Do-it-yourself Alpine hill (76 photos): step by step we create a complex element of landscape design. Master class on making an alpine slide. Step-by-step instructions with photos From what you can make an alpine slide

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Alpine slide- effective element landscape design, however, somewhat laborious to create, implying many nuances and rules. Today we will look at a step-by-step guide to building an alpine slide with our own hands on level ground with photos and diagrams.

Rock garden with a stream of rounded stones.

Features and device

An alpine hill, or rock garden, is an element of landscape design in the form of a hill built of stones with alpine plants planted on it that grow in the Alps. In other words, this is an artificially created miniature of a mountainous area with its inherent relief elements. So, a rock garden can be created in the form of:

gorges;
plateau;
valleys;
cliff;
slope, etc.

Rock gardens are also often referred to as rock gardens. The device of such an element implies several tiers or levels. If the element is large, it is usually called a rock garden, and structures with more modest dimensions, decorated on small plot, called the alpine slide. Obviously, highland flowers and plants require special conditions, and since rock gardens have become ubiquitous, the plants are not selected truly alpine, but based on the climate of the area. We will talk in more detail about the choice of flora for rock garden later.

In the photo below you can see a simple but very picturesque alpine hill with stones in the country, which is easy to repeat with your own hands:

Rocky garden on site.

It is believed that for the first time rock gardens began to be built more than a thousand years ago in Japan. In view of the acute shortage of free space, the Japanese have learned to build real masterpieces in a limited space. stone gardens were also popular in China and other South Asian countries. Around the 16th century, the fashion for the construction of rocky gardens came to Europe, and a couple of centuries later it became popular in Russia.

The main charm and charm of alpine slides lies in their maximum proximity to natural, natural outlines. Lack of symmetry, slight negligence, exclusively natural materials create an extraordinary atmosphere.

Alpine hill with massive stones.

Varieties

There are many varieties of rock gardens. Here are some of the most common types of slides:

Valley. From the name it can be assumed that such a slide should have similarities with a mountain plateau. Stones are used for decoration big size deeply embedded in the soil. The space between them is filled with flowers and herbs.
Cliff. This variety has the appearance of a steep slope. For its implementation, large stones of any shape are used, stacked on top of each other in a dry way. Imitation of a cliff will be harmoniously complemented by shrubs.
Meadow. A great emphasis in this type of rock garden is placed on vegetation - undersized perfumed herbs and colorful flowers will look very fresh in the garden.
Ravine. This kind of rock garden looks very unusual, at least because it is necessary to make not a hill, but, on the contrary, a recess. Its slopes are decorated with stones, coniferous crops are planted. A great idea would be a stream at the bottom of the ravine.
Cascade stream. A rocky hill with many thin streams flowing down in a cascade looks incredibly picturesque and peaceful. When constructing this variety, special attention should be paid to the choice of plants - it is better to plant moisture-loving crops.

Types of alpine slides.

Important! Rock gardens should be distinguished from rockeries - these are two different elements landscape design, although both use rocks and plants.

Usually rock gardens are much larger in contrast to, they also have a greater height (sometimes up to 2-3 m compared to maximum height rockeries in 1 m). Another distinguishing feature - vegetation - in rockeries can be used minimally or not at all, while in rock gardens this is an indispensable element.

Scheme

The device of the alpine slide is limited only by your imagination and the features of the site. Compositions can be completely different. To make it easier for you to choose, consider some examples of photos of alpine slides in the garden - as the most simple options, which you can repeat with your own hands, as well as complex compositions with a fountain, with a pond and with a bridge.

Rock garden with a bridge.

Rock gardens with ponds will bring freshness to the design of the garden. Such an element is best placed near the recreation area.

Large alpine hill with a stream.

Even small streams and ponds can transform the territory:

Rock garden with a waterfall and a pond.

In the photo below you see how you can arrange a rock garden near the house:

Rock garden near the house.

For the construction, you can use the following schemes:

Rock garden scheme.

Scheme No. 2:

Scheme of the Alpine slide.

Scheme No. 3:

Alpine slide option.

Scheme No. 4:

Hill with a pond.

