DIY garden slide. Do-it-yourself Alpine slide at the dacha: step-by-step guide

Relatively recently in landscape design ridges and plaster sculptures have been replaced by new types of site decoration - rock gardens . They are held on rich estates and summer cottages, in city gardens and squares, on lawns near offices and in restaurant areas. Properly and tastefully selected stones and plants will allow you to create a zone of luxury, aesthetics and peace even on the most modest piece of land near.

Being a unique and very labor-intensive decoration of the landscape, rock gardens seem to be complex in execution and hard-to-find decorative elements. However, if you understand the technology of creation, then an alpine slide at the dacha can be built without the involvement of expensive designers .

A piece of the Alps at your dacha

• Developing a design alpine slides, you need to take into account that this is an imitation of rocky natural areas. This means that the basis of the composition should be stones and creeping low plants, characteristic of high-mountain areas. And the definition of “slide” dictates general shape rock garden - a hill with mandatory elements: bottom, slopes and top.

There are several options for rock gardens, which repeat their appearance in different areas of the mountainous terrain:

• rocky cliff – a pile of practically bare large boulders with a minimum of plants in niches and “pockets”;

• mountain slope – complex high composition of stones different sizes and with a wide variety of creeping and low-growing plants;

• valley in the mountains – large stones, partially protruding from the ground, surrounded by abundantly flowering ornamental plants;

• gorge- the most difficult to implement, but also the most spectacular type of rock garden, which can be placed in a natural hollow, framing the slopes with stones and planting representatives of rock flora.

A separate species is considered rockery- a garden of stones, which are the main “characters”, in contrast to a rock garden, where stones serve as a background for plants.

How to make an alpine slide in a small area?

If you have firmly decided that a self-made alpine slide will become the decoration of your garden, step-by-step instructions will give you the opportunity to avoid gross mistakes and get the desired result.

Before starting work, sketch out a sketch of the rock garden - this will help you decide how much area it will occupy, what configuration it will have and how many tiers you will make on it.

You can even roughly estimate how much an alpine slide will cost you - a diagram drawn to scale will help you calculate how many and what kind of stones you will need, how much drainage, sand and soil will need to be prepared. You need to make a diagram in relation to the area in order to take advantage of all the advantageous moments.

When deciding on the location for the future rock garden, do not forget that you will need to look at it - choose the most favorable angles. Also, think about it - you might want to spend your time near him. free time. Then you will need an adjacent flat area with paths, space for a table and fireplace.

Advice! Planted plants for an alpine hill will need solar heat - this means that the slopes must be oriented to the south and east.

Very interesting visual effects will be obtained by using the natural unevenness of the relief - decorative elements inscribed in the natural landscape will become a magnificent addition to it.

1. The next step is to transfer your diagram to the site. Make the markings using twine or pouring the right lines contrasting material - sand, lime. This will allow you to look at the proposed location of the rock garden from the outside. You may decide to slightly change its configuration to suit the terrain.

   

2. The largest boulders are placed along the perimeter of the prepared site. If necessary, they can be buried in the soil - then they will have a more natural appearance. The internal space is filled with soil, which will become the basis for the next tier, as well as a habitat for plants.
3. Having retreated the calculated distance from the first row, insert the next chain of stones, maintaining the desired configuration of the rock garden.

   Advice ! When laying large stones, leave free space between them, which will be filled with soil - the planted plants will need space to develop the root system.

4. Having completed required quantity tiers, decorate the top. To do this, you can lay one large stone, or use several small ones stacked in a pyramid. This will prevent erosion of the soil, and will also complete the composition.



Advice! It is better to begin work on laying a rock garden in the fall, then by spring the soil poured between the stones will settle and it will be possible to fill in all the resulting voids. You will also have the opportunity to make final adjustments to rock placement before planting.

Advice! The main rule is that a rock garden should look decorative and beautiful even without flowers. Stones must be harmonious and balanced to create a stable and extremely natural composition. The less symmetry it has, the more organic it will look.

Reading time ≈ 11 minutes

A do-it-yourself alpine slide at the dacha is a composition with stones stacked as in the photo along with flowers in a picturesque flowerbed. This type of landscape decoration appeared relatively recently. A rock garden is often arranged in the garden, on the territory country house and on lawns. Even the most modest piece of land can be transformed with a luxurious combination of stones and plants.

