The simplest do-it-yourself alpine slides. Step by step work. Deciduous plants for an alpine slide

Do-it-yourself rock garden creation occurs according to a certain algorithm, the observance of which guarantees the success of the construction:

Choosing a place in accordance with aesthetic considerations and the needs of plants.
Sizing, creating a plan and diagram of an alpine slide.
Selection of a stone, checking it for quality and buying.
Reconstruction of the contour of the rock garden in the form of a graphic drawing on the selected area.
Complete removal of the topsoil.
Making a mixture from the soil with the addition of impurities and fertilizers.
Device drainage system if it is necessary for specific plants.
Planning the arrangement of plants in tiers.
If necessary, arrangement of a water tank (reservoir).
The final selection and gradual planting of the soil with ornamental plants.

Video on how to build an alpine slide with your own hands.

How to make an alpine slide with your own hands. Step-by-step instruction

Consider step by step how to create your rock garden. At the time of selection suitable place need to be guided preference for well-lit, slightly elevated terrain above the general level. If the site has a slope or hill, it is advisable to choose this particular area. It is advisable to place the alpine slide away from trees or non-picturesque objects that can distract attention from the garden or shade it in an unfavorable light. It is undesirable to get shadows from tall objects on the flower garden.

If the rock garden is obtained in the form of a slide, you will have to make out the slopes, they will all be oriented to different cardinal points, respectively, some plants will receive more heat and sun rays and others may not be able to. It is advisable to make a more elevated hill from the side that will be looked at more often, and the rest of the area can be made more gentle.

Dimensions and general contours of the slide

Despite the representation of the rock garden in the imagination, in reality it must be combined with other objects, harmoniously fit into environment. There should not be an overabundance of stones, general style garden or nearby buildings cannot be changed.

If the site is located on several acres, then you can create several moderate-sized rock gardens or one large one, located at least 5 m². In height, it can take up to 60 cm and above, but it is worth remembering that a small flower garden will be much less noticeable than a tall and lush one.

If small plants are planted, too large or unusual stones should not be used, as they will focus all attention on themselves. Curvy, interesting contours should be made as much as possible, as low plantings of different colors will look like a mosaic.

Choosing the right stone

The size of the stones is determined by the parameters of the rock garden and the requests of the owners. If any stones do not fit under standard parameters, however, the owners of the site really liked it, you can try to apply them wisely, and if necessary, mask the irregularities with tall plants or plantings with lush leaves.

It is recommended to use in one composition stones of a certain type without diluting them with others in composition and contours. Usually, local or permanently sold breeds are used, as they are the easiest to obtain and they are relatively inexpensive. It should be remembered that the stones should blend in as harmoniously as possible with the surrounding area.

Plants should look harmonious with stones, favorably emphasizing only positive traits each other. The final composition should first of all be liked by the owners themselves, so you need to select all the designs for your own taste, guided by general ideas about the optimal proportions.

Chipped stones that have too sharp edges are a marriage, such materials should be immediately put aside. The use of absolutely smooth, hewn, for example, river stones is ideal.

Stones that are covered with moss look beautiful. They can be found in the forest, so get them for free. Often they look much better than store-bought ones.

Drawing a contour

The outlines of the future flower garden should be placed directly on the site itself, repeating all possible inaccuracies. The harmony of the flower garden with other plants is assessed in advance. This stage is considered one of the most difficult in the process of creating an alpine slide. It requires increased attention, so when performing it, you need to focus and think over the possible options for changing the contour.

The outlines can be laid out with a bright rope. It is advisable to first drive in the pegs, and twist a thick rope on them, bypass the composition obtained from all possible viewpoints. If you need to adjust the borders, it is better to do it right away by reinstalling the pegs. You can evaluate the result on the spot, redoing it again if necessary.

Removal of topsoil

The layer is removed carefully. It should be set aside, but not thrown away, as it may come in handy as a substrate that may need to fill conspicuous and unplanted voids between adjacent stones. The soil is removed by 30 cm, sometimes more. The parameters are individual. It is necessary to focus on the remains of parts of plants in the ground. Where they are, the fertile layer is located.

Work should be carried out when the earth is not very wet. It is desirable that it be completely dry, have a composition that can be easily sieved.

If there are many grassy weeds on the site, herbicides should be used to permanently destroy them. If this is not done, then the seeds will easily germinate on fertilized soil, preventing the full development of new, young plants.

soil mix

To properly prepare the substrate, you need to take the components in exactly three equal parts. You will need turf land, peat with compost and sand, sometimes perlite is mixed in. To make it easy to fill the necessary cavities with it, it should be sufficiently moist, it should be nutritious. If removed upper layer was fertile enough, you can use it in the mix of the mixture.

Many recommend increasing plant fertility by adding various fertilizers to the substrate, but this advice cannot be applied to alpine slides. On such soil, plants will grow up, will quickly stretch with a predominance of green mass. They bloom with the smallest flowers, which are formed less than it should be for plants.

If aggressive ground covers are planted, then their growth will increase, they will close the stones, after which the meaning of planting plants next to the stones will be lost. The soil mixture must be placed on a hill during the laying of stones, usually it is compacted. After the work is completed, the slide is watered abundantly, and then the recesses formed as a result of pouring water are additionally sealed.

drainage system

It is not always required, but some plants do. If the soil is loamy or clayey, then drainage is performed. If groundwater lies close to the surface, then a constant removal of moisture must be done.

For drainage arrangement crushed stone or small stones are used. They are covered with a layer of 0.1-0.3 m. The drainage layer is poured unevenly, if the slide should stand on a hill, the layer must be thickened. Sand must be sprinkled over the stone to a thickness of up to 10 cm. In places where elevations are planned, it must be thickened.

At the next stage, the hill is watered abundantly, after which the drainage layer is immediately compacted. All imperfections in it will be perfectly visible, so it will be possible to carefully level them.

Vertical planning

The most important event selection and installation of stones. With their help, whole drawings, volumetric compositions are formed. Each individual group can be distinguished by a section or shade, which makes the rock garden interesting for long consideration. To repeat the mountain landscape, you need to do all the patterns randomly, correct geometric figures should not be used.

With proper vertical planning initially, the largest stone is laid. It is desirable to make it closer to the east side. Smaller stones are laid in order: from the middle - the largest, and the closer to the ends, the smaller rocks can be used.

