Natural elements for an alpine slide: photos and names of plants suitable for stone decor. Plants for an alpine hill: types and their names All types of plants for an alpine hill

Alpine Hill - a flower garden, personifying the harmonious unity of living and inanimate nature. As in the real Alps, here various plants and flowers make their way through the harsh stone blocks towards the sun. In order to achieve the same natural consonance and, at the same time, the full development of plants, one should be very careful in their selection. We will help you choose plants for the alpine slide, photos and names will make them recognizable to you.

In order for the alpine slide to be a success, it is very important not to make a mistake with the choice of plants and plant them correctly. Of course, much will depend on your taste and imagination, but there are some general rules for selecting plants for an alpine slide that are very important to follow.

Types of plants for the alpine slide

Alpine Hill is a complex flower garden, and it is created for many years, so the composition should be based on perennial plants. Their choice is so wide that you can overdo it with an excess and variegation of flowers, violate the concept of rock garden. To do this, do not be too lazy to draw a diagram, indicating the timing of flowering of the plants you have chosen. Work on this once, and you will avoid mistakes, get a decent flower arrangement.

perennial plants

They form the basis of the rock garden. It is impossible to list everything. When choosing perennial flowers, do not forget that large varietal species (for example, gladioli, dahlias) will look out of place in the mountain landscape. Give preference to medium-sized, tender, which are associated with wildlife.
Of course, true mountain plants are suitable for rock garden: armeria (Armeria), blooming in the crevices of rocks, alpine erinus (Erinus alpinus) and others.

Thrift
erinus alpine

Near large stones, you can plant dyeing gorse (Genista tincioria), cereals and ferns. For example, aspelenium (Asplenium), centipede (Polypodium), vesicle (Cystopteris) and curmudgeon (Ceterach officinarum). Cereals - fescue (Festuca), evergreen oats (Helictotrichon sempervirens), feather grass (Stipa). You can use some types of wormwood (Artemisia), as they have very decorative and spicy-fragrant leaves of various shades. Decorative moss Dicranum and Hypnum moss will add naturalness to the rocky landscape.

Gorse dyeing
Decorative moss Dicranum

Plants for rock gardens such as alpine aster (Aster alpinus) and shrubby (Aster dumosus), medicinal hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), undersized bells (Campanula), yarrow (Achillea), dicentra (Dicentra), flax (Linum), aquilegia (Aquilegia), ornamental onions (Аllium), narrow-leaved lavender (Lavandula officinalis), gentian (Gentiana), cloves (Dianthus), small petal (Erigeron), violets (Viola), oregano (Origanum vulgare), forget-me-nots (Myosotis), St. John's wort (Hypericum) and many others.

Hyssop officinalis
Linen
Carnation

And, of course, the "highlight" of your composition will be a truly alpine flower - edelweiss (Leontopodium). Its grayish-white felt baskets do not shine with bright beauty, but planted in groups, they create an unusual natural color of the highlands.

Edelweiss

Annuals

Annual flowers for the alpine slide, like a lifesaver, will help you fill in the emerging voids (bald spots) and close the withering bulbs. For example, large-flowered purslane (Portulaca grandiflora), mesembryanthemum (Mesembryanthemum), marigolds (Tagetes), gazania (Gazania), eschscholzia (Eschscholzia), decorative grass haretail (Lagurus ovatus) and others.

Mesembryanthemum
Ornamental grass haretail

Small-bulbous

Well, what a flower bed without bulbous flowers! Bulbous plants for an alpine slide should be chosen undersized and medium-sized.
Muscari (Muscari), crocuses (Crocus), crocuses (Colchicum), blueberries (Scilla), snowdrops (Galanthus), chionodoxa (Chionodoxa), iridodictiums (Iridodictyum), bird lily (Ornithogalum) are appropriate there. Of the tulips (Tulip), one should dwell on botanical species, such as Kaufman tulips.

Tulips Kaufman

All these bulbous flowers are delicate and beautiful, but they have a short decorative period, this must be taken into account when determining their place in the rock garden.

ground covers

Very important plants for an alpine slide are groundcovers. After all, it is they who decorate the stones and slopes. We will recommend some of them, you can choose the ones that are suitable for the color scheme and flowering time.
Allisum (Alyssum) - blooms in late spring, silvery slightly pubescent leaves are beautifully combined with yellow and white flowers.

Iberis (Iberis) - there are annual and perennial species. Forms beautiful "pillows" and well fills the space under tall perennials. Flowering time varies depending on the variety.

Arabis (Arabis) - there are many types of annuals and perennials, they all have a creeping stem. There are species with decorative leaves.

Saxifrage (Saxifraga) - the leaves and peduncles collected in a rosette form a dense small “pillow” from which a flowering carpet can be formed.

Saxifrage

Aubrieta (Aubrieta) - forms rugs densely strewn with flowers. Leaves in winter. Flowering is very long. The color of the flowers depends on the variety.

Woodruff (Asperula) - mountain flower, perfect for rock garden. It is annual and perennial. Grows well in rock crevices.

Veronica (Veronica) - its mountain ground cover species will decorate the alpine hill.

Thyme (Thymus) - all of its types are simply gorgeous plants for rock gardens. It has many advantages, it forms thick fragrant mats with an abundance of small flowers.

Styloid bryozoan (Sagina subulat) - forms green "cushions" similar to moss. Blooms profusely with small flowers all summer.

Bryozoan subulate

Soapweed (Saponaria) - has species for planting in stone crevices, as well as ground cover. Flowers can be white or pale pink.

