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How to make an alpine slide in the country. Alpine slide, do it yourself step by step

Before you build an alpine slide, evaluate the conditions of the site.

The main criteria for choosing a location and type of a rocky garden are relief, level of occurrence ground water and degree of illumination. It is difficult to change them, so it is better to use the existing conditions rationally.

On a sunny, drained site with uneven terrain, you can build rocky garden any style.
On a shady area with uneven terrain, almost any style of rockery is also possible. The only difference will be the range of plants used. In such a garden, it is desirable to plant forest plants: ferns, orchids, tricirtis, smilacins, hooves, highlanders, etc.
A small hill can be used for a rocky slide. (A hill is a small hill with stones placed in a "natural disorder").
If the area is waterlogged, do not drain it. It is more reasonable to create a semblance of a small pond or swamp with a stone exit along the banks. For such gardens, it is not difficult to pick up spectacular moisture-loving plants: hostas, irises, primroses, saxifrage, marigolds, etc.
To make an alpine slide on a flat area as high as possible, you will have to import soil, think about tying it to the terrain. It is better to choose a type of flat garden that imitates a mountain valley, or build a small hill.
The steep slope allows you to create a terraced garden or a complex combined rocky garden with rock ledges, terraces, cascades and a stream.
A deep pit or drainage ditch is convenient for building a ravine-type rock garden. Combining a ravine with a rocky hill will visually enlarge the rockery.

The next thing to consider before making an alpine slide with your own hands is what materials you will need.

Do-it-yourself stones and other materials for an alpine slide (with photo)

Stones for the alpine slide - very important element future landscape. In such gardens, the main advantage of the stone is naturalness, so the old stone is valued more than recently mined, with fresh chips. It should be remembered that not all rocks suitable for construction and for plant life.

Most suitable stones for an alpine slide built by one's own hands, it is layered limestone and calcareous tufa. These are warm, water and air permeable stones, and plants settle near them with great pleasure.

Sandstones are also good: they are beautiful and also breathable. Their only drawback is their fragility, therefore sandstones containing lime are most valuable: they are not only suitable for plant life, but also durable.

Basalt and volcanic tuff are very beautiful in shape and texture. Blocks of these rocks are excellent for creating terraces and strengthening slopes. Wonderful imitations of weathered rocks are obtained from volcanic tuff.

These photos show what stones are required for an alpine slide built by oneself:

Try not to use stones different breeds, otherwise the garden will turn out to be too colorful, heterogeneous.

Granites and gneisses are beautiful, but be aware that the soil near them acidifies easily!

In addition to stone, the construction of an alpine slide will require related materials.

rubble different sizes, dolomite or granite, is the best material for drainage. The base of the rockery is drained with large gravel, with a smaller fraction - separate seats(holes and terraces). The smallest granite crushed stone - irreplaceable material for mulching the soil in places not covered by plants and for backfilling under cushion plants that are afraid of waterlogging. Granite crushed stone (pellet) processed by a glacier is excellent for backfilling the bed of streams and the bottom of reservoirs, for paving the bottom of terraces in rockeries-cascades.

Coarse gravel is also used for drainage, granite is considered the best. Lime-containing gravel (for example, dolomite) is mixed into the soil with plants that require alkalization. Sand is used to drain and loosen the soil. Sand is better to take coarse-grained - it contains a minimum of salts.

Here you can see a photo of the materials needed to build an alpine slide with your own hands:

High-moor peat is highly acidic, so it is added to earth mixtures for plants that need acidic soil. Peat is good as a mulching material and to cover places not occupied by plants. When mixing 1 part of peat and 3 parts of coarse clean sand, the best substrate for cutting plants is obtained.

Most mountain plants prefer slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil. Only succulents can grow on sandy soils; plants of mountain meadows require high-humus soil, but in rocky and high-altitude species, too rich soil leads to discoloration and loss of compactness. The best substrate for growing most mountain plants is slightly acidic or neutral medium loam, not rich in humus.

How to make an alpine slide on a garden plot with your own hands (with photo and video)

The device of the alpine slide is a small hill on which stones and plants are placed. Before you make a rock garden with your own hands, first create a drainage base.

From gravel, crushed stone or a mixture of gravel and sand, pour a hill and give it the shape of a future slide. Keep in mind that the soil will settle and the slide will be about 1/4 lower.
Pour sand over the base with a layer of about 20 cm.
Give the base two months to shrink.
After this period, pour a layer of earth about 30 cm thick on the base.