Alpine slide in the garden with picturesque herbs

Alps in the garden

The Alpine slide is an imitation of rocky natural formations, mountain cuts and steep rock climbs. The entire structure is located on a small hill formed by a sole-base, a beautiful slope, a picturesque peak and variegated herbs.

Types of stone slides:

A beautiful, neat lawn or small flower beds. At the base of the rock garden, a stream and a cascading mini-waterfall look luxurious, surrounded by multi-colored stones and decorative boulders.

What should a rock garden look like on a site:

Any natural unevenness in the terrain can save the owner of the site effort and time, so it is worth building an alpine slide yourself in these places.

Place for an alpine slide

Most often, the favorite landscaped area in the dacha area is chosen for the construction of a rock garden.

Most suitable ideas:

If the chosen place is on the north side, you will have to specially select shade-tolerant species of plants and flowers that tolerate well high humidity(for example, ferns).

To create a personal rock garden, you will need to meet some conditions:

• Disembarkation different plants for growing on slopes.
• It is desirable that the terrain of the site has unevenness. In any case, artificial embankments and hills can be erected.
• It is extremely important to correctly formulate drainage system using sand, crushed stone and brick chips.
• You will have to find and select beautiful boulders of unusual shapes.

The dominant element of the alpine slide, made with your own hands at the dacha, is plants, forming a mountainous area with stones, as in the photo. However, the placement of boulders, cobbles and small stones is also important to create a beautiful imitation.

How to choose flowers

Everyone wants an alpine slide to resemble a real slope of the majestic Alps, replete with wild vegetation. Decorative foliage and drought-resistant plants are mainly used for rock gardens. However, if you want to decorate a mountain slope at your dacha with flowers, those planted in containers will do:

• Daffodils.
• Violets.
• Forget-me-nots.
• Saxifragas.
• Primroses.
• Saffron.
• Edelweiss.
• Carnation short-stemmed.

Flowers between the stone layers look very elegant, adding bright accents into the general landscape.

Rare dwarf plants are also suitable for decorating an alpine garden:

• Ramonda.
• Haberley.
• Yankea.
• Narcissus bulbous type.

Blooming composition of stone blocks, plants, sunlight floral scents are the personification harmonious combination five elements: earth, water, air, fire and ether.

Flowers among the stones on the slope

To create a believable imitation of a mountain range, the following are suitable:

• Soldanella.
• Cyclamen.
• Dryad.
• Corydalis.
• Lumbago.

The best soil is considered to be a mixture of turf with peat and sand. In such soil, plants will feel calm and comfortable. Experts also advise installing automatic watering so as not to worry about the condition of the plantings during your absence from the dacha.

Soil for plantings in a rock garden

• It is important to consider the flowering time of plants so that the planting looks beautiful from spring to autumn and is not bare.
• Conifers are also suitable for planting in rock gardens. This evergreen vegetation can maintain the aesthetics of the slide in any season. Representatives are: mountain pine, thuja, juniper. They are easy to care for, can withstand prolonged absence of moisture in the soil and do not require regular watering.

During the period of absence of flowering, you can use pots with flowers or other decorations, placing them between stones to fill the voids.

Pot with decorative plantings

Secrets of arranging stones

The combination of rocks, textures and shades of stones in combination with flowering plants creates the atmosphere of a real mountain range. Flowers dilute the harshness and coldness of the boulders, delighting gardeners with their beauty. Landscape designers prefer to decorate gardens and hills with various stones with different relief and rock, but the most popular of them are:

When arranging stones, you should not maintain symmetry; this will ruin the whole idea of ​​​​designing an alpine mountain garden.

What should the stones be like?

All artificial unevenness in the relief in the form of hollows, depressions, hills and hillocks must be formed manually, laying out stones according to a certain pattern. The layout will depend on the chosen rock garden model:

1. Gorge (valley with a steep slope).
2. Plateau (plain on a hill).
3. Terrace (horizontal ledge).
4. Mountain with a flat top.
5. Cliff (sheer rock).
6. Stepped slope.

To create more interesting composition wild stones that do not have fresh chips are suitable. The voids are usually filled with crushed shale, gravel or small pebbles.