To avoid symmetrical proportions, one group of stones can be laid out with maximum fit, and the other placed at some distance from each other. When laying the stone, remember to leave holes for the subsequent planting of ornamental plants.

Stones must be absolutely stable. They should not sway, so they go deep into the ground by at least one third of their size. If necessary, the structure is additionally strengthened with a layer of soil or small stones.

planting

The earth needs to be watered abundantly before planting several times., only then plant the plants you like. Light-loving plants should be closer to the sun, and those that can do without it, if necessary, are placed to the shady side.

Large plants look great against the background of large stones, while small ones are best planted near small ones. Ground cover plants are planted with a large distance so as not to interfere with each other's development. Cushion plants can easily coexist with each other. dwarf trees should stand apart so that the slide looks irregular. After planting the plants, the soil is mulched.

The right choice of plants, compliance with all preparatory stages on the formation of an alpine slide will help to make it as high quality as possible. She will please the eye for a long time picturesque fragment of natural plants.

Each dacha owner or country house seeks to give its site beauty and originality. There are many ways to do this - neat lawns, trimmed bushes, exotic trees.

All this will make the area near the house cozy and well-groomed. But such a mini-park can hardly be called original. But to make your site unique, you need a non-standard solution.

And there is such a solution - it is an alpine hill. When creating it, there are practically no limits for imagination. There are no strict patterns and rules in its design and decoration - it all depends on the creative ideas of the owner of the site.

Of course, there is a certain set of rules for creating an alpine slide. And he is well known to landscape designers who know their job very well.

But why pay a lot of money for something that you can do yourself? After all, the creation of a rock garden does not require special training and qualifications. Observing simple rules, you can give the suburban area beauty and originality with your own hands.

What is

Alpine Hill is a copy of a mountain landscape, decorated with a variety of plants. Sometimes the rock garden includes small ponds, and even waterfalls.

It is impossible to find two absolutely identical slides - each of them is made in a single copy and is the embodiment of the fantasies of the person who created it.

There are several types of alpine slides that copy one or another mountain landscape:

In practice, there is often a mixture of these options or the creation of new ones, original views alpine hills.

Location selection

Not only the beautiful appearance of the hill itself, but the territory of the site as a whole depends on how correctly the choice of the location of the rock garden is made.

Therefore, when determining a place for it, a number of significant factors should be taken into account:

it is necessary that the alpine slide organically fit into the landscape of the site. Tomato and cabbage beds are not the best neighborhood for a piece of mountain landscape;
alpine slide is a highlight suburban area. Therefore, it should be in plain sight, located next to the recreation area, and not be hidden behind a garage or currant bushes;
the area for the rock garden should not be too large, the area from 2 to 6 is considered optimal square meters, at a height of up to one and a half meters (at a higher height it will be difficult to care for the slide);

If the size of the site allows, then the rock garden can be located on a larger area, but not more than 50 square meters, otherwise the sense of integrity of the composition will be lost during the inspection.

for an alpine slide, it is better to take a sunny, unshaded place. This is necessary for good growth plants and rapid evaporation of excess moisture.

Site preparation

It is better to start building an alpine slide in early autumn, before the onset of prolonged rains. This time is optimal, because during the winter the soil inside the hill will settle a little, and in the spring, having filled the soil in the gaps between the stones, it will be possible to safely start planting.

The first thing to do when installing a slide is laying drainage. Drainage is necessary in order, firstly, to avoid subsidence of the soil under the hill, and secondly, to prevent the accumulation of excess moisture under it.

Drainage is constructed in the following sequence:

What materials are used

When making an alpine slide with your own hands, you should carefully consider the choice of materials, because its appearance and attractiveness depend on it.

The size of the stones should depend on the size of the slide itself. For a large rock garden, massive boulders are suitable, which will create its basis.

For slides with an area of 2 to 5 square meters, it is more expedient to use medium-sized stones and flagstone. It will be very good if the stones are of the same breed - this will give the slide more naturalness.

The most suitable rocks are granite, sandstone, limestone. The stones themselves must have good view- after all, in winter and in early spring the plants on the hill will not give it a lively appearance, and its attractiveness will depend entirely on the stones that make it up.

Rock garden formation

There are no rigid schemes and requirements for the formation of an alpine slide. What it should be depends only on the imagination and desires of the owner of the site on which it is created.

But there are some rules that must be considered when creating it:

What plants are needed

After the formation of the rock garden is completed, proceed to its landscaping. It is very important to choose the optimal set of plants.

This is especially true when making an alpine slide with your own hands in a small area. After all, what less slide, the less opportunity to diversify its green decoration.

Nevertheless, observing a number of rules, it is possible to achieve the desired effect in a small area:

How to make an alpine slide with your own hands (step by step photo)

Alpine hill - a great decoration for any suburban area. The absence of schemes and patterns in its creation gives room for creativity, which makes each of them unique and unrepeatable.

small for beginners

For those who are just mastering the creation of alpine slides, it would be advisable to practice on the construction and design of a mini-rock garden.

Such slides are made as follows:

Drainage is arranged in the usual way. But for a small area, it is enough to dig a pit up to half a meter deep.
A large stone is installed in the center of the site selected for the mini-rock garden. It needs to be dug into the ground by a third, and, if necessary, fixed cement mortar.
Smaller stones are laid out around the large stone that formed the base of the hill, the lower ones also go deep into the ground.
Fertile soil is poured between the stones. Plants are planted both between stones and around them.

Options for small alpine slides:

Such a small alpine slide will look spectacular in a small area or perfectly complement a large rock garden.

With a pond

The alpine slide looks very impressive if a pond is included in its composition.

A small pond can be made even in a small area. This is just the case when an alpine slide is created with your own hands from improvised materials.

To create a pond, a large one is suitable old tire from a truck or tractor - just dig it into the ground, lay a layer of polyethylene on the bottom, let the edges out and press it with stones.

After the edges of the tire are decorated, you will get a small pond that goes well with the rock garden.

You can use an old bath - a foundation pit is dug under it, drainage is laid and the bath itself is installed, the edges of which are also decorated. To change the water in such a mini-pond, just remove the plug from the tub and the water will go into the drain.

For a pond of more impressive size, a pit is dug to a depth of one and a half meters.

The bottom is covered with sand by 30-40 cm, and several layers of polyethylene are laid on it.

The edges of this waterproofing are half a meter out and decorated with stones. In such a pond, you can breed plants such as water lilies, daylilies, calamus, reeds.