Add the rest of the soil gradually, as the stones are laid.

look step by step photos do-it-yourself drainage devices for an alpine slide:

STEP #1
STEP #2

STEP #3
STEP #4

STEP #5
STEP #6

Place the stones in the following order:

Dig the largest stones into the ground at the foot of the hill, they will fix its contour and become the base of the lower terraces.
Fill the space between the stones and the drainage base with earth. The first tier of the terrace is ready.
Now lay the stones from the bottom up the slope. All large stones should rest either on a drainage base or on a foundation. Foundations can be made from stones that are not of artistic interest. Dig a hole, pour a drainage base; lay the foundation stones on top and sprinkle them with soil. Lay the main stone on top of the foundation.
Small stones can be laid without support.

To make the stones look natural and at the same time seats are formed between them, follow the following rules:

Dig stones with a wide base flat down, laying a foundation under them.
To make an alpine slide in the country with your own hands, install stones that have a smooth beveled edge so that this bevel faces the top of the hill. The result will be holes - "pockets" with earth, convenient for planting.
Stones split into two parts are used to create narrow slit-like holes. Place a spacer stone in the gap and add additional drainage.

The main advantage of the slide is not height, but proportionality. The smaller its size, the more thoughtful the composition should be. To avoid symmetry, combine narrow and wide tiers, protruding and concave terraces.

The range of plants for - slides includes dwarf varieties, barberries and spireas; juvenile, stonecrop, primrose, bluebells, saxifrage, grains and many other species.

To better understand how to make an alpine slide, watch this video:

>Rockery, located on a gentle natural slope of a hill or in a ravine, looks very impressive.

To make an alpine slide with your own hands in a country house with uneven terrain, proceed as follows:

A drainage base for such a rockery is not required.
Form the slopes first by skimming the loose soil down to the level of the firm ground.
At the base of the slope, horizontally dig in a massive stone 1/2 -1/4 of the height.
Dig in all the following stones, moving up the slope, 1/2 or 2/3 of the height, depending on their size.
Fill the space between the slope and the stones with the excavated earth - as a result, you will get horizontal terraced areas for planting plants.
If the stones are similar in shape and size, do not place them next to each other or at the same distance from each other.

As shown in the photo, when building an alpine hill in the country with your own hands, stones can not only be dug in, but also laid:

Set the most massive at the bottom as a support. Pour soil on them, on top of which lay stones of the next tier, and less stable ones - on the main ones.

All stones are set very tightly. Blocky boulders are good - dug into the ground, they form not only terraces, but also reliable steps. It is undesirable to use narrow and elongated stones - they are only suitable as supports placed under rounded stones for their greater stability. An effective technique is the convergence of several stones leaning against each other - this creates a convenient slit-like hole.

Video " Alpine slide do-it-yourself "demonstrates how to arrange rockeries on a natural slope:

Construction of a retaining wall for an alpine slide

For a steep slope, the best solution is rockery, formed by a system of terraces and retaining walls of various heights and lengths. The wall is erected by either dry masonry or mortar masonry. Layered limestones are especially good for construction - they are easy to work with and best suited for plant life.

The wall must be durable and strong, so put a foundation under it. To do this, take the more powerful plates and dig them into the ground almost entirely.
Lay out the wall according to the principle of ordinary brickwork: the plates lie in a checkerboard pattern, top row covers the gaps between the bottom plates. If any slab is larger than the stones of the lower tier, then it must be balanced by supporting stones dug under it.
When building an alpine slide, lay each next row indented from the previous one so that the wall is not vertical, but with a slope - this will add stability to it.
Having finished laying the next row, pour the earth between it and the slope and compact it, thus securing the entire structure. Add drainage if necessary.
To arrange seats in the masonry, do not lay the stones directly on top of each other, but make earth layers between them. The best soil for them - half-ripe meadow sod. Such interlayers serve not only as a place for rooting of plants, but also as shock absorbers, softening the deformation of the plates in frost and heat.
The slabs with side notches do not completely cover the slabs of the bottom row, and gaps form between the rows. Pour earth into such a gap and plant small or young plants in the resulting "pocket". Do not forget that adult plants are planted during construction, as the next tier is laid.
So that the earth does not spill out of the cracks between the stones and the roots are not exposed, caulk the cracks with sphagnum.

These photos show how to make a retaining wall for an alpine slide with your own hands:

The choice of plants and combinations of their planting in such a garden is very diverse. One of the possible options for arranging an alpine slide with your own hands is a combination of dwarf trees planted on the terraces and cascades of creeping plants descending from the walls.

Plant rocky plants in the gap between the masonry or in earthen "pockets": dwarf ferns, ampelous bells, beetroots, grits, young. Creeping woody ones look very impressive. On the edge of the terrace formed by the wall, descending sedums, wormwoods, windbags are placed.

