Rockery landscape design
The contents
Rockery is a small stone garden, won the modern owners of country houses and growers. Rockery landscape design is an arrangement of rocks and plants, revealing not only the beauty of flowers and plants, but the stone. Rockeries are increasingly making themselves, it is not so difficult. And built a stone structure to your liking, give the area a special personality.
In contrast to flower beds and flower beds, rockeries looks more natural. Its name comes from the English «rock» translated rock. There are several types of rockery, but don’t confuse them with the rock garden, which come from mountain plants and made sure the drainage basis. For stone garden species diversity of plants is much more.
Types rockeries ↑
Rockeries distinguish several types
Form rockeries ↑
Slide is a classic rock garden. Is a raised area of rocks where the plants are planted. The advantage of this structure is a larger planting. This looks very nice, miniature hill with ledges and drop-offs.
Flat – horizontal rockery is on a flat surface and takes up more space. In such a construction of the plants suffer less from heat in summer and cold in winter.
Wall is a certain stone walls or backups and often provides for the zoning of the yard.
Location ↑
Rockery located in the sun includes only sun plants, for example, stonecrops, bellflowers, gentian, cereals and many others.
Rockery shaded, includes plants that love shade, such as astilbe, brunnera, hosts, geyhery and other.
Style rockeries ↑
Style rockeries are divided into Japanese, English, German, Italian, European or Alpine.
Styles rockeries ↑
Japanese style ↑
Japanese style characterized by a very small number of plants such as ferns. In the compositions of this style are the main gems, they are chosen from rounded shapes. This rockery is the most popular. In a large rockeries of this style can find a place for Buddhist sculptures, and a small table for tea parties. It was built in the garden intended for relaxation after a hard day’s work.
English style inherent in the sharp stones, resembling fragments of rock. From plants planted conifers, grasses and sagebrush. Rockeries in a style similar to the rock in the coniferous forest.
German style distinguished by the strictness and accuracy. A rockery is more functional than stone gardens in other styles. Often the stones are replaced by large stone structures that are both decorative and practical.
Italian style it is a smooth aesthetics. All lines are smooth and rounded rockery, flowers and delicate bright colors. In large rockeries there is a place for small sculptures and elegant wrought-iron furniture.
European style more varied and natural. In stone sculptures collected flowering plants, alternating throughout the season.
Alpine style – it is, in fact, is the Alpine slide. It distinguishes itself with its mountain plants, creeping over the rocks.
The types of rockeries ↑
There are several types of rockeries, which have conditional names.
Stone garden «Landscape rockery» – this garden stone is constructed, taking into account the whole design of the site, as element of landscape design, combining other design elements in a single picture.
Rockery «Terraced slope» – applies when there is a steep slope. It is a system of stone walls of different shapes, height and length.
Rockeries «Rocks», «Rock» – can be a separate composition, and part of a complex landscape ideas. Space for plants, when you create a song, create in the process of building.
Rockery «Mountain valley» – from deep in the ground with boulders and paths between them, dividing the garden into zones
Rockery «Hillside» – arranged on a slope and looks like a mountain with a large talus rock debris and creeping plants.
Rockery with their hands ↑
Although the creation of a rockery is not difficult, you still need to know a few nuances that will help you to create a wonderful composition of rough stone and delicate plants.
The great advantage of a rockery is that it can be placed in almost any desired location. The perfect relief may be ground roughness, where there are hills and ravines. This will help to create unusual design ideas. Even on a small hillock, you can build a beautiful mountain valley. On level ground it is possible to make artificial hills with rocks and gravel.
Choose a place ↑
Choosing a place in a rockery will need:
- Choose a Sunny or slightly shaded place, as the majority of plants photophilous.
- Note that this place does not accumulate water and was not too wet, especially after a snowy winter.
- To close was not tall trees, it will not fit into the overall picture stone structures.
- Rockeries should fit into the overall picture of the plot and look like a part of him. For example, the fence, standing beside you can decorate climbing plants or shrubs.
- It is not necessary to build it close to home and other buildings near them accumulated snow and melting it will destroy rockery.