Cascading arrangement of stones

Alpine slide for beginners

It is better to lay a rock garden in early autumn so that the soil between the stones settles by the onset of spring. There will still be some gravel or pebbles to fill into the resulting pockets and empty areas, and there will also be time to adjust the placement of the stone blocks to create a beautiful composition.

Stages of laying an alpine slide:

1. Design. On at this stage you should calculate the amount of materials and plantings, estimate the area, analyze the topography of the soil, develop a concept and idea.
2. Selection of plants and flowers, as well as rocks.
3. Selecting a location.
4. Marking boundaries and defining shape.
5. Work on organizing the drainage system.
6. Laying out stones according to plan.
7. Equipment for an artificial pond or mini-waterfall (if necessary).
8. Planting plants and flowers.
9. Finishing decor.

Upon completion of production, the gardener will only need to regularly care for the alpine hill, improving it and renewing the plants.

Required materials and tools:

• Stones of the same type, gravel, river sand, soil, humus, peat, plants for planting.
• Construction tape and scissors.
• Wooden pegs.
• Bayonet and garden shovel with a long handle.
• Scrap metal.
• Tight cord.

Step-by-step instruction:

Decoration and care

We must not forget about the decor and improvement of our stone garden. To create a real piece of art on your patio, you can build a decorative artificial pond that fits into the landscape design. An equally good solution would be to create multi-level lighting in the area, shading required angles and buildings.

Popular ideas:

A rock garden is a type of flower garden, so live plantings occupy most of it. Plants, in turn, need care and attention for good flowering, growth and development.

Rules for caring for a small alpine slide in the garden:

In appearance, an alpine slide with a pond, erected at the dacha with your own hands with stones of different sizes (video with photo selection below), seems to be a complex structure to implement. However, by following the step-by-step instructions, you can create a magnificent composition without the involvement of landscape designers.

In your garden or summer cottage, it’s easy to create an atmosphere of pristine nature with the help of an alpine slide - a beautiful composition of stones and plants. It has long been actively used by landscape designers. Such a solution will not only hide any unevenness or ledge in the garden plot, but will also allow you to bring all your creative ideas to life.

Alpine slide in the country

Admiration for the harmony of a professional rock garden in pictures is often replaced by bewilderment: how to build an alpine slide with your own hands and where to get this material? In fact, anyone can create such a masterpiece in a country house or in an apartment using any available materials. Even if the cost of creating a professional rock garden turns out to be prohibitive, a flower bed surrounded by a random arrangement of stones would be a great idea. If everything is done correctly, then the maintenance of the alpine slide will be minimal, and you long years you will admire your rocky garden.

Rock garden design

The name itself indicates that the landscape design is reminiscent of the views of the Alpine mountains. The rock garden at the dacha should be a small copy of the area where gorges, rocks, plains, waterfalls and beautiful mountain plants are located. It is impossible to find two identical alpine slides, since each is the result of the invention of one person.

How to make an alpine slide without resorting to the expensive services of landscape designers? You should know what types they are divided into:

1. Rocks. They are made from ordinary stone boulders. Placed in areas located on slopes.
2. Mountain valley. You need large stones covered with moss or covered with bark.
3. Lawn. Perfect option for a flat area. Often this design is complemented by a mountain valley and rocks.
4. Ravine. Great for small crevices. Looks nice with a little artificial waterfall or a body of water.
5. Gorge. It acts as the main component of a landscape with several elements.
6. Stone garden. Performed on a flat area in the style of a Japanese garden.

How to create an alpine slide with your own hands

It cannot be said that creating an alpine slide with your own hands at the dacha is easy. Landscaping the hill should begin with choosing a place for the rock garden. To do this, certain conditions must be met:

• find open place so that the slide is visible from all sides;
• place the flower garden in a sunny, bright place, not shaded by trees;
• It is better to build a rocky hill and conifers in a space sheltered from the wind;
• high level groundwater reduced by drainage.