Phlox subulata (Phlox subulata) - forms the most beautiful flowering carpets, gives charm to rough stone blocks.

Tenacious (Ajuga) - this pretty plant grows remarkably on rocky slopes, however, it can grow very strongly.

Stonecrop white (Sedum album) - will delight you with a white rug of fragrant small flowers.

Rejuvenated (Sempervivum) - various types of this plant are very beautiful in group plantings against the background of stone boulders.

rejuvenated

Conifers

Dwarf and creeping conifers for the alpine slide are simply irreplaceable. After all, it is they who will help preserve the decorativeness of your rock garden in the winter season. Various wonderful shades of green needles will create an inimitable effect. In addition, all these species grow very slowly and will not disturb the harmony of the flower garden.

Mors mountain pine

A large variety of dwarf species in the mountain pine (Pinus mugo). Most often they have a shape approaching a spherical one. Let's take a look at the most popular varieties. Very miniature "Mors" and "Winter gold", these pine trees at the age of ten have a height of about 50 cm and a crown width of 1 m, they are also both very unpretentious and feel great in rock garden conditions. 'Mors' has greenish-blue needles, while 'Winter gold' is bright green in summer and changes color to golden yellow in winter.

Slightly taller (reaching 2 m) is a spherical variety "Gnom" with shiny dark green needles and a spreading shrub "Mughus".

Canadian spruce Conica

Also, spruce pleases with an even greater number of undersized species. Most often, Norway spruce (Picea abies) is represented by such dwarf varieties - spherical "Little Gem" (up to 50 cm), bush "Nidiformis" (up to 1 m) and narrow-conical "Will's Zwerg" (up to 1.2 m). At , although it grows up to 3 m, it happens extremely slowly. Well, in Canadian spruce (Picea glauca), everyone knows such a dwarf variety as "Conica", this Christmas tree has a beautiful dense pyramidal crown, but it is often affected by spider mites and is prone to early spring burns. Recently, "Konika" has a lot of decorative forms, such as "Globe Laurin", "Alberta", "Gnom".

The beloved western arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) can also offer low-growing plants for rock gardens. An unusually original and stable variety "Teddy" is a dense dark green ball (30x40 cm). Unpretentious "Globosa" (up to 1 m) requires a haircut, but its scaly needles beautifully change color, turning all shades of green to brown. Beautiful "fluffy" ball "Golden Globe" (up to 80 cm), the needles of which are always green inside the bush, and the outer shade changes from golden yellow to copper in winter. It is worth noting also such varieties as "Little Dorrit", "Rheingold", "Danica", "Globosa Compacta", "Hoseri".

An alpine hill will not do without a juniper. The most popular and unpretentious species is the Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina). To decorate an alpine hill, such varieties are suitable as the fragrant creeping "Blue Danube", the bush of the "Erecta" variety resembling a narrow fountain (up to 2 m), the dense blue-green carpet forms "Rockery Gem", and the motley creeping "Variegata" is very decorative. due to cream blotches in the color of the needles. In the juniper horizontal or prostrate (Juniperus horizontalis), we note the varieties "Andorra Compact" (40x100 cm), its flat ash-green "cushion" acquires a slightly purple hue with the onset of cold weather; gray-blue "Blue Chip" (30x150 cm) is very suitable for urban conditions; 'Wiltoni' cultivar spreads on the ground and forms a thick, lush, silver-blue carpet, while 'Lime Glow' (40x150cm) bushes are distinguished by a bright yellow color.

Juniper Lime Glow

Of the rarer plants for alpine hills, one-color dwarf fir (Abies concolor Сompacta), a weeping dwarf form of European larch (Larix decidua Repens), varieties of dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) "Glauca", "Nana", "Dwarf Blue", dwarf cypress varieties (Chamaecyparis), shrub yew (Taxus baccata Repandens). The world of coniferous dwarf plants is very diverse, so we stopped at only a few of them.

shrubs

Relatively large plants for the alpine slide are represented by ornamental shrubs. The main problem associated with this type of plant is the fall of leaves in autumn, which makes it difficult to care for the flower garden. Therefore, it is desirable to choose evergreen varieties.
Barberries (Berberis) have very decorative foliage and berries;

Evergreen barberry

Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) is also the owner of beautiful foliage, has many ornamental species and varieties (shrub and creeping), including semi-evergreen - Dammer (C. Dammerii) and multi-flowered (C. Multiflorus).

Common heather (Calluna vulgaris) - a low-growing evergreen shrub will adequately decorate your rock garden. There are about 50 varieties, among which you can choose suitable both in appearance and in terms of flowering. For example, pink "Tib", white "Velvet Fascination", salmon "J.H. Hamilton", purple "Dark Beauty", red "Mazurka", purple "Marllen" will bloom one after another, and some varieties also have decorative leaves (" Amilto", "Jan Dehher", "Velvet Fascination"). Varieties also differ in height.

Heather Tib

The familiar and beloved spirea (Spiraea) also has species suitable for the alpine slide - birch-leaved (S. betulifolia Pall), Japanese (S. Japonica), white-flowered (S. Albiflora), Bumalda (S. Bumalda), low (S. Humilis ), dwarf (S. Pumilionum). Unfortunately, the last two species are rare.

It should also be noted shrub cinquefoil (Potentilla fnuticosa). This bush grows up to 1 m, is very unpretentious, blooms for a long time. These are the creamy white "Gilford Cream", the yellow "Goldfinger", the lemon "Kobold", the pink "Pink Queen", the white "Abbotswood", the red "Red Robin", the orange "Hopley Orange" and many other various varieties.

