Simple DIY alpine slides. Alpine slide: design instructions. How to make a rocky hill from a large stone

17.06.2019

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Mikhail Yurjevich Lermontov

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Alpine slide at the dacha or in a country house - this is very fashionable. It is in great demand because it promotes peace and complete rest. Most often, it is not built independently, but with the help of specialists. Designers, of course, know their business, but the cost of their services is sometimes fabulous. In fact, there is nothing complicated in arranging a rock garden, and you can do it yourself in just a day or two. You just need to understand some of the subtleties so as not to make typical mistakes.

Stages of work

Several stages can be distinguished:

First of all, you need to choose a place for a rock garden or rock garden.
The second stage is the installation of drainage.
When the site is ready, you need to pick up the stones and lay them.
The next step is to prepare the soil for the vegetation.
The fifth stage is planting plants.

The whole process consists of only five stages, each of which must be analyzed in detail.

First you need to choose a sunny and visible corner on the site. Rock garden is a piece wildlife, created artificially. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that both stones and plants fit organically into the landscape.

A shaded place is not suitable for such purposes. Likewise, an area hidden from view will not work. The best place for the slide - south side. Usually here optimal lighting during daylight hours.

Site drainage

You need to build on a good drainage system. Otherwise, one fine day the soil under the alpine hill will begin to sag, and it will no longer look so aesthetically pleasing and natural.

How to make a drainage system?

First you need to dig a pit.
The depth of the pit depends on the area of the future rocky garden. So, for a rock garden measuring 2.5 by 2.5 meters, the optimal pit depth will be about 1 meter.
A drainage system must be installed at the bottom. Here you can use sand, crushed stone, construction waste, and shards. Wood shavings, however, should not be used.
Fertile soil is placed on top of the drainage.
The last stage is compaction.

Stones for the slide

When the drainage is ready, you need to pick up the stones.

The stones are laid in tiers. Below are the larger ones. At the very top you can put some unusual or especially beautiful specimen of a boulder.

Soil for plants

In order to plant vegetation on an alpine hill, you need to carefully prepare the soil. You can do it yourself. To do this you need to take clay soil, clean enough so that later they will not appear on it weeds. The soil is mixed with peat. There should be three times less peat than soil. Next, you need to add a little gravel to the soil composition.

The soil is poured into the places intended for planting. These may be clefts and free places between boulders. You can also simply sprinkle soil over the rocks.

Vegetation selection

Plants for an alpine hill are selected according to certain criteria.

They must be unpretentious. This ensures that the owner does not have to constantly maintain his stone garden. After all, a rock garden should be as natural as possible. This means that human intervention in his environment should be limited.
Plants should please the eye not only in summer, but even in the cold season.
All vegetation must coexist peacefully. You should avoid planting species that are hostile to each other on the hill.

For your alpine hill, choose unpretentious and cold-resistant plants that are compatible with each other.

The top is usually planted with low-growing shrubs. These can be either deciduous or coniferous trees. To be able to enjoy the beauty of your creation all year round, you need to plant both types of shrubs. From coniferous species Juniper, mountain pine and thuja are perfect. As for deciduous trees, you can plant cotoneaster here. However, the choice of trees is best left to the owner.

Flowers for an alpine hill are selected according to the same criteria. The most important thing is their compatibility and unpretentiousness.

Rock garden or rock garden

Rockery is a garden of rocks, rock garden is a garden of plants.

A rock garden is, first and foremost, a rock garden. Here vegetation may not be used at all or present at a minimum. Rockeries are usually not very tall.
A rock garden can be up to three meters high, which is 3 times the size of the tallest rock garden.

History of rock gardens and rockeries

Structures such as rock gardens and rockeries exist in oriental culture already three thousand years. They came to the West a couple of centuries ago from China and Japan. Possessing a special charm, rock gardens instantly won the hearts of aristocrats and wealthy people.

Very soon a fashion arose to create such recreation areas. The philosophy behind creating these structures is that they are unique. There are many rock gardens in the world. However, it is impossible to find at least two similar ones.

Scheme

Use the techniques that nature itself provides. There are quite a lot of such sketches, and some of them are very difficult for a beginner. However, there is also quite real projects. For example, “Alpine Highlands” is one of the classic versions of such structures. It follows the features of a typical highland area. Created from boulders and stones. Plants such as edelweiss and gentian are planted on them. At the very top you can place small pine trees. True, you will have to take care of the flowers. They are growing too fast.