In any pond, the presence of hornwort and elodea is useful. Their task is not to decorate the pond, but to purify the water and saturate it with oxygen.

Stages of creating a pond:

Photo: digging a pit Photo: internal organization pond Photo: finished pond

Alpine hill with a waterfall

The crown of skill in the construction of an alpine slide is the device of a waterfall. It is truly an impressive sight and well worth the effort.

Stages of building an alpine slide with a waterfall with your own hands:

after determining the place for the slide, a pit is dug for water. The bottom is covered with sand and compacted;

a water tank is placed in the pit, sand is poured between its edges and the edges of the pit. You can also use polyethylene, as in the construction of a pond;

Photo: the bottom is covered with dense polyethylene

drainage is laid in place of the future slide - it is poured into a dug shallow pit broken brick, crushed stone or just construction debris;
from the soil removed from the pit, a slide is poured onto the drainage, on which decorative stones, a cascade is formed for the future waterfall;

For strength, stones must be fastened with cement mortar or mounting foam, decorate the docking points with small pebbles.

a pump is placed in the reservoir, the power of which depends on the height of the slide. The hose from the pump is led to the top of the hill and is masked by stones. The pump power cable is also brought out and connected to the power supply;

Photo: view of an alpine hill with a waterfall

a rock garden with a waterfall requires careful maintenance - two to three times a year it is necessary to drain the water and clean the entire system. But the result obtained compensates for all the hassle of arranging and maintaining a waterfall on its site.

Scheme of the device of the alpine slide with a waterfall:

The rock garden is a rather labor-intensive construction, implying excavation therefore, competent planning and serious preparation. Get acquainted with the “pitfalls” of building an alpine slide with your own, which can spoil the impression of the result. Find out how to choose the right material and plants for a corner of wildlife in the garden, and what difficulties you should take care of in advance. Learn the rules of care that will help preserve the composition for many years.

What is rockery and rock garden

It is not uncommon for a site owner to conceive a rock garden, draw a sketch, compare it with images found in magazines, and discover that he is going to build a rockery. To avoid confusion in concepts, let's figure out how rockeries differ from alpine slides.

The best stone flower beds give the impression that the human hand has not touched them.

A rock garden is an artificial rocky hill laid in tiers and planted with continuously flowering herbs and low shrubs. The classic hill is decorated with plants from Central Europe (Alps, Carpathians), although there is a Japanese version that provides for the planting of Far Eastern species, and even a Mexican one with cacti.

Alpine slide styles

A rockery is a garden made up of stones, and often on a flat terrain. Large and small stones, gravel pads, waves of sand - each detail has its own sacred purpose. Single plants are maximally underlined. In Japanese rockeries, plants may not be at all, in European and English versions plant species native to middle lane.

The rockery drawing is based on the contrasts of the texture and size of the stones, while on the alpine hill the main characters are plants. The second basic difference - rock garden involves working with a deliberately uneven terrain, rockery is possible and planar.

Rockery in Japanese style- focus on inanimate nature

We make an alpine slide with our own hands

When developing a rock garden plan, it is necessary to remember the main features of such structures. landscape design:

layering;
the presence of open stone surfaces;
the predominance of undersized plant forms;
combination of contrasting views.

Scheme of terraced composition

When determining the length and width of the composition, a ratio of 5: 1 is usually used, the height is taken from 1 to 3 m, while remembering that the size of the rock garden should be in harmony with the dimensions of the site. It is desirable to depict the project on a scale, as detailed as possible, from all sides and in color, and also to consider seasonal changes in the habitus and color of the plants planned for planting.

Carefully executed in color, the project greatly facilitates further work.

A simple alpine slide for beginners - possible difficulties

Having a simple circuit, it’s easy to make an alpine slide from improvised materials with your own hands. However, any mistake made in initial stage, will result in the composition having to be rebuilt. To avoid this, consider the following issues:

Stagnation of water. The combination of such factors as a low-lying area, an abundance of snow and melt water, heavy rains and clay soil, will quickly deprive the structure of decorativeness. Rock gardens are equipped with good drainage.
Soil settling. Before folding the hill, the soil is compacted under it, otherwise the stones will fall through, bend or even slide down the slope.
weeds. Alpine Hill will have to be protected from their penetration from two fronts: from under the soil and from the air. So that the rhizomes remaining at a depth do not let the sprouts up, the bottom of the pit is covered with geotextiles. If the seeds are carried by the wind, the weeds are pulled out by hand.
Burrowing animals. The sabotage of moles and shrews is prevented by a fine-mesh galvanized steel mesh, which is placed under the geotextile.

Graceful rock garden-flower bed

The effect of these negative factors is enhanced in the case of the arrangement of rockeries, the relief of which is more easily subjected to deformation. Particularly against weeds experienced designers two to three weeks before planting, the soil is treated with herbicides.

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

To obtain the maximum aesthetic effect, the rock garden on the site is formed in such a place that it can be viewed from at least three sides. It is useful to consider placing a convenient bench nearby under an awning or a dense tree crown.

Often, construction is started in order to hide the lack of relief: a ravine, a hill, a slope, the top of a moraine boulder peeping out of the ground, which cannot be dug out because of its size. The existing elevation difference will allow you to complement the rock garden with a stream and even a waterfall. The best neighbors of the rock garden in landscape design are open lawns and thickets of shrubs, the worst - metal fences.

The grasses of alpine meadows, accustomed to living without a forest canopy, are sun-loving and require full lighting. Rockeries can also be placed with light shading, but then the species composition of plants must be corrected.

Mini rock garden is relevant for small courtyards

How to choose and where to get suitable stones

Properly selected stones - the beauty and durability of the rock garden. Each breed has its own special qualities, on which its resistance to precipitation and winter freezing depends. The most popular breeds are:

shell rock, limestone are rough, which allows mosses and lichens to cling to them, absorb moisture and gradually give it to plants, but are destroyed by acid rain and become polluted;
sandstone - has a beautiful layered structure, slightly weathered;
granite and basalt are massive, almost impossible to process with home tools, but they are resistant to any influences;
slate - forms thin even tiles, great for creating deliberately careless stairs.

Large stones of beige tones are an excellent background for lush greenery

In nature, there are fragments of stones with uneven edges and a smooth surface - rolled by the sea or river. Fragments look natural on rock gardens, especially with pronounced traces of erosion. But if, according to the plan, a pond is provided, then its banks are allowed to be laid out smooth.

