Alpine slide in the country with their own hands. Step by step video instructions. Alpine slide

rock garden - original flower garden, ahead of the popularity of traditional flower beds. Even a novice landscape designer will be able to clearly show himself in his arrangement, since this work opens up great scope for creativity. Do-it-yourself alpine slide is created for one season and does not need special care. It is only important to choose the right stones and perennials that will take root even on poor soils and are undemanding to watering.

Where to begin

It is believed that a good start is half the battle. When creating an alpine slide in the country preparatory stage is of even greater importance. The external attractiveness of the flower garden for years to come depends on how competent the first actions will be.

Location selection

Many experts agree that the hill is the main decoration of any site - cultivated or preserved in its original, "natural" form. To accomplish this task, a place downhill:

should be visible from all corners of the garden;
be sunny, free from tall trees casting a shadow;
be located on the south side of the house or fence, if the slide is “tied” to any structure;
be protected from the winds.

Big alpine slide better placed in the center of the site

A summer resident can work on a rock garden in any season convenient for him. However, experienced people recommend doing this early autumn until it's harvest time. In addition, during the winter, a flower garden usually settles naturally, and the gardener has a reserve of time to correct the defects found before planting plants on the hill.

Rock garden schemes

Landscape designers have developed many schemes that help the summer resident "see" the future structure, navigate the choice of material and plants, and "attach" the flower garden to the area.

The stones in these schemes are the main actors, depending on their placement, rock gardens are:

a rock (such slides are the steepest, the stones at their base are large, and the structures at the top are small);
mountain slope (solid boulders - at the top, below - stone scree);
terraced slope (arranged in the form of steps);
"Czech rolling pin" (thin slabs are buried in the ground with the end part);
a valley in the mountains (the composition is built horizontally, the location of the stones is free);
a ravine (the rock garden is arranged in a shell-like recess, using moss-covered boulders).

Tall plants can be located on the side of the rock garden

Alpine classics is the shape of the pyramid. Its highest point is most often located in the center of the flower garden, but asymmetry can make the composition more original. The schemes provide for the height of such structures from 1 to 3 m. If the rock garden is small (the base diameter is 1 m), then the height is also small - 20 cm on average.

High varieties of coniferous trees can be planted in the pyramidal center

What plants to choose

The rock garden scheme is usually supplemented with detailed recommendations on the selection of flowers and shrubs for its design.

You can go a more complicated way - choose the plants yourself, taking into account the design of the future slide, the features of the local climate, the type of soil in your area, and, of course, your own preferences. For rock gardens, it is customary to use perennial crops that:

undemanding to soil fertility and climatic conditions;
undersized and moderately growing;
not breeding "aggressively".

Since the emphasis is on slow-growing crops, voids may appear in the composition of "young rock gardens" that can be filled with annuals:

gypsophila;
marigolds;
purslane;
lobelia.

To fill the upper tier of the slide, the most persistent perennials are selected, since they will get the least amount of water and they will suffer from the wind more than other inhabitants of the rock garden. The famous mountain edelweiss is well suited for this role. It blooms in the second year after planting, and to maintain decorativeness requires regular transplants.

Evergreen iberis can be placed next to edelweiss, the snow-white buds of which bloom from May to June, and different varieties undersized carnations (grass, gray carnations), they delight one after another with their flowering throughout the summer. Purple rugs of creeping thyme look great in the upper part of the composition, attracting butterflies and bees with their aroma.

The record holder for endurance is young, an original plant from fleshy leaves collected in beautiful rosettes. He, too, will find a place at the top of the composition. Small gaps between stones are enough for the plant to gain a foothold in them for many years.

Young can take root in the most unassuming places

There are a lot of contenders to fill the middle tier zone, where representatives of the flora get more moisture, and the sun's rays are less burning:

styloid phlox - differs in a variety of colors, blooms in May;
cultural shaving - its buds bloom after the phlox, at the beginning of summer, in addition, the plant can bloom again closer to autumn;
Carpathian bluebell - blooms beautifully and for a long time, but is somewhat aggressive in reproduction, best suited for the western slope, where it behaves more restrained;
woolly cleaner - valued for its fluffy leaves with a silvery color;
Monetary sunflower - evergreen subshrub, white, pink and yellow flowers which bloom throughout the summer;
aster alpine - with beautiful large buds;
cotoneaster is an excellent ground cover plant;
stonecrop (several species) - forms a rich, lingonberry or yellow carpet.

At the foot of the rock garden, on its lower tier, there are plants that are more demanding on the presence of moisture: Indian duchenea (its fruits resemble strawberries), creeping tenacious, saxifrage.

The northern slope of the hill requires special attention, on which only plants that are absolutely not afraid of the shadow can feel comfortable. Experts suggest choosing Pozharsky's bell, Caucasian rezuha, Haller's corydalis.

