Creating an alpine slide is a creative process that requires both a flight of imagination and clear knowledge. The article provides information about plants for an alpine hill, lists the most spectacular perennial flowers, their names, and provides tips on choosing stones for a rock garden. The text is accompanied by colorful photos.
Alpine slide (rock garden) - a fashionable garden decoration, summer cottage. As a rule, perennial plants of various shades with different flowering periods are selected for a rock garden, because its main task is to give beauty and delight gardeners from early spring to late autumn.
Select plants for your alpine slide that feel comfortable in the open sun. Plants for an alpine hill should be selected taking into account their natural growing environment: some flowers feel great on a stone surface, while others can give profuse flowering only in well-moistened humus-rich soil.
Tip: a rock garden is a miniature mountain with a smooth transition from a rocky top to more fertile areas below. It is important to maintain its style, the height of the different tiers, recreating the natural conditions for mountain flowers and plants, otherwise you may end up with just a flower garden with stones.
Before construction, draw a plan for your alpine slide - it is necessary to clearly understand the type of alpine slide (number of tiers), placement of stones;
- you need to choose the type of stones and their location;
- you should choose flowers for an alpine hill, taking into account their flowering period, growth conditions, and shade range.
Tip: you can draw a future slide, sign the names of the colors, indicate the placement of stones, and then create it following the drawing.
How to choose stones for a rock garden
The main task of stones in alpine slide– recreating the beauty of the mountains, so it is important that the stone groups look as natural as possible. When creating a rock garden, preference is given to granite, limestone, and sandstone. Each of these stones has its own degree of fragility and moisture absorption.
The layout of stones in the rock garden must be well thought out so that the slide looks aesthetically pleasing. Granite, due to its variety of shades and massiveness, looks impressive, but is quite difficult to process, does not absorb moisture well, and affects the acidity of the soil. It is recommended to plant heather and coniferous plants next to it.
Most often, sandstone is used for rock gardens, which has excellent decorative properties: rich range of halftones, smooth coarse-grained structure. The variety of colors of sandstone is amazing: there is a light red stone, cream, light and dark beige, pinkish, dark brown. Ideal for all flowers and plants.
It is desirable that all stones be of the same type Limestone (dolomite or tuff) is also used in the decoration of alpine slides, which has excellent breathability and moisture absorption. Ideal for alpine plants, over time it becomes overgrown with moss and lichen. Limestone is a fairly soft stone that can be processed outside production conditions. Over time, all edges of the stone are smoothed out, it takes on a natural, picturesque appearance. Not suitable for plants requiring increased acidity soil.
Plants for alpine hills
Plants for an alpine hill should be selected taking into account their shape, color and height.
Conifers for alpine hills Coniferous plants are especially popular in rock gardens; in combination with stones, they perfectly imitate mountain peaks:
- juniper (a cone-shaped plant of dark green color);
- dwarf spruces (have different shades: from bluish to rich green);
- cypress (attracts attention with its golden top against the background of a dark green base);
- thuja (a bush growing on sunny side, may cast chestnut shades).
Deciduous plants for rock garden Deciduous plants for alpine hills are used less frequently, since their growth involves additional concerns about cleaning up falling leaves. Therefore, you should choose evergreen plants:
- dryad (a shrub with showy white flowers and “fluffy” ball-shaped fruits);
- horizontal cotoneaster (changes color from dark green to reddish, has small white or pink flowers and black fruits);
- Iberis (flowers of lilac, pinkish or white shades, collected in brushes, fruits in the form of pods).
Flowers for an alpine slide
Flowers for the alpine hill are perennials, but primary stage to create it, it is allowed to fill temporarily empty spaces with annual flowers and bushes.
A real decoration upper tier alpine slide can become alpine edelweiss ( popular name- mountaineer), growing in the mountains at an altitude of about 1500-2000 meters in poor rocky soil. This flower is listed in the Red Book, but at home you can grow it from seeds and then propagate by seedlings.
Flowering plants for alpine slide You can achieve a harmonious landscape view of the hill by planting edelweiss with other low flowers: sedum, allium, gypsophila, grass carnation, creeping thyme, glaucous carnation, and young.
Various types of carnations will be an excellent decoration for the upper tier of a rock garden; they create compact, lush green bushes that bloom all summer with small colorful flowers that exude a pleasant aroma.
Creeping thyme has lilac-purple flowers that create lush cushions. In addition, the honey aroma of this perennial attracts bees and butterflies, which gives the rock garden additional picturesqueness.
