a flowering diagram. You decorate all the species selected and arranged in the diagram with the color of their main decorative effect in May, June, July and August. You will be surprised how clear it will become where to plant, what to exclude and what to add to your rock garden for permanent decoration. Otherwise, it may turn out like this: your flower garden was green, then in the summer it all bloomed at once, and then began to fade in bald patches and locally lose its decorative effect.

Where to start building an alpine slide

The construction itself begins with calculating the volume of required material in cubes. If you need to create a fairly large level of flower bed with terraces, but want to save money, then you can lay inverted layers of turf as the base. We dug up a bed of weeds where they got in the way and placed them in the skeleton of an alpine hill - two useful things at once.

Then we fill it with earth according to the intended shape. Try to give it the most natural shape possible. In nature, round or oval mounds look alien... The line of the flower bed should be landscape and dynamic.

Based on the situation, you should very carefully calculate the required volume of imported soil and stones so that you do not have to buy more and overpay for delivery.

How to calculate the volume of materials for an alpine slide?

For large perennials, it is good if the fertile layer of soil you pour is 15 - 30 cm. Less is possible, but the less, the worse the plants will grow. If the area of ​​our flower bed is 50 m², and the thickness of the poured soil is 30 cm, then we order 15 m³ of fertile soil. This is approximately one car. For the form itself, the skeleton, where we use turf or waste soil, there is no approximate calculation. This will depend on the shape and height of the desired mound. Rubble stone (fractions up to 50 cm) for such an area will also be 10-15 m³ (one truck).

While I was writing this article, one gardener asked me a question: is it necessary to create drainage layer made of sand and crushed stone at the base of the slide?

I answer everyone who asked the same question: you can create a layer if you have nowhere to put an extra penny. In practice, there is simply no noticeable difference. The only thing is, if during the construction of a house you have heaps of spoiled earth with crushed stone, sand and stones on your site, you can use them in the foundation, or build a slide directly on them (to save money and labor costs).

What tools will you need to create a rock garden?

The best tool in creating an alpine slide is five workers... But seriously, building a frame for a flower bed with placing stones is an extremely labor-intensive process that can only be done alone if you want to work yourself out. The larger the boulders, the more picturesque they look, but placing them is extremely difficult.

In addition to the heroic workforce, you will need shovels, gloves, rubber boots, pegs with thread for lining the shape and a rake.

How long does it take to build an alpine slide?

Depending on the means and desire, as well as the time when work on the alpine slide begins, construction may take no more than a year.

If in early spring you begin to make the frame of a flower garden more than 30-40 cm high, arrange stones, then after the soil settles (about a month later, if it rains), you can confidently plant the plants and not be afraid that stones will creep or form hole.

If the height of the rock garden is small, then you can plant the plants immediately after installing the base.

What to pay attention to so that the slide retains its beauty for a long time

Probably the most important thing to really pay attention to is the plants that will be used in your alpine garden. Namely, the abundance of species and their number per square meter.

I understand that there are a lot of plants suitable for it and they are all so cool that I want to use them as much as possible. BUT! They will look harmonious and natural only large groups one type. After all, we are creating an alpine landscape, and there plants, untouched by man, have grown over the years, forming indescribable carpets. These are the kind of carpets we need to create.

If we use ground cover plants, then it is worth taking only a few types, but a lot, organizing a carpet or the basis for a future carpet. When we add simple perennial bushes, we add them locally and a little, so that they grow quietly in the area allocated to them and do not outweigh the composition. They will look great coniferous shrubs and low-growing trees. They will form the basis for year-round decoration.

If at the initial stages you do not overdo it with thickening the planting, then in the near future you will not have to urgently plant them. I often encounter such a problem as an excessive excess of plants in customers’ flower beds. Of course, almost always the owner wants to have a visually completed and ready-made element of the garden, but there is no understanding that literally in the second year the plants begin to grow and choke less aggressive species, which are lost, wither and ultimately spoil the overall appearance. You have to dig up, stir up the entire planting, damage established plants and look for a new one seat for those who have been released. In addition, this is an overpayment for planting material, and even wealthy people do not need extra spending.

How to choose stones for a rock garden. Laying stones for an alpine slide

Don't turn your rock garden into a rock garden or a pile of roughly dumped cobblestones! Very often I meet people who overdo it with stones. There are a huge number of them on sale in all sorts of colors and shapes. They are so beautiful, they make your mouth water, and, of course, you want to decorate the area with them as much as possible.

Illustrative examples of sorting stones.

A large number of stones will look good on large areas with a corresponding transition of the area into a rock garden.

But if you set out to create an alpine landscape on a small plot, we forget about the impossible beauty and equally impossibly high prices. We buy ordinary rubble stone of large fractions and place it in groups in the flower garden and a little on the site. As you understand, it is only possible to guess where all the stones will lie approximately, so we focus on the spot.

If you are going to create a gushing spring with a stream on your alpine hill, then you can use fine gravel or rubble crushed stone to fill the gutter. Materials should only be used that are similar in structure. Otherwise it will look foreign and hurt your eyes.

If you use a rounded flat stone or flagstone, then, as you understand, this will go against the alpine theme.

Near the spring, it is good to create an imitation of a rockfall: large rubble stones mixed with rubble crushed stone of large and medium fractions. In this way, you can make the transition from large stones to filling the stream gutter.

Plants for alpine hills

For landscaping an alpine hill, you can use annual, perennial, cereal plants, as well as coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs. Of course, trees in this case mean dwarf compact forms.