For the device of a rock garden, created by oneself on the slope of a small ravine, the most acceptable combination of bush and horizontally growing coniferous and shade-tolerant forest ferns, various kinds crow, kupen, etc. against the background of naturally overgrown mosses. The rockery ravine looks spectacular only when the plants are planted not too every specimen or group.

In a wet area, you can create a spectacular rockery that imitates a pond surrounded by stones.

In a swampy place, simply dig the soil to a shallow depth - most likely the hole will fill with water. On a land plot, you will first have to make a small pond.
Pour soil along the edges of the reservoir, form low mounds out of it.
Dig large, glacier-rolled granite boulders into the shore so that they are significantly “drowned” in the ground.
Plant the center of the pond with marsh plants: marsh calla, three-leaf watch, cereals. Place moisture-loving plants along the edge, plant the rest between the stones on the shore.

As shown in the photo, when arranging an alpine slide with your own hands near a sunny pond, narrow-leaved irises, brunners, buzulniks, valerian, marigolds, loosestrife, some, daylilies, violets, etc. look spectacular:

Water cascade, mountain stream - elements of landscape rockeries or independent artistic compositions. Water running between the stones is spectacular, but very insidious if used inappropriately. design technique. Incorrectly calculated proportions or an incorrectly chosen location can make the composition look ridiculous and even absurd. A cascade of reservoirs with a stream and a waterfall looks logical and natural only on the slope of a large rockery or with proper use of terrain features. It is very important that the structure is not bulky and does not look artificial, therefore, freshly mined stones are not suitable for creating a cascade. Look for examples of natural forms, preferably with water-smoothed edges.

The cascade for the alpine hill on the site is a stepped system of terraces. The steps of the terrace are fixed with monolithic blocks or made of stone, by analogy with the walls lined with dry masonry. Each of the terraces can become a pool or its imitation, and the walls holding it can become waterfall ledges or their imitation.

The photo shows that during the construction of an alpine hill on the site, the area and height of each of the terraces can be different:

The water cascade is built in the following sequence.

Form earth terraces and steps on the slope. To achieve a natural composition, alternate steps of different sizes and heights.
Dig the pools to the size you want. If you want to see the bottom, make the bowls no deeper than 30 cm. If you plan to plant water lilies (nymphs), the depth should be at least 50 cm.
Align and smooth the sides of the bowls.
Soften the pool bed with sand or peat.
Lay a special film on the bottom of the pools to hold water. Leave a margin of film of 20-30 cm around the edges.
Fill with water to check the level.
To mask the film, lay stones or slabs on top.
Rib the edge of the film over the edge of the pool.
Cover the cascade with stones and slabs, masking the film; vertical steps (waterfall rifts) lay out using the dry masonry method.
Fill the bottom with rounded pebbles.

See a photo of how to build a cascade on an alpine hill with your own hands:

It is possible to create a fast stream with waterfalls only with the help of powerful pumps. One of the most difficult moments in the construction of a cascade is to calculate the water balance. We should not forget about saving water - it is unacceptable to arrange a water cascade without installing a circulation system.

Along the banks of the cascade, species that live in the coastal zone naturally look: Siberian and Japanese irises, cereals, primroses, marigolds, ferns. Carpet plants and mosses descending to the water look beautiful.

Dry cascade for an alpine slide on garden plot This is an imitation of the flow of water. Just as with the construction of the water cascade, create a system of steps and terraces. The plane of each terrace should be visually compressed from the sides by walls or large stones - only in this case there will be an illusion of a stream running down. The imitation effect is enhanced with a single style decision all planes of the terraces. Cover the planes with rubble or pebbles, plant carpet plants or pave. The best solution is to pave the terraces with rounded cobblestones, and plant carpet plants along the edges of the terraces, which will go down, moving from one terrace to another and causing a visual sensation of a stream flowing along the steps.

This video shows how to make a dry cascade on an alpine slide with your own hands:

Different parts of the alpine slide, erected on the site with their own hands, can be connected together by stairs. When building stairs using the dry masonry method, observe the following rules:

Start construction by laying the bottom step.
All steps for stability must be based on foundations. To create an alpine slide with your own hands, slabs, bricks, stones can serve as foundations.
Foundation plates, in turn, install on a sand and gravel base. It is both a drainage and a “cushion” on which the slabs lie softly and stably. It can be neglected only on sandy soils. For even greater reliability, pour a ten-centimeter layer of sand or a mixture of sand and cement in a ratio of 1: 7 between the foundation and the step.
According to the correct technology, when creating an alpine slide with stairs, lay each subsequent slab based on the previous one. Place foundation stones under the back of each of the slabs, and the steps will hold each other.
If you plan to plant ground cover plants between the steps, lay the slabs at a distance of 5-10 cm in isolation from each other. The steps of such a ladder rise 10-15 cm above each other.
The platforms that have turned out in place of the missed feet form a transition from one flight of stairs to another. Tiled paths are laid according to the same principle. Plates are placed either close to each other or at a distance of 5-10 cm from one another. A “cushion” is required, which creates stability: the bottom layer is 20 cm of gravel, the top layer is 10 cm of sand or a mixture of sand and cement in a ratio of 1: 7.