Excessive variegation disfigures the alpine slides, so it is recommended to limit yourself to one or two types of rocks. The largest boulder forms the center of the composition, the rest will complement the landscape, provided there is a balance between orderly and chaotic styling.

You can buy stones in two ways. If you have a truck or passenger car with a trailer they collect pleasing cobblestones on the banks of the nearest river or in a quarry. It is easier, but more expensive to order them with delivery to the site from organizations that sell natural stone, or negotiate with the workers of the quarry, if there is one nearby.

Rock garden device

The device of a small rock garden and its construction

Before planting plants, the rock garden must settle, so do-it-yourself work on its creation is carried out in early autumn. Let's consider them step by step using the example of building a mini-rock garden with a height of about 1 m.

Pit. The soil is taken out from the contour outlined with twine to a depth of 30-35 cm. A metal mesh from burrowing animals and geotextiles are laid at the bottom.
Drainage. It is made of expanded clay, broken tiles or bricks. 10 cm of coarse sand are poured onto 10 cm of drainage and spilled with water to prevent the formation of cavities.
Lower level device. To prevent large elements from sagging, several rubble stones are placed on the lower tier, and the volume between them is covered with rubble. In this form, the hill is allowed to stand for about a month: during this time, the foundation stones will become stable.
Formation. The composition of the stones is laid out in accordance with the sketch, leaving gaps for the earth and roots. Soft rocks, such as shell rock and tuff, allow you to drill recesses of the right size in them under flower pots.
Composition of the earth mixture. The soil taken out of the pit is sorted out, removing weed rhizomes from it. Add equal shares of river sand, expanded clay and humus. Granite slide allows the use of peat, but if limestone is used, acid additives are avoided.
Filling with soil mixture. This operation is performed on each tier, carefully closing up the voids. It is necessary to water the earth with a spray jet, otherwise the water will wash it out of the recesses.

In this form, the rock garden will have to survive the first winter in his life.

The finished hill is left to winter. In the spring, if necessary, they correct it and start decorating with plants.

Video instruction for beginners

Not to miss any important point, creating an alpine slide with stones in the country with your own hands, you can use the video instruction.

An experienced landscape designer who has decorated dozens of luxurious estates and ordinary summer cottages will tell and show how:

get by with a minimum of material, money and hard work;
do not make mistakes when laying blocks and planting flowers;
properly care for the rock garden so that the decorative effect does not disappear over time.

Video: Instructions for building an alpine slide

Using the instructions, even a beginner will turn the shortcomings of his site into a rock garden or rockery worthy of admiring glances.

The arrangement of plants has its own order: grasses should not be blocked by shrubs

Alpine slide with a waterfall - a duet of water and mountain landscape

The highest aerobatics of skill in relation to stone structures that imitate natural ones is the combination of rock garden and water in landscape design. The rustle of jets or slowly floating in the stream yellow leaf adds European romanticism or Eastern philosophy to the composition.

Maximum naturalness

What to consider for a composition with a pond

If possible, add a pond or even a waterfall to the rock garden, you will have to take into account the following nuances:

the bottom of the reservoir should not let water into the ground;
for a pump that raises water, you will need to lay an electrical wire;
when selecting plants, the difference in humidity along the banks and at the top is taken into account;
periodically the pond will have to be cleaned, and drained for the winter.

Bright fish in the mysterious water give the composition a special charm.

In the summer, they look spectacular in a pond japanese carps koi, however, they will have to create a wintering pit with a depth of at least 80 cm and aerate it after solidification on the ice surface.

Creating a reservoir bowl - how to avoid disappointment

They begin to make a reservoir simultaneously with a slide in order to immediately remove the soil from under both objects. At this stage, the depth of the pond is determined, which rarely exceeds 30 cm: a shallow pond is easier to clean, and the pebbles at its bottom become especially expressive. The bottom section intended for the installation of the pump should be deepened. At the same stage, an electric cable is connected to the pond to power the pump.

Waterfall scheme

It is advisable to place a pond from the northeast of the hill so that it is in its shade for several hours every day, otherwise the water will bloom too quickly. It is better to leave the walls with a slope, this will facilitate the placement of stones on them.

The bottom of the pond is covered with a layer of sand 10 cm thick and carefully compacted. Geotextiles are first laid on top of the sand, and on top of it - a waterproofing film made of butyl rubber, the service life of which is 20-30 years. For reliability, the edges of the film should protrude 30-40 cm beyond the pit. Subsequently, they are added dropwise to the ground, but by the time the bowl is filled with water, the edges of the film are left free.

Rock garden with a pond perfect solution for hilly area

Technical equipment and artistic decoration of the waterfall

A pump for a small waterfall is purchased with a power of 70 watts. It is installed in the basin of the reservoir on a special stand to minimize contact with bottom silt. The device itself, as well as the hoses that take in water and push it out, are masked with stones. Be sure to check the security of the connection to the electrical wire.

By this time, the slide should be laid out to the point where the water begins to fall. The ejector hose is brought to this point, hiding its tip among the stones.

Pumping equipment is carefully camouflaged

The decoration of the waterfall is carried out with the help of rough flagstone, which prevents slipping on wet stone. Sometimes it is appropriate to use large ceramics in the decor, for example, an old jug, which can be slightly deepened when lying on its side.

The presence of water dust in the air will affect the selection of vegetation: ferns, mosses, bathing suits, and bergenia will take root near the mirror of the pond. Potted specimens also look good if they are planted in wide flowerpots, reminiscent of limestone in shade and texture.

Placement and combinations of plants

What plants are needed to decorate a garden composition

In order for the rock garden to always have a well-groomed appearance, plants are selected for it taking into account the time of their flowering. They should enter into the best time of life in turn and permanently create a joyful variegation. In this case, the appearance and range of colors will change with the seasons of the year. General rule is this: the clump of any plant should not grow rapidly and thereby suppress neighboring species.

Sometimes it makes sense to plant plants in pots

The second factor influencing the choice of flora is the stage and direction of the slope. The northern part is populated with stonecrops, milkweed, violets, saxifrages. Iberis, thyme, alyssum, pike, cat's foot are ideal for the southern slope and peak. In the lower tier, it is allowed to land such favorites of landscape design as Tagetes, highlanders, and hosts.