More complex varieties of rock gardens can resemble gorges, swamps and ravines. This type of work will require several days of hard work.

More realistic for self-creation a slide imitating an alpine slope with an embankment. Pines will look great on such a slope.

Imitation of a rocky cliff is also suitable for self-construction. True, difficulties may arise with stones. This will require very heavy boulders, so workers will need to be involved. Plants such as wormwood and ferns can be planted on the cliff. At the top, juniper bushes and pine trees will look good. Thanks to the presence of coniferous trees, the rock garden will decorate the garden all year round.

Find an idea for stone garden You can look at pictures of nature. A rock garden is a type of creativity that in itself pacifies. In order to create a masterpiece, you just need to be able to observe. Standard circuits doesn't exist here. After all, even two slopes cannot resemble each other.

Video: about the features of creating a rock garden

Video: procedure for constructing an alpine slide

Photo

If you do not want to do this work yourself, then order landscape design and landscape design of a summer cottage. Landscaping also includes planting trees, flower beds and landscaping.

Alpine slide is a smaller copy of a mountainous area. Usually, in the central part of such a flowerbed, a cobblestone or several cobblestones are installed, which are a symbol 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 appears on them fertile layer, on which plants subsequently grow. To recreate such a mountain landscape in your garden or dacha, you need certain knowledge.

Suitable for such a large-scale structure as a rocky flower bed 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. Construction of an alpine slide

Making an alpine slide with your own hands

A hand-made alpine slide will decorate the entire local area. 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

To begin with, determine the location. In order to do this, you need to pay attention to the lighting. An area that is illuminated for as long as possible is suitable for a rock garden. the sun. Also, the composition should be clearly visible from all sides.

Designation base contour(sole) slides and removal of the top fertile layer to a depth of about 30 cm.
Device drainage system . The bottom layer can be made of gravel big size, pieces of brick or, in extreme cases, from construction waste. After this, a layer of sand about five centimeters thick is laid. A fertile layer of soil 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 we begin placement of stones And erection of the core 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 at the dacha consists of an odd number of tiers. Between these tiers they lay wet soil, which must be compacted well.
Tip: when laying stones, you should avoid symmetry. You can leave spaces between the stones for planting or group stones next to each other. It is also necessary to immediately decide on support stones on which you can stand when caring for vegetation. They should be compacted and secured.
Plant vegetation.

Plants for alpine hills - selection rules

Building an alpine slide with your own hands requires knowledge and certain skills. This especially applies to the choice of vegetation. First of all, you need to decide color palette rock garden. After this, you should draw a sketch of the future rocky garden. To follow up color scheme It is necessary to decorate the sections of the slide with the appropriate colors. Only after this can you start choosing a plant for an alpine hill for your dacha.

DIY Alpine slide. Photo

Look good low coniferous plants. You can also use small shrubs, which bloom in spring and bear fruit in autumn.

Coniferous plants that are suitable for landscaping an alpine hill with your own hands

dwarf spruce. This plant tolerates drought well;
juniper. This unpretentious plant grows in shape like 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 top and a dark green base.

Deciduous plants for alpine hills

To garden an alpine hill with your own hands, you should not choose deciduous plant species. Since fallen leaves must be removed regularly so as not to harm other vegetation. The following plants are chosen for the slides:

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

Flowers for an alpine slide

To build a classic alpine slide with your own hands, use low, creeping, “carpet” plants. It is best to give preference to perennials. The following flowers can be used for landscaping:

short-stemmed carnation. This low-growing, richly flowering plant with narrow gray-blue-green leaves is unpretentious. Suitable for landscaping open sunny areas;
rock alyssum- a perennial whose leaves are gray-green. The peculiarity of this plant is that its leaves remain green even in winter. The multi-flowered panicle inflorescences contain small bright yellow leaves;
looked younger- a perennial plant with a wide color palette of leaves. They can be green, silver, yellowish, pink, burgundy;
saxifrage- traditional inhabitants of rock gardens. Flowering period is May-August. The five-petalled flowers are white, pink or yellow.