Location selection

To equip a beautiful rocky garden on your site, you must first choose a suitable place.

Tip: if there are natural uneven terrain on the site, it is advisable to use them for arranging an alpine hill.

If the site does not differ in drops, it's okay - you can equip a rocky garden on flat ground, but in this case you will have to make a little more effort. It is important that during an artificial construction this element harmoniously and smoothly passes into the rest of the even landscape.

Rock garden on a natural slope along the steps.

In addition, there are other criteria for choosing a place:

Accessible review. The alpine slide is a very picturesque and colorful element of the garden, so it is important that it be visible and provide an opportunity to admire from many points of the site. Therefore, it is desirable to have slides near the house, gazebo or other place of rest.
Distance from tall trees, massive shrubs - in contrast with the trees, the slide may lose its scale.
Sunny area, sheltered from the wind. This will provide good conditions for most plants used in the construction of rocky gardens. Ideally, if the main side of the rock garden is oriented to the south, east or southeast.
Neighborhood with a reservoir. If the site has artificial pond or a waterfall, it is logical to place a rock garden nearby.

It is not recommended to build large-scale rocky gardens right in the center of a large empty space - this will give landscape element very unbelievable look. As for the size of the slide - there are no strict boundaries and norms, it is necessary to choose the dimensions based on the area of \u200b\u200bthe site. After all, it is not the size of the rock garden that is important, but its harmonious combination with the design of the territory of a summer residence or a country house.

Plant selection

Another important point- the choice of vegetation for the slide.

AT classic version rock garden arrangements are selected unpretentious, perennial alpine plants, resistant to harsh climates, compact in size (ground cover or undersized).

However, with the growing popularity of rock gardens, the range of plants used in their design has also increased. When arranging the slide, the following groups of flowers are planted:

for the basis of the composition, compact undersized conifers or deciduous shrubs are often chosen;
ground cover crops are used to fill the rock garden space;
perennial herbs;
bulbous flowers - look very impressive during the flowering period. Enliven the view of the hill in the spring.

It is important to select plants based on the conditions on your slide - soil type, light to shade ratio, wind protection, etc. All plants should have more or less similar environmental requirements. Also be guided by the size of the slide - the larger its dimensions, the more tall plants can be planted. For compact rock gardens, choose low crops.

We list which specific types are best used for slides:

Perennials: edelweiss, alissum, young, echinacea, seaside armeria, carnations.
Annuals and bulbs: crocuses, muscari, blueberries, snowdrops, haretail, dimorphoteca, marigolds, saxifrage.
Ephedra: thuja, juniper, black pine, miniature spruce.
Deciduous shrubs: barberry, spirea, cotoneaster, chaenomeles.

In the photo below you can see what plants are needed to equip the rock garden:

Plants for the Alpine slide.

Stones for the slide

When choosing and arranging stones for a slide, it is necessary to build on the basic principle - naturalness. Based on this, the use of several types of stones that do not occur together in nature will not be a very good solution.

For the arrangement of slides, the following types are most often used:

Granite. It has beautiful view, heavy, so working with it is difficult. Is different low level moisture absorption. Most often used together with conifers and heather.
Sandstone. It has a porous structure (that is, plants with a certain root system can grow right in it), and a large palette of shades is also found in nature, which allows you to design rocky hills in different ways.
Lime stones. They pass water well, gradually overgrow with moss, as a result of which they begin to become only more beautiful and picturesque over time.

For a natural look of the slide, it is necessary to use cobblestones of various sizes irregular shape. Between large specimens lay smaller ones. For flatter areas, you can choose smooth stones (not perfectly rounded), and for steep slopes - bumpy ones.

In addition to the listed species, you can also use shell rock, slate. Gravel and crushed stone are used to create drainage, alpine slides with real or dry streams are usually laid out with pebbles.

In the photo below you can see an alpine slide, created with your own hands in the country from improvised materials:

Alpine slide from improvised materials.

Manufacturing

So, when we discussed the main aspects in the manufacture of rock garden, you can go directly to work. We will give a step-by-step guide and show in the photo and diagrams the process of building an alpine slide with our own hands on level ground.

