Small mountain landscapes are modeled in the rock garden. In addition to the selection of stones, suitable perennials play an important role.
A rock garden can be a gravel garden, a planted dry stone wall or a scree garden. They are planted with cushion perennials, sedum species, ornamental grasses, flowering perennials or bulbous plants. This can be used to recreate mountain landscapes or to represent habitats that have been reclaimed by the plant world.
The ideal location for a rock garden is on a gentle south-facing slope. On the one hand, the rock garden perennials have ideal growth conditions, on the other hand, the stones store heat during the day, which they give off at night. This creates a microclimate in the rock garden that benefits the perennials and small animals. Rock gardens can also be created in shady areas. These are preferably planted with ferns, hostas, elf flowers and bergenias.
Which stones for the rock garden?
In the most common cases, rock gardens are based on large stones, stone or gravel. However, stone is not just stone. A few things should be considered when making your selection:
- Use large and expressive stones - not too many.
- Choose light-colored stones that create a striking contrast with the green and colors of the flowering perennials.
- The shape of the stones can be different: round or square.
- The stones are distributed without a recognizable pattern. This gives the rock garden a natural look.
- Sink the stones into the ground - they will find enough support on the surface of your rock garden.
» Tip: A small stream gives your rock garden a special flair.
Planting perennials in the rock garden - prepare the soil well
Before you create a rock garden, you should check the quality of the soil. It should be well drained to avoid waterlogging. Prolonged wetness causes root rot in stone bed perennials.
- The selected area for the rock garden must be thoroughly cleaned of weeds and their roots. After all, no weeds should sprout between the slow-growing rock garden perennials.
- If you've ever done groundwork, you can - everas desired - also dig troughs or a future stream. They give your rock garden a special structure.
- Now cover the ground with a layer of grit or round gravel about 20 centimeters thick. This serves as drainage for optimal water drainage from precipitation.
- Now place fleece over the drainage layer. This prevents soil from seeping into the drainage and silting up later.
- Now the stones can be laid out and the gaps filled with soil substrate. One third of this consists of humus. Otherwise, the soil in the interstices should be low in nitrogen and loose.
Create the rock garden with perennials
A rock garden is attractive when the stones and plants are in a harmonious relationship. Stones and plants should come into their own. It is therefore advisable to select carpet and cushion-forming perennials for the rock garden. Bulb plants are a great way to add structure to your rock garden.
Suitable perennials for the rock garden
| Carpet forming perennials | Dwarf Perennials | Grasses for the rock garden | Perennial onions for structuring |
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