Plant layout

Support the decorativeness of the rock garden all year round allows a bush of low-growing juniper, whose elegant greenery will be emphasized by the snow that has fallen on the stones. When the flowers bloom again, this dark conifer will set off their beauty.

Plant selection

Alpine care

A rock garden requires less attention than, for example, a flower bed or a garden bed, but you should not forget about it either.

Preservation of attractiveness depends on the well-being of the plants settled in the rock garden.

Open areas, heated stones and free winds contribute to the drying of the soil, so alpine grasses need careful but systematic watering with a spray jet. The frequency of watering depends on the weather, but it should not be carried out more than once a day in order to avoid rotting of the roots.
Feed the plants at least once a month complex fertilizer, bringing it under the root along moistened soil and preventing the liquid from flowing down the slopes.
During the summer, dead shoots are cut out, monitored for the appearance of unwanted insects and their larvae, if necessary, add mulch, weed out weeds and remove wind-blown leaves. If the rockery contains crushed stone laid in waves or ridges, it will need to be corrected with a rake from time to time.

Wide expanses of open land mulch

Preparing for winter - how to protect the design corner

Before the onset of winter, care should be taken to ensure that the plants can survive the bad weather. Species for which the winter temperatures of the region are unacceptable are dug up and transferred to protected ground. The rest of the plants are covered with agrofiber - a material that does not allow damping. Ephedras wrap them completely and tie them over with twine.

To protect against wind and frost, the slide should be well covered with snow. The shields placed around will help to keep it: old doors, the remains of a profiled sheet and slate. In order not to spoil the aesthetics of a snowy alpine hill, you can weave special fences from wicker with your own hands.

The pond available at the rock garden is drained or several children's rubber balls are thrown into it, which will take on the pressure of the ice. The pump and hoses are taken out and stored in the house.

Spring work - cleaning up the consequences of winter weather

The most large-scale work on the care of the rock garden is planned for the spring, since at this time of the year it will be necessary to restore the masterpiece after snowfalls, blizzards and an abundance of melt water. Usually it is found that some of the plants have died, some stones have slipped, and the whole structure is covered with unattractive rotten foliage. Carefully removing the covering material, perform the following operations in the spring:

fan rakes remove dead plant residues;
“escaped” stones are returned to their place;
pour soil and mulch;
plants that have wintered in the heat are planted and new ones are added.

At the same time, they draw conclusions about what mistakes were made in preparing the rock garden for winter, so that the upcoming cold season would not become so destructive.

In order for a rock garden, rockery or other stone and flower arrangement to become a true decoration of a country estate, follow the three golden rules:

Divide the volume of the slide into zones to get a plateau, scree, rock, stairs. This will allow the eye to never get tired when contemplating an object.
Avoid excessive garishness. 3-4 different-sized color spots look ideal on a dense green background of ground covers.
Do not buy flashy, gaudy jewelry made of ceramics and plastic.

We bring to your attention beautiful examples registration for garden plot alpine slides and rockeries. Of course, each of them is tied to a specific area, so when transferring the idea to your hundred square meters, you will have to make adjustments to the sketch.

Doing the design of an alpine slide with your own hands is worth it, if only because it reflects the character and mood of the author as much as possible. Rock gardens are unique, each has its own zest, unique pattern, inimitable compositional notes. Building a slide with your own hands is an amazing compromise between the severity of the garden and the indomitable riot of pristine nature.

Before you build an alpine slide, evaluate the conditions of the site.

The main criteria for choosing a location and type of a rocky garden are relief, level of occurrence ground water and degree of illumination. It is difficult to change them, so it is better to use the existing conditions rationally.

On a sunny, drained site with uneven terrain, you can build a rocky garden of any style.
On a shady area with uneven terrain, almost any style of rockery is also possible. The only difference will be the range of plants used. In such a garden, it is desirable to plant forest plants: ferns, orchids, tricirtis, smilacins, hooves, highlanders, etc.
A small hill can be used for a rocky slide. (A hill is a small hill with stones placed in a "natural disorder").
If the area is waterlogged, do not drain it. It is more reasonable to create a semblance of a small pond or swamp with a stone exit along the banks. For such gardens, it is not difficult to pick up spectacular moisture-loving plants: hostas, irises, primroses, saxifrage, marigolds, etc.
To make an alpine slide on a flat area as high as possible, you will have to import soil, think about tying it to the terrain. It is better to choose a type of flat garden that imitates a mountain valley, or build a small hill.
The steep slope allows you to create a terraced garden or a complex combined rocky garden with rock ledges, terraces, cascades and a stream.
deep hole or drainage ditch convenient for the construction of rock garden type "ravine". Combining a ravine with a rocky hill will visually enlarge the rockery.

The next thing to consider before making an alpine slide with your own hands is what materials you will need.

Do-it-yourself stones and other materials for an alpine slide (with photo)

Alpine slide stones are a very important element of the future landscape. In such gardens, the main advantage of the stone is naturalness, so the old stone is valued more than recently mined, with fresh chips. It should be remembered that not all rocks are suitable for construction and for plant life.

The most suitable stones for a do-it-yourself alpine slide are layered limestone and calcareous tufa. These are warm, water and air permeable stones, and plants settle near them with great pleasure.

Sandstones are also good: they are beautiful and also breathable. Their only drawback is their fragility, therefore sandstones containing lime are most valuable: they are not only suitable for plant life, but also durable.

Basalt and volcanic tuff are very beautiful in shape and texture. Blocks of these rocks are excellent for creating terraces and strengthening slopes. Wonderful imitations of weathered rocks are obtained from volcanic tuff.

These photos show what stones are required for an alpine slide built by oneself:

Try not to use stones different breeds, otherwise the garden will turn out to be too colorful, heterogeneous.

Granites and gneisses are beautiful, but be aware that the soil near them acidifies easily!

In addition to stone, the construction of an alpine slide will require related materials.

Crushed stone of different sizes, dolomite or granite, - best material for drainage. The base of the rockery is drained with large gravel, with a smaller fraction - separate seats(holes and terraces). The smallest granite crushed stone is an indispensable material for mulching the soil in places not covered by plants and for backfilling under cushion plants that are afraid of waterlogging. Granite crushed stone (pellet) processed by a glacier is excellent for backfilling the bed of streams and the bottom of reservoirs, for paving the bottom of terraces in rockeries-cascades.