Important! Just pouring a pile of stones, filling the gaps with soil and planting flowers does not mean equipping a rock garden. With this approach, the stones can quickly move, as a result of which the form will fall apart and the decorative effect will be lost.

If we talk about the time frame for creating a rocky garden, it will take from two weeks to a month. The exact timing depends on the rate of soil shrinkage.

Preparation and drainage

After you have chosen the size and shape for the slide, these parameters must be transferred to the site. Along the perimeter, it is worth protecting it with a rope and pegs, clearing debris and stones, and uprooting plants. Next, you need to make drainage:

Remove a layer of soil from the selected area. The depth depends on the area of the rock garden - for wide elements it will be necessary to remove the soil to a depth of 70-80 cm and even up to 1 m. In this case, you will get good drainage with excellent moisture removal, which will also serve as the foundation for the composition and ensure its durability.
The bottom must be filled with drainage material: expanded clay, construction debris (broken bricks, parts of concrete, etc., wood cannot be used). The thickness of this layer is 35 cm.
The next layer is sand. Sand must be laid with a thickness of 35 cm, compacted and leveled, and then poured with water to shrink.

At this stage, approximately 30-40 cm should remain to the soil level - we will fill them with soil.

The device of the Alpine slide.

Laying soil and stones

To prepare the soil for the rock garden, you can use one of the "recipes":

We mix coarse sand with peat and humus in a ratio of 1: 1: 1.
We mix peat and clay soil in a ratio of 1: 3. Gravel can be added to this mixture in an amount of 5:1.

Important! The soil for the rock garden must be thoroughly cleaned of weeds and rhizomes, otherwise it will be more difficult to take care of the slide.

The resulting mixture is poured over the sand along the perimeter of the future rock garden. The thickness of the soil layer can reach 1 m - this will be an excellent basis for stones. Next, you should wait about 1.5-2 weeks until the soil settles. Sometimes you have to wait up to 5 weeks.

Rock garden device step by step.

In addition to the diagram above, we attach a step-by-step photo of the process:

Now let's get to milestone- laying stones. We tell you step by step how to make an alpine slide with your own hands near the house:

Start laying from the largest copies according to the chosen scheme. If they are unstable, use sand, soil, gravel to strengthen them. It is very important that they are securely fixed.
Next, install medium-sized specimens and only then - the smallest ones.
Do not place stones close to each other - there should be space between them for planting vegetation.

Avoid symmetrical placement - try to arrange the stones a little randomly so that the composition has a natural look.

plant colonization

This is the final stage of the design of the alpine slide. First, plant trees and shrubs, then fill the main volume with perennials.

Important! A little more moisture accumulates at the bottom of the hill, therefore it is better to plant moisture-loving species here.

The process of planting plants in an alpine hill.

How to care

The advantage of rock gardens is that, for all their decorativeness, they require incomparably less attention than flower beds and flower beds. But still some care is required:

the soil in rock gardens dries out faster than in ordinary beds due to elevation, heated stones and wind, so plants should be regularly watered from a hose with a fine nozzle;
regularly plants need to be fed under the root (about once a month);
during the entire flowering period, regularly remove faded shoots, lay mulch if it is washed off by rain or when watering, check plants for diseases and pests.

For the winter, the composition must be covered with agrofiber. In the spring, the film is removed, the dead plants are removed (if this happened), the stones that have moved out are corrected, and the foliage is raked. Next, you need to renew the layer of soil and mulch, add new plants.

Now you understand that it is not difficult to create an alpine slide with your own hands, even on level ground, if you follow step by step guide with photos and diagrams.

Video: how to quickly and easily make a rock garden.

The picturesque landscape of the Alps inspired gardeners to create alpine slides, which traditionally consist of a combination of stone with mountain plants.

Relatively recently, in landscape design, classic flower beds, ridges and plaster sculptures have been replaced by new types of site decoration - rock gardens. They are arranged in rich estates and summer cottages, in city gardens and squares, on lawns near offices and in restaurant areas. Properly and tastefully selected stones and plants will create a zone of luxury, aesthetics and peace even on the most modest piece of land near the country house.

