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Rock gardens or alpine gardens date back to the 19th century are truly unique in their appearance as with their foliage. The idea is to recreate the look, scenery and landscape found on mountains,
but what really makes a rock garden versatile is you don’t need to use a large area to have a rock garden; even small spaces, containers or raised beds can be crafted into wondrous rock and plant formations. Rock gardens are a great way to help eliminate soil erosion from irregular terrain as well as add beauty to your yard. The following tips will help you design and build the rock garden of your dreams:
Location – if you are able, choose an area that is sloped, has steep banks or uneven terrain. This will give you the increasing height needed rather than having to build up the soil.
Sunlight – most mountain ranges have full sun to partial shade, so choose an area of your property that will have these same qualities.
Rocks – the best and most cost effective method for getting rocks is to go “hunting” for them. You will need a variety of shapes and sizes but nothing bigger than you can readily carry. You can also go to your local nursery or landscape supplier to purchase rocks and choose rocks of similar composition or geological makeup.
Rock placement – you want to “plant” the rocks into the soil first, leaving about ˝ to 2/3’s of the rock exposed. This will give the rock a firm bedding and keep it stationary. Tilt the rock back into the garden so when watering your plants the water will pool up a little.
Soil composition – try to create a depth of 8” to 10” for planting and use a mixture of sand, soil, peat moss and compost or dried manure – basically 2 parts sandy soil, 1 part peat moss and ˝ part compost.
Drainage – make sure the bedding area will drain well as most alpine plants are accustomed to water runoff.
Deciding what plants to buy is actually very easy and rather fun as the majority of rock garden plants are dwarfs – very cute and small. Here are a few suggestions for plants:
Dwarf Yarrow
Carpet Bugle
Alpine Aster
Sea Pink
Sandwort
Ice Plant
Shooting Star
Creeping Bell Flower
Mountain Avens
Coral bells
Dwarfs Babies Breath
Snowbell
Blue Eyed Grass
Cushion Pinks
Woolley Thyme
There are several varieties of evergreens and dwarf shrubs which should be placed in the rear of your rock garden for balance and bordering. Remember you are trying to simulate the rocky terrain of a mountain peak, get creative and artistic with your alpine gardening ideas. Trying placing a small water feature at the base of your rock garden; a beautiful pool will add sparkle and a cooling affect to your landscape. Use your imagination to design and build a spectacular rock garden for years of enjoyment.
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