Of the trees, preference in rock gardens is given to undersized coniferous species:

juniper;
mountain pine;
Canadian spruce.

All types of juniper have an exceptional decorative effect, which any gardener will appreciate.

Deciduous trees for alpine slides are practically not used, and experts recommend growing from shrubs:

Thunberg barberry - its height does not exceed 30 cm, flowering continues all summer, and red berries look very decorative in autumn;
evergreen boxwood - tolerates winter well under snow cover;
Japanese spirea is a spherical miniature bush with elegant foliage.

Selection of stones

Suitable for slide equipment:

basalt;
sandstone;
granite.

These rocks are strong, with little porosity. Tuff and shell rock, which do not have similar advantages, are not suitable for rock gardens - they are easily saturated with water and collapse. Not suitable, already for decorative reasons, imitation of boulders and blocks of industrial production, devoid of naturalness.

As for the shape, stones with sharp corners and rounded ones are not the best option. The variety of breeds and colors within one rock garden is also not welcome (this usually does not happen in nature).

You can not lay the stones too tightly, this will not allow the plants to develop normally, especially those with branched roots.

How to make an alpine slide with your own hands - step by step instructions

On mistakes - learn. The most serious and, alas, common among beginners is that they are too lazy to make a reliable drainage system. As a result, the earth sank, and the hill almost leveled with the surrounding landscape. Water began to stagnate in the flower garden.

Here is what the procedure should be after the place for the rock garden is determined:

Make a markup for the pit, outlining its future boundaries with pegs and "enclosing" tapes. The area of \u200b\u200bthe pit should correspond to the size of the proposed flower garden or slightly exceed them. It is necessary to delve into the ground, also focusing on the parameters of the rock garden. If, for example, its length and width are 2.5 m, you should dig to a depth of 1 m.
The minimum depth even for miniature rock gardens is 0.8 m
At the bottom, pour drainage from crushed stone, pebbles, brick fragments and corresponding to the task. construction debris. The layer (at least 0.3 m thick) should turn out to be even, and not in the form of a slide. It is spilled with water. Then lay another layer of drainage, sand and gravel, its thickness is from 5 to 10 cm. It must also be leveled, spilled with water and rammed.
On top of the drainage, pour out the earth taken out during the digging of the pit. But first, clean it of debris, plant roots.
Start the installation of stones in 2-3 weeks, waiting until the soil shrinks. The largest specimens are laid first, they must be securely buried in the soil.
Small stones are placed so that they cannot be washed out of the composition by heavy rains.
At the end of the formation of the hill with stones, proceed to landscaping work.
Plants should be planted according to the season.

small slide

Even a small slide looks decorative, while it takes very little space to arrange it. A one-sided slide is placed near the fence or wall of the house, a round one - in the center of the lawn or plot.

A miniature rock garden can have a stepped design. For its design, you will need stones of an unusual shape and color, very accurately selected plants with a long flowering period.

A small rock garden would be appropriate in a decorative flowerpot, which is installed on the terrace or porch of the house

Landscape designers recommend including a body of water in the composition - even a tiny one, in the form of a small bowl imitating a lake, will make the hill more attractive. creative ideas when creating mini-rock gardens, they are generally welcome - they can, for example, be equipped in an old sink or basin.

In a slide with a waterfall or fountain, everything should look very natural. The most common version of the composition is an elevation created from three combined tiers, supplemented by a stream.

When making such a rock garden, it is important to take into account a number of nuances:

the place should not be too sunny, otherwise the water will quickly turn green under the influence of bright rays;
an absolute shadow is also not good, it will adversely affect the growth and flowering of plants;
close neighbors in the form of trees will not work either - their falling leaves will clog both the drain and the reservoir, and regular cleaning will be required.

Since water constantly flows down the hill, the design must be made reliably. If the height of the rock garden is 0.5 m, the top layer of soil will first have to be removed, replacing it with crushed stone.

It is also desirable to use geotextiles - modern inexpensive material, protecting against water erosion (in this case, heat-sealed, with a density of 250-400 g / m2, is suitable).

It is important not to overdo it with the choice of plants - if there are too many of them, they will cover the entire surface of the reservoir with leaves.

Under the waterfall 1 m high, prepare the foundation. Fill the hole dug to a depth of 20 cm with crushed stone to half its volume, lay reinforcement from iron rods (the parameters of the “windows” are 20x20 cm). Pull the intersections with clamps, then fill the contents of the pit with concrete - in 2 weeks the structure will turn into a monolith.

To create the effect of a waterfall, you need a pump (submersible model). Power is selected depending on the height of the waterfall.

A rock garden of this kind expands the choice of plants. It can be arrowhead, sedge, water chestnut, water lily.

Hill with a decorative pond

The depth of the reservoir, equipped near the alpine slide, averages from 0.8 to 1.5 m. The main tasks when creating a pond are to isolate its bottom and ensure water circulation.