Alpine slide drainage device

How to make an alpine slide so that it is inexpensive? Do all types of work yourself, starting with drainage. To do this you need:

• pre-mark the future rock garden using pegs and a cord;
• dig a pit, which should be slightly larger in size than the rock garden, and the depth should be at least 0.8 m;
• fill the hole with pebbles, crushed stone or broken bricks to a height of 0.3 m, and fill each layer of backfill with water;
• pour 5-10 cm on top of the gravel layer sand and gravel mixture, which is also filled with water and thoroughly compacted;
• dug and cleaned soil is poured on top of all drainage layers;
• to lay the rock garden you need to wait until the drainage shrinks, and this will take 2-3 weeks;
• an alpine slide of stones, as a rule, begins to be created in the fall so that the soil settles naturally to spring.

Stones for an alpine slide

After the base shrinks, a support structure is laid out around the perimeter, which is created from the largest stones. Their depth is about 60% of the volume. Small pebbles are placed next to large ones so that the rains cannot wash them away, otherwise the entire structure will be damaged. Between the stones you need to leave space for planting a flower bed, placing a home pond, fountain and other garden elements that are provided for according to the plan.

In order not to pay a high price for stones, they are looked for in local quarries or quarries. Often in private courtyards or on farms people want to remove unnecessary stones. The required material is found at construction sites or abandoned sites. True, the choice is limited and you will have to take what is available. therefore, it is better to purchase stones of the same breed for the rock garden, which belong to general type.

Do-it-yourself rock garden - which plants to choose

For a rock garden, choose special vegetation. Flowers must be selected taking into account the timing of flowering, the proximity of different plants and other factors. How to properly make an alpine slide so that it pleases the eye with luxurious blooms not only in summer, but also in the autumn season? For arrangement beautiful flower bed you just need to select low growing plants, which bloom alternately. Low coniferous specimens (dwarf pine, cypress, juniper) look beautiful and natural. For an accent, you can plant a couple of decorative evergreen shrubs (boxwoods, barberries).

It is better to choose perennials, because the flower garden is created for many years. Preferred for the flowerbed are delicate small flowers that are associated with the mountain landscape: armeria, erinus, salvia, primroses, daisies and other varieties. Their choice is very wide, so it’s difficult not to overdo it with the variety of colors. In order not to violate the concept of the rock garden, it is better to first draw its diagram (drawing), which will indicate the flowering dates of the selected plants.

How to make an alpine slide in the garden yourself according to the diagram

The phased creation of an alpine slide requires a certain sequence of actions. When planning, it is taken into account that the rock garden looks most natural when its height does not exceed 1 meter. Alpine slide schemes make the tasks easier. Step-by-step instructions on how to design a rock garden:

1. Site selection. South or southwest side personal plot preferable.
2. Site preparation. Provides for the installation of a high-quality drainage system.
3. Purchase and laying of soil. If the price allows, it is better to buy good soil. Make it yourself by mixing clay soil with peat 3:1.
4. Selection and placement of stones. Depends on the chosen style. It can be shell rock, granite, basalt, limestone, sandstone and others. The color and texture of the stones should be in harmony with the overall picture. To make them look natural, arrange them randomly.
5. Selection and planting of plants. Place them so that they do not block the stones and the view of the entire composition. Flowers are planted in front, then low growing shrubs, and in the background there are dwarf trees. Flowers of the same color are planted in groups.
6. Paths and steps. They are designed to provide access to the flower garden for care. Avoid sharp corners or straight lines, because they do not exist in nature. For paving, strong and flat stones are selected, which are firmly fixed. Ground cover perennials or lawn grass must be sown between them.

A rock garden is an original flower garden, surpassing traditional flower beds in popularity. Even a beginner landscape designer will be able to clearly express himself when arranging it, since this work opens up great scope for creativity. The Alpine slide is created with your own hands for any season and does not require special care. It is only important to choose the right stones and perennials, which 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 at the dacha preparatory stage has even greater significance. The external attractiveness of the flower garden for years to come depends on how competent the first actions are.

Selecting a location

Many experts agree that a hill is the main decoration of any site - cultivated or preserved in its original, “natural” form. To implement 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 with south side a house or a fence, if the slide is “tied” to any structure;
• be protected from the winds.

It is better to place a large alpine slide 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 in early autumn, before it is time to harvest. In addition, during the winter, natural settlement of the flower garden usually occurs, and the gardener has a reserve of time to correct any detected defects before planting the 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 “tie” the flower garden to the area.