In order for the alpine hill at the dacha to delight you with its beauty every year, you should plant bulbous and corm flowers. Long-flowering crops are suitable to create a contrasting background. A well-groomed lawn will also be the ideal setting.

What to do if an alpine slide settles in the spring?

Sometimes an alpine slide made with a violation of construction technology can settle. There may be several reasons for this.

Poorly chosen plot or lack drainage. It is better to arrange a rock garden on a natural hill or on an area with a slope. If the slide is placed on loamy or clayey soils, then it is necessary to make a drainage layer. For these purposes, you can use gravel or stones.
Incorrectly selected substrate, vegetation And cobblestones. For an alpine slide with your own hands, it is better to choose the following mixture of soil: compost, sand and peat in equal proportions.

How to avoid shrinkage of flower beds

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

Alpine slide made of conifers

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

Stones for alpine slides

Natural flat cobblestones are suitable for such rocky gardens different sizes original form. You should also give preference to stones with a non-uniform surface, with all kinds of “inclusions”, recesses in which moss or small plant. Limestones, boulders, sandstones, granite, and slates look good.

Decorating an alpine slide with your own hands

Stones and vegetation are used to decorate the alpine slide. In order to position them correctly, you need to follow some recommendations, namely:

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

Rock garden and rock garden: differences and similarities

Rock garden and rock garden are two different ways of arranging a flower bed. A rockery is a flower bed of stones, most of which is occupied by stones of the same type. Cobblestones are laid parallel to each other or in random order. Chaotically placed stones imitate the natural environment. The rock garden also contains vegetation, but in the form of a background that plays a secondary role. In the alpine hill, bright vegetation comes to the fore.

DIY Alpine slide. Video instructions

Video. DIY Alpine slide

DIY Alpine slide. Video

Alpine slide with a waterfall. Video instruction

It is impossible to imagine the landscape design of an individual or summer cottage without picturesque corners intended to decorate the garden and so please the eyes of their owners. “Highlight” that can instantly transform your appearance garden landscape- an exotic guest for our latitudes, originally from the Mediterranean - an alpine hill, created in the form of an island of wild nature of the Alpine mountains, made of rock with bright splashes of lush vegetation. We invite you to figure out how this design works.

Types and diagrams of a rock garden

Armed with patience and imagination, you can easily create a rock garden with your own hands. Let's look at how to properly plan and lay an alpine slide without involving specialized specialists. note that main component during the construction of a rock garden, it is a group of stones of various sizes, the “gray silence” of which is diluted with representatives of the flora characteristic of the alpine area - conifers, cover plants and saxifrage plants. Creating a rock garden at or near the dacha country house, you are forming a mountainous fragment of nature that resembles a natural one, so both stones and plants need to be placed in a chaotic, natural way.

The rock garden serves bright decoration garden, standing out against the green lawn

Depending on the principle by which the stones are selected and placed, rock gardens come in the following types:

Rock- a steep alpine hill with dominant large boulders at the base, surrounded by medium and small stones located closer to the top.
Scree or mountain slope- a rock garden with one slope, where large stones are located closer to the top, and a small stone scattering at the base.
mountain valley- a horizontal composition of a rock garden with boulders, medium and small stones, arranged in a free manner.
Terraced slope- rock garden of this type organized on a gentle slope in the form of small steps supported by large stone blocks.
Forest ravine- such a rock garden is located in a shell-like recess, decorated with massive boulders covered with moss.
rocky wall- a rock garden formed primarily from stone flat shape, folded in the form of a low border.
Separately, I would like to highlight the latest fashion trend - rock garden " Czech rolling pin". We wrote a separate article about him -.

Sometimes an alpine slide is called. In fact, a rock garden differs from a rock garden in the selection of stones - when laying it, not only rocks, but also river boulders round shape or large pebbles.

An original solution for decorating a fence could be a rock garden in the form of a rocky wall made of layered stone

Choosing a location

When choosing a place to create a rock garden on your plot of land, you need to take into account that you are creating an accent designed to decorate your garden, therefore, you need to place the alpine slide on open space so that it is an area with good visibility from all sides. As a rule, an alpine slide is laid out in the center or on the edge of a grass lawn. It is best to orient the rock garden to the south or southwest - this way it will be well lit by the sun and receive a sufficient amount of heat.