To prevent the water in the pond from stagnating, a pump is installed at the bottom of the reservoir.

First, pour a 5-centimeter layer of sand into the dug pit, pour it with water and tamp it down. Lay a special insulating film along the bottom of the pond or purchase and install a ready-made form, carefully sealing all the resulting gaps. Place stones near such reservoirs in the form of beads (sometimes in 2 rows), which will strengthen the banks and hide the edges of the insulating material. Of the plants for decorating the coastal zone, delphiniums, swamp irises, junipers, thujas are suitable.

One of simple ways creating a pond for an alpine slide - using a conventional tire.

Such a pond will not take up much space, but will become a central element of landscape design.

Features of care

A year after the arrangement of the rock garden, you may have to strengthen the stones on the hill. What needs to be done is to add soil, which will be regularly washed out by rains and during irrigation, until after a year or two it is completely compacted.

Plants will also require care: they will need treatment with Epin when planting seedlings (to relieve stress and better rooting), and in the future - pruning, removal of faded buds and dried leaves and top dressing (without using nitrogen fertilizers, provoking an active build-up of green mass). Watering is carried out using sprayers to protect the soil from erosion. Pest control may be required.

To save yourself from unnecessary weeding, before planting the plants, treat with some kind of herbicide (for example, Glyfor) and repeat it after a few weeks.

If the plant is seriously ill, it will have to be removed so that the infection does not spread to other inhabitants of the rock garden

Moss, often used in alpine compositions, requires special care. By the way, it is fixed on stones with the help of a mixture consisting of earth, kefir and sugar, mixed in a blender. It is applied to the stones with a brush. In order for the moss to take root, it is watered for the first 20 days.

In winter, plants, especially from the upper tier of the hill, need protection from bright sun, therefore, trees and shrubs in rock gardens are covered in advance with special agrofiber or ordinary burlap.

From frost and excess moisture, decorative crops are protected by boxes or structures such as huts. So that the ground cover does not suffer from decay, remove fallen leaves from the hill in the fall. It does not hurt to install a shield near the alpine hill, which will protect it from penetrating winds.

Each owner of a summer house or a country house seeks to give beauty and originality to his site. 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 - this 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, these options are often mixed or new, original types of alpine slides are created.

Location selection

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

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 plant growth 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 up 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 rock garden big size 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 early spring, the plants on the hill will not give it a lively look, 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 old tire from a truck or tractor is suitable - 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, it will turn out small pond, perfectly combined with rock garden.

Can be used old bath- a 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 - broken brick, crushed stone or just construction debris are poured into a dug shallow pit;
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, the stones must be fastened with cement mortar or mounting foam, the docking points should be decorated 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:

Alpine slide is one of the favorite elements of landscape design, both for owners of garden plots and for professional designers. But, at the same time, one of the most difficult. To independently make a rocky hill in your garden, you must adhere to a sequence of fairly clear rules.

The algorithm for creating an alpine slide:

1. Choosing a place under the sun.

2. Decide on the size and shape.

3. Selection and purchase of a stone.

4. Drawing the contour of the rock garden on the ground.

5. Removal of the top fertile layer of the earth.

6. Preparation of the soil mixture.

7. The device of the drainage system.

8. Vertical planning of rock garden.

9. Water support on the hill.

10. Selection and planting of plants.

Choosing a place in the sun

A fragment of a mountain landscape is best placed on an elevated, well-lit area. In this case, the owners of a hilly area or slope are more fortunate. The most attractive rock garden will look against the backdrop of a lawn away from tall trees that can project their shadow onto it.

Since our rock garden is a slide, it will have slopes oriented to different parts of the world. The rock garden project should be designed in such a way that the observer mostly surveys its southern and southeastern sides. These slopes are made more gentle than the north and northeast.

Decide on the size and shape of the slide

No matter how you imagine an alpine hill in your imagination, it should harmoniously fit into the overall style of the garden and not look like a pile of stones, because of which the house modestly looks out.

There are clear rules for determining the size of a rock garden for a specific area of the site. On a plot of 6 - 8 acres, an alpine slide can occupy an area of up to 5 - 10 m 2 and reach a height of 60 cm. The minimum size of the slide is 1.5 x 2.5 m. numbers. The maximum height of an alpine slide with an area of more than 40 m 2 can be up to 1.5 m.

Choosing and buying a stone

The size and number of stones are chosen according to the size of the rock garden. For a rock garden with a size of 1.5 x 2.5 m and a height of 0.5 m, about 1 ton of stone will be required.

To create stone compositions, stones of the same breed are used, mainly local, which is the easiest to get and which will be most harmoniously combined with the area.

Stones and plants should emphasize the beauty of each other, therefore, in order for the final composition to correspond exactly to your ideas of beauty, choose the stones yourself and be present when they are loaded and unloaded.