Potentilla shrub Goldfinger

Also used in rock gardens, but can freeze slightly, boxwood, Japanese chaenomelis, mahonia sub-leaved.

Tier decoration

A feature of such a flower garden as an alpine hill is its multi-tiered. Traditionally, there are three stages. Each of which offers plants specific conditions. Therefore, it is important to figure out how to properly distribute plants for rock garden in tiers.

Mountain landscapes have always attracted people with their simple and natural beauty. Being on a mountain plateau or standing on…

Upper tier

The top is the sunniest, but at the same time the driest place in the rock garden, which is also blown by the winds. Therefore, sun-loving and drought-resistant plants should be planted in the upper part of the flower garden. Such conditions will be familiar to the edelweiss mountain dweller blooming in summer (it is only necessary to choose the right soil for it). In spring, it will decorate the top with flowering Iberis rugs, which may bloom again at the end of summer. Such conditions are suitable for carnations, which also love the sun very much and will delight you all summer. Also sun-loving grains (Draba), blooming in early summer, and cat's paw (Antennaria). Unpretentious thyme is distinguished by enviable drought resistance. Its leaves will create a pretty rug throughout the warm season (lemon-smelling thyme is especially decorative), and summer flowering will wrap the top of the hill with an amazing aroma.

Iberis
Thyme

Rejuvenated - by planting it in groups of different varieties, you can create a wonderful composition for the whole season. Of the large plants, Cossack juniper will feel good on top.

middle tier

Here already other conditions, more comfortable. The sun and partial shade are combined with moderate soil moisture. Moreover, in this tier, the conditions on different sides of the hill are especially different. For example, the south side will be quite sunny, and the north side will be shady. Flowers for the alpine slide in this area are very diverse. Spring flowering will begin bulbous and primrose. The bright colors of summer will be given by the styloid phlox. The more arid and sunny side is suitable for stonecrop, flax and aster. And the northern slope can be occupied by arabis. Other slopes will be decorated with bells, armeria, wormwood, oregano, decorative bows, which are also worth paying attention to, which are not difficult.
In partial shade, dwarf spruce, elfin cedar will grow well.

lower tier

Feather grass (grass)

The foot of the mountain smoothly passes into the main garden. There is already enough moisture. Plants for the alpine slide in the lower tier should be placed moisture-loving and well tolerated by relative shading. Leafy ornamental shrubs are wonderfully placed here. And also some conifers, for example, western thuja, yew berry, cypress. Bright colors will be provided by saxifrage, gentian in combination with cereals, forest species of corydalis, some types of cinquefoil. Buttercups and dusheney berry rugs will add foothill color.

Plants for a slide with a pond

A special approach to the selection of plants is required if your slide is located near a reservoir. Plants for this type of rock garden are selected, as discussed above, but for decorating the coastal zone, only moisture-loving species are needed.

Near large stones on the shore, marsh iris (Iris pseudacorus), lobelia (Lobelia), ferns, hostas will look great. The lovely flowers of yellow sponge (Mimulus), tender marsh forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris), Veronica gentianoides and beccabunga (Veronica gentianoides and beccabunga), marsh mint (Mentha aquatica), cuckoo flower (Lychnis flos-cuculi) tolerate strong humidity very well.

Sponge yellow
Lychnis cuckoo color

The coastal zone can be decorated with undersized astilbes, buzulnik, spotted loosestrife, Verginsky anemone (Anemone virginiana), brunnera (Brunnera).

The marsh calla (Calla palustris) grows well in shallow water,

And the water surface itself will be wonderfully decorated and cleansed by Eichhornia, as well as water lilies and egg capsules.

He loves moist soil and shade (but not stagnant water) a very interesting coniferous plant - Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis).

Canadian hemlock

In the design of the coastal zone, it is especially important to observe the measure. The main thing in this composition is a stone slide, so it is not recommended to divert attention from it by the excessive brightness of the reservoir.

We have considered only some of the popular plants for the alpine slide. From them you can plan and compose a wonderful composition. And knowledge of the basic requirements for them and the selection rules will help you expand the proposed list.

Many summer residents and lovers of landscape design give their preference to such a fashionable element as an alpine slide. It is ideal for people who do not have much experience in landscape design, but who want to create a beautiful and original flower garden that does not require special care and will look picturesque in the photo.

The ease in the design and care of the rock garden is due to the fact that it is created from unpretentious perennial representatives of the flora, which grow slowly, feel comfortable even on the poorest soil and do not need regular watering.

Alpine slide will be an excellent decoration of the garden

Where to create a rock garden?

An alpine hill can be called a hand-made and ennobled bright spot of wildlife in the garden or in the country, which is sure to become a spectacular decoration in any landscape design. When choosing a place to create a rock garden, the following points should be considered:

Comprehensive review. The place should be clearly visible from all sides.
Sufficient amount of sunlight. It is desirable that the site where the alpine slide will be created is farther from buildings and trees with dense crowns so that a sufficient amount of sunlight falls on it.
South side. In the absence of non-shady areas, it is worth choosing the south side, as it is illuminated by the sun at the most favorable time for plants.

What time of year is ideal for creating an Alpine slide?

By and large, you can equip an alpine slide with your own hands at any time of the year at your own request. However, the most convenient and suitable time for this is early autumn.

Firstly, in early autumn, gardeners and summer residents are not busy harvesting and are not involved in preparing plants for the winter season, which means they have some free time. You can, without too much haste, completely immerse yourself in the creation of a rock garden, give free rein to your imagination and embody the most original and unusual ideas. An occupation of this kind allows not only to realize the hidden creative abilities for landscape design, but also to expand the boundaries of imagination and spatial vision.