An alpine slide in the center of a green lawn will become a dominant element in the landscape design of your site

The terraced alpine slide will harmoniously fit into the natural topography of the garden

When laying an alpine slide, it is necessary to avoid places adjacent to buildings and in the shade of massive trees, however, shrubs or trees may be present in the background, at some distance, to create a backdrop for the spectacular perception of the rock garden. It’s not bad when the rock garden is integrated into the existing landscape of the land, located on a gentle slope or in a ravine, fitting into the natural differences in elevation - lowlands and hills of the site.

Strive to ensure that the trees and shrubs in the background of the rock garden are uniform in color. A colorful background will distract from the integral perception of the alpine hill as an accent element of the landscape of the site.

The staircase leading up the slope can be beautifully complemented by an alpine slide that imitates a rocky landscape

The starting point for creating a rocky slide can be a diagram of a rock garden, drawn to scale, where you will first plan the placement of stones and planting. If the rock garden is supposed to be placed in the depths of the garden, you need to think through the paths and paths leading to it.

A bench, lost in the depths of the garden, surrounded by a wild corner of nature originally from the Alps, can be a wonderful place for a secluded relaxation

It looks spectacular when an alpine hill is crossed by a rocky winding path or a dry stream of small stones, and nearby there is a bench or grotto with a bench, from where you can admire the result of your landscape creativity.

The rock garden looks great in tandem with a small lake overgrown with reeds and water lilies

A rock garden with a pond looks very harmonious, especially if it is a slightly swampy body of water with characteristic moisture-loving plants, planted along the shore. An interesting solution for designing a pond would be to plant a large tree or coniferous bush on a tiny “patch” of land adjacent to the water. This technique will visually expand the boundaries of the site.

Rock garden created from huge stone blocks in combination with a small waterfall, will truly decorate your garden

An effective accent of an alpine slide combined with a pond can be a small waterfall falling from an artificial gorge or a stone wall.

Step-by-step stages of arranging a rock garden

Preparatory work for laying

Using a pre-created rock garden plan, start laying it by marking the selected area - determine the diameter of the slide, its height and the location of large accent stones. The height of the slide is calculated based on the diameter of its base - 1 m of base is equal to 10-20 cm of height. The height of the rock garden is optimally within 0.5-1.5 meters.

Create a diagram of an alpine slide, indicating its dimensions and placement of the main elements of the composition

Shape the slopes of the alpine hill so that one of them is flatter and oriented to the south

Many people wonder how to make a rock garden resistant to natural processes of destruction under the influence of wind, groundwater and precipitation? It is best to start arranging a rock garden in the fall and carefully prepare the foundation for it. Soil preparation prior to the creation of an alpine hill consists of clearing the site and removing the top layer of soil to a depth of 20-30 cm.

Before laying the rock garden, form a drainage layer to drain water

This recess is necessary for drainage - drainage of water from the rock garden, for which it is filled with gravel, expanded clay, crushed brick or construction waste to a height of 10 cm. A 5-centimeter layer of coarse sand is poured on top, then a 15-centimeter layer of soil, onto which, subsequently , stones are laid and plants are planted.

When arranging a terraced rock garden, a large stone is laid at the base of each tier

When preparing a site for a rock garden, pay special attention to weeding to get rid of perennial weeds such as wheatgrass, which, when germinating, can destroy the slide from the inside. It is advisable to additionally treat the area for planting the rock garden with herbicides.

Creating a basic composition of stones

Start creating a composition of stones by laying large blocks at the base of the alpine hill

A composition of stones is the basis of any rock garden. It is important to select stones of the same type, but of different sizes, for the entire hill - several large boulders, medium and small stones. Provide flat stones- they will serve as a kind of steps for movement when caring for the alpine slide. You need to start laying stones from the bottom up - from large to small, grouping and distributing them. It would be a mistake to lay the stones in a regular manner, maintaining equal distances between them. Rock garden stones should be placed randomly, as close as possible to the natural mountain landscape.

When arranging an alpine hill, the stones need to be slightly buried in the soil

When laying an alpine hill, the stones are buried to 1/2 or 1/3 of their height, and then additionally covered with fertile soil, which contains equal parts of turf soil, peat, humus and sand. After the gaps between the stones are covered, the earth is compacted and watered with a spray jet so that the soil is not washed away. It is not recommended to plant plants immediately after arranging the composition of stones - the slide needs to be given about 2-3 weeks for it to settle and sag a little. It is best if the hill survives the winter, and in the spring you can start planting.