Do not take stones that are chipped with unnaturally sharp edges or, conversely, perfectly smooth river ones. The best option there will be a moss-covered stone that you accidentally found in the forest - and you don’t need to pay, and nature itself has already worked on the design.

Drawing the contour of the rock garden on the ground

On the site, which is intended for the construction of a rock garden, we draw the contours of the future structure. This step seems simple at first glance, but its implementation is the basis of the entire process of building a slide. Having drawn the outline of the structure (using a rope, for example), view the future composition from all viewpoints, you may need to adjust the boundaries and location on the ground.

Removal of the top fertile layer of the earth

It is important to carefully remove the top fertile layer of the earth, which, after sieving, is added to the composition of the substrate to fill the space between the stones on the hill. The top layer of soil is removed to a depth of 20 - 30 cm over the entire area of the future rock garden. It is advisable to carry out such work when the earth is dry enough to be sieved. If the site is heavily overgrown with cereal weeds, herbicides must be applied, otherwise the seeds remaining in the soil will sprout on a hill with dense turf.

Soil preparation

The substrate for filling the space between the stones on the alpine hill should be sufficiently nutritious and moderately moist. Prepare it yourself from 1/3 soddy land, 1/3 peat or compost, 1/3 coarse sand, you can also add perlite. If the land on the site is fertile enough, then the top layer, which was removed to prepare the pit for drainage, is used to prepare the soil mixture. Many gardeners recommend adding fertilizer to the composition of the substrate to increase soil fertility. But this is by no means applicable to alpine slides. Plants on such soil are strongly elongated, green mass predominates in their appearance, and flowering becomes less abundant, in addition, aggressive ground covers grow rapidly, covering the stone, as a result of which the whole meaning of the rocky garden is lost.

The soil mixture is poured onto the hill at the same time as the stones are laid, tamping it a little. At the final stage of work, the resulting slide must be well watered, and then the resulting recesses should be corrected.

Drainage system device

Creating a drainage system for an alpine slide is not always required. Drainage is necessary in areas with loamy or clay soil, as well as in flat areas with a high groundwater table.

For drainage, crushed stone or other small stones are used, which are poured in a layer of 0.1 - 0.3 m. The drainage layer is poured unevenly - where the elevation of the hill is planned, the layer will be thicker.

Sand is poured over the rocky layer with a layer of 0.1 m. At the same time, in places of future hills, it is thicker.

The next stage in the arrangement of the slide will be abundant watering, after which the drainage will thicken a little, and all the shortcomings of the work done will appear. But at this stage, everything is fixable.

Vertical planning of rock garden

The most crucial stage in the construction of the slide is the installation and grouping of stones. With the help of stones create three-dimensional compositions. Moreover, each individual group should differ from the neighboring one in size, ratio of sections and color. When imitating a mountain landscape, avoid regular geometric shapes.

For vertical planning of the rock garden, the largest stone is laid first. Its location should be shifted from the center to the east side. Then smaller stones are laid, adhering to the rule - the closer to the border of the hill, the smaller the stone should be. Some groups of stones are laid tightly to each other, we leave gaps between others, avoiding symmetry as much as possible. When laying the stone, it is necessary to leave soil pockets for planting plants.

The stones should not swing, therefore, small depressions are prepared under their base for at least 1/3 of the height of the stone itself. If necessary, add soil or small stones.

If you are the owner of an absolutely flat area, then you will need imported land at the rate of 0.5 - 0.7 t / m 2.

Water accompaniment on the hill

The combination of water, stone and plants in an alpine slide is the most successful option for your project. You can decorate a rocky hill with a murmuring stream, which will flow from stone to stone to a reservoir located on the south side at its foot.

Selecting and planting plants

Planting begins after several heavy waterings, when the earth settles and the resulting recesses are filled up.

Most light-loving plants planted on the south or southeast side of the hill. Large plants are planted near large stones, small plants - near small ones, avoiding close placement of plants on a hill. Ground cover plants that grow rapidly are planted in 3 - 5 pieces / m 2. Cushion perennials are placed at 8 - 12 pieces / m 2. Dwarf trees and shrubs are planted separately or in small groups, so as to emphasize the asymmetry of the hill. In no case should trees be planted in the center of a stone placer or on its top.

After planting, the soil is mulched by screening out the stone that was used in the construction of the rock garden.

10 mistakes when building an alpine slide:

1. The device of a rock garden on a site with a close occurrence of groundwater without drainage.

2. Placing a rock garden against the backdrop of outbuildings.

3. Unstable placement of stones.

4. The use of several different stony rocks in one composition.

5. Use of fragments of concrete slabs.

6. Use of rich soils and fertilizers that increase fertility as a substrate.

7. Compliance with symmetry when laying stones and planting plants.

8. Ignoring the watering of the slide after the drainage device and at the final stage.

9. Planting ground covers that grow rapidly next to small rosettes or very rare plants.

10. Planting annual plants.

Natalia Vysotskaya, landscape designer, Ph.D. -X. Sciences.