An alpine hill densely planted with plants opens the eye with its bright, rich colors

Being a peculiar and very time-consuming decoration of the landscape, rock gardens seem difficult to perform and inaccessible decorative elements. However, if you understand the technology of creation, then an alpine slide in the country can be arranged without the involvement of expensive designers.

A piece of the Alps in your country house

When developing the design of alpine slides, you need to consider that this is an imitation of rocky natural areas. This means that the basis of the composition should be stones and creeping low plants, characteristic of high-mountain areas. And the definition of "hill" dictates general form rock garden - a hill with obligatory elements: a sole, slopes and top.

Rock garden - a "highlight" that can instantly transform the appearance of a garden landscape

There are several options for rock gardens, which repeat their appearance various sections mountainous area:

rocky cliff - a heap of almost bare large boulders with a minimum of plants in niches and "pockets";

The combination of functionality and decorative function: stone steps and rocky rock garden

Larger plants are planted on the tops of the rolling pin, emphasizing the dynamics of the height difference.

mountain slope - a complex high composition of stones of different sizes and with a wide variety of creeping and undersized plants;

To design such a rock garden use dwarf plants, as well as large boulders imitating rock fragments

valley in the mountains large stones, partially protruding from the ground, surrounded by profusely flowering ornamental plants;

The natural landscape made it possible to create a flowering stone hill with little effort.

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.

Neatly stacked stones in the shape of a semicircle in a composition with flowering plants - a spectacular club in your yard

Rockery is considered a separate species - a garden of stones, which are the main " actors”, in contrast to the rock garden, where the stones serve as a backdrop for plants.

As a site for the creation of rockeries, any terrain is suitable, including absolutely flat ground.

How to make an alpine slide on a personal plot?

If you have firmly decided that an alpine slide created by your own hands will become the decoration of your garden, a step-by-step instruction will give you the opportunity to avoid gross mistakes and get the desired result. Before starting work, sketch out a rock garden sketch - this will help you decide how much space it will occupy, what configuration it will have and how many tiers you will do on it. You can even roughly estimate how much an alpine slide will cost you - a scaled diagram will help you calculate how many and what kind of stones you will need, how much drainage, sand and soil will need to be prepared. You need to make a scheme in relation to the terrain in order to use all the advantageous moments of the already existing landscape.

Creative decoration of rock gardens - a clay bowl with plants

When deciding on a place for a future rock garden, do not forget that you will need to look at it - choose the most favorable angles. In addition, think - you might want to spend your free time near him. Then you will need an adjoining flat area with paths, a place for a table and a hearth.

The path from the rock garden leads directly to the recreation area

A cozy corner to relax in the "rock garden"

Planted plants for the alpine slide will need the warmth of the sun- means it is necessary to orient the slopes to the south and east.
Very interesting visual effects will be obtained when using the natural unevenness of the relief - decorative elements inscribed in the natural landscape will be a great addition to it.

Spectacular alpine slide with a small pond

This is not an imitation of the landscape, but simply an artistic composition of asymmetrically arranged stone blocks with paths between them and plant compositions.

The next step is to transfer your circuit to the site. Make the marking with the help of a string or by filling the necessary lines with a contrasting material - sand, lime. This will allow you to look at the intended location of the rock garden from the side. Perhaps you decide to slightly change its configuration in accordance with the terrain.

Rock garden serves bright decoration garden, standing out against the background of a green lawn

Having approved the choice of a place, you need to prepare the site for laying stones. Soil, mostly consisting of clay or black earth, will have to be drained; sandy soils do not need such preparation. For drainage, the earth is taken out to a depth of at least 30 cm, the pit is filled building materials large fractions, tamp and cover with the removed soil flush with the surrounding ground. To compact the loosened soil, it is shed with water.

A miniature rock garden with dwarf plants placed along the perimeter of the terrace will add personality to your seating area.

The largest boulders are laid along the perimeter of the prepared site. If necessary, they can be buried in the soil - then they will have more natural look. Inner space fill with soil, which will become the basis for the next tier, as well as a habitat for plants.

A composition of stones, located from the main facade of the house, is a great addition to the image of your home.

Having retreated the estimated distance from the first row, they put in the next chain of stones, maintaining the desired configuration of the rock garden.