Secondly, the flower garden, which was made in the fall, will have time to give a natural draft during the winter period and comfortably settle in the chosen place, given all its inner life, which is not noticeable to the human eye. As a result, this will make it possible in the spring, before planting the plants, to correct all the flaws that will be visible at a glance. If the landing is planned for autumn, then it is better to start equipping the alpine hill in advance, a few months before the actual landing.

Basic rules for decorating a flower garden

Alpine slide must be located in a well-lit place

Professional designers have long developed certain standard schemes for creating rock gardens. They take into account all the features of the arrangement of the flower garden, starting with its location and ending with the plants that were chosen for planting.

For example, the ideal form for an alpine slide, which will be located in the center of the site and have an all-round view, is a pyramid. Its highest point is usually determined in the center of the flower garden. However, it is not necessary to observe such a geometry, as well as symmetry. The sides of the pyramid do not have to be exactly the same, this will only make the composition more interesting. On the slope, you can create a rock garden either single-level, parallel to the surface of the site, or with several tiers, the height of the constituent elements of which should decrease sequentially from the upper to the lower level.

When creating a rock garden with your own hands, it is important to consider that the effectiveness and originality of the final composition largely depends on the size of the elements of which it consists. The smaller they are, the more unusual and interesting the slide is perceived. Every time you change the angle of the view, you can enjoy a completely new view and constantly come across extraordinary discoveries in the rock garden that looks like a small wild forest.

As for the height of such a composition, it directly depends on the area occupied by the flower garden. The classical version assumes that with a meter in diameter of the base, the height of the mound above the ground should be approximately 20 cm.

Since for these flower beds the most undemanding and unpretentious plants are usually chosen for the composition and nutritional value of the soil, there are no strict requirements for the soil mixture. It is enough to clear the existing land on the site of weeds and debris, and then mix peat and sand with it in equal proportions. The finished soil mixture is poured in a hilly manner on the drainage. Having laid the stones, it is necessary to fill in the empty spaces that have formed between them. It is also important to get rid of any weeds, as they can interfere with the growth of seedlings.

Alpine slide can consist of two or more tiers

How to choose plants for rock garden

There are two possible options for selecting plants for a flower garden, which will be equipped with your own hands. The easiest way is to choose one of the available schemes with selected seedling varieties. These diagrams fill up the pages of horticultural magazines or similar sites on the Internet in large numbers. The second method will take more time, since you will have to independently study all the features in the cultivation of future rock garden representatives, taking into account the microclimate and soil on the site. However, the process itself will be more exciting and interesting.

The selection of seedlings for the future alpine flower garden should be done very carefully, due to the fact that they will grow on it for more than one year, such as annual flowers in flower beds that can be easily transplanted or completely changed composition. A negligent attitude in this matter can lead to various alterations and death of seedlings. Selected plants for rock garden should have:

unpretentiousness to climatic conditions and soil;
short stature;
moderate growth;
non-aggressive way of reproduction;
multi-year development cycle.

Also, due to the fact that this flower garden is designed for year-round flowering, it is necessary to take into account the seasonality of all its inhabitants. For the spring season, bulbous plants are great, for summer - almost all existing flowers, for the autumn period it is worth planting colchicum, but in winter decorative coniferous trees will look perfect.

To design such a flower garden, it is better to stop your choice on:

low-growing woody plants that are characterized by slow growth, for example, on spirea, cinquefoil or various conifers;
ground cover or cushion-shaped herbaceous perennials that will cover the space between the stones like a picturesque carpet;
flowering or ornamental deciduous species.

Due to the fact that the main composition of the alpine slide includes plants that grow slowly, at the first stage of creating a composition, a fairly large number of empty spaces appear between them. To eliminate this problem, you can resort to the help of annuals with minimal self-seeding. You can fill in gaps:

purslane large-flowered;
undersized marigolds;
glazing;
gypsophila graceful;
marine lobularia;
lobelia erinus.

The above annuals love sunlight and endure dry conditions. Because of this, they are ideal for creating rock gardens.

In addition, in the process of planting certain varieties of plants nearby, the following nuances must be taken into account:

Combination with each other in the external image. Species must match in height, texture, color of flowering and leaves.
The general rhythm of flowering and growth.
Similarities in growing and care conditions.

Plants for the alpine slide are selected based on the landing site

Upper tier

The features of the upper tier are that, being the highest area in the flower garden, it becomes the part of the composition where the minimum amount of moisture will fall and where the strongest winds will blow. As a result, plants that are tender and need moisture will not take root here.

Edelweiss is the flower that is best suited for the top tier. Seedlings are sold in stores, but you can also grow them at home. For this purpose, it is necessary to prepare a special box and place the seeds there. Then cover it with glass and leave it on the windowsill, preferably on the south side, then the seeds will be warm and receive enough light. This procedure should be done at the end of winter. Before planting seedlings in the spring, you should start preparing the soil. It is necessary to mix the earth with sand and gravel and pour it into the areas between the stones. This will create natural conditions. In the year of planting, Edelweiss will not bloom, but next year it will surely decorate your creation with its flowering. To keep it active annually, it should be repotted every 2 years.

Without a doubt, it makes sense to decorate the top of the composition with Iberis evergreen or Iberis sempervirens. The shortest and most beautiful variety of it is the Weisser Zwerg variety. It reaches a height of 8-10 cm, and flowering is represented by pure white flower beds. It blooms from May to June.