And to make your idea of an ideal alpine slide more holistic, we suggest you admire the photo gallery of the most interesting (in our opinion) rock gardens and rocky gardens.

We also remind you that in our store you can purchase from private collections. On sale there are always seeds of gentians, carnations, saxifrage, primroses, penstemons, bluebells and other mountain (and not only!) species of plants. The range is constantly updated.

Alpine Hill - a reduced copy of the highlands. Usually, in the central part of such a flower bed, a cobblestone or several cobblestones are installed, which are a symbol of a mountain peak. Terraces are created on the slopes, on which low-growing vegetation is planted.

In the natural environment, such areas are formed in the place where natural fractures of rocks appear. Under the influence environment a fertile layer appears on them, on which plants subsequently grow. To recreate such a mountain landscape in your backyard or dacha, you need certain knowledge.

For a building as large as rocky flowerbed fits spacious plot. When building an alpine slide with your own hands, you should strive to ensure that the composition of vegetation and cobblestones looks naturally.

Video. Alpine slide device

Creating an alpine slide with your own hands

Do-it-yourself Alpine slide will decorate the whole adjoining territory. To decide on the design of your future rocky garden, you can study photographs of alpine slides. In order to create such a composition, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules and a certain order of work.

Step-by-step instructions for creating an alpine slide with your own hands

First, determine the location. In order to do this, you need to pay attention to lighting. For a rock garden, a site is suitable that is illuminated as long as possible. sun. Also, the composition should be clearly visible from all sides.

Designation base contour(soles) slides and removal of the upper fertile layer to a depth of about 30 cm.
Device drainage system. The bottom layer can be made of gravel small size, pieces of brick or, in extreme cases, from construction waste. After that, a layer of sand about five centimeters thick is laid. A fertile layer of earth is laid on top of the sand. You can do without a drainage system if a slope with not too dense soil is chosen for arranging an alpine hill.
At this stage, start placement of stones and core erection slides. Of all the stones, the largest and most beautiful cobblestone is chosen. He will be the main one in the lower tier. The stone must be stable. To do this, you can add soil or gravel. The classic alpine slide in the country house consists of an odd number of tiers. Between these tiers, moist soil is laid, which must be well compacted.
Tip: when laying stones, symmetry should be avoided. Between the stones, you can leave places for planting plants or group stones next to each other. It is also necessary to immediately determine the supporting stones on which it will be possible to stand when caring for vegetation. They should be sealed and fixed.
plant vegetation.

Alpine slide plants - selection rules

Building an alpine slide with your own hands requires knowledge and certain skills. This is especially true for the choice of vegetation. The first step is to decide on the color palette of the rock garden. After that, you should draw a sketch of the future rocky garden. To trace color scheme it is necessary to decorate the sections of the slide with the appropriate colors. Only after that you can start choosing a plant for an alpine hill to the country.

Alpine slide with your own hands. A photo

look good low coniferous plants . You can also use small shrubs that bloom in spring and bear fruit in autumn.

Coniferous plants that are suitable for landscaping an alpine slide with their own hands

dwarf spruce. This plant tolerates drought well;
juniper. it unpretentious plant grows in its shape resembles a cone. Foliage - green;
thuja grows in the form of a bush. In good light, it acquires a reddish-brown color;
cypress- a plant with a golden apex and a dark green base.

Deciduous plants for an alpine slide

For landscaping an alpine slide with your own hands, you should not choose deciduous plant species. Since fallen leaves must be cleaned regularly so as not to harm other vegetation. For slides choose the following plants:

cotoneaster horizontal. This shrub with a dense crown has dark green foliage in the warm season, and acquires a reddish tint by autumn. The plant blooms with small flowers;
iberis. Semi-shrub that does not lose its attractiveness throughout the season. The flowers, collected in an umbrella-shaped brush, are painted in white, pink or purple. Later, in their place, fruits appear in the form of pods;
dryad. A miniature shrub with large white flowers. The flowering period falls on July-August. Later, fruits of an unusual shape appear in their place. They look like fluffy balls.

Flowers for the Alpine slide

For the construction of a classic alpine slide with their own hands, low, creeping, "carpet" plants are used. It is best to give preference to perennials. The following flowers can be used for landscaping:

carnation short stem. This low-growing, rich-flowering plant with narrow gray-blue-green leaves is unpretentious. Suitable for landscaping open sunny areas;
beetroot rocky- perennial, the leaves of which are painted in a gray-green color. A feature of this plant is that its leaves remain green even in winter. In multi-flowered inflorescences-panicles are small bright yellow leaves;
young- perennial with a wide color palette of leaves. They can be green, silvery, yellowish, pink, burgundy;
saxifrage- traditional inhabitants of rock gardens. Flowering period - May-August. Five-petal flowers are painted in white, pink or yellow.