Example of a rock garden design Such a crop as rejuvenated looks quite impressive on an alpine hill. Absolutely undemanding to conditions, fleshy thick leaves create rosettes of various shapes, the color of the inflorescences is purple. It is recommended as a plant for alpine hills to stabilize slopes, since it can grow even in the cracks between stones.
For the middle tier of the rock garden, where there is slightly less sunlight than at the top, but there is more moisture and the soil is more fertile, it is recommended to plant phlox, cultivated aubrieta, woolly chickweed, and sunflower.
The awl-shaped phlox blooms in May, the inflorescences are large and can be blue, bright white, or soft pink. At proper care blooms luxuriantly, completely covering the space allocated for it.
After him in June bright flowers Aubrieta blooms in soft purple, bright crimson, and pinkish shades, which can bloom again in September. This perennial flower It is decorative all year round because it has evergreen leaves.
Plan for placing plants in the rock garden For the foot of the alpine hill (its lower tier), choose flowers that grow in conditions high humidity. It is recommended to plant:
- spikelet (inflorescences are arrow-shaped various shades lilac, red, white colors depending on the type);
- Indian duchesnea;
- saxifrage ( different kinds);
When selecting plants for an alpine hill, you should take into account their requirements for humidity, soil acidity, and natural light.
What plants to decorate an alpine slide with: video
Alpine slide on a personal plot: photo
Transform your garden or personal plot most possible different ways. Today we want to offer you an alpine slide. It is an imitation of a mountain landscape. Since the vegetation cover of mountains is very specific, when arranging a hill you need to preserve the mountain flora. If the plants are chosen correctly, the alpine hill in the shade and in the sun will look as natural as possible. The names and photos listed below will help you make right choice and create a cozy corner.
DIY rock garden - it's real
Do not rush to plant plants - first you need to prepare a place for them. In short, it looks like this:
- The gardener evaluates the size of the site and determines the location, area and type of hill. Since most plants need good and regular lighting, it is better to choose a “place in the sun” for them in the literal sense of the word. Areas with differences in light and shadow are ideal.
- Provide reliable drainage. Mountain flora does not tolerate stagnant water - dry soil is much preferable.
- If there are problems with the design of the rock garden, already ready-made diagram with photographs may be useful. When you select stones, keep in mind that some of them can leach the soil and oxidize it.
- The soil is poured between the stones; in most cases, it does not need to be fertilized.
- The composition will be considered ready only when it “settles” properly. To do this, you need to wait a few weeks, ideally all winter.
Subtleties of choosing plants
Be guided by both your own preferences and climatic requirements. The best option are considered low-growing and slow-growing perennials. This also applies to shrubs and trees.
Why are tall crops completely unsuitable for rock gardens? The fact is that they create additional shadow and prevent other species from growing. But the ground cover plants for the alpine hill will be good choice. They cover the surface, creating a general background. Just try not to plant too many ground cover plants. This will spoil the overall impression of the flower arrangement.
The most the best solution are . Plants should be planted taking into account their flowering period. This will keep the rock garden looking attractive from early spring to late autumn. The top can be planted with early flowering annuals. Coniferous shrubs will add to the composition fresh look in winter.
The artificial mountain landscape also has practical benefits. Near ornamental plants you can plant medicinal ones - for example, sage, chamomile, etc.
Remember these simple rules to correctly select plants for your alpine slide and protect them from death.
Visual planting schemes
At first glance, it seems that creating an organic composition on your own is a difficult, almost impossible task. Firstly, this is not true, and if you have it at hand working diagram, there won’t be any special problems. Secondly, you can always take advice from landscape design specialists. In the end, on our website there is always a sensible photograph and detailed description landing schemes.
On each of the tiers you will have specific types of plants growing:
- Foot. It is best to plant species that prefer fertilized, moist soil. To the list " must have» plants also include some other ornamental grasses, juveniles and saxifrage.
- Middle tier. Designed for less demanding representatives of mountain flora. The lighting here is a little poorer, so phlox and primroses will come in handy. To avoid the occurrence of voids, additional ground cover sedums are planted between the flowers.
- At the very top we recommend placing early flowering annuals and perennials, as well as bulbous ones. This is explained by the fact that they love dry soil and cannot develop normally without sunlight. Iberis will help make the top picturesque. From a distance they will look like a delightful white veil. You can dilute the white shade with lilac using, and alyssum will help to add yellow. And edelweiss planted at the very top will look like a real king!