Edelweiss is a beautiful and very delicate mountain flower, perfect for decorating the upper tier of an alpine hill

Perennial carnations living in the highlands are the best suited for the upper tier. For example, with the help of grass carnations (Dianthus deltoides), short-stem carnations (Dianthus subacaulis), grayish-blue or gray carnations (Dianthus gratianopolitanus), you can arrange compact bushes with bright small flowers that will take the form of pillows. They bloom throughout the summer and will delight with their sweet aroma. Compositionally, they are in good agreement with Alyssum rocky (Alyssum saxatile).

You can also place creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) on top. Thanks to the honey smell, many insects, including butterflies and bees, will fly to its lush lilac-purple rugs.

Rejuvenated (Sempervivum) - the most unpretentious plant that requires minimal care. It seems to be specially designed for the top of the flower garden, as it is able to survive in any conditions, occupying the least comfortable places, such as cracks between stones. It is a rosette, which consists of fleshy leaves, different in shape, size and color.

There are many varieties of youth for every taste and color.

middle tier

Color options for the middle tier

As we move to the middle tier, we observe an increase in humidity and a decrease in the amount of light. The soil used at this level is a turf-sand mixture. As a result of changing living conditions, it is necessary to consider which species are suitable for the middle of the hill:

Phlox subulate (Phlox subulata). It has a lush flowering, which is represented by many large bright flowers of blue, white or pink color. Phlox blooms in May.
Aubrieta cultural (Aubrieta x cultorum). It replaces the styloid phlox, blooming in early summer, and continues to delight with colorful flowers until July. Its flowering can be described as streams of flowers of purple, raspberry or pink color. The beautifully named plant also has a repeat bloom, although it is no longer as abundant compared to the spring-summer. This usually happens closer to autumn. In addition to colorful flowering, cultural shaving boasts wintering leaves, thanks to which it belongs to decorative species for any time of the year. In care, she needs regular and plentiful watering, but at the same time, an excess of moisture should be avoided.
Carpathian bell (Campanula carpatica). Unlike gentian, he is no longer picky, but he is distinguished by particular aggressiveness. If left unchecked, it can spread in all directions. At the first hint of ousting his neighbors, he must be "restricted in his rights." For such a plant, the western side is more suitable, since in such a situation the degree of its activity decreases.
Woolly Chistets (Stachys lanata). Its distinctive feature is fluffy leaves with an elegant silver color. Unusual leaves will be perfectly combined with purple, blue and pink flowers of the same phlox. Also, the cleaner loves light and does not need a lot of water.
Monetary Sunflower (Helianthemum nummularium). Prefers dry air and bright sun. The flowering of this evergreen subshrub consists of white, pink, red and yellow flowers. Pleases with its activity during the summer.

Woolly Chistets - an unpretentious perennial for an alpine slide

There are a number of colors that are sure to decorate any composition:

Alpine aster (Aster alpinus). She will bring bright saturated colors to the rock garden with her large-sized multi-colored daisies.
Armeria maritime (Armeria maritima). From its dense curtains, formed by narrow leaves, inflorescences of pink balls grow on long thin stems. Flowering time is June.
Stonecrops (Sedum). They are very fond of light and absolutely cannot stand when moisture stagnates, so only the southern slope is suitable for them. Otherwise, they are quite unpretentious. Famous flowers are famous for their wide variety of species. The most popular of them are Evers stonecrops (S.ewersii) and recurved stonecrops (S. reflexum). The first variety is gray-blue pillow-shaped bushes that appear in spring, and by the end of summer they are covered with a continuous lingonberry-colored flower carpet. The second variety has long curly shoots with narrow leaves, which have a golden yellow bloom in July.
Common lumbago (Rulsatilla vulgaris). It is characterized by pubescence of a silvery color and purple flowers of a fairly large size, but you can find its seeds with red and white flowering, sometimes there are terry shoots. It blooms in April. A transplant for this plant is fraught with illness, and sometimes death, so it should be planted immediately in a permanent place.
Geuchera (Heuchera). They are represented by a mass of varieties with modest flowering, but leaves of various outlandish shades.
Gentian (Gentiana). Being quite a finicky plant that adds a lot of care to care, it will give amazingly beautiful blooms of pure blue color. If we want the gentian to take root without problems, we can dig a large stone next to it, which will take excess heat from the ground and help retain moisture.

Geichera has many shades of leaves

Other types of plants

In addition to the chistets or the shoot, the middle tier of the alpine slide can be decorated with other types of silver-colored plants common in the alpine mountains. For example, Schmidt's lush wormwood (Artemisia schmidtiana) and three-vein anafalis (Anaphalis triplinervis).

If you want to create a dense plant carpet, then the subulate bryozoan (Sagina subulata) is ideal for this. In early and mid-summer, she will delight with white star-shaped flowers. Bryozoan is a moisture-loving plant, as a result of which it should be planted at the bottom, where moisture is retained.

Primroses - primroses (Primula vulgaris) have a wide time range of flowering, and also tend to differ in different colors. It depends entirely on the variety of seedlings. Mass planting of beautiful colchicum (Colchicum speciosum) will decorate the autumn composition with pink, purple and light lilac flowers.

Plants for the northern slope

On the northern slopes, the vegetation is in the shade most of the time, which is why there are not so many options for plants to plant on them, especially flowering ones. Among them:

Bell Pozharsky (Campanula poscharskyana). Pleases us with blue and purple flowering.
Caucasian rezuha (Arabis caucasica). Blooms in spring with white flowers.
Alpine (Arabis alpina). White flowering will decorate the rock garden in spring.
Corydalis Haller (Corydalis halleri). Starting in May, light purple, white or pink inflorescences bloom on it. In addition, it is decorative in other seasons. Lacy leaves are located in wonderful bluish-green thickets.