In order for the alpine hill in the country to please with its beauty every year, bulbous and bulbous flowers should be planted. To create a contrasting background, long-flowering crops are suitable. Also, a well-groomed lawn will be an ideal frame.

What to do if the alpine hill settles in the spring?

Sometimes an alpine slide, made in violation of the construction technology, can settle. There may be several reasons for this.

Poorly matched plot or lack drainage. It is better to equip a rock garden on a natural hill or on a site with a slope. If the slide is located on loamy or clay soils, then it is necessary to make a drainage layer. For these purposes, gravel or stones can be used.
Wrongly matched substrate, vegetation and cobblestones. For an alpine slide with your own hands, it is better to choose the following mixture of earth: compost, sand and peat in equal proportions.

How to avoid flower bed shrinkage

take into account the slope of the site and the type of soil;
make a drainage layer and let the earth sag in time;
for planting, choose vegetation with powerful rhizomes;
correctly select vegetation, cobblestones and soil substrate;
remove fallen leaves in time, dig up wilted plants, weed weeds.

Alpine hill of conifers

To create rock gardens, not only traditional "Alpines", but also coniferous plants can be used. For these purposes, pines, thuja, shooting juniper, barberry, gray or Japanese spirea, conic spruce are ideal. In the classic version, only shrubs and trees should not be present. They should grow there in small numbers.

Stones for alpine slides

For such rocky gardens, natural flat cobblestones of various sizes are suitable. original form. You should also give preference to stones with a heterogeneous surface, with all kinds of "inclusions", recesses in which you can plant moss or a small plant. Limestones, boulders, sandstones, granite, slates look good.

Decorating an alpine slide with your own hands

Stones and vegetation are used to decorate the alpine slide. In order to properly arrange them, you must follow some recommendations, namely:

laying stones begins from the bottom row, moving up;
for the top of the composition, you must choose the most beautiful cobblestone;
for each large stone, it is necessary to make a “foundation” of one to three flat stones;
stones should be laid in such a way that their tops are parallel to each other;
several stones should be stacked so that they can be walked on;
after laying each row, a layer of earth is laid, which is well compacted and spilled with water;
at the top of the hill they set the most beautiful cobblestone.

Rock garden and rockery: differences and similarities

Rock garden and rockery - two various ways flower bed devices. Rockery is a flower bed of stones, most of which is occupied by stones of the same breed. Cobblestones are stacked parallel to each other or in random order. Randomly placed stones imitate the natural environment. Vegetation is also present in rockeries, but in the form of a background that plays a secondary role. In an alpine hill, bright vegetation comes to the fore.

To create a rock garden, it is not necessary to resort to help professional designer. Anyone can make an alpine slide with their own hands. To do this, it is enough to study the plants that will get along in the rocky zone, and correctly carry out the preparatory measures.

Preparatory stage

Owners of personal plots strive to create a beautiful landscape design around their home. Today, an alpine slide is almost an obligatory attribute in the central flower bed near the house. The name is associated with the European Alps, stretching across eight countries. At the foot of the mountains, magnificent flowers and shrubs grow, which look amazing against the background of rocky heights. A unique building with a combination of variety of plants and stones is a miniature copy of European hills.

Creating a composition is a long but enjoyable process. It is necessary to carry out the preparatory work correctly.

Before starting work, you should decide on the location of the flower bed, draw a diagram of the desired result, select plants, find stones of the required size and decide what other elements should be used to create the rock garden.

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

Most often, the rock garden is the central part of landscape design. Not bad if it is well viewed from all sides. It is advisable to choose the south side so that the flower bed is under straight lines for the maximum amount of time. sunbeams. In this case, the plants will delight with bright colors and lush flowering.

At first glance, it seems that a rock garden does not need a lot of space. This is an erroneous opinion. During the creation of the slide, it may take much big square than was intended. Moreover, it should organically fit into the surrounding exterior. So, you need to think about what will be next to it. Of course, the main flower bed should not be hidden by taller plants and shrubs, otherwise it will lose all meaning.

With the help of an alpine slide, a personal plot can be turned into a picturesque corner

Do not worry too much if there is limited space to create a slide. In the process of work, it can be reduced and not made too high. The main rule is that the rock garden should look natural, as if nature itself created it in the right place.

The ideal rocky hill with plants is not formed in one day. Sometimes the owners summer cottages spend several seasons in order to create the rock garden of their dreams. During the arrangement of the flower bed, there is no place for haste. Before fixing a stone or planting a plant, you need to put them in the intended place, move away and see how the resulting composition looks from the outside.

To start work, you need good weather. The optimal time is considered to be a warm spring, when the sun has already warmed the earth enough, and heat have not yet dried the surrounding plants.

In summer or autumn, creating a slide is also possible. The main thing is that you feel comfortable working. Stone laying can take several days or weeks. This means that even in the cold season, you can deal with the initial stage of creating landscape design.