Another point - when you form a composition of stones, periodically move away from the slide at a distance of 3-5 meters to assess its harmony and integrity.

Selection and planting of plants

Having overwintered, the rock garden is ready for planting in the spring. Typically, these are plants characteristic of the highlands of the Alps. First, shrubs are planted, then herbaceous species plants, and finally - ground cover "Alpines". Plants for a rock garden should be selected in such a way that the slide looks spectacular at any time of the year, pleasing the eye with the blooming of spring primroses, the bright foliage of ground cover flora and evergreen conifers.

To plant a plant, a hole is dug in the ground between the stones, the bottom of which is reinforced with gravel, where the plant is then placed. After planting, the ground around is compacted and mulched with fine gravel.

Proper placement of plants will promote their growth and enhance the aesthetic appearance of the alpine slide

The center of a coniferous rock garden composition can be a dwarf weeping tree

It is important to know that a rock garden made of conifers, when the stone composition is diluted with evergreen shrubs and trees, can be a fairly unpretentious option for landscape design.

How to choose a suitable stone?

When choosing a stone for a rock garden, you need to pay attention to its size, shape and surface features. Considering that the rock garden imitates a mountain landscape, where the stones are polished by precipitation and winds and have an irregular but natural shape, it is undesirable to use a round stone of river origin or scrap stone with sharp edges for an alpine slide.

A good choice for a rock garden would be limestone or sandstone. Dolomite is suitable - sedimentary rock, shale with a layered structure, basalt, travertine, calcareous tuff, light gneiss. A forest boulder overgrown with moss and lichen will be a particularly valuable specimen for a rock garden.

To form an alpine slide, it is necessary to select stones of different sizes - from huge blocks to fine gravel

An excellent choice for an alpine slide would be sandstone - a layered stone of light beige tones.

Stone options for creating a rock garden:

White-green quartz - fragmentary stone, smoothed in fragments, ranging in size from 20 to 60 centimeters, mined in the Orenburg region;
Milky quartz is a stone with uneven rough surface from 30 to 70 cm, mined in the Urals;
Sirpantenite is a silver or green stone, 25-45 cm in size, mined in the Caucasus, 15 rubles/kg;
Elbrus - gray or beige stone, size 20-90 cm, 11 rub./kg;
“Petrified wood” made of oblong quartzite, yellow-beige color with veins, size 20-50 cm, 16 RUR/kg;
Jasper green and red, size 20-60 cm, 12 rub./kg;
Green coil - stone size 20-80 cm, 19 rubles/kg;
Quartz “Rainbow” - a stone of yellow-brown color, size 10-70 cm, 11 rub./kg;
Sandstone is a stone of arbitrary rounded shape, sandy or gray, with a size of 30-90 cm.

If you use limestone to create a rock garden, then the soil poured between the stones will have an alkaline reaction, unsuitable for some plants, so the soil will have to be acidified.

Plants for planting in rock gardens

Shade-tolerant alpine plants that are planted on the northern slope of the rock garden:

An effective solution for a rock garden in the form of a stone fence - a variegated flower cover

Periwinkle and carnation are traditional inhabitants of alpine hills

Light-loving alpine plants that are planted on the southern slope of the alpine hill:

Adonis is a perennial with colorful flowers.
Acena - does not lose foliage in winter, and after flowering the flowers take on the appearance of red needle-shaped balls.
Decorative bow - large leaves combined with long vertical arrows with a spherical color.
Iris - perennial bulbous plant with orchid-like flowers.
Lavender is an evergreen shrub with fine purple flowers.
Juveniles are small rosettes of fleshy leaves of light green color.

The combination of cover plants with saxifrage and primroses creates a harmonious plant composition of the rock garden

Universal plants for alpine hills:

Arabis - perennial ground cover plant, blooms in May and late autumn.
Bluebell - has abundant color from July to October.
Crocus is a corm plant, primrose.
Muscari is a bulbous plant that resembles hyacinth.