Before proceeding to the construction of rockeries, is to secure the area, for example, using tape or rope. Sketch a plan of arrangement of stones and plants on paper, it will help in the process. Then prepare the materials and tools that will be needed in the process:
Tools – shovel; tape or mesh, to protect from weeds and moles; a scoop for planting of greenery; rakes for maintenance; watering irrigation; sprayer for pest control; pruning shears to trim the excess.
Materials – stones, sand or gravel; if necessary, bonding is a complex structure – cement; peat; plants and flowers.
Sequence of work:
- Do drainage.
- Create bias.
- Lay out the stones.
- Raise the plants.
Drainage and soil ↑
On a prepared surface to remove the top layer of soil depth of 15-20 cm weeds are Removed with roots and rhizomes.
If you are operating on the ground moles and shrews, be sure to close the Foundation of the future rockeries chicken wire metal mesh.
At the bottom of the resulting pit, fit special geotextile which allows water to enter and rot.
Recess to be filled with gravel, broken bricks or sand. Well all compacted.
The mound is elevation in feet and slope in the South-West or South-East.
When the drainage basis is ready, you can proceed to cooking the earthen mixture that will nourish plants. Only four ingredients, but it is important to observe a strict correlation:
- Garden soil – 3 parts
- Sand – 2 parts
- Peat – 1 part
- Fine gravel – 1 part
The resulting mixture was poured on top of the drain flush with the main ground. Now a rockery will get enough moisture, and the excess alone will go into the ground, causing no harm to the design.
Also, the threat of destruction can become sinking stones, particularly large boulders. Must be very well compacted soil under them.
Pick up and put stones ↑
Stone is the main focus in rockeries. Often the stones pick up the color of the building or the surrounding landscape. They should be warm, breathable and water, and most importantly, look natural. The most common and used gemstones:
- Sandstone
- Tuff
- Granite
- Limestone
Rich shades and distinctive forms of natural stone provides endless opportunities to place on your site expressive accents. Despite complete freedom of imagination, still there are some important rules to remember to rockeries didn’t look like a heap of stones:
- If a dry rockery, the stones can be awkward. If water is used, the rounded boulders will look more harmonious.
- Rocks should be of different sizes and shapes.
- The size of the stones is chosen according to the area of the rockery. When large amounts of composition, the pebbles will look ridiculous.
- Stones should use one, maximum two breeds.
- The stones must be combined with the surrounding landscape in color.
Stacking of rocks and the formation of slides is a creative process based on imagination of the Creator. Do not rush, look to every stone and find it the most expressive way.
Preparation of rockeries ↑
The Foundation stone of the composition fit some of the larger rocks, the attractive side out. For greater stability, they dropped a little in the ground. The stone can be used in processed form, for example, stone fountain or bench.
Arrange the stones in such a soil for planting. Start with the larger and more bushy, transplanting them among the rocks, then plant smaller and povorotnyi. Placing flowers and vines on the free space you can put a small stones, the rest of the surface just to fall asleep shingle.
How to make a rockery with their hands step by step instructions, look at the video:
The care and safety ↑
Rockeries good that requires minimal maintenance. The complexity of the charge depends on the selected plants. There are plants loving frequent watering, this will be a little rain, and they are not watered with a hose, so I’ll drift the whole structure. Will have to jump on the stones and water them with a watering can.
Some plant fear of frost, so I guess that in the winter they cover and insulate. Also will need to clean up fallen leaves and discarded seeds.
Precautions ↑
Faced with large stones, it is not necessary to forget about safety, especially if you have small children.
Setting stones it is necessary to check their strength and stability. You can even jump on them and, if in doubt, pour under the base gravel or earth. For greater reliability of their cement.
These precautions are necessary after caring for the plants, you will have to walk on stones.
Conclusion ↑
After learning the details, I understand that to make a rockery with their hands in the country, is not such a difficult task. It does not require expensive or rare materials. Just need a good imagination and a great desire. Independent creation, stone garden, will bring satisfaction and pride. This landscape composition will be not only decoration of the infield, but will give it originality and individuality.
It is important not to be afraid to start, but intuition and aesthetic sense will tell you how and in which direction to move on. And Paradise yard will bring joy for many years.