All plants selected for the rock garden must be undemanding to moisture and frost-resistant. Since you are creating an artificial hill, you should be prepared for faster loss of moisture and weathering. It is best to protect plantings from the north side to protect them from cold northern winds.

When using any plant in an alpine hill, special attention should be paid to its growth rate and aggressiveness. Since we need to create a harmonious and more or less varied carpet of plants that would look neat, we should limit the growth of “aggressors” by digging a plastic or metal edge around the growth area so that later we do not have to thin out the plantings.

To fill the voids among freshly planted perennials, trees and shrubs while they are growing, someone uses decorative mulch, but I recommend planting annual plants. Mulch is washed out quite quickly and spoils the whole look, and with the help of annuals you can diversify your flower garden with different colors for the first couple of years.

Steps for creating an alpine slide on the site

Now let’s break down what you will have to do if you decide to self-construction alpine slide.

1. We create a plan diagram of the location of the alpine hill on the site with a calendar of flowering plants.
2. We calculate the volume of required materials: earth, stones, plants and seeds, as well as other materials (if a stream, fountain, spring, etc. will be created).
3. We mark the future flower garden with pegs and adjust the shape according to the location.
4. We create the skeleton of the slide from upturned turf or soil damaged during construction.
5. We lay large boulders.
6. Add soil to give final form flower garden
7. Water and let the water absorb. We are waiting for shrinkage if the rock garden is tall.
8. If you are making an artificial cyclic stream, then lay a hose or PVC pipe on the side of the gutter. We also hide the lighting and pump wiring in a black corrugated or HDPE pipe.
9. We lay geotextiles (or used advertising banners) in those places where there will be a stream gutter and a bowl at the source of a spring or fountain.
10. We add soil in places where the earth has settled.
11. Pour in small stones or crushed stone.
12. We plant plants and water them.

Assortment of plants for an alpine hill

When selecting plants for an alpine hill, the most difficult thing is to decide on their types and varieties. After all, they have different needs, growth rates and sizes.

I have compiled a table especially for you perennial plants, which displays plant species and varieties, sizes, their relationship to light, watering and growth rate. I hope this will help you in creating your own original rock garden.

Of course, these are not all possible types of plants that are used on an alpine hill. These, in my opinion, are the most interesting and deserve your attention.