An interesting move in the design of a rocky path is the combination wooden steps and coniferous rock garden

Evergreen plants that harmoniously and naturally complement the rock ensemble of the alpine hill:

Norway spruce and Canadian spruce;
Mountain pine;
Cossack juniper, rocky or ordinary.

Shrubs that form an intermediate layer between low trees and ground cover crops in rock gardens:

Almond;
Russian broom;
Spiraea japonica;
Red-leaved barberry;
Euonymus;
Heather;
Cotoneaster horizontal;
Bloodroot.

Forest boulders overgrown with lichen located on the shore of a reservoir - original idea for decorating a rock garden

Caring for a rock garden involves weeding, removing dried inflorescences and rare watering. The alpine hill is fertilized with phosphate and potassium fertilizers, but not often - only to prepare for winter. To protect against frost in winter time plants are covered with shavings, spruce branches or burlap. When snow falls, snow cover is constantly maintained on the hill to help the plants survive the winter.

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WITH edit original landscape in the territory suburban area An alpine slide with stones at the dacha with your own hands will help: photos of which can be seen in this review. If there is an uneven surface or a ledge in your dacha, you can try to create a similar structure.Alpine slides are made in the form of mountainous slopes, rocky surfaces or plateaus. Composition from unusual plants and stones of the original configuration can be built on your own. At the same time, it can be given any dimensions and shapes.

An example of an alpine slide with stones

Do-it-yourself alpine slide projects with stones at the dacha, photos of which are presented below, are non-standard solutions. Exist useful rules when creating these objects, but the embodiment of ideas is only a creative approach.

There are two types of flower beds - rock gardens and rock gardens. This different ways arrangement of flower beds. Rockery is one of the classic types of garden. Most of the structure is occupied by stone. Required element A rock garden is a large stone or even several that symbolize a mountain peak.

Interesting fact! The birthplace of the alpine slide is Japan. It was in this country that they learned to create beauty and splendor in small areas due to a shortage of territories. In Europe, similar flower beds appeared in the 16th century. At the same time, intricate plants were transplanted from the natural conditions of the mountain environment.

To make an original alpine slide, the following conditions will be required:

The presence of boulders of attractive shapes and different sizes.
The site should be located on a slope and have uneven terrain.
It is necessary to form a proper drainage system. For this, crushed stone, broken brick or sand are used.
A variety of plants are used and planted on slopes.

If possible, a do-it-yourself alpine slide with stones in the country, photos and types of which can be very diverse, should be isolated from the playground and. Such a facility should be located close to water supplies and recreation areas. You should not place the slide near flower beds with lush blooms.

Helpful advice! The height of the slide should not greatly contrast with the surrounding landscape. Colors, textures and shapes should be harmoniously combined with all the elements around.

Related article:

DIY Alpine slide. Step-by-step photos, drawings and competent planning of your own unique composition on your summer cottage. Recommendations from designers and some tricks in special material.

Varieties and styles of rockeries and alpine slides

A rockery is a simplified version of an alpine slide. An important difference is the absence of a hill. A do-it-yourself alpine slide with stones at the dacha, photos and views of which are presented below, requires constant care.

The following types of rock garden are distinguished:

A popular option is a rocky hill, which is a small hill with scattered stones.

A landscape rock garden combines a rocky plain, a rocky slope or a waterfall. It is suitable for any architectural structures.

Special limestone is used to construct the terraced slope. Such an element consists of supporting walls.

Rocks and cliffs are considered the original solution for a rock garden. They look great with hilly landscapes.

The mountain slope represents an exact imitation of high mountain areas. In this case, plants are used in the form of pyramids.

Interesting and stylish composition considered a mountain valley.

An alpine lawn is considered a stylish option. It can look like an alpine meadow between boulders standing at a certain distance.

The composition of a forest ravine can be decorated with a spring or an artificial waterfall.

Options for an alpine slide with stones at the dacha with your own hands can be seen in the photo. In different countries, such structures have their own characteristics.

When planning landscape design on a site, it is worth considering the following areas:

Slide in english style decorated with many ornamental plants. The predominant quantities are cereals and conifers.

Japanese buildings are decorated with lanterns and various bodies of water. In this case, source simulations can be used.

IN Chinese garden the slide is covered big amount stones. The landscape is also complemented by water, which can occupy most of the site and stone bridges and islands.