So, let's summarize. First of all, you need to plant trees and the most tall plants. There are two for them optimal places: base and background. As for the low perennial representatives of the flora, they can be placed anywhere. You can visually separate the tiers using plants medium height and stones.
Perennial flowers grow relatively slowly. To prevent the area from just standing idle, you can decorate it with annuals: marigolds and any other low-growing plants.
Which coniferous plants to choose for a rock garden?
Among the abundance coniferous plants We recommend choosing and planting the following varieties: western thuja, ordinary and Canadian spruce(it is also called gray), Korean fir and junipers. Please note that the height coniferous trees for an artificial flower garden, regardless of its type and shape, should not exceed 70 centimeters. You can combine them as you like, creating contrast in shape and color or making smooth transitions.
Herbaceous plants for the hill: name, description, photo
Let's find out which ones exactly herbaceous plants recommended by gardeners and landscape designers, If we're talking about about the alpine hill and its arrangement.
Pay attention to the photo - the plant has bright blue flowers, creating good volume along with green leaves. The plant is absolutely unpretentious in care, feels great in the sun and in shaded places. Using it, you can create a very lush, incredibly bright carpet. It usually begins to bloom in May and ends in September-October.
Saxifraga is a perennial that can grow even in the harshest conditions. Even where instead of soil they lie ordinary stones, the saxifrage will feel quite comfortable. By the way, this is where the name comes from. The photo clearly demonstrates that on an alpine hill, plants such as saxifrage can have a wide variety of color shades. In total, there are almost 370 species in nature.
Ornamental grass, the second name of which is “meadow grass”. It looks like a very dense hummock with hard leaves and spikelet inflorescences in the form of a panicle. Pike loves moisture, but an arid climate can be disastrous for it. There are various types of pike in nature, with varied colors. It begins its growth in April-May, it slows down in the summer, and is restored again in the rainy autumn.
Spanish name, which literally translates as “small coins.” A variety of mountain flowers also called snowbells. The size is relatively small, blue and white peduncles are most often found. Soldanella loves moisture, so you definitely can’t do without moist soil and reliable drainage. However, not every flower can compare with it in terms of attractiveness. appearance.
In general, there are about 300 varieties. In our country it is sometimes called “asparagus”. You will immediately recognize asparagus by its thick, needle-like greenery. Inflorescences are small flowers white, bright red berries. It is best to take whorled or spherical asparagus for a rock garden, the bushes of which are more compact.
It is a low bush with creeping stems. The leaves are gray-pubescent, the flowers are yellow, pink and orange. Sunshine loves alkaline and sandy soil. The plant is a young plant and is propagated by cuttings. Coin sunshine is the most popular look, which occurs in landscape design.
– this is not only a bird, but also a wonderful bulbous plant. It got its name because of its truly variegated color. In gardening, you can most often find fritillaria with bells hanging down. Among the low varieties, hazel grouse Alba and Aphrodite attract attention.
We continue to tell you about plants for alpine hills with photos and names. Next up is Pushkinia. The plant is bulbous, blooms in early spring. The first flowers of the forest-like Pushkinia can be seen in March-April, while the hyacinth blooms mainly in May.
Perennial with leaves, the height of the bushes reaches 20 cm. The flowers have purple, at the top they are gathered in the form of an umbrella. The bladderwort is very unpretentious in care and loves the sun. It begins to bloom in April, after which the seeds appear. However, the main highlight of this plant is its leaves. unusual shape.
There are more than 120 species of poultry grass; bushes with white or yellow flowers small size. Very easy to care for, prefers sunny areas. Completely undemanding to soil.
Whatever perennial plants you choose for alpine hills, there must be sleep grass on the site. This is what people call lumbago. This plant has straight leaves and stems that are covered with small hairs. The height of the plant is 30-40, but not more than 50 centimeters. The flowers are very large, shaped like a bell. The color scheme is quite varied: golden, violet, purple and silver shades.
That same romantic plant that symbolizes love and fidelity. Despite the relatively small sizes(height - 15-20 cm), yellowish edelweiss inflorescences-baskets are visible from afar. The star-shaped leaves also look charming. Be sure to decorate your landscape with this plant!
Since there are several varieties of flax, it can be annual or perennial, as well as a subshrub. 20 species are used in landscape design, mostly large-flowered flax. Thanks to its delicate shades, linen looks great against the background gray stones. Loves sunlit places, a little shade is allowed.