When planting plants, their features should be taken into account. Do not plant flowers and shrubs in the ground, provided that frosts may begin the next night. In this case, the seedlings may not withstand low temperatures and die.

Device diagrams

Classic alpine slides are formed according to one of two schemes:

One-sided rock garden looks good against a wall or fence

The rock garden is located near a blank wall and you can only approach it from one side. In this case, an embankment is created, which conditionally rests on the barrier. All decorations are made taking into account the fact that it will be possible to enjoy its view only from the front.

The main aspect of the design of the alpine slide is the modeling of the natural landscape

The hill is located in a central location land plot. This determines the main part on which the main composition will be located. The frontal zone occupies 2/3 of the total area finished flower bed. Thus, the front side of the conditionally obtained triangle should have an increased length.

All alpine slides have several tiers, usually three. Each of them is separated by boulders or small stones. Plants in rows may vary. It is important to maintain balance and place flowers and shrubs in accordance with their size in adulthood.

People who have the ability to create beautiful forms and visualize the planned appearance of the designated area can draw up their own rock garden scheme. It could be a few hills or other ideas. The main thing is that the end result delivers aesthetic pleasure and looks natural.

What plants to choose

Alpine hill is an important component of landscape design, so such a flower bed should look attractive at any time of the year. In order for the rock garden to look aesthetically beautiful during the cold period, it is necessary to use evergreen shrubs, such as small arborvitae.

The attractiveness of a rock garden largely depends on the combination of plants in it.

If the owner wants to see a bright palette on the site, plants should be planted with alternate flowering - in this case, a riot of colors will be provided from early spring to late autumn.

Perennials will not require annual planting and are preferred for creating a miniature European Alps. It should be remembered that each type of planting will increase in size several times in 2-3 years.

You should not occupy absolutely all the voids - leave room for growth. In the first year, annuals can be planted in these zones.

Planting plants in the alpine hill is carried out from the upper tiers

For each tier, certain plants are selected:

Moisture-loving flowers and shrubs are planted in the lower part, requiring good fertilizer. These include pike soddy, young, saxifrage.
At the middle levels, there are less picky flowers that can be in the shade: phloxes, backache, primroses. Voids are organically filled with any ground cover.
On the top of the mountain, sun-loving flowers and shrubs are placed that feel good in dry soil.

Some homeowners prefer rock gardens completely filled with non-flowering evergreen shrubs. Suitable for this: junipers, thuja, mountain pine, Korean fir, spruce.

Video: flowers for an alpine slide

Selection of stones

The choice of stones should also be approached responsibly, as they perform similar aesthetic functions as plants. The larger the alpine slide, the larger the boulders should be. The shape of a stone block can be any: flat, round, shapeless. It all depends on the preferences of the owner.

Stones for the composition must be of the same breed

An important indicator is porosity. Some types of stones absorb water well, which means they risk crumbling over time.

Granite is a hard, difficult to process material that is not subject to destruction. When using it, it is necessary to prepare the drainage system in advance to avoid stagnant water.
Slate - contains clay and quartz in the base, has a flat shape and a smooth surface.
Sandstone - great material to create an alpine slide. Most plants get along well next to it. However, it has strong porosity.
Limestone - beautiful bright stones, while not suitable for plants that need an acidic environment.
Shell rock - stones are easily formed, recesses for planting plants can be made right inside the rock.

In addition to the above, tuff, travertine, expanded clay, pebbles, crushed stone, gravel fit perfectly into the design of the rock garden.

How to make an alpine slide with your own hands - step by step instructions

After determining the place where the landscape composition will be placed, you can begin to work.

First of all, good drainage should be ensured so that one day the flower bed does not turn into a hole. For this, a foundation pit is dug in the area of the future rock garden. If the diameter of the finished flower bed is 2 meters, the pit should have a depth of about 70–80 cm.
Sand, crushed stone, broken bricks are poured to the bottom, construction debris can be used.
A slide of the required height and shape is formed from the drainage material.
The formed hill is covered with sand, then with soil.
After creating a hill, it should be well tamped; for this, the future flower bed can be poured abundantly with water.
Now you can start laying stones. The layout can be any. First, the largest boulders are installed, then the turn comes to small samples. After placing one copy of the rock, you should step back and see how it looks from all angles. Do not rush into this, because it will be problematic to change the location of the heavy material later.
Each stone must be fixed - dig a small part of it into the ground.
Planting flowers and shrubs is carried out from the largest to the smallest, ending with ground cover plants that fill the remaining voids. Tall specimens of wildlife are located in the back of the composition or near a large boulder so as not to cover smaller specimens with them.

Little composition

Creating a small alpine slide involves all of the above steps.

Alpine slides have replaced the classic flower beds

For a small composition, it is better to choose medium-sized stones.

Miniature plants should look organic against the background of similar rocks. The highlight of the rock garden is a large number of colors and shades.