These photos show alpine slides with stairs in the garden:

At the end of the 20th century, another type of rockeries appeared - "rolling pins". These rocky gardens, as a rule, are small in size and represent a new modification of the alpine slides. The fashion for such compositions came from the Czech Republic. "Rolling pins", in comparison with traditional terraced rock gardens, have many advantages. The main undoubted advantage of creating such alpine slides is the seats that are comfortable for rocky plants - vertical crevices that make up these rock gardens. In such narrow and deep places, plants are very comfortable, especially those that have taproots. In vertical crevices, there is never stagnant water, which is so dangerous for mountaineers, but there is always enough air to allow plants to successfully winter even in severe frosts. Another important advantage of the "rolling pins" is the relatively small weight of stone slabs, compared with stone blocks, from which other types of rockeries are most often built.

The best stone for the construction of do-it-yourself rock gardens is flagstone - limestone, sandstone or shale. Of course, it is possible to build "rolling pins" from split dolomite or other flatly chipped stone, but the visual quality of the composition and its comfort for plants will be completely different.

The construction of the "rolling pin" is carried out by the method of vertical dry laying of slabs. Construction begins with the installation of powerful edge plates, which are partially dug into the ground for stability or fixed with metal pins. All plates of the "rolling pin" are installed with support on the previous ones, close to each other - plane to plane, leaving minimal gaps for planting. It is desirable to make some of the slots relatively wide, but only in the upper part of the "rolling pin", since at a depth of 5-10 cm below the soil surface, the plates must be installed tightly. In this way, when creating a rock garden-"rolling pin", do-it-yourself tiered-vertical seats are formed, intended for planting plants that do not have a deep root system, but require good drainage. As a rule, these are carpet plants of the saxifrage type. At the time of construction, the cracks are clogged with earth and small gravel. When installing the slabs, the planes of their outer faces can coincide with neighboring ones and form single layered areas, or they can act as ridges, creating shadow pockets.

As shown in the photo, during the construction of such alpine slides on the site with their own hands, all open spaces are covered with pebbles of the main rock:

Often, a “rolling pin” built according to all the rules looks strange and defiant, because it does not fit well into the overall composition of the garden.

Most often this is due to the fact that the vertically standing extreme slabs of the composition protrude unnaturally from the ground, which makes the “rolling pin” look like a strange ridged stone hill. It’s better not to start construction with the installation of vertical slabs, but to dig into the base powerful support horizontal blocks, and only then proceed to the installation of plates obliquely and vertically. This composition is interpreted by me as artistic miniature half-destroyed rock. This idea is especially important for those who already have a traditional terraced rocky garden, which needs an addition in the form of a modern component - a rolling pin.

Advice for beginner builders is to practice building a "rolling pin" on a sandy pile of small stone tiles, which will allow you to master the technology of building a rock slide without physical effort and develop an option that is most suitable for your garden.

Only very compact and densely pillow-shaped mountain plants can become inhabitants of the "rolling pin". Such a composition makes it possible to grow the rarest rock species - miniature gentian and bluebells, physoplexis, edryanthus, cyananthus, porphyrion saxifrage, levisia, super-compact species of arenarii, minuartia, carnations, rock ferns and other prestigious collection plants. Extraordinarily good on the "rolling pins" are super-dwarf varieties coniferous plants, which not only brighten up and diversify the composition, but also become a natural shade for capricious highlanders.

Look at the photo of rock gardens - "rolling pins" created by your own hands:

An alpine slide in a garden or on a personal plot allows you to realize the dream of a harmonious oasis, in which living and inanimate nature are perfectly combined with each other. The decorativeness of the rock garden consists in a whole compositional ensemble of impregnable and cold stones and lush flowering of green spaces with its own special energy. Artificially created mountain slopes, decorated with calm greenery, allow you to feel like a conqueror of mountain peaks and enjoy their unique beauty.

There are many types of alpine slides and you can choose what is more suitable for resources and preferences. But to create a “highlight” in your garden in the form of a rock garden is not only to lay flat stones around the territory, you need to spend a lot of time, patience and effort to achieve a finished image and get a quality result. There are several basic rules that are recommended to consider when arranging an alpine slide on your own.