Advice! When laying large stones, leave between them free space, which will be filled with soil - the planted plants will need a place for the development of the root system.

After completing right amount tiers, make out the top. To do this, you can lay one large stone, or use several small ones, folded in a pyramid. This will prevent soil erosion, as well as complete the composition.

It is better to start work on laying the rock garden in the fall, then by spring the soil poured between the stones will sit down, and it will be possible to fill up all the voids that have formed. In addition, before planting the plants, you will have the opportunity to make final adjustments to the placement of the stones.

Vertical blooming alpine composition creates a romantic mood

Retaining wall in the form of a rock garden - a new salvation from "boring" walls

Advice!The main rule is that the rock garden should look decorative and beautiful even without flowers. Stones should create a stable and extremely natural composition in a harmonious and balanced way. The less symmetry it has, the more organic it will look.

Pride of the homeowner - do-it-yourself alpine slide

The implemented step-by-step instructions for the alpine slide will give you the opportunity to create a real masterpiece of landscape design on your site. And to make it perfect, we will reveal some secrets that will help you in your work:

A mini-rock garden in a flower bed is very relevant for small courtyards where there is no place for standard stone compositions.

To create a miniature rock garden, you only need dwarf plants, pebbles and a terracotta pot

Stones for an alpine slide need to be selected of the same type, of the same breed. Then the rock garden will look extremely natural.

Rock garden with a pond, decorated with stones of approximately the same shape

A high hill, built of stones and green spaces, can serve as a site fencing

The size of the stones should correspond to the area occupied by the rock garden - the larger it is, the larger the boulders can be used to fill it.
When choosing flowers for an alpine slide, be guided by the timing of their flowering. Maximum decorativeness is achieved with a continuous series of various flowering spots on the surface of the rock garden you create.

Minimalistic version of rock gardens - simplicity that emphasizes the architecture in the background

The species composition of plants must be selected from undersized and evergreen options. Then the rock garden will not hide behind lush greenery, and in the fall you will not have to choose fallen leaves among the stones.
For a slide, you can take a couple of undersized coniferous plants. They fit perfectly between the stones without cluttering them up. Between them it is good to place creeping or integumentary species - green spots between the stones look very decorative. Flowering plants also pick up low growth and with small flowers.

The most popular plants for rock garden:

dwarf spruce,
thuja,
juniper,

Juniper looks beautiful in composition with stones

cypress,
cotoneaster,

When arranging an alpine hill, you should certainly take into account the features of the landscape and, based on this, choose the appropriate improvement option

dryad,
iberis,
young,
rocky beetroot,

Mountain waterfalls are also characteristic of the Alpine landscapes.

carnation short stem,
saxifrage

Saxifrage will bring color accents to the alpine corner

In the event that you decide to give your country landscape very picturesque and original look- make an alpine slide on it, which can be a real surprise for your guests. In the article we will tell you how to make an alpine slide with your own hands in the country, and also give photo and video instructions.

Choosing the right place

The construction of a rock garden should begin with a competent selection of a place for it. It is recommended that the following considerations be taken into account:

the location of the planned placement of this element garden design should be located on the sunny side;
it should be removed from buildings (i.e. placed in a picturesque corner of the garden, for example);

An important condition for the good performance of an alpine hill is the quality of the soil at its location, excluding the proximity of groundwater.

Marking and preparation of drainage

After choosing a place for a hill, you can start marking the site, which is carried out in accordance with the previously selected dimensions. At the end of the markup, it will be necessary to prepare the base for the "rock garden", which should become reliable protection from heavy rains and seasonal floods.

For this purpose, along the perimeter of the marking, it is necessary to dig a ditch with a depth of about forty centimeters. The bottom of such a pit is covered with a specially prepared drainage mixture, which can be used as the remains of construction debris (crushed stone, pebbles, broken brick). Then all this is covered with a layer of sand about 5-10 cm thick, and covered with several layers from above. fertile soil containing mineral nutrient mixtures. The soil should be well loosened and weeds and roots removed from it.

The base formed in this way should be allowed to settle for several days, during which all its layers will settle and gain the strength necessary for subsequent work.