№	Name			Height/width, m.	Attitude to light	Peculiarities
	Russian	Latin	Variety
Perennials, cereals, bulbous plants
1	Ajania soothing	Ajania pacifica		0,3/0,9	full sun
2	Adonis spring	Adonis vernalis		0,3/0,3	penumbra	does not require watering; fast grows upward, slowly grows into sorons
3	Amsonia ciliata	Amsonia ciliata		0,9/0,9	penumbra
4	Armeria hybrid	Armeria hybrida		0,3/0,3	full sun
5	Armeria soddy	Armeria caespitosa		0,1/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
6	Armeria seaside	Armeria maritima	'Splendens', 'Rosea'	0,2/0,3	full sun
7	alpine aster	Aster alpinus	'Alhis', 'Albus'	0,2/0,4	full sun
8	Heather aster	Aster ericoides	'Snow Furry'	0,2/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
9	Aster Italiana	Aster amellus		0,5/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
10	Bush aster	Aster dumosus		0,4/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
11	Astragalus membranaceus	Astragalus membranaceus		0,5/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
12	Acena magellanica	Acaena magellanica		0,2/1,0	full sun
13	Bergenia hybrid	Vergenia hybrida		0,4/0,6	penumbra	watering is irregular; slow upward growth
14	Bergenia cordifolia	Bergenia cordifolia	‘Perfecta’, ‘Purpurea’, ‘Senior’, ‘Vinterglod’	0,6/0,7	penumbra	watering is irregular; slow upward growth
15	Schmidt's bergenia	Bergenia schmidtii		0,3/0,6	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
16	Baptisia cobwebs	Baptisia arachnifera		0,8/1,0	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
17	Colchicum agrippina	Colchicum agrippinum		0,1/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
18	Colchicum splendid	Colchicum speciosum	'Album', 'The Giant'	0,2/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
19	Colchicum Byzantine	Colchicum byzantinum		0,1/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
20	Colchicum hybrid	Colchicum Hybrid		0,2/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
21	Autumn colchicum	Colchicum autumnale	'Waterlily'	0,1/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
22	Spring whiteflower	Leucójum vernum		0,3/0,1	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
23	Boykinia James	Boykinia jamesii		0,2/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
24	Brunnera macrofolia	Brunnera macrophylla	‘Variegata’	0,3/0,6	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
25	Budra ivy-shaped	Glechoma hederacea		0,3/0,8	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
26	Initial letter grandiflora	Betonica grandiflora		0,5/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
27	Mountain alyssum (Alyssum)	Alyssum montanum		0,4/0,3	full sun
28	Rock alyssum	Aurinia saxatilis	‘Compacta’, ‘Sulphurea’	0,3/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
29	Waldsteinia gravilatoides	Waldsteinia geoides		0,3/0,8	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
30	Waldsteinia trifoliata	Waldsteinia ternata		0,1/0,6	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
31	Basil kiuzii	Thalictrum kiusianum		0,1/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
32	Monetary loosestrife	Lysimachia nummularia	‘Aurea’, ‘Goldilocks’	0,1/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
33	Veronica spicata	Veronica spicata	‘Blue charm’, ‘Heidekind’, ‘Icicle’, ‘Rotfuchs’, ‘Royal Candles’	0,3/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
34	Veronica creeping	Veronica repens		0,1/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
35	Veronica creeping	Veronica prostrata		0,1/0,4	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
36	Lesser's anemone (Anemone)	Anemone lesserii		0,4/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
37	Narcissiflora anemone (Anemone)	Anemone narcissiflora		0,4/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; slow sideways growth
38	Hybrid catchment (Aquilegia)	Aquilegia hybrida	any varieties	0,4/0,2-0,9/0,6	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
39	Graceful catchment (Aquilegia)	Aquilegia elegantula		06,/0,5	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
40	Viper onion (Muscari)	Muscari botryoides	'Album'	0,2/0,1	full sun
41	Crested viper onion (Muscari)	Muscari comosum	'Plumosum'	0,3/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; fast growth upwards, slow growth to the sides
42	Gaillardia spinosa	Gailardia aristata	'Babycole'	0,2/0,1	full sun	does not require watering; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
43	Alpine carnation	Dianthus alpinus		0,1/0,1	full sun	does not require watering; moderate growth
44	Heuchera	Heuchera	'Chocolate ruffles', 'Crimson curls', 'Frosted violet', 'Mintfrost', 'Persian Carpet', 'Pewterveil', 'Raspberry regal', 'Saturn', 'Silver scrolls', 'Stormy seas', 'Swirling fantasy ', 'Velvet knight'	0,3/0,2-0,7/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
45	Helleborus crimson (Helleborus)	Helleborus atroubens		0,4/0,5	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
46	Geranium hybrid	Geranium cantabrigiense	‘Biokovo’, ‘Cambridge’, ‘Gravetye’, ‘Plenum’	0,2/0,5-0,3/0,6	full sun, partial shade	watering is irregular; moderate growth
47	Blood red geranium	Geranium sanguineum	‘Alan bloom’, ‘Album’, ‘Cedric Morris’, ‘Max Frei’, ‘Splendens’	0,1/0,6-0,6/1,0	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
48	Glaucidium palmate	Glaucidium palmatum		0,4/0,6	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
49	Gentian stemless	Gentiana acaulis		0,2/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
50	Gravilate scarlet	Geum coccineum		0,4/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
51	Hybrid gravilate	Geum hybridum		0,3/0,3-0,6/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
52	Creeping gravilate	Sieversia reptans		0,1/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
53	Goose onion	Gagea lutea		0,1/0,1	penumbra	watering is irregular; fast growth upwards, slow growth to the sides
54	Inula elecampane	Inula ensifolia		0,3/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
55	Canadian dogwood	Cornus canadensis		0,2/0,2	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
56	Dicentra is magnificent	Dicentra spectabilis		1,0/0,5	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
57	Dicentra hybrid	Dicentra hybridum		0,3/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
58	Creeping tenacious	Ajuga reptans		0,2/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
59	Iris low	Iris pumila		0,1/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
60	Callirhoe involucres	Callirhoe involucrata		0,3/1,0	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
61	Saxifraga Arends	Saxifraga arendsii		0,1/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
62	Bluebell hybrid	Campanula punctata		0,1/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
63	Bluebell Carpathian	Campanula carpatica		0,2/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
64	Magellan's grass	Elymus magellanicus		0,3/0,6	full sun
65	Coreopsis whorled	Coreopsis verticillata		0,6/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
66	Crocus	Crocus		0,1/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; fast growth upwards, slow growth to the sides
67	Large-flowered pterygoid	Aethionema grandiflorum		0,2/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
68	May lily of the valley	Convallaria majalis		0,2/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
69	Hybrid cinquefoil	Potentilla hybrida		0,4/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
70	perennial flax	Linum perenne		0,6/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; fast growth upwards, slow growth to the sides
71	Lupine hybrid	Lupinus hybridus	‘Gallery white’, ‘Gallery yellow’, ‘Polar princess’, ‘The governor’	1,0/0,8	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
72	Mountain Buttercup	Ranunculus montanus		0,1/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
73	Oriental poppy	Papaver orientale		0,8/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
74	Alpine cuff	Alchemilla alpina		0,1/0,1	full sun	does not require watering; moderate growth
75	Perennial daisy	Bellis perennis		0,2/0,1	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
76	White-spotted lungwort	Pulmonaria saccharata		0,4/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
77	Soapwort basilicofolia	Saponaria ocymoides		0,1/0,4	full sun
78	Ash gray fescue	Festuca glauca		0,5/0,6	full sun	does not require watering; grows quickly up and into the sky
79	White sedum	Sedum album		0,1/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; slow sideways growth
80	Sedum prominent	Sedum spectabile		0,4/0,4	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
81	Hybrid sedum	Sedum hybridum	‘Herbstfreude’, ‘Immergrunchen’, ‘Purple Emperor’, ‘Rosyglow’, ‘Rubyglow’, ‘Verajameson’	0,2/0,3-0,5/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth upwards and to the sides
82	False sedum	Sedum spurium		0,2/0,2	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
83	Peony angustifolia	Paeonia tenuifolia		0,7/0,7	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
84	Siberian Scilla	Scilla siberica		0,1/0,1	penumbra	watering is irregular; fast growth upwards, slow growth to the sides
85	Alpine lumbago	Pulsatilla alpina		0,3/0,2	penumbra	watering is irregular; moderate growth
86	Caucasian rhizome (Arabis)	Arabis caucasica	‘Heidi’, ‘Plena’, ‘Schneehaube’, ‘Variegata’	0,2/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
87	Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	‘Cerise queen’, ‘Heidi’, ‘Lilac beauty’, ‘Ortel’s rose’	0,7/0,6	full sun	does not require watering; rapid upward growth
88	Phlox splayed	Phlox divaricata		0,1/0,3	penumbra	watering is irregular; rapid upward growth
89	Phlox subulate	Phlox subulata	‘Candy stripes’, ‘Emerald cushion blue’, ‘Pinkchinz’	0,1/0,5	full sun	watering is irregular; rapid growth to the sides
90	Chistets woolly	Stachys byzantina	‘Big ears’, ‘Countess Helene von Stein’, ‘Sheila McQueen’, ‘Silver carpet’	0,3/0,3	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
91	Echinacea purpurea	Echinacea purpurea		1,2/0,6	full sun	watering is irregular; moderate growth
92	alpine jasmine	Cerastium alpinum		0,3/0,8	full sun	watering is irregular; fast growth to the sides, slow growth upwards