The first thing to start with is to choose a place on the site where the object will be built. The "face" of the alpine slide should look in the direction of the southeast or southwest, and the "mountain slope" (if one is planned) - in the south direction. The site should be sunny and open. The object on it cannot look lonely and apart. On the contrary, it should be harmoniously combined with all neighboring and nearby objects and cultures. The ideal location for a rock garden is a recreation area or an area near a residential building. This decorative structure will attract attention and admiration.

Number of materials

After choosing a site and assessing the available area for the work, you can start planning the project. It must reflect the sketches and sketches future design, the sequence of work and, of course, the preliminary amount of materials used.

To bring the project to life, many different natural stones will be required. Their number depends on the scale and types of alpine slides. For example, for a high multi-level slide, stone blocks will be needed. big size with natural irregular shape(without additional processing) to be used to simulate a gorge, cliff, mountainside, or plateau. Processed stones in the form of a rectangle are necessary for the construction of a retaining wall. Also, you can not do without stone chips, gravel, crushed stone, sand and cement.

When constructing a stone garden with a flower garden (rockery), it is assumed that such a landscape is built for many years and does not require frequent changes, so less stone materials will be needed for it. But creating a relief from artificial irregularities, much more stones will be used.

To create a natural and harmonious object, landscape designers are advised to choose only stones of the given area for construction and always of the same breed. The minimum weight of one large stone should not be less than thirty kilograms, and the total weight of giant stones on the site starts at four hundred kilograms. The total average weight of small "stone" material (crushed stone or gravel) for one rock garden is 300-500 kg.

It is necessary to first consider how to transport stones and other heavy objects around the site. Any suitable means of transportation will save time, effort and health. Work on the construction site can only be started when all the necessary tools and materials are already at hand.

All work consists of three main stages, but before moving on to them, you must first mark the territory, according to the prepared plan, evaluate the preliminary result and, if necessary, correct it by making small changes. With the help of a rope or twine, wooden pegs and bright ribbons, you need to outline the contours of the alpine slide and designate its largest elements. After that, you can proceed to the first stage.

The land plot must be cleared, a drainage layer should be laid (if rockery is planned), the planned artificial irregularities and stone hills should be created, a channel should be laid for the future stream (or other type of reservoir) and the supporting walls of the rock garden should be erected.
The work consists in arranging large stones in the form of a planned composition or ensemble and preparing the soil layer for planting vegetation.
The stage that requires taste, creative thinking and imagination is decoration. It consists in planting plants, arranging additional accessories and placing small stone material (gravel and stones).

Drainage layer construction

High-quality drainage helps prevent stagnant water and rotting of the root system of plants, controls erosion and shrinkage of the soil, and maintains moderate heat of the soil in the off-season. The most suitable material for drainage is pebbles (large) or broken red brick.

The top layer of soil with a thickness of ten to twenty centimeters (depending on the type of rock garden) must be carefully removed and laid out around the perimeter of the pit. Then level the resulting surface and thoroughly clean it of all vegetation and its roots. If the future rock garden assumes a flat relief, then the thickness of the drainage layer is 10 cm, with further construction of irregularities in the territory - 20 cm of drainage.

After laying a ten-centimeter drainage layer, it is covered with fertile soil and the surface is carefully leveled. A thick (20 cm) drainage layer serves as the main platform for the construction of various hills and irregularities and therefore is not covered with soil.

Multi-level rock garden is the most complex view and requires great patience and responsibility during the construction. Its reliability and durability depend on the quality of work during the creation of this design.

The first row of stones, which are the supporting wall, is laid out around the perimeter, placing them as close as possible to each other and deepening about ten centimeters into the ground. For the reliability and strength of the connection of stones, it is recommended to use cement mortar or tile adhesive.

For the full development of future plantings, it is very important to prepare the soil that will be at the bottom of the rock garden and help maintain moderate moisture, as well as prevent erosion. The removed earthen layer laid out along the edges of the pit is recommended to be mixed with peat or humus, as well as with small pebbles or coarse sand (in equal proportions). The resulting mixture must be laid on the drainage, well tamped and watered. big amount water for quick shrinkage.

After drying the first level, they proceed to the construction of the second. A layer of crushed stone or gravel is applied to the surface of the earth and a second terrace of stones is laid out, fastening them with a reliable solution. It must be borne in mind that between the stones it is necessary to leave a place for the future channel of the reservoir. The terrace on the second level is covered with soil, watered abundantly and left to shrink.

With each new level, the area of the next terrace gradually decreases. In the final, a separate stone is exposed, which will become the top of the rock garden. The height of the alpine slide depends on the land area used for the base. To build a meter structure will take about 10 square meters earth.

To complete the process of soil subsidence, as well as to fully dry the solutions, the object is left for about 10-15 days. Only after that you can proceed to decorating, planting plants and arranging a reservoir. Plants are recommended to be planted, starting from the top and gradually moving to the bottom of the hill.