Selection and placement of stones

While the base of the slide is shrinking, you can begin to select stones for it. The right combination of stones of various sizes and shapes will allow you to create a rather original and at the same time natural looking alpine slide. At the same time, too many of them are not required, since sometimes it is possible to create an excellent composition from 5-6 large stones (plus a few small ones).

Before laying, lay out all the stone blanks and select the most beautiful and original in shape. Preference should be given to stones from valuable natural material (granite, limestone or boulder stones, for example). The most suitable option for a slide are various types of limestone; sandstones and shales will also look good on it. All operations are recommended based on the following considerations:

It is best to lay boulders in several tiers, and small gaps should be left between individual stones, which can later be covered with earth and planted dwarf trees, For example. The very bottom of these gaps can be laid out with a small "battle" that prevents the growth of weeds.
During laying, the largest stones are exposed first, which are buried in the ground by about two-thirds. This will allow you to securely fix them in the ground, and also create the illusion of the naturalness of the resulting composition. The paths around the hill are recommended to be laid out from small flat stones or from chips of a suitable shape.
It is also necessary to ensure that there is enough free soil between the stones for planting plants in it.

The slide will look more natural if you make the composition asymmetric, i.e. with a slight deviation from the geometrically correct forms.

Planting flower beds

When building an alpine slide, due attention should be paid to the choice suitable plants capable of making it attractive appearance. They will look quite good in such a landscape. undersized plants covering the earth with a continuous colorful carpet. In this case, one should definitely take into account the sophistication of their foliage and the beauty of the inflorescences themselves.

Ordinary snowdrops or violets will look ideal against an alpine background, and saffron, phlox, narcissus, primrose or forget-me-not will only give way to them in this regard. It is also allowed to land on a hill single plants like juniper, barberry or heather.

rock garden care

Proper care of the slide involves its timely watering, as well as regular cultivation (loosening) of the soil. Particular attention should be paid to watering during the period of growth and flowering of planted plants. In autumn, the hill requires special care, which consists in cleaning dried leaves and plants, as well as pruning overgrown shrubs. Separate samples of plants should be insulated for the winter.

Spring care is associated with tamping the soil and protecting flowers from harmful insects. At the same time, you can fertilize the soil with special mineral mixtures.

Video

In the following video, you will learn how to make an alpine slide for a beginner:

A photo

Decorate a backyard or country cottage area- there is nothing easier. You can break it with a variety of flowers that will delight their owners all summer. You can plant flowers along the garden paths or just near the house. And you can build an alpine hill to your own delight, to the envy of your neighbors. This object of landscape design is becoming more and more popular from year to year. For help, you can contact professional designers, but you can build this miracle yourself. Each element should be thought out so that the alpine slide harmoniously fits into the landscape.

Alpinarium will perfectly decorate any site, and you can place it on the territory different area. A small piece of the rocky surface of the Alps looks very good against any background. To create such a miracle on your site correctly and beautifully, you need to know a few nuances, otherwise it will have to be disassembled and the wasted time and money will be irretrievably lost.

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

First you need to choose a place to place the slide. You can use natural irregularities, it is possible to use and flat surface. The most important thing is to have enough sunlight, ideally in the center of the site.

If this is not possible and the personal plot cannot meet all the requirements, you should not be upset.

Next is the base. At the same time, approaches to the hill should be considered. To work, you only need gardening Tools. You will also need stones of different sizes, stone chips, drainage material, sand, fertile soil, seedlings of flowers and small shrubs.

To make the alpine slide look harmonious, you need to dig a shallow hole under it, its size is done on a scale of 1: 2, no more than a meter deep. Strengthen the bottom of the pit with a pillow of gravel, brickwork or other construction debris, and pour plenty of water and tamp.

In the central part, the drainage layer should be larger than at the edges. A ten-centimeter layer of sand is poured over it. Pour, tamp, where you need to add sand.

Top with soil great content clay, it can be purchased at the store or mixed independently, the proportions of clay soil with peat are 4: 1, add a little peat in a 5: 1 ratio to the soil. This stage is very important for the alpine slide, if the drainage is done incorrectly, then everything will spread and settle after falling out a large number precipitation.