A spectacular element in the landscape is a self-created alpine slide. A rock garden is a small area in the garden, designed as a natural area.

Many owners of personal plots are interested in how to make an alpine slide with their own hands?

In order to create this corner of wild nature on your site, you need to become familiar with the intricacies of landscape design.

Usually this masterpiece is located in the most visible place. In addition, a rock garden requires a sunny place, so this corner is usually located in an open area.

Since an alpine slide has a calming effect on a person, it is best to place it near a place of rest.

The quality of the soil cover should not be discounted, since the most favorable soil for a rock garden is sandstone, but if the soil has a clay base, then it will be necessary to make drainage.

When is the best time to create a rock garden?

An alpine slide can be created at any time of the year except winter, since in winter cold It is impossible to plant plants or prepare the soil. However, experts consider autumn to be the most optimal time for creating a rock garden.

Since the natural shrinkage of an alpine hill can take several months, then, according to landscape designers, autumn landing we need to prepare in the spring.

Creation of an alpine slide

Landscape designers, answering the question of how to make an alpine slide, offer universal schemes and projects for arranging this natural corner, taking into account all the subtleties and scope of work.

However, knowing the basic rules for creating a rock garden, you can organize it yourself.

The first thing you should pay attention to is the location. So, the rock garden should be clearly visible. Most best option is the creation of an alpine slide in the shape of a pyramid, in which maximum height concentrated in the center.

In addition, all elements of the rock garden should be positioned freely; symmetry is inappropriate here. If it is possible to organize a rock garden on a natural slope, then it is best to mark its elements at the same level.

In terms of parameters, the height of an alpine slide should be proportional to its size, that is, 1 meter of area corresponds to a height of 0.2 m, thus, a flowerbed measuring 4 m² in height will be 80 cm, as in the photo of an alpine slide.

Preparatory work

Even the simplest alpine slide requires careful preparation. So, when creating a rock garden, you need to make drainage, the fact is that the use of stones causes the soil to sag, which means you can’t do without drainage.

The material for drainage can be fine gravel, pieces of red or white brick, small pebbles or crushed stone.

Before laying the drainage, it is necessary to dig a hole 1 m deep for a flower bed with an area of ​​8-9 m². Then the drainage is laid out and the soil is filled with water. Next, a layer of earth is poured.

As a soil for a rock garden, it is best to use a soil composition consisting of ordinary earthen soil, peat and river sand. All soil components must be in equal proportions.

Note!

Stones

The basic element of any rock garden are stones. Usually these are large stones of an original shape.

Most often, pieces of granite, sandstone, limestone are used to create an alpine slide; you can also use wild stone, as well as tuff.

When decorating a rock garden with stones, you must follow the following rules:

• It is best if the size of all stones is the same;
• The stones must be of the same variety;
• The stones must be of uneven structure and shape;
• You need to arrange the stones so that they are asymmetrical.

You can arrange the stones according to your own taste, but experienced designers can offer you several suitable projects. Recently, a scheme has become fashionable when massive stones are scattered around the site, with small pebbles between them.

An alpine slide looks interesting when the most spectacular stone is installed in the center, especially if the rock garden is located on a slope.

Note!

When laying out stones, especially massive ones, you need to make sure that they stand steadily; for this, some of them can even be fixed with cement or dug in a little.

A properly organized alpine slide at the dacha can become a favorite vacation spot for the whole family.

Green spaces

2 months after the preparatory work, you can begin planting green spaces. The most convenient plants for decorating a rock garden are low-growing spruce, thuja, mountain pine and juniper.

A small alpine hill is an excellent landscape solution for a small area. When creating such a rock garden, it is best to use low-growing, herbaceous plants such as wild carnations, low marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies and bluebells.

If desired, the alpine slide can be combined with a small pond in the form small pond, however, in this case, the process of creating a rock garden will be even more labor-intensive, but it will be a real work of landscape art.

Photo of an alpine slide with your own hands

Note!

Reading time ≈ 11 minutes

A do-it-yourself alpine slide at the dacha is a composition with stones stacked as in the photo along with flowers in a picturesque flowerbed. This type of landscape decoration appeared relatively recently. Rock gardens are often arranged in the garden, on the territory of a country house and on lawns. Even the most modest piece of land can be transformed with a luxurious combination of stones and plants.

Alpine slide in the garden with picturesque herbs

Alps in the garden

The Alpine slide is an imitation of rocky natural formations, mountain cuts and steep rock climbs. The entire structure is located on a small hill formed by a sole-base, a beautiful slope, a picturesque peak and variegated herbs.

Types of stone slides:

A beautiful, neat lawn or small flower beds will be a chic addition to the slide. At the base of the rock garden, a stream and a cascading mini-waterfall look luxurious, surrounded by multi-colored stones and decorative boulders.