Coarse gravel is also used for drainage, granite is considered the best. Lime-containing gravel (for example, dolomite) is mixed into the soil with plants that require alkalization. Sand is used to drain and loosen the soil. Sand is better to take coarse-grained - it contains a minimum of salts.

Here you can see a photo of the materials needed to build an alpine slide with your own hands:

Horse peat is highly acidic, so it is added to earth mixtures for plants that need acidic soil. Peat is good as a mulching material and to cover places not occupied by plants. When mixing 1 part of peat and 3 parts of coarse clean sand, the best substrate for cutting plants is obtained.

Most mountain plants prefer slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil. Only succulents can grow on sandy soils; plants of mountain meadows require high-humus soil, but in rocky and high-altitude species, too rich soil leads to discoloration and loss of compactness. The best substrate for growing most mountain plants is slightly acidic or neutral medium loam, not rich in humus.

How to make an alpine slide on a garden plot with your own hands (with photo and video)

The device of the alpine slide is a small hill on which stones and plants are placed. Before you make a rock garden with your own hands, first create a drainage base.

From gravel, crushed stone or a mixture of gravel and sand, pour a hill and give it the shape of a future slide. Keep in mind that the soil will settle and the slide will be about 1/4 lower.
Pour sand over the base with a layer of about 20 cm.
Give the base two months to shrink.
After this period, pour a layer of earth about 30 cm thick on the base.

Add the rest of the soil gradually, as the stones are laid.

look step by step photos do-it-yourself drainage devices for an alpine slide:

STEP #1
STEP #2

STEP #3
STEP #4

STEP #5
STEP #6

Place the stones in the following order:

Dig the largest stones into the ground at the foot of the hill, they will fix its contour and become the base of the lower terraces.
Fill the space between the stones and the drainage base with earth. The first tier of the terrace is ready.
Now lay the stones from the bottom up the slope. All large stones should rest either on a drainage base or on a foundation. Foundations can be made from stones that are not of artistic interest. Dig a hole, pour a drainage base; lay the foundation stones on top and sprinkle them with soil. Lay the main stone on top of the foundation.
Small stones can be laid without support.

To make the stones look natural and at the same time seats are formed between them, follow the following rules:

Stones with wide base dig in flat down, laying a foundation under them.
To make an alpine slide in the country with your own hands, install stones that have a smooth beveled edge so that this bevel faces the top of the hill. The result will be holes - "pockets" with earth, convenient for planting.
Stones split into two parts are used to create narrow slit-like holes. Place a spacer stone in the gap and add additional drainage.

The main advantage of the slide is not height, but proportionality. The smaller its size, the more thoughtful the composition should be. To avoid symmetry, combine narrow and wide tiers, protruding and concave terraces.

The range of plants for - slides includes dwarf varieties, barberries and spireas; juvenile, stonecrop, primrose, bluebells, saxifrage, grains and many other species.

To better understand how to make an alpine slide, watch this video:

>Rockery, located on a gentle natural slope of a hill or in a ravine, looks very impressive.

To make an alpine slide with your own hands in a country house with uneven terrain, proceed as follows:

A drainage base for such a rockery is not required.
Form the slopes first by skimming the loose soil down to the level of the firm ground.
At the base of the slope, horizontally dig a massive stone to 1/2 -1/4 of the height.
Dig in all the following stones, moving up the slope, 1/2 or 2/3 of the height, depending on their size.
Fill the space between the slope and the stones with the excavated earth - as a result, you will get horizontal terraced areas for planting plants.
If the stones are similar in shape and size, do not place them next to each other or at the same distance from each other.

As shown in the photo, when building an alpine hill in the country with your own hands, stones can not only be dug in, but also laid:

Set the most massive at the bottom as a support. Pour soil on them, on top of which lay stones of the next tier, and less stable ones - on the main ones.

All stones are set very tightly. Blocky boulders are good - dug into the ground, they form not only terraces, but also reliable steps. It is undesirable to use narrow and elongated stones - they are only suitable as supports placed under rounded stones for their greater stability. An effective technique is the convergence of several stones leaning against each other - this creates a convenient slit-like hole.

The video "Alpine Hill with your own hands" demonstrates how to arrange rockeries on a natural slope:

Construction of a retaining wall for an alpine slide

For a steep slope The best decision- rockery, formed by a system of terraces and retaining walls of various heights and lengths. The wall is erected by either dry masonry or mortar masonry. Layered limestones are especially good for construction - they are easy to work with and best suited for plant life.

The wall must be durable and strong, so put a foundation under it. To do this, take the more powerful plates and dig them into the ground almost entirely.
Lay out the wall in the usual way brickwork: the plates lie in a checkerboard pattern, the top row covers the gaps between the bottom plates. If any slab is larger than the stones of the lower tier, then it must be balanced by supporting stones dug under it.
When building an alpine slide, lay each next row indented from the previous one so that the wall is not vertical, but with a slope - this will add stability to it.
Having finished laying the next row, pour the earth between it and the slope and compact it, thus securing the entire structure. Add drainage if necessary.
To arrange seats in the masonry, do not lay the stones directly on top of each other, but make earth layers between them. The best soil for them - half-ripe meadow sod. Such interlayers serve not only as a place for rooting of plants, but also as shock absorbers, softening the deformation of the plates in frost and heat.
The slabs with side notches do not completely overlap the slabs of the bottom row, and gaps form between the rows. Pour earth into such a gap and plant small or young plants in the resulting "pocket". Do not forget that adult plants are planted during construction, as the next tier is laid.
So that the earth does not spill out of the cracks between the stones and the roots are not exposed, caulk the cracks with sphagnum.

These photos show how to make a retaining wall for an alpine slide with your own hands:

The choice of plants and combinations of their planting in such a garden is very diverse. One of options do-it-yourself alpine slide devices - a combination of dwarf woody plants planted on the terraces and cascades of creeping plants descending from the walls.

Plant rocky plants in the gap between the masonry or in earthen "pockets": dwarf ferns, ampelous bells, beetroots, grits, young. Creeping woody ones look very impressive. On the edge of the terrace formed by the wall, descending sedums, wormwoods, windbags are placed.

For the device of a rock garden, created by oneself on the slope of a small ravine, the most acceptable combination of bush and horizontally growing coniferous and shade-tolerant forest ferns, various kinds crow, kupen, etc. against the background of naturally overgrown mosses. The rockery ravine looks spectacular only when the plants are planted not too every specimen or group.