Pozharsky's bell can be planted on the north side of the alpine hill

For the northern slopes, ordinary garden soil is used. As for the slopes on the western and eastern sides, due to less sun exposure, planting niches there should be filled with a sod-gravel mixture and a decent amount of humus added to it.

The lower tier or foot of the rock garden

At the foot of the alpine slides, such representatives of the flora are usually planted that require the most moisture, in accordance with their relationship to light. For example, Indian dushenia (Potentilla indica) is suitable for planting on the north side. In addition to yellow flowers, it will complement the composition with berries that resemble strawberries. Abundant flowering of creeping tenacity (Ajuga reptans), which calmly tolerates shade and will feel comfortable on the lower tier of the northern slopes.

There is probably a right to say that various types of saxifrage (Saxifraga) are the most versatile flowers in relation to light. Forming small bushes resembling silvery small pillows, the panicled saxifrage (Saxifraga paniculata) releases a white-pink flowering from them in June, which is located on long stems. After the first autumn frosts hit, the shadow saxifrage has an unusual red tint. In spring, a dense carpet of white and pink inflorescences of saxifrage soddy (Saxifraga umbrosa) covers dense light green flower beds.

One of the elegant and eye-catching decorations at the foot of the southern slope can be spikelet liatris (Liatris spicata). In July, he will attract attention, thanks to the shaggy spike-shaped inflorescences.

Saxifrage Arends "Peter Pan"

Nuances in the placement of bushes, conifers and dwarf trees

You need to start planting an alpine hill with woody and tallest herbaceous plants. The background or the foot of the rock garden is best suited for them. They will also look great next to massive boulders. It is advisable to plant bushes and conifers without adhering to any symmetry.

Low-growing perennials that form beautiful curtains can be allocated places, both below and closer to the upper tier. For their visual separation, stones or taller plants can be used.

Properly planted deciduous shrubs and conifers usually do not need special care. The only thing that may be required is sheltering and tying some of them for the winter. This can be done using burlap or a special cover. Representatives of the flora, which grow slowly, are undemanding to the soil and the presence of moisture, and molding pruning is well tolerated by them.

Among the most popular and often found shrubs in rock garden compositions, the ground cover cotoneaster is the leader. It remains decorative even in winter - and all due to its rich red berries. Also, some evergreen and deciduous species can boast of their decorative effect. Their dark green, glossy foliage will brighten up your flower garden even after a frost. One of these evergreen decorations can be Fortune's euonymus. Creeping along the surface of the earth, it will picturesquely frame the stones with its leaves, which have a white or yellow border. Dark green conifers serve as an ideal background for it. And it does not require much effort to grow.

However, not all conifers fit into the rock garden composition. It is advisable to give your preference to the following dwarf slowly growing representatives of the flora:

juniper horizontal, virgin or Cossack;
mountain pine;
ate prickly;
spruce ordinary, for example, its well-known variety "Little Jam";
spruce Canadian Konik;
weeping and small-sized varieties that resemble pseudo-hemlock blue spruce;
ephedra tuevik for its picky and decorative effect, which is achieved through variegated twigs.

A good option for a do-it-yourself stone slide with flowers in the country can be already familiar varieties of firs and pines that grow in an ordinary forest. It is important to pinch them in a timely manner, cut and remove young shoots. Such care procedures lead to an increase in growth, which, in turn, turns the conifer into a dense ball. In addition, it will not be difficult for conifers to give the desired shape.

Coniferous plants in the center of the composition of landscape design

Other aspects of planting rock garden

The choice of "green inhabitants" of the alpine slide should be made based on the following factors.

Everyone loves the beauty and richness of nature. But in the bustle of the city, it is not always possible to enjoy its atmosphere in full. Therefore, many people find themselves an alternative as a holiday outside the city. For owners of summer cottages or country houses, there are many options that allow you to add sophistication and naturalness to the environment.

One of these methods is the rock garden. This article will talk about flowers suitable for an alpine slide, including names and photos, as well as their features and some planting tips.

One of the most common options for planting flowers for rock gardens are perennial flowers. This is due to the fact that they have a high density of inflorescences, a long flowering period, not laborious care, and are resistant to frost and drought. Among other things, with proper care, they can bloom more than once.

Of course, there are some features that should be taken into account: the presence of sunlight, the absence of strong moisture in the soil.

Below is a list and photos of some flowers of this variety.

Carnation

Their highlight is the formation of curtains and lush flowering.

This flower is divided into subspecies that grow in turn:

first grass;
then, around June, pinnate and alpine type.

Echinacea

It is rich in color and large in size flowers. This plant is quite hardy and drought tolerant. Loves sunlight and nutritious soil.

It begins to bloom from mid-summer, it can replace already faded flowers. An example in the photo.

Primorskaya army

It looks like a bush with inflorescences in the form of a ball. Refers to long flowering species.

It is quite resistant to the cold period, as well as aridity. Does not like strong humidity. A photo:

Burachok (rocky alissum)

They have a golden hue, form lush inflorescences. The flowering period begins in May.

This plant is drought tolerant and loves the sun. Here is his photo:

Stone rose (younger)

Its feature is strengthening in the narrowest crevices of stones.

Its shapes and colors are striking in variety. In the latter version, it changes color depending on the season.

Highlander (edelweiss)

It is important to decorate the upper part of the rock garden with this flower. Loves sunshine.

Remarkably, it is in the famous Red Book. But there is no need to be afraid, as there is an opportunity to grow it with your own hands.

Annuals (usually undersized)

For an alpine slide, undersized annuals will look like an excellent option.