What should a rock garden look like on a site:

Any natural unevenness in the terrain can save the owner of the site effort and time, so it is worth building an alpine slide yourself in these places.

Place for an alpine slide

Most often, the most favorite one is chosen for the construction of a rock garden. landscaped area in the dacha area.

Most suitable ideas:

If the chosen place is on the north side, you will have to specially select shade-tolerant species of plants and flowers that tolerate well high humidity(for example, ferns).

To create a personal rock garden, you will need to meet some conditions:

• Disembarkation different plants for growing on slopes.
• It is desirable that the terrain of the site has unevenness. In any case, artificial embankments and hills can be erected.
• It is extremely important to correctly formulate drainage system using sand, crushed stone and brick chips.
• You will have to find and select beautiful boulders of unusual shapes.

The dominant element of the alpine slide, made with your own hands at the dacha, is plants, forming a mountainous area with stones, as in the photo. However, the location of boulders, cobblestones and small pebbles also important for creating a beautiful imitation.

How to choose flowers

Everyone wants an alpine slide to resemble a real slope of the majestic Alps, replete with wild vegetation. Decorative foliage and drought-resistant plants are mainly used for rock gardens. However, if you want to decorate a mountain slope at your dacha with flowers, those planted in containers will do:

• Daffodils.
• Violets.
• Forget-me-nots.
• Saxifragas.
• Primroses.
• Saffron.
• Edelweiss.
• Carnation short-stemmed.

Flowers between the stone layers look very elegant, adding bright accents into the general landscape.

Dwarf rare plants also suitable for decorating an alpine garden:

• Ramonda.
• Haberley.
• Yankea.
• Narcissus bulbous type.

Blooming composition of stone blocks, plants, sunlight floral scents are the personification harmonious combination five elements: earth, water, air, fire and ether.

Flowers among the stones on the slope

To create a believable imitation of a mountain range, the following are suitable:

• Soldanella.
• Cyclamen.
• Dryad.
• Corydalis.
• Lumbago.

The best soil is considered to be a mixture of turf with peat and sand. In such soil, plants will feel calm and comfortable. Experts also advise installing automatic watering so as not to worry about the condition of the plantings during your absence from the dacha.

Soil for plantings in a rock garden

• It is important to consider the flowering time of plants so that the planting looks beautiful from spring to autumn and is not bare.
• Conifers are also suitable for planting in rock gardens. This evergreen vegetation can maintain the aesthetics of the slide in any season. Representatives are: mountain pine, thuja, juniper. They are easy to care for, can withstand prolonged absence of moisture in the soil and do not require regular watering.

During the period of absence of flowering, you can use pots with flowers or other decorations, placing them between stones to fill the voids.

Pot with decorative plantings

Secrets of arranging stones

The combination of rocks, textures and shades of stones in combination with flowering plants creates the atmosphere of a real mountain range. Flowers dilute the harshness and coldness of the boulders, delighting gardeners with their beauty. Landscape designers prefer to decorate gardens and hills with various stones with different relief and rock, but the most popular of them are:

When arranging stones, you should not maintain symmetry; this will ruin the whole idea of ​​​​designing an alpine mountain garden.

What should the stones be like?

All artificial uneven terrain in the form of hollows, depressions, hills and hillocks must be formed manually, laying out stones according to a certain pattern. The layout will depend on the chosen rock garden model:

1. Gorge (valley with a steep slope).
2. Plateau (plain on a hill).
3. Terrace (horizontal ledge).
4. Mountain with a flat top.
5. Cliff (sheer rock).
6. Stepped slope.

To create more interesting composition wild stones that do not have fresh chips are suitable. The voids are usually filled with crushed shale, gravel or small pebbles.

Cascading arrangement of stones

Alpine slide for beginners

It is better to lay a rock garden in early autumn so that the soil between the stones settles by the onset of spring. There will still be some gravel or pebbles to fill into the resulting pockets and empty areas, and there will also be time to adjust the placement of the stone blocks to create a beautiful composition.

Stages of laying an alpine slide:

1. Design. At this stage, it is necessary to calculate the amount of materials and plantings, estimate the area, analyze the soil topography, develop a concept and idea.
2. Selection of plants and flowers, as well as rocks.
3. Selecting a location.
4. Marking boundaries and defining shape.
5. Work on organizing the drainage system.
6. Laying out stones according to plan.
7. Equipment for an artificial pond or mini-waterfall (if necessary).
8. Planting plants and flowers.
9. Finishing decor.

Upon completion of production, the gardener will only need to regularly care for the alpine hill, improving it and renewing the plants.

Required materials and tools:

• Stones of the same type, gravel, river sand, soil, humus, peat, plants for planting.
• Construction tape and scissors.
• Wooden pegs.
• Bayonet and garden shovel with a long handle.
• Scrap metal.
• Tight cord.

Step-by-step instruction:

Decoration and care

We must not forget about the decor and improvement of our stone garden. To create a real piece of art on your patio, you can build a decorative artificial pond that fits into the landscape design. An equally good solution would be to create multi-level lighting in the area, shading required angles and buildings.

Popular ideas:

A rock garden is a type of flower garden, so live plantings occupy most of it. Plants, in turn, need care and attention for good flowering, growth and development.

Rules for caring for a small alpine slide in the garden:

It looks like an alpine slide with a pond, built with stones at the dacha with your own hands different sizes(video with photo selection below) seems to be a complex design to implement. However, observing step by step instructions, you can create a magnificent composition without the involvement of landscape designers.