Of course, these are not all the plants that are planted on alpine hills and decorate them with their splendor. There are also cinquefoil, iberis, alyssum, and young ones. Combine different types, do not hesitate to imagine and be creative - you will definitely succeed!
Currently, alpine slides have become increasingly popular. Buyers have a wide selection of different types of plants to choose from. You can create such an art object yourself or by ordering it from a company that deals with landscape design.
What plants are suitable for alpine slides?
You need to select plants for a rock garden based on your own taste and imagination, but taking into account the general style and location on the site.
There are several basic rules to follow:
- It is important to consider aspects such as:
- Climate;
- Soil type;
- Soil and air humidity.
- Initially, you need to draw up a diagram and carefully consider the location of each type of plant. An important aspect is lighting. 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 types and sizes, but you can also arrange a waterfall, pond, etc.;
- You cannot “overdo it” with the number of flowers, since an incorrectly calculated number of plants can lead to the fact that one species can crowd out the others if it grows too widely.
Brighter specimens are given more attention. They should be planted more separately.
- Mini ate;
- Fir trees;
- Pines;
- Juniper;
- Larch;
- Mini size trees and shrubs;
- Other types of ground cover plants and perennials.
List of plants for alpine hills
List of plants for correct device Alpine slides can be composed as follows:
- Perennials;
- Conifers;
- Evergreen;
- Shade-tolerant;
- Creeping;
- Creeping;
- Ground cover.
Among perennial plants There are several main and most popular types:
- Flowers:
- Obrienta hybrid;
- Edelweiss alpine;
- Phlox subulate, etc.
- Bulbous flowers:
- Late tulip;
- Corydalis;
- Hyacinth;
- Colchicum, etc.
The most commonly used coniferous specimens are:
- Dwarf coniferous trees:
- Black pine "Nana";
- Canadian spruce "Conica";
- Dwarf coniferous shrubs:
- Juniper horizontal “Blue Chip”;
- Juniperus horizontalis "Golden Carper";
- Chinese Juniper “Expansa Variegata”;
- Thuja occidentalis "Danica", etc.
Among the evergreens, the most popular are:
- Saxifraga apiculata, etc.
When choosing shade-tolerant specimens, you should pay attention to:
Among creeping and creeping plants, it is better to give preference to:
- False thyme;
- Lemon-scented thyme, etc.
The most popular groundcovers include:
- Ayuga.
Plants for alpine hills, photos and names
Perennials:
- Plants for alpine hills
- Conifers:
- Evergreens:
- Shade-tolerant:
- Creeping and creeping:
- Ground cover:
Flowers for an alpine hill, names and photos
Prices for plants for alpine slides
To find out exactly what the final cost of installing an alpine slide will be, you need to:
- 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 to professionals. This will cost you an average of 1000 rubles. If you decide to do 3D visualization, you will have to pay an additional 1,500 rubles or more. In addition, here you need to add the cost of a specialist visiting the site - from 250 rubles for each km and 300 rubles for measuring each hundred square meters;
- Prepare the area. By doing this yourself, you can save money, but the workers will charge you from 300 rubles for each removed stump, 100 rubles per 1 square meter of layout;
- Make the slide itself. The company charges 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 pond, then you will have to pay 250 rubles or more for each square to design it, and its installation will cost about 2,500 rubles per square meter.
Every person loves the beauty and richness of nature. But in the bustle of the city it is not always possible to enjoy its atmosphere to the fullest. Therefore, many people find an alternative for a vacation outside the city. For owners 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 a rock garden. This article will tell you about flowers suitable for alpine slides, including names and photos, as well as their features and some planting tips.
One of the most common options for planting flowers for a rock garden are perennial flowers. This is due to the fact that they have a high density of inflorescences, a long flowering period, low maintenance, 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 are worth considering: 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 a clump and lush flowering.
This flower is divided into subspecies, which grow alternately:
- first the grass;
- then, around June, the cirrus and alpine types.
Echinacea
It has flowers that are rich in color and large in size. This plant is quite hardy and drought resistant. Loves sunlight and nutritious soil.
It begins to bloom in mid-summer and can replace flowers that have already faded. Example in the photo.
Primorskaya army
It looks like a bush with ball-shaped inflorescences. Refers to long-flowering species.