The Karelian style is characterized by the use of torn and crushed stones, which are laid in horizontal layers. The plants used are dwarf spruces.

Helpful information! Rockeries can be flat. With their help, the site is divided into functional zones.

Video: 50 examples of alpine slides for every taste

Installation stages

Previously, such landscape design structures were created in country estates by designers. Now you can use step-by-step instructions to create a beautiful object on own plot on one's own.

Site selection

Work on creating a slide begins with marking the area. The location for the structure should be well lit and visible. A sunny south side of the site is suitable. It must be taken into account that a pile of stone blocks is not suitable for a small area. You should not place a rock garden along or against the background of fruit trees.

Helpful information! Designers advise placing the slide near a pond or next to a recreation area.

Preparatory work

Installing an alpine slide with stones at your dacha with your own hands, which can be seen in the photo, requires the presence of a high-quality drainage system. Depending on the planned dimensions of the structure, a pit is dug. To create the bottom layer, crushed brick or gravel is used. Then the sand is distributed. All layers are filled well with water. You can purchase soil for the structure or prepare it yourself. To do this, the soil mixture must be mixed with peat in a ratio of 3 to 1. Then a little gravel is added to the composition. First, drainage is done, and soil is laid on top.

Drainage system

Drainage is performed to protect against excess water. Strong accumulation of water leads to poor growth plants and subsidence of stones. Crushed stone and pebbles are selected for the drainage layer.

Laying out stones

The stones are laid in tiers. In this case, large boulders are used to lay out the foundation. Smaller stones are laid out on top. To ensure stability of the composition, large boulders are buried two-thirds into the ground.

When installing stones, you should consider some parameters:

The dimensions of the boulders are selected in proportion to the dimensions of the rock garden.
The decor of the slide should look natural.
The pile is made of stones of a certain type.

Do-it-yourself terraced alpine slide with stones at the dacha: the photo is made from rough terrain rocks. The stones are installed on the slope in the form of stone walls and have different lengths and shapes. Polished and smooth stones look good next to an artificial pond.

Helpful information! On a site with different levels, all elements are laid out evenly. When creating a flat structure, the stones are half deepened. Large stones are the central accent in the composition, and small ones are used to decorate the borders.

Plant selection

A combination of stones and plants will decorate the composition. Perennial flowers, conifers and wild grasses will help create a natural landscape. Plants are selected depending on location and general style registration First, the area of the structure is compacted and watered, and then plants can begin to be planted.

Article

The Alpine slide is a fashionable attribute for arranging modern garden and park areas. Making a rock garden at your dacha with your own hands: step-by-step photos, diagrams, selection of plants.

Choosing a location for an alpine slide

When choosing a place for an alpine slide, it is important to provide for the following conditions:

In landscape design, there are many styles of garden design, including elements of a desert landscape, rocky gardens, ponds and bridges, which must be in harmony with the built hill.

Making a slide with your own hands is most preferable when decorating a garden. By doing the work yourself, you can avoid high costs for the services of a landscape architect. Having step-by-step photos and diagrams for arranging the slide, it will not be difficult to complete the work of constructing a rock garden with your own hands.

It is very important to do it right preparatory work so that the slide is stable

Alpine slide - preparation

First you need to determine the location on the site where the slide will be located. Shouldn't grow nearby perennial shrubs and trees, which can eventually shade the plants on the hill. A place that is open on all sides and accessible to view from all corners of the garden must be dry. High level groundwater will adversely affect the durability and strength of the slide base. In this case, the groundwater level must be lowered using special drainage.

Do-it-yourself drainage under an alpine slide (step-by-step guide).

Do-it-yourself alpine slide arrangement diagram

While natural shrinkage of the soil occurs, you can draw up a diagram, determine the location of boulders and stones on the hill, and select the type of vegetation for planting. To create a rock garden you will need:

natural stones, including pebbles;
coarse sand;
ornamental plants and flowers, including – miniature trees and shrubs;
sphagnum moss.

Scheme: arrangement of an alpine slide

Scheme and detailed plan, according to which the rock garden will be created, must take into account that the construction of the slide is carried out at a height of 1 to 3 m.

Advice. If the height of the rock garden is over 1 meter, a slide core is required.

The Alpine slide is a very unusual element of the garden, changing its appearance several times a season.