To create a rock garden it is not at all necessary to resort to help professional designer. Anyone can make an alpine slide with their own hands. To do this, it is enough to study the plants that will get along in the rocky area and carry out the preparatory measures correctly.

Preparatory stage

Owners of personal plots strive to create a beautiful landscape design around their home. Today, an alpine slide is almost a mandatory attribute in the central flowerbed near the house. The name refers to the European Alps, which stretch across eight countries. At the foot of the mountains there are magnificent flowers and shrubs that look amazing against the backdrop of rocky heights. A unique structure with a combination of various plants and stones is a miniature copy of European hills.

Creating a composition is a long but enjoyable process. It is necessary to carry out the preparatory work correctly.

Before you start work, you should decide on the location of the flowerbed, draw a diagram of the desired result, select plants, find stones required size and decide what other elements should be used when creating a rock garden.

Choosing a location for an alpine slide

Most often, a rock garden is a central part of landscape design. It’s not bad if it is clearly visible from all sides. It is advisable to choose south side to the flowerbed maximum amount was exposed to direct sunlight for a period of time. In this case, the plants will delight you with bright colors and lush flowering.

At first glance, it seems that a rock garden does not require much space. This is a misconception. When creating a slide, a much larger area may be required than planned. Moreover, it should fit organically into the surrounding exterior. This means that you need to think about what will be next to it. Of course, the main flower bed should not be hidden more than tall plants and bushes, otherwise it will lose all meaning.

With the help of an alpine hill, a personal plot can be turned into a picturesque corner

Don't worry too much if you have limited space to create a slide. In the process of work, it can be reduced and not made too high. The main rule is that the rock garden should look natural, as if nature itself created it in the right place.

The ideal rocky hill with plants is not formed in one day. Sometimes owners summer cottages spend several seasons creating the rock garden of their dreams. There is no room for haste when arranging a flowerbed. Before fixing a stone or planting a plant, you need to put them in the intended place, step away into the distance and see how the resulting composition looks from the outside.

Good weather is required to begin work. The optimal time is considered to be a warm spring, when the sun has already sufficiently warmed the earth, and the high temperature has not yet dried out the surrounding plants.

In summer or autumn, creating a slide is also possible. The main thing is that you feel comfortable working. Laying the stones may take several days or weeks. This means that even in the cold season you can exercise initial stage creating landscape design.

When planting plants, their characteristics should be taken into account. You should not plant flowers and shrubs in the ground, provided that frosts may begin the next night. In this case, the seedlings may not survive low temperatures and die.

Device diagrams

Classic alpine slides are formed according to one of two schemes:

A one-sided rock garden looks good against a wall or fence

The rock garden is located against a blank wall and can only be approached from one side. In this case, an embankment is created, which conditionally rests on the barrier. All decorations are made taking into account the fact that you can only enjoy its view from the front.

The main aspect of designing an alpine slide is modeling the natural landscape

The slide is located in a central location land plot. In this case, the main part on which the main composition will be located is determined. The front zone occupies 2/3 of the total area of ​​the finished flower bed. Thus, the front side of the conditionally obtained triangle should have an increased length.

All alpine slides have several tiers, usually three. Each of them is separated by boulders or small stones. Plants in rows may vary. It is important to maintain balance and place flowers and shrubs in accordance with their adult size.

People who have the ability to create beautiful shapes and visualize the planned appearance of the designated area, they can draw up their own rock garden diagram. It could be multiple hills or other ideas. The main thing is that the end result delivers aesthetic pleasure and looks natural.

Which plants to choose

An alpine slide is an important component of landscape design, so such a flower bed should look attractive at any time of the year. In order for the rock garden to look aesthetically beautiful during the cold period, it is necessary to use evergreen shrubs, such as small thujas.

The attractiveness of a rock garden largely depends on the combination of plants in it.

If the owner wants to see a bright palette on the site, plants with alternate flowering should be planted - in this case, a riot of colors will be provided from early spring to late autumn.

Perennial plants will not require annual planting; they are preferable for creating miniature European Alps. It should be remembered that each type of planting will increase in size several times in 2–3 years.

You shouldn’t take up absolutely all the empty spaces - leave room for growth. In the first year, annuals can be planted in these zones.

Planting in an alpine hill is carried out from the upper tiers

Certain plants are selected for each tier:

• In the lower part, moisture-loving flowers and shrubs that require good fertilizer are planted. These include turf pike, juveniles, and saxifrage.
• At the middle levels there are less picky flowers that can be in the shade: phlox, lumbago, primrose. The voids are organically filled with any ground cover.
• Sun-loving flowers and shrubs that thrive in dry soil are placed at the top of the mountain.

Some home garden owners prefer rock gardens completely filled with non-flowering evergreen shrubs. Suitable for this purpose: junipers, thujas, mountain pine, Korean fir, spruce.

Video: flowers for an alpine slide

Selection of stones

The choice of stones should also be approached responsibly, as they perform similar aesthetic functions as plants. The larger the alpine slide, the larger the boulders should be. The shape of a block of stone can be any: flat, round, shapeless. It all depends on the preferences of the owner.

The stones for the composition must be of the same type

An important indicator is porosity. Some types of stones absorb water well, which means they risk crumbling over time.

• Granite is a hard, difficult to process material that is not subject to destruction. When using it, it is necessary to prepare the drainage system in advance to avoid stagnation of water.
• Slate - contains clay and quartz in its base, has a flat shape and a smooth surface.
• Sandstone is an excellent material for creating an alpine slide. Most plants get along well next to it. However, it has strong porosity.
• Limestone is a beautiful, bright stone, but it is not suitable for plants that require an acidic environment.
• Shell rock - stones are easy to form; recesses for planting plants can be made right inside the rock.