In combination with bulbous flowers, they form beautiful and colorful inflorescences, pleasing to the eye.

The following plants can be attributed to annual flowers.

Brachycoma iberisoloista

He loves light and warmth, and water in the dry season.

Lagurus (haretail)

Thanks to this plant, you can add naturalness to your slide.

Needs frequent watering, likes sunlight. It is drought tolerant.

Notched Dimorphotheque

This flower has sunny shades. The flowering period is quite long.

From perennials and annuals, you can choose those that are called blooming all summer.

What flowers can bloom all summer?

Marigold

They grow from summer to frost. Has many types. He loves light and heat, negatively relates to strong humidity. A photo:

Rhodiola

Begins to bloom from spring to autumn. Sun-loving flower, lush perennial.

Balkan geranium

Also a perennial that grows in the June period, and closer to the autumn. They are a kind of long branching, forming some thickets.

periwinkle

It looks like a rug, it is favorable not only to the sun, but also to the shade. Grows from May to September.

Crimson Arenaria

The color is similar to the name - purple. This flower is very drought tolerant. Given the fact that it can grow not only on sand, but also on stones, it is perfect for a slide.

Below you can see how the color scheme looks like:

What flowers to plant in your rock garden depends on the taste and desire of each person. To begin with, it is worth forming the final version in your mind, thinking in detail about how this or that flower will take root, where and at what angle of light to plant it, when to water it, or not to touch it at all.

One of the options for creating a beautiful flower garden in the country may be the Provence style.. As you know, it exists for quite a long time, and still amazes everyone with its beauty, endows with bliss and romance.

The principle of any planting in order to achieve proper flowering and beauty must correspond to the presence of different varieties of flowers that tend to alternate in their bloom in a certain period of time. This is necessary so that the hill does not turn out to be made of stones alone. Of course, everything is amateur.

To complete the picture, it is worth paying attention to:

on flowers growing in early spring;
on varieties that bloom in summer;
on flowers growing in late autumn.

The combination of these features will keep the beauty of the alpine hill in balance.

Video on how to properly plant and care for rock garden

Currently, alpine slides have become increasingly popular. Customers can choose from a wide variety of plants. You can create such an art object yourself or by ordering it from a landscape design company.

What plants are suitable for an alpine slide?

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

There are a few basic rules to follow:

It is important to take into account aspects such as:
- Climate;
- soil type;
- Humidity of soil and air.
Initially, you need to draw up a diagram and carefully consider the location of each type of plant. Lighting is an important aspect. Plants may not tolerate full sun or shade;
Another fact that will play a significant role is the size of the plants. It should be calculated according to the size of the rock garden;
It is important to remember that alpine slides are not made up of plants alone. They should not only be “diluted” with stones of various kinds and sizes, but it is also possible to equip a waterfall, a pond, etc.;
You can not "overdo it" with the number of flowers, as an incorrectly calculated number of plants can lead to the fact that one species can crowd out the others if it grows too wide.

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

Mini spruce;
firs;
Pines;
Juniper;
Larch;
Trees and shrubs "mini" size;
Other types of ground cover plants and perennials.

List of plants for the alpine slide

A list of plants for the correct arrangement of alpine slides can be compiled as follows:

perennials;
Coniferous;
Evergreens;
Shade-tolerant;
creeping;
Creeping;
Ground cover.

Among perennial plants, there are several main and most popular species:

Flowers:
Aubienta hybrid;
Edelweiss alpine;
Phlox subulate, etc.
bulbous flowers:
- Tulip late;
corydalis;
Hyacinth;
Colchicum, etc.

Of the coniferous specimens most often used:

Dwarf conifers:
Black pine "Nana";
Canadian spruce "Conica";
Dwarf coniferous shrubs:
Juniper horizontal "Blue Chip";
Juniper horizontal "Golden Carper";
Juniper Chinese "Expansa Variegata;
Thuja western "Danica", etc.

Among the evergreens, the most popular are:

Saxifrage apiculata, etc.

When choosing shade-tolerant specimens, you should pay attention to:

Among creeping and creeping plants it is better to give preference to:

Thyme downy-woolly;
Lemon-smelling thyme, etc.

The most popular ground covers include:

Ayuga.

Alpine slide plants, photos and names

Perennials:

Plants for an alpine slide
Conifers:
Evergreens:
Shade-tolerant:
Creeping and creeping:
Ground covers:

Flowers for the Alpine slide, names and photos

Prices for plants for alpine slides

To find out exactly what the final cost of the alpine slide device will be, you need:

Draw up a project that includes the size of the rock garden and the exact name and number of plants. Such a project can be ordered by professionals. This will cost you an average of 1000 rubles. If you decide to make a 3D visualization, then you will additionally have to pay another 1,500 rubles or more. In addition, here you also need to add the cost of a specialist’s visit to the facility - from 250 rubles for each km and 300 rubles for measuring each hundred square meters;
Prepare the site. By doing it yourself, you can save money, but the workers will charge you from 300 rubles for each remote stump, 100 rubles for 1 square meter of layout;
Make your own hill. The company takes an average of 2,500 rubles per square meter, and when planting coniferous or deciduous trees, you will have to pay approximately 20% of the cost of each.
If there is a reservoir, then for its design it will be necessary to pay 250 rubles or more for each square, and its installation will cost about 2500 rubles per square meter.

Plants and stones are perfectly combined with each other, so it is worth allocating a small corner in your garden for rock garden. Some plants for the alpine slide, photos and their names, you will see in this article. Our selection will help you make the slide original and bright, it will be the best decoration for the entire site.