Alpine slides with a height of about one hundred centimeters will require less effort and the amount of materials. Construction waste (such as pieces of bricks or stones) can be used as the core and reliable foundation of the structure. With their help, the contours of the hill are marked (right on top of the main drainage layer), and then a soil mixture is poured on top, which will be resistant to erosion and shrinkage. Its composition: garden soil, expanded clay, pieces of red brick and small gravel. The average thickness of this layer is 50-60 cm. The next layer is again drainage, consisting of the smallest pebbles or crushed stone, on which large stones are placed or stone slabs are laid out, deepening them by about forty percent into the soil. The surface of the rock garden is covered with fertile soil about 20 cm thick. The composition of this soil mixture should be light, loose and nutritious and correspond to the preferences of flower crops.

Approximately 20-25 days are allotted for the final shrinkage of the slide. After that, you can plant numerous plants, arrange various decorative details and small stones. Large stone boulders on such a mini-slide are not advised to be used, if only they are placed at the base of the structure.

Gardening of rock gardens

The main plants of alpine slides are herbaceous and semi-shrub species of small height. In the natural environment on the mountain slopes, you can find mostly low species and varieties. The vegetation of the created rock garden should look as natural and believable as possible. And to maintain its attractiveness throughout the year, it is recommended to choose winter-hardy (evergreen) and coniferous crops. The color of green foliage or needles goes well with stone compositions.

Plants for rock garden should be distinguished by such basic characteristics - unpretentiousness, cold resistance and drought resistance. To maintain the decorativeness of the relief and create a harmonious composition experienced growers and landscape designers are advised to plant flower and deciduous crops in a checkerboard pattern.

Do-it-yourself Alpine slide (video)

Alpine slide is a fashionable attribute of the arrangement of modern garden and park areas. Do-it-yourself rock garden device in the country: step-by-step photos, diagrams, selection of plants.

Choosing a place 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 erected hill.

Making a slide with your own hands is most preferable when decorating a garden. At self-fulfillment works, you can avoid the high costs of the services of a landscape architect. Having step-by-step photos and schemes for arranging the slide, it will not be difficult to do the construction of 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 place on the site where the slide will be located. Should not grow nearby perennial shrubs and trees, which may over time shade the plants on the hill. A place open on all sides, accessible for viewing from all corners of the garden, must be dry. A high level of groundwater will adversely affect the durability and strength of the base of the slide. 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 scheme

While natural soil shrinkage occurs, you can draw up a diagram, determine the location of boulders and stones on the hill, 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;
moss-sphagnum.

Scheme: arrangement of an alpine hill

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

Advice. With a rock garden height of more than 1 meter, a slide core is required.

Alpine slide is a very unusual garden element that changes its appearance several times per season.

Scheme: alpine slide in layers

Stones for rock garden - choose the right one

Usually, natural stones are used in the construction of the slide. rocks: basalt, granite, sandstone, limestone, as well as rare rocks, characterized by low porosity and strength. It is undesirable to use tuff, shell rock and dolomite for slides. These rocks highly absorb water, as they are porous, so the stones quickly collapse.

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

The shape and color of the stones are of great importance. It is worth avoiding rounded stones, as well as overly acute-angled boulders. Stones of different colors look harmonious only on alpine slides of a certain type. Classic variant the arrangement of the slide involves the use of stones of the same breed, but of different shapes.

Scheme: deepening stones for an alpine slide

The stones are placed on the hill in such a way that the edges in the viewing area have the most attractive shape. It is necessary to disguise stones with defects, arranging them in the most favorable way. Stones should be laid taking into account the size and weight, following the most harmonious appearance of the created slide. Stones should be placed randomly, most naturally, so it is better not to use stone blocks and artificial boulders made in an industrial way.

Do-it-yourself Alpine slide - selection of plants

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

Example #1. Making an alpine slide with plants

Perfectly proved themselves when planting in rockeries: fescue, rock beetroot, geranium, stonecrop, iberis, young, backache. Small-bulbous plants planted in small groups feel great on rocky hills: crocuses, scilla, miniature, undersized and hazel grouses. Small-bulbous plants bloom in the spring, when there are still few plants in bloom and the hill looks unpresentable. Everything changes when bright, blooming crocuses appear from under the snow.

Example #2. Plants for an alpine slide

To create a highly decorative slide, it is required to provide for a landing perennials with different flowering periods. Then the slide will look unusual and decorative throughout the entire period. A riot of colors of 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 high instances should not oppress undersized varieties thereby affecting their full development. bright plants should be placed in the foreground, in the viewing area.