Scheme: alpine slide in layers

Rock garden stones - choosing the right ones

Typically, when building a slide, natural rock stones are used: basalt, granite, sandstone, limestone, as well as rare rocks that are characterized by low porosity and strength. It is undesirable to use tuff, shell rock and dolomite to construct the slide. These rocks absorb water strongly because they are porous, so the stones quickly collapse.

Stones for an alpine slide must be durable and of different sizes

The shape and color of the stones are of great importance. You should avoid round-shaped stones, as well as excessively sharp-angled boulders. Stones of different colors look harmonious only on alpine slides of a certain type. The classic version of arranging a slide involves using stones of the same type, but of different shapes.

Scheme: deepening stones for an alpine slide

The stones are placed on the hill so that the edges in the viewing area have the most attractive shape. Stones with defects should be disguised by placing them in the most favorable way. Stones should be laid taking into account size and weight, ensuring the most harmonious appearance created slide. Stones should be placed randomly, in the most natural way, so it is better not to use stone blocks and artificial boulders made industrially.

DIY Alpine slide - selection of plants

The construction of an alpine hill, especially the selection of plants, requires additional knowledge about plant varieties and agricultural technology. Plants are selected depending on the type of hill. Rocky slide for sunny places requires certain drought-resistant plants. The classic version of the rock garden involves planting miniature trees and shrubs, perennial herbs and flower crops.

Example No. 1. Decorating an alpine slide with plants

They have proven themselves excellent when planted in rockeries: fescue, lavender, rock alyssum, geranium, sedum, Iberis, young, lumbago. Small-bulbous plants planted in small groups feel great on rocky hills: crocuses, scylla, miniature hyacinths, low-growing tulips and hazel grouse. Small-bulbous plants bloom in the spring, when few plants are still blooming and the hill looks unpresentable. Everything changes when bright, blooming crocuses appear from under the snow.

Example No. 2. Plants for alpine hills

To create a highly decorative slide, it is necessary to provide for planting perennial plants having different periods flowering. Then the slide will look unusual and decorative throughout the entire period. A riot of colors flowering plants will please the eye from spring to autumn.

It is especially important to consider the height of the plants used when planting in rockeries. Too tall specimens should not depress low-growing varieties, thereby influencing their full development. Bright plants should be placed in the foreground, in the viewing area.

The basis of the composition are miniature trees, especially conifers: spruce, juniper, cypress, pine. These plants have different shape crowns and look great on an alpine hill.

Decorative flowering shrubs, used for arranging an alpine hill: rhododendrons, Erica, blueberries and lingonberries.

Perennial crops perfectly complement the alpine hill: bergenia, astilbe, daylily (low-growing), drooping reed.

Alpine slide surrounded by lawn

Advice: when forming a rockery, preference should be given to decorative deciduous plants, which retain their beauty even in the absence of flowers.

How to properly care for a rock garden?

In the first year, you will need to add soil several times, which is washed away during watering and precipitation, and also, if necessary, strengthen the stones. View various videos and photos taken by professional landscape designers, will help you do this work correctly. The soil is poured carefully and compacted.

The soil should be evenly distributed between the stones

Caring for plants involves timely watering, removing faded flowers, damaged leaves, and pruning. During the season, plants should be fertilized several times with appropriate fertilizers. You should not use nitrogen fertilizers, they cause rapid growth of the plant, which should be avoided when planting on a hill.

Advice. Do not overfeed the plants on the alpine hill. Plants should not be overgrown.

Water the plants carefully using a hose or watering can with a sprayer, making sure that the soil is not washed away.

It is advisable to strengthen loose and falling stones.

Various small bodies of water will look very beautiful on an alpine hill

If necessary, plants are treated with pest control agents. Diseased plants that cannot be cured must be removed and the soil replaced at the site of their growth.

When replanting plants can be used to relieve stress special drug- epin.

Alpine slides in landscape design

An alpine slide that does not require painstaking care will be a wonderful decoration for the entire summer cottage

The design of park areas increasingly includes the creation of decorative rock gardens. The rock garden serves as a continuation of the rocky gardens and is in perfect harmony with ponds, bridges, decorative lanterns, lawns and vertical gardening. Creating an alpine slide with your own hands on summer cottage, will perfectly decorate the territory, bring charm and variety to the landscape design of the site.