In a wet area, you can create a spectacular rockery that imitates a pond surrounded by stones.

In a swampy place, simply dig the soil to a shallow depth - most likely the hole will fill with water. On a land plot, you will first have to make a small pond.
Pour soil along the edges of the reservoir, form low mounds out of it.
Dig large, glacier-rolled granite boulders into the shore so that they are significantly “drowned” in the ground.
Plant the center of the pond with marsh plants: marsh calla, three-leaf watch, cereals. Place moisture-loving plants along the edge, plant the rest between the stones on the shore.

As shown in the photo, when arranging an alpine slide with your own hands near a sunny pond, narrow-leaved irises, brunners, buzulniks, valerians, marigolds, loosestrife, some, daylilies, violets, etc. look spectacular:

Water cascade, mountain stream - elements of landscape rockeries or independent artistic compositions. Water running between the stones is a spectacular, but inappropriate use, a very insidious design technique. Incorrectly calculated proportions or an incorrectly chosen location can make the composition look ridiculous and even absurd. A cascade of reservoirs with a stream and a waterfall looks logical and natural only on the slope of a large rockery or with proper use of terrain features. It is very important that the structure is not bulky and does not look artificial, therefore, freshly mined stones are not suitable for creating a cascade. Look for examples of natural forms, preferably with water-smoothed edges.

The cascade for the alpine hill on the site is a stepped system of terraces. The steps of the terrace are fixed with monolithic blocks or made of stone, by analogy with the walls lined with dry masonry. Each of the terraces can become a pool or its imitation, and the walls holding it can become waterfall ledges or their imitation.

The photo shows that during the construction of an alpine hill on the site, the area and height of each of the terraces can be different:

The water cascade is built in the following sequence.

Form earth terraces and steps on the slope. To achieve a natural composition, alternate steps of different sizes and heights.
Dig the bowls of the pools the right sizes. If you want to see the bottom, make the bowls no deeper than 30 cm. If you plan to plant water lilies (nymphs), the depth should be at least 50 cm.
Align and smooth the sides of the bowls.
Soften the pool bed with sand or peat.
Lay a special film on the bottom of the pools to hold water. Leave a margin of film of 20-30 cm around the edges.
Fill with water to check the level.
To mask the film, lay stones or slabs on top.
Rib the edge of the film over the edge of the pool.
Cover the cascade with stones and slabs, masking the film; vertical steps (waterfall rifts) lay out using the dry masonry method.
Fill the bottom with rounded pebbles.

See a photo of how to build a cascade on an alpine hill with your own hands:

You can create a fast stream with waterfalls only with the help of powerful pumps. One of the most difficult moments in the construction of a cascade is to calculate the water balance. We should not forget about saving water - it is unacceptable to arrange a water cascade without installing a circulation system.

Along the banks of the cascade, species that live in the coastal zone naturally look: Siberian and Japanese irises, cereals, primroses, marigolds, ferns. Carpet plants and mosses descending to the water look beautiful.

A dry cascade for an alpine slide in a garden plot is an imitation of a water flow. Just as with the construction of the water cascade, create a system of steps and terraces. The plane of each terrace should be visually compressed from the sides by walls or large stones - only in this case there will be an illusion of a stream running down. The imitation effect is enhanced with a single style solution for all terrace planes. Cover the planes with rubble or pebbles, plant carpet plants or pave. The best solution is to pave the terraces with rounded cobblestones, and plant carpet plants along the edges of the terraces, which will go down, moving from one terrace to another and causing a visual sensation of a stream flowing along the steps.

This video shows how to make a dry cascade on an alpine slide with your own hands:

Different parts of the alpine slide, erected on the site with their own hands, can be connected together by stairs. When building stairs using the dry masonry method, observe the following rules:

Start construction by laying the bottom step.
All steps for stability must be based on foundations. To create an alpine slide with your own hands, slabs, bricks, stones can serve as foundations.
Foundation plates, in turn, install on a sand and gravel base. It is both a drainage and a “cushion” on which the slabs lie softly and stably. It can be neglected only on sandy soils. For even greater reliability, pour a ten-centimeter layer of sand or a mixture of sand and cement in a ratio of 1: 7 between the foundation and the step.
According to right technology, when creating an alpine slide with stairs, lay each subsequent slab with support on the previous one. Place foundation stones under the back of each of the slabs, and the steps will hold each other.
If you plan to drop off between steps ground cover plants, lay the plates at a distance of 5-10 cm in isolation from each other. The steps of such a ladder rise 10-15 cm above each other.
The platforms that have turned out in place of the missed feet form a transition from one flight of stairs to another. Tiled paths are laid according to the same principle. Plates are placed either close to each other or at a distance of 5-10 cm from one another. A “cushion” is required, which creates stability: the bottom layer is 20 cm of gravel, the top layer is 10 cm of sand or a mixture of sand and cement in a ratio of 1: 7.

These photos show alpine slides with stairs in the garden:

At the end of the 20th century, another type of rockeries appeared - "rolling pins". These rocky gardens, as a rule, are small in size and represent a new modification of the alpine slides. The fashion for such compositions came from the Czech Republic. "Rolling pins", in comparison with traditional terraced rock gardens, have many advantages. The main undoubted advantage of creating such alpine slides is the seats that are comfortable for rocky plants - vertical crevices that make up these rock gardens. In such narrow and deep places, plants are very comfortable, especially those that have taproots. In vertical crevices, there is never stagnant water, which is so dangerous for mountaineers, but there is always enough air to allow plants to successfully winter even in severe frosts. Another important advantage of the "rolling pins" is the relatively small weight of stone slabs, compared with stone blocks, from which other types of rockeries are most often built.

The best stone for the construction of do-it-yourself rock gardens is flagstone - limestone, sandstone or shale. Of course, it is possible to build "rolling pins" from split dolomite or other flatly chipped stone, but the visual quality of the composition and its comfort for plants will be completely different.

The construction of the "rolling pin" is carried out by the method of vertical dry laying of slabs. Construction begins with the installation of powerful edge plates, which are partially dug into the ground for stability or fixed with metal pins. All plates of the "rolling pin" are installed with support on the previous ones, close to each other - plane to plane, leaving minimal gaps for planting. It is desirable to make some of the slots relatively wide, but only in the upper part of the "rolling pin", since at a depth of 5-10 cm below the soil surface, the plates must be installed tightly. In this way, when creating a “rolling pin” rock garden, do-it-yourself tiered vertical seats are formed, intended for planting plants that do not have a deep root system, but require good drainage. As a rule, these are carpet plants of the saxifrage type. At the time of construction, the cracks are clogged with earth and small gravel. When installing the slabs, the planes of their outer faces can coincide with neighboring ones and form single layered areas, or they can act as ridges, creating shadow pockets.