Do-it-yourself slide design (photo and diagram)

First of all, you should mark the contours of the future rock garden, remove weeds and sod. After that, inside these contours, you need to create a small recess in the ground and form the entire volume of the future rock garden. For this, not only large stones are used, but also crushed stone, construction waste, gravel. First, the largest stones are laid, then small ones, covered with sand and soil.

When the soil layer settles, you need to fill all the recesses with the same soil, then additionally spread out a 20-centimeter layer of earth, your plants will grow on it. After that, all the remaining decorative stones are laid.

The finished hill is watered, the whole structure costs two to three weeks, or more, all this time you need to actively weed out. After that, they select plants for the alpine slide, look at the photos, write out the names of the varieties they like and purchase them in specialized stores. All plants are planted either in spring or early autumn, usually September. Planting time depends on what time you manage to prepare the basis for the rock garden.

Criteria for choosing plants for an alpine slide

Ornamental plants for the slide are selected according to certain rules, they are not difficult, you can master this simple science on your own. Above you see a photo - the design of an alpine slide with your own hands. The traditional classical approach provides for the presence of perennial plants on the hill, which grow wild in high mountain areas. These are undersized specimens, which have a small and compact bush, undemanding to soils and the presence of moisture. As a rule, these species are winter-hardy, they are resistant to gusts of wind. Examples include plants such as dryad, awl-leaved phlox, thyme (both creeping and common, as well as alpine sapling. You will also see some flowers for the alpine slide later in the article.

Almost always on the hills there are undersized conifers, sometimes low deciduous, among which it is better to choose slowly growing varieties. Among the deciduous on the alpine hills look good:

a low-growing variety of barberry, the fruits of which and colored bright leaves adorn the hill until late autumn;
Japanese low quince;
some varieties of cotoneaster.

Together with decorative stones, they form the basis of the entire composition. However, recently on the alpine hill you can also meet annuals, which have a long flowering period, steppe grasses and bulbs. The latter are very enliven slides in the spring and delight flower growers. These can be crocuses, snowdrops and lilies of the valley, decorative onions and daffodils, undersized varieties of tulips and cyclamens.

The most popular flowers for an alpine slide

We bring to your attention some names and photos of popular plants for an alpine slide (flowers are perennials).

Iberis

Iberis looks very good at the top of the hill, there are varieties that do not grow more than 10 centimeters in height. The plant blooms profusely with snow-white curtains in late spring or early summer.

edelweiss

The famous mountain flower, sung in the literature in the wild, grows on the depleted soils of the rocks. Such a plant on an alpine hill is the pride of the grower, especially since it is listed in the Red Book. However, it is quite possible to grow this flower on your own from ordinary seeds, and then propagate in the usual way (seedlings).

Edelweiss is sun-loving and does not tolerate shading, as in the wild these plants grow on mountaintops. For the best growth of an exotic flower, you need to make a special depleted soil mixture with fine-grained sand and small pebbles.

So, when choosing perennial flowers for an alpine slide, you cannot ignore this beautiful specimen, which, moreover, can grow in one place for up to 20 years.

Young (stone rose)

This plant is similar to rosettes, which consist of fleshy thick leaves of various sizes and shapes. Different varieties differ in their colors. There are many species and varieties among perennial flowers for an alpine slide, rosettes are burgundy and silvery green, you can choose several different specimens at once. An unpretentious plant can adapt to any living conditions and take the most uncomfortable place, including the gaps between the stones, which is ideal for an alpine slide.

Armeria maritime

This plant is not afraid of either cold or drought, but does not like waterlogging. Small bushes can release ten flower stalks at once, which have spherical inflorescences. Armeria is also good because it blooms for a very long time, practically all summer, but we must not forget to remove the old inflorescences, otherwise it will wither.

carnations

Perennial carnations are very good on an alpine hill, by the way, in the wild they grow well in the mountains. This is probably why carnations of all perennial flowers for alpine hills are the most popular. There are many suitable varieties, for example, grass, short-stemmed carnation, gray-gray, and also grayish-blue, which you go to in the photo above. Carnations bloom all summer season with bright flowers, moreover, they exude a pleasant spicy aroma.

Ephedra - the basis of the alpine hill

First of all, I would like to highlight the most spectacular plants, for example, there is a dwarf variety of Norwegian spruce, it grows even in pots, and this is a real pearl on an alpine hill. Weeping fir is also amazingly beautiful, it is dark green with a yellow tint, and its long branches bend down to the ground.

When creating an alpine slide, a mistake is often made: simply cut trees of traditional tall conifers are used. If you carefully consider the photo on the design of the alpine slide with your own hands, then you will notice that there are only varieties of dwarf plants. All plants that should be big in the wild will try to be big.

Here are some types and varieties of dwarf conifers:

Nevaki - Japanese pine, which belongs to real bonsai, naturally dwarf. One of the varieties is pictured above. If you cut it, it will take any shape.
Pine Nana, very fluffy dark green.
Panderose pine, also very fluffy with huge needles, grows even without shelter, although it comes from warm places.
Velda is a creeping type of pine, shoots grow only horizontally. It must be trimmed, otherwise it will take three meters in a circle.

You can’t forget about creeping varieties, they are indispensable on alpine slides.

So, if you want to create a truly spectacular slide, then look at the photo of flowers for the alpine slide, remember the names of the plants that you like and go ahead! You can create an alpine slide with your own hands without serious financial or time expenses, and it will not take up much space. The very process of its creation is very interesting, and the result exceeds all the wildest expectations.

What plants are needed for an alpine slide - video

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