DIY rock garden in the country: photo

Recently, new trends have appeared in the design of the summer cottage. Flower beds and flower beds are being replaced by fantasy mini-gardens. One of these compositions is a rock garden – an extraordinary rocky lawn that you can build with your own hands.

The combination of austere cold stone with delicate plants creates the feeling of being in the wilderness. Therefore, the rock garden becomes a suitable place for relaxation. This is a worthy decoration of every suburban area and a wonderful way to hide the imperfections of the relief. Even the most unattractive moat or ravine slope can form the basis for an original rock garden..

In general, the rocky garden at the summer cottage has several important advantages:

creating a cozy, secluded place even in a small area;
dividing the garden into functional areas;
masking unsightly objects.

To create a rock garden with your own hands in the country is quite simple – for this you need to see photos of original stone compositions and adhere to the recommendations of experts.

Composition principles

The basis of a rocky garden is usually large stones, and small ones are used for filling. There are several principles for the arrangement of objects in stone composition. They are based on Zen Buddhism concepts focusing on concentration and meditation.

The main principle is the orientation of the structure around only one points of contemplation. Such a point is chosen according to the time of day when the person is in the garden. Usually the point of contemplation is located on the north side, but other variations are also contemplated..
The next important principle is to maintain the contrast between empty and full area..
In addition, you need to take into account compliance asymmetries in the garden concept. In this regard, the Japanese even calculate the reflection of objects in the water and their shadows..
Another principle is odd number of elements rocky garden. In the classic version, objects should be located according to the regular heptagon.
Balancing the vertical and horizontal lines is one of the basic principles. There should be more stones placed in a horizontal position than vertical ones, of which there are already a lot in the garden: trees, fences, structures.

In a rocky garden, attention is focused on stones, a sense of unshakable natural strength and amazing beauty. Few plants perform only one role – they emphasize certain facets of stone fragments, enhance the impression of a combination of grace and strength. The task of such a garden of stones is to dispose a person to think about eternity and a sense of peace..

DIY rock garden: step by step instructions

A garden of stones in the country is usually built where there is an interesting relief. It can be placed in the gap between the fence and the house, which will create a smooth transition from the yard to the buildings. Some forgotten and remote corners of the garden are also great for this purpose. If there is a site with a steep slope, you can decorate it with skillfully placed rocks, between which you can arrange colorful flower arrangements.

In Japan, special masters are engaged in this art, who take into account all the surrounding factors – the position of the site, the size, type and color of the stone. But since for Europeans a garden of stones is mainly a decorative element, the process of its creation is greatly simplified..

Making a rock garden with your own hands starts with preparation of an appropriate basis. At the summer cottage, the contours of the future composition are indicated with a rope and a peg. It is not recommended to make a garden of stones too regular in shape, it is advisable to equip it in a natural style.

Then you can proceed to removing the top layer of soil. The sod is removed with a bayonet shovel to a depth of 8-10 cm.

From the soil eliminate weeds and, if necessary, treat the land with herbicides.

In the recess made, the foundation for the garden of stones is prepared, it is covered with agrofibre and fill pebbles, gravel or sand.

The basis of the landscape ensemble is one or more large picturesque stones. To install them, you need dig grooves, slightly larger than the base of the boulders.
Pour a layer of gravel on the bottom. Then install the block, and fill the space formed around it with a mixture of fine gravel and soil and diligently tamp.

By the same principle, smaller stones are laid out, which are also deepened for stability. By choosing small stones of various tones, you can lay out all kinds of patterns.
The design of a stone garden involves the use of not only stones, but also plants. When planting them, you need to think through everything to the smallest detail. Large boulders look great with tall plants, while small flowers are suitable for areas with small pebbles. It is advisable not to overfill the composition with vegetation. It must be remembered that stone plays the main role in a rocky garden.
To bring some completeness into the finished composition, you need to go to the final stage – decorating. Arrange garden furniture, make paths, install lanterns. Connoisseurs of aesthetics can build arches, an artificial reservoir, waterfalls, fountains, put garden figurines, sundials.

Caring for your rock garden

The rocky garden does not need any special maintenance. But still, there are general recommendations, subject to which a rock garden will always have an interesting and spectacular look.

If there are plants in a rocky garden, then at first they need to be systematically to water, so that they take root well. Over time, watering should be reduced and the plants only need to be watered. Small stones retain moisture for a long time, not allowing the soil to dry out. Therefore, after adaptation of plants, you can refuse to water for a long time..
The main problem of the rock garden is weeds. With the active germination of these plants, it is very difficult to remove them from under the gravel layer. Because of this, agrofibre is laid on the bottom of the site, and the soil is carefully cleaned of roots beforehand. In order not to destroy the garden, you need to get rid of the emerging weeds in a timely manner..
Debris removal Is another important task. For this, you can use a wire rake and a stiff brush. It is necessary to carefully sweep away all the litter from the stone platform. And if the backfill is loose, then the garbage must be removed by hand.
After a few years, it is desirable update gravel bed, using gravel or the stone that was originally used.