For miniature flower beds, it is better to choose plants with small buds or leaves. Ground covers that do not have a large root system feel good. They will complete the composition perfectly anywhere.

Rock garden with a waterfall

Own waterfall on the site - what could be more beautiful? And most importantly, the ego can be made with your own hands.

Decorative waterfall will make the composition more natural

This will require a water tank, a hose and a pump.

In this case, the stones should be laid in a cascade - it is better to use flat forms.

A hose is hidden under the upper rocks. At the foot is a container in which water will circulate. It can be hidden under a pile of stones or arranged in the form of a pond. A pump is installed under the water, which will ensure uninterrupted movement of the liquid. Its power depends on the height of the rock garden. The miniature mountain river is ready.

After the formation of the waterfall, you can start planting plants. When choosing flowers, it should be borne in mind that the lower tier will always have well-moistened soil.

Hill with a decorative pond

At the foot of the Alpine mountains, you can often find magnificent lakes. Such a composition in miniature can be made in your yard.

A small pond at the foot of the hill looks impressive

The simplest method is to install a water tank of the required shape and size at the base of the hill. And you can also cover the pit with a special film used for garden ponds. Edges are decorated stone compositions. Creates the effect of a natural pond.

In such an impromptu pond, birds can fly to a watering place all summer. Several types of plants can be planted in the pond itself, for example, water lilies or water lilies.

Video: do-it-yourself alpine slide

Features of care

A rock garden, like any flower bed, needs to be looked after. Even the most unpretentious plants need periodic watering, so you should take care of it in advance.

Most of the work will take place in the spring. It is necessary to remove protective shelters, loosen open areas of the earth, remove dead plants. If necessary, make a new landing.

Some stones may change their position during the winter. If necessary, they will have to be moved and reinforced again. Mulch can save plants from many problems: in winter it will warm the roots, in summer it will provide moisture retention and good aeration.

If there is a problem of overgrowing with weeds, you will have to clean the alpine hill from unnecessary plants a couple of times a year. A special film can solve the problem for several years, in which holes are cut only for desired colors and shrubs. All other soil will be covered. For an aesthetic effect, the film is covered with small pebbles.

Before winter, it is necessary to cover heat-loving objects of wildlife. The waterfall is turned off, it is better to dismantle the pump for the period of cold weather.

Some plants do not tolerate frost well. Experienced flower growers they dig them up and overexpose them in a garage or other utility room.

If the plot is small, you can make a small rockery. More about its types, choice of plants and arrangement in our material:.

Alpine slide design ideas

To create a flower garden of plants and stones, you need to use your imagination. Each rock garden is unique. It is impossible to repeat landscape compositions exactly. Plants are living organisms, each of them will behave differently.

However, in order to understand what kind of design you want to see in your yard, you should consider other ready-made options. After that, you can start creating your own work of art.

Stones emphasize the beauty and grace of ornamental plants

In the flower bed, access to each plant should be provided. Improvised steps made of flat stones look organic and make it possible to take care of the upper shrubs.

The green base of the slide can be made up of ferns and other undersized plants

Along with large boulders, small pebbles are scattered over the entire surface, which creates a complete composition.

Small plants in an alpine hill are best planted in groups

On a low hill, small plants look great with small flowers. In the center are small spherical thuja.

For an alpine slide with a pond, an arrowhead and sedge are suitable

If you have a large pond, you can experiment with aquatic plant species - duckweed, water lilies. In the upper part of the composition, dense impenetrable thickets are visible, creating a beautiful exposition.

Alpine slide with a waterfall requires more attention

Garden figures, organically installed in the rock garden, will help create the right mood.

Alpine slide against the backdrop of trees fits well into the landscape

Plants are ranked from lowest to highest. The forest behind the alpine hill seems to be a natural continuation of landscape design.

After planting the plants in the rock garden, you can add some garden decorations to the composition

Large boulders are located in the far part of the rock garden. Wherein backside should also have a nice finished look.

Alpine hill loves the sun and is afraid of the winds

The place to create the European Alps in miniature should be sunny. This may be the southern or southwestern part of the yard.

It is difficult to imagine an alpine hill without ground cover plants.

ground covers flowering plants grow beautifully and literally cover huge boulders. At the top gracefully settled dwarf.

Bush perennials with a dense root system and erect shoots are suitable for planting between the stones of an alpine hill

Lovers of bright colors use a variety of colors of different colors. Plants with small rhizomes do not need a lot of fertile soil. They can be planted in small shallow voids between stones.

Do-it-yourself alpine slide is not only an aesthetic pleasure, but also the joy of realizing that it was made independently. Every plant in it matters. Any stone or boulder should be placed so that the appearance of the overall composition looks good. For the creator of the composition, every detail is important. Subject to all the above conditions and stages of creation, the rock garden will become the main asset of the backyard and the central part of landscape design.