Stones are placed on top. Moreover, their size and number will depend on individual fantasies. The shape of the alpine slide can be both horizontal and vertical. It is advisable to use natural stones, avoid sharp chips. If flat stones are chosen for the rock garden, then they should be laid with one edge raised.

Choice of decorative elements

Stones are an integral part of the alpine slide. The sizes of the selected stones must be proportional. Huge boulders cannot be used in a small alpine slide. Stones to take different sizes, large stones are placed in the base, and smaller ones are installed on them.

For structural strength, large stones are sprinkled with earth. Stones must be of the same breed. Symmetry when laying stones will ruin the appearance of the alpine slide, they should look as natural as possible.

Harder stones will last longer. soft stones, for example, limestone, will eventually become covered with moss, this will give originality and primitiveness to the alpine hill. Pebbles are laid out from the bottom up, determining a place for each.

Large stones should be placed at the very bottom, it is advisable to place small stones at the top. Be sure to provide "pockets" for planting plants. The main rule at this stage is the stability of the stones (if necessary, they are additionally strengthened) and the asymmetric arrangement of all elements. An almost finished slide should be shed with water and, if necessary, add soil in sagging places.

Plants for alpine slides

Plants for slides need to choose a different flowering period. From early spring to late autumn she will look playful.

Another rule is the location of plants. They cannot block stones. Perennial small plants are better suited, they should be unpretentious. When choosing plants, it is worth remembering about seasonal changes.

It is customary to decorate the top of the hill small trees or shrubs, it can be juniper, thuja, dwarf pine. Flowers that complement the composition better than natural origin, they can be found in the nearest forest, they should not be tall so as not to cover the stones.

Plants such as saxifrage, edelweiss, poppy, violet, cactus, spirea, cinquefoil are suitable for this. The main thing is that they get along with each other and withstand the conditions of your climate.

Plants for rock garden - Phlox subulate and young

Multi-colored purslane on an alpine hill

Plant in shallow holes, filling with soil with the addition of a small amount of very small stone. This will keep weeds from growing and help retain moisture.

50 examples of alpine slides for every taste

Alpine slide photo gallery

Do-it-yourself alpine slide is an original element of landscape design, consisting of mountain plants and different species wild stone, imitating hills and rocky peaks destroyed by time. The rock garden should correspond as much as possible to the miraculous beauty of the Alps.

The main forming element of the composition - a natural stone. Plants are designed to emphasize the natural beauty of the blocks. In nature, such areas are formed in places of mountain faults. Under influence external environment a soil layer gradually appears on them, on which flowers begin to grow. This magnificent creation of nature can be independently recreated in your own country house.

Distinctive characteristics

A rock garden differs from an ordinary flower bed in its arrangement.

If the flowerbed includes a composition of flowers and green spaces, then the latter is special facility from stones framed by plants characteristic of the alpine flora.

Visually, it looks like a mountain landscape. The stones symbolize the mountain peak, and the flowers repeat the rocky landscape. The larger the garden composition, the better it will look.

Kinds

There are several varieties of alpine slides:

Alpine meadow. This species has the form of a green meadow, which organically passes into the mountain slope. The meadow is sown with herbs, bulbous plants and annuals that grow in the Swiss and French Alps.

Mountain slope. To create it, you need a small hill or mound. Stones of medium and large size are located on the hill in a chaotic manner. Conifers are planted on the slopes - pine, juniper. Empty spaces between plantings are covered with ferns and dwarf trees.

Japanese garden. This is a mini version of the rock garden, which is suitable for connoisseurs of Japanese culture, philosophical teachings and meditative practices. Distinctive feature Japanese garden- absence of large boulders. A compact rocky structure, decorated with coniferous plantations, is welcome. Between them is placed boxwood evergreen or small-leaved.

Swamp. When on adjoining territory there is a swampy area, it can be turned into an original alpine hill. To do this, they dig a small pit, on the bottom of which stones, pebbles and sand are laid out. Over time, the pit will fill with water and turn into natural pond. Its edges are decorated with rounded stones, snags and moisture-loving plants.

forest ravine. On its slopes, a rocky slope is made of dug stones. Ferns and moss are planted near the boulders.