The stones in these diagrams are the main characters; depending on their placement, the rock gardens are:

• 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, scree at the bottom);
• 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 arrangement of stones is free);
• ravine (the rock garden is set up in a shell-shaped depression using boulders covered with moss).

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

The pyramid shape is considered an Alpine classic. Its highest point is most often located in the center of the flower bed, 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 diameter of the base is 1 m), then the height is also small - 20 cm on average.

In the pyramidal center you can plant high grades coniferous trees

Which plants to choose

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

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

• undemanding to soil fertility and climatic conditions;
• short and moderately growing;
• not reproducing “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 resistant perennials are selected, since they will receive the least amount of water and will suffer from the wind more than other inhabitants of the rock garden. The famous one would be well suited for this role. mountain edelweiss

. It blooms in the second year after planting, and requires regular replanting to maintain its decorative appearance. Next to the edelweiss you can place Iberis evergreen, whose snow-white buds bloom from May to June, and different varieties

low-growing carnations (grass carnations, dove carnations), one after another they delight with their flowering throughout the summer. Purple mats of creeping thyme look great at the top of the composition, attracting butterflies and bees with their aroma. Record holder for endurance - young, original plant

of fleshy leaves collected in beautiful rosettes.

He also has a place at the top of the composition. The plant only needs small gaps between the stones to gain a foothold in them for many years. Young people can take root in the most unassuming places To fill the middle tier zone, where representatives of the flora get more moisture, and

• Sun rays
• less burning, there are a lot of contenders:
• Carpathian bell - 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 chickweed - valued for its fluffy, silver-colored leaves;
• sunflower coin - evergreen subshrub, white, pink and yellow flowers which blooms throughout the summer;
• alpine aster - with beautiful large buds;
• cotoneaster is an excellent ground cover plant;
• sedum (several types) - 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 of moisture: Indian duchesnea (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 shade can feel comfortable.

Experts suggest choosing Pozharsky's bell, Caucasian bell, and Haller's corydalis.

• Among the trees, preference in the rock garden is given to low-growing coniferous species:
• juniper;
• mountain pine;

Canadian spruce.

All types of juniper have exceptional decorative value, which any gardener will appreciate

• Deciduous trees are practically not used for alpine hills, and experts recommend growing from shrubs:
• Thunberg barberry - its height does not exceed 30 cm, flowering continues all summer, and in the fall the red berries look very decorative;
• evergreen boxwood - tolerates winter well under snow cover;

Japanese spirea is a spherical miniature bush with elegant foliage.

Selection of stones

• Suitable for equipping slides:
• basalt;
• sandstone;

granite. These rocks are strong, with little porosity. Not possessing similar advantages tuff and shell rock are not suitable for rock gardens - they are easily saturated with water and destroyed. Imitation boulders and blocks are not suitable for decorative reasons. industrial production

devoid of naturalness. As for the shape, the stones with sharp corners and rounded - not the best option

. A variety of species and colors within one rock garden is also not welcome (this usually does not happen in nature).

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

They learn from mistakes. The most serious and, unfortunately, common problem among beginners is that they were too lazy to make a reliable drainage system. As a result, the ground subsided, and the hill was almost equal to the surrounding landscape. Water began to stagnate in the flower garden.

This is what the procedure should be after the place for the rock garden has been determined:

1. Make markings for the pit, marking its future boundaries with pegs and “fencing” tapes. The area of ​​the pit should correspond to the size of the proposed flower bed or slightly exceed it. It is necessary to go deeper 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

2. At the bottom, add drainage made of crushed stone, pebbles, brick fragments and construction waste appropriate to the task. The layer (at least 0.3 m thick) should be smooth 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 should also be leveled, spilled with water and compacted.
3. Pour the soil removed while digging the pit over the drainage. But first, clean it of debris and plant roots.
4. Start installing stones after 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

5. After completing the formation of the slide with stones, begin landscaping work.

   Plants must be planted in accordance with seasonal timing.

Little slide

Even a small slide looks decorative, and you will need very little space to decorate it. A one-sided slide is placed near a fence or wall of the house, a round one is placed in the center of the lawn or area.

A miniature rock garden can have a stepped design. To decorate it you will need stones of unusual shapes and colors, very precisely selected plants with a long flowering period.