It is quite resistant to cold periods, as well as aridity. Does not like strong humidity. Photo:
Alyssum (rock alyssum)
They have a golden hue and form lush inflorescences. The flowering period begins in May.
This plant is drought tolerant and loves sun. Here is his photo:
Stone rose (rejuvenated)
Its peculiarity is the strengthening of stones in the narrowest crevices.
Its shapes and colors are amazing in variety. IN latest version changes color depending on the season.
Highlander (edelweiss)
It is important to decorate with this flower top part rock garden. Loves sunlight.
What is noteworthy is that it is in the famous red book. But there is no need to be afraid, since it is possible to grow it with your own hands.
Annuals (usually low-growing)
For an alpine slide excellent option will look like stunted annuals.
In combination with bulbous flowers, they form beautiful and colorful inflorescences that are pleasing to the eye.
The following plants can be classified as annual flowers.
Brachycoma iberisolifolia
Loves light and warmth, and water in dry periods.
Lagurus (haretail)
Thanks to this plant, you can add naturalness to your slide.
Needs to frequent watering, like the sunshine. It is drought tolerant.
Notched dimorphotheca
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. Loves light and warmth, has a negative attitude towards strong humidity. Photo:
Rhodiola
It begins to bloom from spring until autumn. Sun-loving flower, lush perennial.
Balkan geranium
It is also a perennial that grows in June and closer to autumn. They are a type of long branching, forming some kind of thickets.
Periwinkle
It looks like a rug and is favorable not only to the sun, but also to the shade. Grows from May to September.
Crimson arena
The color is similar to the name - crimson. This flower is very drought resistant. Considering the fact that it can grow not only on sand, but also on stones, it is perfect for a slide.
Below you can see what 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, you should formulate 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 is known, it has existed for quite a long time, and still amazes everyone with its beauty, bestows bliss and romance.
The principle of any planting to achieve proper flowering and beauty must correspond to the presence different varieties flowers that tend to alternate in their bloom at a certain period of time. This is necessary so that the pot does not turn out to be made only of stones. Of course, everything is not for everybody.
To complete the picture, it is worth paying attention to:
- for flowers growing in early spring;
- for varieties that bloom in summer;
- on flowers growing in late autumn.
The combination of these features will help maintain the beauty of the alpine slide in balance.
Video about how to properly plant and care for a rock garden
Quick navigation through the material
According to the canon, both alpine hills and flat rockeries should be decorated with plants of exclusively alpine origin. However, in middle lane In Russia, firstly, it is not so easy to find them, and secondly, to grow them.
Therefore, today we will talk about which plants and flowers are as close as possible to the “Alpines” in terms of decorativeness and drought and frost resistance, as well as how to choose plants for an alpine hill and rock garden so that the composition is harmonious and remains beautiful all season.
10 principles for choosing plants for a rock garden
Principle 1. You need to decide on the types of plants at the stage of designing a rocky garden.
It is best to work out composition options on checkered paper/graph paper at a scale of, say, 1:50 or 1:25. Or at least draw an approximate scheme for planting plants and stones, taking into account the size of their growth (see example below).
1 – Mountain pine, 2 – Creeping thyme, 3 – Canadian Phlox, 4 – Evers’ sedum, 5 – Gray fescue, 6 – Rocky alyssum, 7 – Angustifolia lavender, 8 – Sedum, 9 – Fragrant rue, 10 – Steller’s wormwood. Note: the alpine hill diagram is shown without taking into account the flowering time of plants
Principle 2. The composition of an alpine slide or rockery consists of at least 5 groups of plants
Group 1. Conifers
Mandatory elements of any alpine slide or rock garden, because due to them the composition remains beautiful all year round, they give the rocky garden texture and mountain flavor. The main condition is that only miniature conifers with a slow growth rate are suitable.
Popular plants: Dwarf spruce, mountain pine, creeping junipers, thujas, cypress trees.
Alpine slide with conifers near the firewood shed 
Tip: Conifers on an alpine hill and in a rock garden look good right next to the stones.
They should also be short.
Popular plants: Cotoneaster horizontalis, iberis, dryad, cinquefoil, barberry, ceratostigma, spirea.
Advice: Deciduous shrubs in an alpine hill/rock garden are not very desirable, as they oblige you to clear the garden of fallen leaves.
Group 3. Herbaceous perennials
Perennials greatly simplify the care of a rocky garden, and therefore you cannot do without them, although most of the representatives fade by mid-summer.
