People who love a natural look enjoy building with rocks. Rocks are easy to incorporate into any backyard setting, adding a very natural look to a garden without compromising plants and flowers.
The rich tapestry of flowers and rocks create a living garden that builds ambiance and beauty. Rock gardens mimic natural scenery around a certain region. Xeriscape, or low-water gardens often use lots of rocks with certain types of plants that require little care and maintenance.
There are alpine rock gardens and southwestern rock gardens, as well as other types of rock gardens that people put in to reflect their region or other regions they love, but don't happen to live near. The main challenge with this sort of rock garden is making sure your region can contribute to the health and well-being of plants you choose to grow around your rocks.
Alpine Gardens
The main challenge with alpine gardens is the flowers you choose. Most of the plants that work best with alpine rocks usually rot in standard garden beds. Often these plants require soil that drains quickly, yet the plants usually still require moisture.
Four key elements are needed to deal with this conflict. You need a slope, soil that drains fast with good organic matter, gravel mulch and rocks spaced in such a way that allows you to place plants in these gaps where moisture still lingers.
A nice location that receives sun is important, as well as breezes. If you happen to be in a region that gets lots of rain, be sure to plant your alpine rock garden in an area that has good drainage.
Alpine boulders should be naturally placed to accent your backyard. They should look like a natural outcropping, not a man-made garden. Plan out your garden on paper or take a look at photos online or in books. Try to vary your stones to include various sizes, shapes and textures. Vary the space between them, just as it would be in a natural setting.
Before you put your plants in the ground, see what they look like around the various boulders while they're still in their pots.
Plants that work well in a rock garden
Alpine columbine, coral bells, dwarf daffodil, dwarf Alberta spruce, garland daphne, lewisia, rockcress, saxifrage, stonecrop, sunrose and trailing phlox.
Japanese rock gardens
These types of gardens create an atmosphere of tranquility. These serene gardens usually have gravel in place of water, and to give it a wave or ripple effect, gravel is placed in patterns, looping around large rocks and boulders.
No matter what type of rock garden you want to put in, remember to have fun doing it. It shouldn't be a task you're not looking forward to. On the contrary, make it an experience you long to engage in with results that will pay off for years to come.
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