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

Landscape designers recommend including a pond in the composition - even a tiny one, in the form of a small bowl imitating a lake, it will make the slide more attractive. Creative ideas when creating mini-rock gardens, they are generally welcome - they can, for example, be arranged 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, complemented 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 begin to turn green under the influence of bright rays;
• absolute shade is also not suitable, it will negatively affect the growth and flowering of plants;
• Close neighbors in the form of trees will not be suitable either - their falling leaves will clog both the drain and the reservoir, and regular cleaning will be required.

Since water constantly flows down the slide, the design must be made reliably. If the height of the rock garden is 0.5 m, upper layer The soil will first have to be removed and replaced with crushed stone.

It is also advisable to use geotextiles - a modern, inexpensive material that protects against water erosion (in this case, thermally bonded ones with a density of 250–400 g/m2 are 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 pond with leaves.

Prepare a foundation for a 1 m high waterfall. 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). Tighten the intersections with clamps, then fill the contents of the hole with concrete - in 2 weeks the structure will turn into a monolith.

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

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

Hill with decorative pond

The depth of the reservoir installed near the alpine slide is on average 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 water from stagnating in the pond, a pump is installed at the bottom of the reservoir.

First pour a 5-centimeter layer of sand into the dug pit, pour water on it and compact it. Lay a special insulating film along the bottom of the pond or purchase and install ready-made form, carefully sealing all 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 insulating material. Among the plants suitable for decorating the coastal zone are delphiniums, marsh irises, junipers, and thujas.

One of simple ways creating a pond for an alpine slide - using a regular 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 arranging the rock garden, you may have to strengthen the stones on the hill. What must be done is to add soil, which will be regularly washed away by rains and during irrigation, until in 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 later - pruning, removal of faded buds and dried leaves and fertilizing (without using nitrogen fertilizers, provoking active growth 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 them with some 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 using a mixture consisting of earth, kefir and sugar mixed in a blender. It is applied to stones with a brush. In order for the moss to take root, it is watered for the first 20 days.

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

From frost and excess moisture ornamental crops protected by boxes or structures such as huts. To prevent ground cover from being damaged by damping off, remove fallen leaves from the hill in the fall. It wouldn’t hurt to install a shield near the alpine hill that will protect it from the piercing winds.

I wanted to upgrade my skills in landscape design? Try making an alpine slide with your own hands. We warn you: it’s better not to get down to business without confident skill, otherwise you risk creating a mess in your flowerbed, making your neighbors laugh and being disappointed in the design. The editors of the publication understand the benefits of a rock garden and how to make one yourself.

Alpine slide: photos, ideas, combinations

This exterior element is based on a combination of mountain plants and stone. The Alpine slide is a serious and confident competitor to traditional flower beds and plaster sculptures. The latter is already difficult to surprise anyone, not to mention creating a unique atmosphere in the exterior.

Alpine slides are used for decoration:

• private houses;
• country estates;
• squares;
• gardens;
• lawns of office buildings;
• areas near cafes and shopping centers.

The design of the alpine slide is multi-level. There are many diagrams for beginners that help you avoid getting confused in the arrangement of design elements.

Plants for alpine hills: photos and names

Mainly used conifers and flowers. In terms of cost and practicality, the leaders are:

• juniper;
• spruce (dwarf);
• dryad;
• young;
• short-stemmed carnation.

IMPORTANT! The main rule for selecting plants is a competent combination of all elements of a mini-ecosystem.

How to make an alpine slide? Preparatory work

A few tips before you start arranging your rock garden:

1. take care of its basis - the soil;
2. keep in mind that the design should imitate natural areas typical of rocky terrain;
3. The compositional basis is stones, as well as plants of small height and creeping nature.

IMPORTANT! This is the type of vegetation that is typical for Alpine mountains, the atmosphere of which became the basic idea of ​​the described landscape element.

Creating a rock garden requires the presence of such elements as:

1. sole;
2. slopes leading to the top;
3. vertex.

Therefore, if you want to build an alpine slide, take care of these elements.

Photo of alpine slides in the garden: choosing the type

Before creating on garden plot alpine slide, you should familiarize yourself with their types. This will make it possible to arrange everything as competently and thoughtfully as possible.