As shown in the photo, during the construction of such alpine slides on the site with their own hands, all open spaces are covered with pebbles of the main rock:

Often, a “rolling pin” built according to all the rules looks strange and defiant, because it does not fit well into the overall composition of the garden.

Most often this is due to the fact that the vertically standing extreme slabs of the composition protrude unnaturally from the ground, which makes the “rolling pin” look like a strange ridged stone hill. It’s better not to start construction with the installation of vertical slabs, but to dig powerful horizontal support blocks into the base, and only then proceed to install the slabs obliquely and vertically. Such a composition is interpreted by me as an artistic miniature of a dilapidated rock. This idea is especially important for those who already have a traditional terraced rocky garden, which needs an addition in the form of a modern component - a rolling pin.

Advice for beginner builders is to practice building a “rolling pin” on a sand pile of small stone tiles, which will allow you to master the technology of building a rock slide without physical effort and develop the option that is most suitable for your garden.

Only very compact and densely pillow-shaped mountain plants can become inhabitants of the "rolling pin". Such a composition makes it possible to grow the rarest rock species - miniature gentians and bluebells, physoplexis, edryanthus, cyananthus, porphyrion saxifrage, levisia, super-compact species of arenarii, minuartia, carnations, rock ferns and other prestigious collection plants. Extraordinarily good on the "rolling pins" are super-dwarf varieties coniferous plants, which not only brighten up and diversify the composition, but also become a natural shade for capricious highlanders.

Look at the photo of rock gardens - "rolling pins" created by your own hands:

The arrangement of a rock garden is an unusually exciting activity that requires a creative approach. In the process, a great abundance of opportunities opens up before you, the main thing is to show imagination and imagination.

What is an alpine hill? In fact, this is an imitation of a mountain landscape with perfectly matched beautiful flowers and plants. Such a composition in the garden should harmoniously fit into the overall landscape, complementing it favorably.

Creating a rock garden is a phased process that requires attention to the nuances. First of all, it is necessary to consider the dimensions of the slide itself, the optimal location of transitions, paths, steps and the structure as a whole.

Choosing the location of the alpine slide

It is very important that the location of the rock garden is well lit. Alpine plants are photophilous: it is the quantity sunlight affects their growth and development. If we talk about the soil, stony soils with a limited amount of water will be optimal. Excessive moisture is extremely detrimental to mountain flora, so it is important to prevent stagnant water in the drainage.

On personal plots, quite a lot of shapeless varieties of stones are often formed, which the owners sometimes use for the future rock garden. In this case, there is a risk instead of beautiful design get a meaningless and ridiculous mountain of stones. Here, experienced landscape designers still recommend carefully selecting pebbles according to appearance, size and shape to get an exquisite mountain landscape.

How to choose the right stones for rock garden

For the future rock garden, try to select stones of no more than two rocks of the same size and structure as much as possible.

Also consider characteristics plants and flowers that you plan for the slide. As a rule, they take root well on calcareous rocks with a porous structure that facilitates the penetration of the root inside. But such soil periodically needs to be acidified, as it has an alkaline reaction. And it is desirable to embellish the gaps between plants and stones with marble chips or gravel. So, the rock garden will get a beautiful finished look.

Tip: buy stones in specialty stores. Only in this way you will be sure of the quality of the material, because the stones must be environmentally friendly and have a heterogeneous structure.

The most suitable rocks are granite, travertine, limestone, slate and sandstone. Use the same type of stones weighing about 100 kg and with signs of erosion. Optimal Height rock garden - up to 1.5 meters.

Varieties of Alpine slides

The most common and simplest type is a rocky cliff. Naturally, it is possible in the presence of a steep slope. Work in this case begins with the base, where large blocks of stone are laid, and then various plants are planted.

The next view is a mountain composition that transforms the design into a unique place of extraordinary beauty. To create such a charm, stone blocks are hidden in the ground by two thirds and arrange chaotic paths that form a stunning mountain landscape.

Color spectrum

The maximum effect in creating a rock garden can be achieved by a skillful play of color transitions.

Combinations of three shades are considered luxurious. For example, yellow harmonizes perfectly with pinkish, or lilac flowers. Thus, yellow, as it were, is balanced by two similar shades.

You can visually zoom in on an object by combining yellow and orange, and move it away with the help of of blue color. Take a closer look at any landscape design. Surely you will notice that blue and blue flowers planted in the distance are almost invisible, and plants with warm shades, on the contrary, visually bring objects closer.

Since ancient times, designers have used the game of contrasts to emphasize the splendor and uniqueness of another thanks to one element. One large plant looks much brighter and more expressive if undersized species envelop it from all sides. But compositions with solid and dissected leaves look the most advantageous against each other.

dominant element

The rock garden will look much more elegant if it is dominated by a bright dominant element. These may be the most showy flowers or plants, original stone or stream. This accent must be visible from all sides, because it is it that gives the final completeness to the design, and the landscape is perceived as one whole.

How to choose plants for mountain composition

When choosing plantings, it is necessary to take into account their susceptibility to light in the place where the rock garden is planned. Remember, not all plants are suitable for slides and are combined with stones or other types of plantings.

So, for example, the location of the rock garden in the northern part suggests shade-tolerant types. They will also need enough moisture. These include primrose, bergenia, fern and host. Light-loving plants, for which soil drainage is less important, are much easier to choose. These are tulip, young, thyme, iris, etc.

There are also many universal varieties that are perfect for both the sun and the shade - this is violet, bluebell, crocus, muscari, phlox.

Looks nice in winter Canadian spruce, mountain pine, juniper. Variegated and evergreen plantings make the greatest impression.

Alpine hill in the country

In general, there are no absolutely two identical rock gardens, since each site owner tries to bring something new, individual to the design. By the way, many believe that the best solution for a mountain composition is an option without any construction work (cement, brickwork, etc.). This approach makes it possible to redesign the entire structure in the future and greatly facilitates the workflow.

Do you decorate your household plot? Tell us, which version of the design of the alpine slide did you like the most?