Popular plants: Carnations, Carpathian bell, rock alyssum, saxifrage, gravilat, armeria, multicolored spurge, small-leaved hostas, bergenia, irises.
Group 4. Ground cover plants
Ground cover flowers are the basis of the flora of rocky gardens, as they remain decorative from early spring to late autumn, are very unpretentious, grow quickly and suppress the spread of weeds.
Popular plants: sedums, phloxes, chickweeds, alyssum, soapworts, cistus and many others.
Phlox subulate 
Group 5. Bulbous
Thanks to them, the alpine hill/rock garden blooms in early spring.
Popular plants: Snowdrops, scillas, chionodoxes, late tulip, Pushkinia, poultry, autumn crocuses and colchicums.
Advice: Since after flowering most bulbous plants completely disappear, they are not given a special place, but are planted together with ground cover.
Principle 3. The composition of an alpine slide or rock garden is made in such a way that it constantly contains some flowering plants
In a rocky garden, fading foliage is especially noticeable and it is not always possible to hide it behind the “neighbors.” Therefore, to create an alpine slide or rock garden, it is advisable to choose those plants that will bloom all summer or will retain the beauty of the leaves after flowering.
In this sense, it is very good to include annuals in the composition, which, although contrary to the rules, compensates for the lack of flowers after the bulbous and perennials have faded. The main thing is to choose creeping ones low-growing varieties with small flowers. For example, it could be: alyssum, tricolor violet, lobelia or Karvinsky's erigeron.
Free alpine slide with petunias in the first row However, if your dacha has a lot of mixborders and flower beds, then a modest coniferous alpine hill or rockery from mid-summer can, on the contrary, successfully highlight the riot of colors and look fresh.
Principle 4. The basis of the alpine hill or rockery flora is ground cover plants
For an alpine hill or rock garden to be picturesque and colorful, its flora should consist of 60-70% ground cover plants. The rest can be allocated to other plants.
Principle 5. The flora of an alpine hill/rock garden should not be too diverse
From large quantity With assorted flowers and leaves, the composition can become too colorful and artificial, the stones will get lost against such a background, but they should be the main accent of any alpine hill or rock garden. Moreover, if you consider that most of the rocky garden is occupied by ground cover (ideally, about 1 square meter of area should be allocated for 1 species), then there will be very little space left for the remaining plants. So, for example, for an alpine slide with an area of 10 square meters. 6-8 meters of plant species will be enough.
Plants in a rock garden should not interfere with each other or shade their surroundings Principle 6. All plants, including conifers, should be low growing
For flowers and shrubs optimal height– up to 60 cm (during flowering). It is better to use only those that grow up to 1.5 meters and grow very slowly (say, 3 cm per year).
The height of all plants should be commensurate with the stones. Creeping plant species should be selected for small and low stones, and tall and lush conifers, shrubs and perennials can be planted next to large boulders and blocks.
By the way, with the help of plants you can visually increase the height of an alpine hill or rockery on a slope by planting conifers at the top or, conversely, balancing the elevation by planting tall plants at its foot.
Principle 7. Plants in rock gardens/rockeries should be unpretentious
To maintain a rock garden as little as possible, avoid actively growing ground cover and deciduous shrubs, and also plant more perennials and conifers.
We’ll tell you separately about ground cover. Some of their species grow so quickly and actively that in one or two seasons they can hide most of the garden, including large stones, under their carpet. Correcting the situation will not be easy. Therefore, when planting such plants, for example, phlox, phlox or sedum, firstly, be prepared to periodically cut off the excess, and secondly, take preventive measures - fence the plant with border tape or plant it in a wide container to prevent the spread of unwanted rhizomes. And of course, don't use fertilizers.
Principle 8. The effect of stones on the soil must be taken into account.
Plants that prefer slightly alkaline soil should not be planted next to granite and basalt. On the contrary, plants that need acidic soil cannot be planted next to limestone.
Principle 9. An important factor in choosing plants is the duration of illumination of the rock garden during the day.
Here are plant lists for a semi-shade and sunny rock garden.
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Bergenia and phlox subulate in the arrangement of a shady rockery Principle 10. The flora of a rock garden should match the style of the site
If the house and plot are decorated in a traditional style, then the plants for the rock garden and rock garden should be selected in a variety of colors, with a large number of colors and in a multi-color range.
But for modern dachas and country houses, monochrome or contrasting compositions with a large number of mosses, conifers, evergreen shrubs and perennials, bulbous and even succulents are best suited.
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