Scheme

Alpine slide scheme (click to enlarge)

Before proceeding with the construction of a rock garden, it is necessary to develop its detailed scheme.

In addition, draw a sketch on paper, think about the desired size, make a list of plantings and the location of all structural elements considering landscape design.

This plan will serve as a kind of instruction for work and will help to avoid improvements, because moving boulders is much more convenient on paper than on the site. Also great importance has the illumination of the site and the degree of its moisture content.

It is important to know: in order for the alpine hill to retain its original beauty, you need to correctly select flowers and plants, consider their planting.

We must not forget about seasonal flowering. It is better to plant flowering plants that ripen at different times.

Location selection

The key to the successful creation of a rock garden is its correct location.

If there are any irregularities on the territory, then for the slide it is better to choose the most high area. It should be borne in mind that it will be quite difficult to build it on sandy soil. Clay soil requires the installation of a drainage system.

A sunny and ventilated area is best. Since the alpine slide is the highlight of the garden and the pride of the owners, it should be located in a conspicuous place and viewed from any angle.

On the sunny side, light-loving flowers should be planted that tolerate well Sun rays. East side it is better to decorate with mountain plants. A hill is erected away from outbuildings or a garage. The best option will be located near flower bed or natural water.

Device and design

Often, the construction of a rock garden comes down to the formation of a composition of plants and stones.

After some time, such a "structure" will lose its attractiveness and shape. Therefore, one should adhere to a step-by-step construction, which begins with the arrangement of the drainage system.

Drainage. So that the stones do not change their original position as a result of blur groundwater, need to do drainage layer as in the photo. To do this, remove about 15 cm of the topsoil, remove the remaining roots of plants that can destroy the structure. Further, the resulting recess is filled with gravel or crushed stone. The material is carefully compacted and watered with water to compact. Then the drainage system is covered with a layer of soil, watered and compacted again.

Soil preparation. Good for rock climbing simple earth from the site. It must be free of debris and weeds. The soil is mixed with peat and coarse sand in equal proportions. Ready soil spread on the prepared drainage layer with a small slide of 1 meter. As soon as the stones are laid, the voids are also covered with earth.

Plant selection. When choosing flowers and plants, it is important to focus on varieties that are easily adapted to different environments. climatic conditions. It is preferable to choose unpretentious plantations that retain their decorative qualities after flowering. Since the rock garden is created for a long time, perennials must be used in its design. Usually, when organizing a slide, the following groups of plants are involved: rosette, bulbous, ground cover, evergreen.

Plants and flowers

Edelweiss

In the harsh conditions of the highlands, flowers and plants have to win their place under the sun. Therefore, flowers that do not need careful care are suitable for rock garden decoration.

If desired, the slide can be updated with annuals every year. Perennials of bright colors are suitable to preserve the initial result. rational choice plants will be:

Edelweiss. This beautiful flower not afraid of frost and winds. He lines the hill with a beautiful rug. The flowering period falls in the summer months;

Saxifrage. Small flowers prefer to grow in dark places. Green saxifrage nets can even cover boulders;

Younger. This is a common inhabitant of rock gardens with fleshy leaves and unusual colors. Its purple flowers are not inferior in beauty to other undersized plants;

Lumbago. Perennial from the buttercup family begins to bloom in early spring, decorating the site with rich colors.

Note: in order to recreate the atmosphere of the alpine landscape as reliably as possible, it is necessary to adhere to the multi-tiered arrangement of plants and stones.

Saxifrage

Japanese spirea, awl-shaped phlox, aquilegia and dwarf barberry will successfully fit into the design of the rock garden. By combining various types of plants, you can create a magnificent landscape composition.

A rock garden like a swamp is decorated with hyacinths, water lilies. They must occupy at least a quarter of the water surface, otherwise the pond will look abandoned. We must not forget about the plants that support the aquatic ecosystem. These include elodea and hornwort.

If all the conditions were met during the arrangement of the rock garden, drainage was correctly performed, the layout of stones and the selection of plants, then the hill long time will serve as the main decoration personal plot and give joy from contemplation natural beauty. Beautiful ideas for inspiration can be viewed on the video:

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