The composition is based on miniature trees, especially conifers: spruces, junipers, cypresses, pines. These plants have different shape crowns and look great on an alpine hill.

Decorative flowering shrubs used for arranging an alpine slide: rhododendrons, erica, blueberries and lingonberries.

Of the perennial crops, they perfectly complement the alpine hill: bergenia, daylily (undersized), drooping reeds.

Alpine hill surrounded by lawn

Tip: when shaping rockeries, preference should be given to decorative deciduous plants that retain their beauty even in the absence of flowers.

How to properly care for rock garden?

In the first year, it will be necessary to backfill the soil several times, which is washed out during irrigation and precipitation, and also, if necessary, to strengthen the stones. Watching various videos and photos made by professional landscape designers will help you get the job done right. The soil is poured neatly and compacted.

The soil should be evenly distributed between the stones

Plant care is timely watering, removing faded flowers, damaged leaves, pruning. During the season, plants should be fertilized with appropriate fertilizers several times. Do not use nitrogen fertilizers, they cause rapid plant growth, which should be avoided when planting on a hill.

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

Plants are watered carefully with a hose or watering can with a spray, while making sure that the soil does not erode.

It is desirable to strengthen loosened and falling stones.

Various small reservoirs will look very beautiful on the alpine hill

If necessary, plants are treated with pesticides. Diseased plants that cannot be cured must be removed with the replacement of the soil at the place of their growth.

When transplanting plants, you can use a special drug, epin, to relieve stress.

Alpine slides in landscape design

An alpine hill 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. Rockery serves as a continuation of rocky gardens, harmonizes perfectly with ponds, bridges, decorative lanterns, lawns and vertical gardening. Creating an alpine slide with your own hands in a summer cottage will perfectly decorate the territory, bring charm and variety to the landscape design of the site.

How to create an alpine slide from scratch: video

Alpine hill: photo

A thoughtful and stylish landscaped plot with luxurious flower beds and rock gardens is the pride of the owner. The design of the territory is especially impressive if the alpine slide is made with your own hands. After all, most people are sure that only a professional designer can do such work. But in fact, if there a small amount time, desire, as well as plants and the necessary materials, you can create an interesting rock garden.

A piece of the Alps at their summer cottage

Alpine slide in the country is becoming an increasingly popular element of decor even for small plots of land. After all, beautiful stone elevations look spectacular, fit perfectly into any stylistic design of the space. Any alpine slide is a unique design object. There are certain rules for its creation, but the style, dimensions, features of the slides depend directly on the taste and creative idea creator. Probably, even if you use step-by-step photos to create an alpine slide with your own hands, two different designers will get different final options.

The base is stone. But not all piles of stones with vegetation breaking through among them are called alpine hills. There should be aesthetic appeal and harmony. There are several types of rock gardens:

Do-it-yourself Alpine slides - where to start?

Before proceeding directly to the creation of a rock garden, you need to prepare for such work. After all, only from the photo do-it-yourself alpine slides in landscape design are created quickly and easily. The creation process is usually preceded by careful preparation, which includes several stages:

We select a place to stay. The choice may fall on uneven surface or flat area if there are no natural irregularities. The size of the rock garden depends on the size of the site. But it's better if to create an element landscape design I manage to find a spacious and bright place.
Sketch a sketch of the future rock garden. To do this, you can use a photo of alpine slides in the country, created by yourself. The sketch will help in the end to get the result that was originally expected.
Buy everything necessary materials to create a slide. It is better to prepare stones, earth, plants and other decorative elements immediately so that work does not stop due to a lack of one or another component.

When choosing a location for the location of the future rock garden, try to find favorable angles. Such beauty cannot be hidden from everyone, it is important to flaunt it!

Choosing stones and plants for rock garden

Any alpine slide in the country with your own hands is created from several basic elements:

How to make an alpine slide yourself?

So, everything is ready to create a beautiful rock garden. The most difficult thing remains - the implementation of the slide on their own. In order for the result to soon please with its beauty, you need to follow simple recommendations:

When placing large boulders, be sure to leave some space between them, as the planted plants will need space for the development of the root system.

It is best to start creating an alpine slide with your own hands in the fall. During the winter, the earth will settle, so in the spring it will be possible to fill in the voids that have arisen and plant the plants. A competent approach will allow you to create a beautiful alpine hill in your backyard.

Master class for creating an alpine slide - video

Secrets of the successful creation of an alpine slide

Every landscape designer has certain secrets that help him create stylish, spectacular and unique elements when designing a garden or park area. But all these nuances can be used by beginners. It is only in the photo that the do-it-yourself alpine slide for beginners seems to be a simple and concise structure. In fact, it consists of selected elements, well-planned placement of them and a few subtleties that help to achieve a stunning appearance.