In addition to the above, tuff, travertine, expanded clay, pebbles, crushed stone, and gravel fit perfectly into the design of a rock garden.

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

After determining the location where the landscape composition will be placed, you can begin work.

1. First of all, it is necessary to ensure good drainage so that one day the flowerbed does not turn into a hole. To do this, a pit is dug in the area of ​​the future rock garden. If the diameter of the finished flower bed is 2 meters, the hole should have a depth of about 70–80 cm.
2. Sand, crushed stone, broken bricks, and construction waste can be poured into the bottom.
3. A slide of the required height and shape is formed from drainage material.
4. The formed hill is covered with sand, then with soil.
5. After creating a hill, it should be compacted well; for this, the future flowerbed can be watered generously.
6. Now you can start laying the stones. The layout can be any. The largest boulders are installed first, then the turn comes to small samples. Having placed one specimen of rock, you should step back and see how it looks from all angles. There is no need to rush into this, because changing the location of the heavy material will be problematic later.
7. Each stone must be secured - a small part of it must be dug into the ground.
8. Planting of flowers and shrubs is carried out from the largest to the smallest, ending with ground cover plants that fill the remaining voids. Tall specimens of wildlife are located at the back of the composition or near a large boulder, so as not to obscure smaller specimens.

Small composition

Creating a small alpine slide involves all of the above steps.

Alpine slides have replaced classic flower beds

For small size It is better to choose medium-sized stones for compositions.

Miniature plants should look organic against the background of similar rocks. The highlight of the rock garden is the large number of colors and shades.

For miniature flower beds, it is better to choose plants with small buds or leaves. Groundcovers that do not have a large root system feel good. They will perfectly complete the composition anywhere.

Rock garden with waterfall

Your own waterfall on the site - what could be more beautiful? And most importantly, you can make an ego with your own hands.

A decorative waterfall will make the composition more natural

To do this you will need a water container, a hose and a pump.

In this case, the stones should be laid in a cascade - it is better to use flat shapes.

A hose is hidden under the upper rocks. At the foot there is a container in which water will circulate. It can be hidden under a pile of stones or shaped like a pond. A pump is installed under water to ensure uninterrupted movement of liquid. Its power depends on the height of the rock garden. The miniature mountain river is ready.

After the waterfall is formed, you can begin planting. When selecting flowers, it should be taken into account that the lower tier will always have well-moistened soil.

Hill with decorative pond

At the foot Alpine mountains You can often find magnificent lakes. You can make such a miniature composition in your own yard.

A small pond at the foot of the hill looks impressive

The simplest method is to install a water container of the required shape and size at the base of the hill. You can also cover the pit with a special film used for garden ponds. The edges are decorated with stone compositions. The effect of a natural pond is created.

Birds can fly to such an improvised pond all summer to drink. You can plant several types of plants in the pond itself, for example, water lilies or water lilies.

Video: do-it-yourself alpine slide

Features of care

A rock garden, like any flower bed, needs to be looked after. Even the most unassuming plants need periodic watering, so you should take care of this in advance.

The largest amount of work will occur in the spring. It is necessary to remove protective covers and loosen open areas soil, remove dead plants. If necessary, make a new planting.

Some stones may change their position over the winter. If necessary, they will have to be moved and reinforced again. Mulch can save plants from many problems: in winter it will warm the roots, in summer it will ensure moisture retention and good aeration.

If there is a problem of overgrowing with weeds, you will have to clean the alpine slide from unnecessary plants a couple of times a year. Can solve the problem for several years special film, in which holes are cut only for the desired flowers and shrubs. All other soil will be covered. For an aesthetic effect, the film is covered with small pebbles.

Before winter, it is necessary to cover heat-loving wildlife. The waterfall is turned off, it is better to dismantle the pump during cold weather.

Some plants do not tolerate frost well. Experienced flower growers dig them up and store them in a garage or other utility room.

If the garden plot is small, you can make a small rockery. Read more about its types, choice of plants and arrangement in our material:.

Design ideas for alpine slides

To create a flower garden from plants and stones you need to use your imagination. Each rock garden is unique. It is impossible to repeat landscape compositions exactly. Plants are living organisms, each of them will behave differently.

However, in order to understand what kind of design you want to see in your yard, you should consider other ready-made options. After this, you can start creating your own work of art.

Stones emphasize the beauty and grace of ornamental plants

The flowerbed must have access to every plant. Improvised steps made of flat stones look organic and make it possible to care for the upper bushes.

The green base of the hill can be ferns and other low-growing plants

Along with large boulders, small pebbles are scattered across the entire surface, creating a complete composition.

Small plants in an alpine hill are best planted in groups

On a low hill, small plants with small flowers. In the center there are small spherical thujas.

For an alpine slide with a pond, arrowhead and sedge are suitable

In the presence of big pond You can experiment with aquatic plant species - duckweed, water lilies. In the upper part of the composition, dense impenetrable thickets are visible, creating a beautiful exposition.

An alpine slide with a waterfall requires more attention

Garden figures, organically installed in the rock garden, will help create the right mood.

An alpine slide against a background of trees fits well into the landscape

Plants are arranged from the shortest to the tallest. The forest behind the alpine hill seems to be a natural extension of the landscape design.

After planting the plants in the rock garden, you can add some garden decorations to the composition

Large boulders are located in the far part of the rock garden. At the same time, the back side should also have a beautiful finished look.

Alpine slide loves the sun and is afraid of the winds

The place to create a miniature European Alps must be sunny. This may be the southern or southwestern part of the yard.