Types of alpine slides:

• rock cliff - a hill, which provides a maximum of rock boulders and a minimum amount of vegetation;
• the mountainside is a composition in which stones of various sizes are combined with numerous vegetation. It is quite tall, which is its basic feature;
• mountain valley - a hill consisting of massive stones peeking out of the ground. The stones are surrounded by vegetation;
• gorge - a rock garden built in a natural hollow. The slopes are paved with stones, and plants that belong to rock flora are planted.

The arrangement of an alpine slide of this type is more complex than in previous versions. But there is an opinion that such a rock garden is visually the most spectacular.

There is another kind landscape elements, which stand alongside alpine coasters in popularity, but differ from them. This is a rockery - a garden consisting of stones that act as a background for decorative vegetation.

Although it is not an alpine slide, it has quite an important positive feature. It can be built on completely flat terrain.

Alpine slides: photos of landscape design and step-by-step instructions for creating a rock garden

We decided to keep it simple and, for convenience, divided the process of creating an alpine slide with our own hands into steps.

Do-it-yourself Alpine slide: step-by-step photos

• Step 1. Develop a sketch

Draw a sketch of what your alpine slide should be like. It is not necessary to make full drawings. The main thing is to calculate the number of tiers and think about the vegetation. This approach will make it possible to avoid the mistakes of incorrect planning.

• Step 2. Determine the location

At this stage, it is important to remember the decorative function of the rock garden and that it will be looked at from different angles. It is necessary to plan the location of the alpine slide so that it looks interesting from different angles.

IMPORTANT! Don't forget to plan a place to relax near the rock garden. Nearby you can place a small flat area where you can put a sun lounger, a table, chairs and even install a gazebo.

• Step 3: Create conditions for vegetation

In order for plants to thrive in the ecosystem, the slopes should be located to the east and south. This way the vegetation will receive enough sunlight and heat.

• Step 4. Consider the natural unevenness of the terrain

If there are a lot of natural unevenness in the area, best place Can't find one for a rock garden. Located on natural slopes, the alpine slide will look organic. And stones and plants will become a wonderful decor.

• Step 5. Draw the lines

Lines from the sketch at the appropriate scale are transferred to the site, making it possible to indicate which element should be located and where.

• Step 6. Install the first boulders

The first large boulders should be installed around the perimeter. To make everything look organic, they can be slightly deeper into the ground. This solution will make it possible to visually ensure that the stones are perceived as a natural and integral part of the existing landscape.

• Step 7: Create a Space for Plants

When the boulders are laid around the perimeter and there are clear outlines of the hill, care should be taken to prepare a place for plants. To arrange it, pour in inner space rock garden suitable soil and plant vegetation.

IMPORTANT! The soil of each previous tier becomes not only a habitat for vegetation, but also the basis for the previous one.

This should be done in layers and gradually, separating each tier of the slide with stones. Otherwise, you will end up with something like a “slanted flower bed.”

• Step 8. Top decoration

When the tiers are ready, it's time to form the top. This element can be one large stone or a pair of small ones folded in the shape of a pyramid. In addition to the fact that the top is of decisive importance in the formation of a visually complete image of the composition, it also protects against soil erosion.

Do-it-yourself Alpine slides in the country: photos and the best ideas for the exterior

When flower beds and flower beds cease to amaze with their originality, rock gardens become excellent option. If you understand a simple algorithm for creating a composition, you can try making an alpine slide with a waterfall with your own hands. It can be not only with a waterfall, but also with a fountain.

A rock garden with a waterfall is more difficult to set up, but it is worth all the effort because it looks more impressive.

The sequence of its creation is as follows:

1. we dig out the pit after marking the rock garden;
2. fill the future pond with water;
3. fill the space around with sand, pour water over the edges, make several layers, which we then compact;
4. for the cascade we take stones with a flat surface - their installation is easier;
5. tilt the structure back so that it is not noticeable;
6. make the fastening using polyurethane foam or cement mortar;
7. remove excess building materials;
8. we mount a pump on the bottom (we select the power according to the height of the cascade);
9. We bring the hose to the top of the rock garden and disguise it between the stones.

When all these steps are completed, the fountain is ready.

Alpine slide: photos and editor's choice

If you don’t have ideas for independently developing sketches of an alpine slide, design beautiful rock gardens, photos of which can be viewed below in the gallery, will give rise to interesting ideas.