It is difficult to imagine an alpine hill without ground cover plants

Ground cover flowering plants grow beautifully and literally cover huge boulders. At the top there is a dwarf gracefully located.

Bush perennials with a dense root system and erect shoots are suitable for planting between the stones of an alpine hill

Lovers of bright colors use many flowers of different colors. Plants with small rhizomes do not need large quantities fertile soil. They can be planted in small shallow voids between stones.

A DIY alpine slide is not only an aesthetic pleasure, but also the joy of realizing that it was made independently. Every plant in it has meaning. Any stone or boulder should be placed so that the appearance of the overall composition looks advantageous. For the creator of the composition, every detail is important. If all the above conditions and stages of creation are met, the rock garden will become the main asset personal plot and the central part of landscape design.

The Alpine slide is a fashionable attribute for arranging modern garden and park areas. Making a rock garden at your dacha with your own hands: step-by-step photos, diagrams, selection of plants.

Choosing a location for an alpine slide

When choosing a place for an alpine slide, 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 built 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 hiring a landscape architect. Having step-by-step photos and diagrams for arranging the slide, it will not be difficult to complete the work of constructing 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 location on the site where the slide will be located. Perennial shrubs and trees should not grow nearby, which could over time obscure the plants on the hill. A place that is open on all sides and accessible to view from all corners of the garden must be dry. High level groundwater will adversely affect the durability and strength of the slide base. In this case, the groundwater level must be lowered using special drainage.

Do-it-yourself drainage under an alpine slide (step-by-step guide).

Do-it-yourself alpine slide arrangement diagram

While natural shrinkage of the soil occurs, you can draw up a diagram, determine the location of boulders and stones on the hill, and select 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;
• sphagnum moss.

Scheme: arrangement of an alpine slide

The diagram and detailed plan according to which the rock garden will be created must take into account that the construction of the slide is carried out at a height of 1 to 3 m.

Advice. If the height of the rock garden is over 1 meter, a slide core is required.

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

Scheme: alpine slide in layers

Rock garden stones - choosing the right ones

Typically, when building a slide, natural rock stones are used: basalt, granite, sandstone, limestone, as well as rare rocks that are characterized by low porosity and strength. It is undesirable to use tuff, shell rock and dolomite to construct the slide. These rocks absorb water strongly because they are porous, so the stones quickly collapse.

Stones for an alpine slide must be durable and of different sizes

The shape and color of the stones are of great importance. You should avoid round-shaped stones, as well as excessively sharp-angled boulders. Stones of different colors look harmonious only on alpine slides of a certain type. The classic version of arranging a slide involves using stones of the same type, but of different shapes.

Scheme: deepening stones for an alpine slide

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

DIY Alpine slide - selection of plants

The construction 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 hill. Rocky slide for sunny places requires certain, drought-resistant plants. The classic version of the rock garden involves planting miniature trees and shrubs, perennial herbs and flower crops.

Example No. 1. Decorating an alpine slide with plants

They have proven themselves excellent when planted in rockeries: fescue, lavender, rock alyssum, geranium, sedum, Iberis, young, lumbago. Small-bulbous plants planted in small groups feel great on rocky hills: crocuses, scylla, miniature hyacinths, low-growing tulips and hazel grouse. Small-bulbous plants bloom in the spring, when few plants are still blooming and the hill looks unpresentable. Everything changes when bright, blooming crocuses appear from under the snow.

Example No. 2. Plants for alpine hills

To create a highly decorative hill, it is necessary to provide for the planting of perennial plants with different periods flowering. 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 tall specimens should not depress low-growing varieties, thereby affecting their full development. Bright plants should be placed in the foreground, in the viewing area.

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

Decorative flowering shrubs used for arranging an alpine hill: rhododendrons, Erica, blueberries and lingonberries.

From perennial crops perfectly complement the alpine hill: bergenia, astilbe, daylily (low-growing), drooping reed.

Alpine slide surrounded by lawn

Advice: when forming a rockery, preference should be given to decorative deciduous plants, which retain their beauty even in the absence of flowers.

How to properly care for a rock garden?

In the first year, you will need to add soil several times, which is washed away during watering and precipitation, and also, if necessary, strengthen the stones. Watching various videos and photos taken by professional landscape designers will help you complete these jobs correctly. The soil is poured carefully and compacted.

The soil should be evenly distributed between the stones

Caring for plants involves timely watering, removing faded flowers, damaged leaves, and pruning. During the season, plants should be fertilized several times with appropriate fertilizers. You should not use nitrogen fertilizers, they cause rapid growth plants, which should be avoided when planting on a hill.

Advice. Do not overfeed the plants on the alpine hill. Plants should not be overgrown.

Water the plants carefully using a hose or watering can with a sprayer, making sure that the soil is not washed away.

It is advisable to strengthen loose and falling stones.

Various small bodies of water will look very beautiful on an alpine hill

If necessary, plants are treated with pest control agents. Diseased plants that cannot be cured must be removed and the soil replaced at the site of their growth.

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

Alpine slides in landscape design

Alpine slide that does not require painstaking care, will become wonderful decoration of the entire dacha plot

The design of park areas increasingly includes the creation of decorative rock gardens. The rock garden serves as a continuation of the rocky gardens and is in perfect harmony with ponds, bridges, decorative lanterns, lawns and vertical gardening. Creating an alpine slide with your own hands on a summer cottage will perfectly decorate the area and add charm and variety to the landscape design of the area.

How to create an alpine slide from scratch: video

Alpine slide: photo