To make the first do-it-yourself rock garden look great, we share a few secrets of its harmonious appearance:

To create a hill, it is better to choose stones of the same breed. Only in this case it is possible to achieve a natural appearance of the slide.
The size of the stones should correspond to the area of the rock garden. How larger size alpine slide, the larger boulders can be used.
When choosing plants, preference is given to evergreen and undersized species. In this case, the hill itself will not be lost in a few years behind the lush greenery of overgrown flowers and shrubs.
Look ideal among stones, as well as integumentary and creeping species. flowering plants it is better to choose with small flowers that will not distract all the attention.
It is better to plant plants in small holes and cover them with earth with a small stone. This will help prevent weed growth.
Plants should be placed so that they do not block stone embankments.

Despite the fact that grass and flowers should not block the stones, vegetation is always in the foreground in rock gardens.

The choice of plants to create an alpine slide gives room for imagination, because this element of landscape design allows for a riot of colors, a variety of varieties, up to a combination of opposites. Alpine slides imitate rocky areas, which are diverse in nature. The main thing is that the hill has a realistic look, and how steep, rocky and flowering its slopes will be, depends only on the author's imagination. And it is precisely in this versatility that the very “highlight” that has made alpine slides in modern gardens so popular lies.

We create an alpine slide on our own - video

Decorating a backyard or summer cottage - there is nothing easier. You can break it with a variety of flowers that will delight their owners all summer. You can plant flowers along garden paths or just around the house. And you can build an alpine hill to your own delight, to the envy of your neighbors. This object of landscape design is becoming more and more popular from year to year. For help, you can contact professional designers, but you can build this miracle yourself. Each element should be thought out so that the alpine slide harmoniously fits into the landscape.

The rock garden will perfectly decorate any site, and you can place it on the territory of a different area. Small piece of rocky surface Alpine mountains looks very good on any background. To create such a miracle on your site correctly and beautifully, you need to know a few nuances, otherwise it will have to be disassembled and the wasted time and money will be irretrievably lost.

Do-it-yourself Alpine slide

Choosing a place for an alpine slide

First you need to choose a place to place the slide. You can use natural irregularities, it is possible to use and flat surface. The most important thing is that there is enough sunlight, ideally in the center of the site.

If this is not possible and household plot can not meet all the requirements, you should not be upset.

Next is the base. At the same time, approaches to the hill should be considered. To work, you only need gardening Tools. You will also need stones of different sizes, stone chips, drainage material, sand, fertile soil, seedlings of flowers and small shrubs.

To make the alpine slide look harmonious, you need to dig a shallow hole under it, its size is done on a scale of 1: 2, no more than a meter deep. Strengthen the bottom of the pit with a cushion of gravel, brick fight or other construction debris, and pour plenty of water and tamp.

In the central part, the drainage layer should be larger than at the edges. A ten-centimeter layer of sand is poured over it. Pour, tamp, where you need to add sand.

From above, cover with soil with a high clay content, it can be purchased at the store or mixed independently, the proportions clay soil with peat 4:1, add a little peat in a ratio of 5:1 to the soil. This stage is very important for the alpine slide, if the drainage is done incorrectly, then everything will spread and settle after a large amount of precipitation.

Stones are placed on top. Moreover, their size and number will depend on individual fantasies. The shape of the alpine slide can be both horizontal and vertical. It is advisable to use natural stones, avoid sharp chips. If flat stones are chosen for the rock garden, then they should be laid with one edge raised.

Choice of decorative elements

Stones are an integral part of the alpine slide. The sizes of the selected stones must be proportional. Huge boulders cannot be used in a small alpine slide. Stones need to be taken in different sizes, large stones are placed in the base, and smaller ones are placed on them.

For structural strength, large stones are sprinkled with earth. Stones must be of the same breed. Symmetry when laying stones will ruin the appearance of the alpine slide, they should look as natural as possible.

Harder stones will last longer. soft stones, for example, limestone, will eventually become covered with moss, this will give originality and primitiveness to the alpine hill. Pebbles are laid out from the bottom up, determining a place for each.

Large stones should be placed at the very bottom, it is advisable to place small stones at the top. Be sure to provide "pockets" for planting plants. The main rule at this stage is the stability of the stones (if necessary, they are additionally strengthened) and the asymmetric arrangement of all elements. An almost finished slide should be shed with water and, if necessary, add soil in sagging places.

Plants for alpine slides

Plants for slides need to choose a different flowering period. FROM early spring and until late autumn it will look playful.

Another rule is the location of plants. They cannot block rocks. Perennial small plants are better suited, they should be unpretentious. When choosing plants, it is worth remembering about seasonal changes.

It is customary to decorate the top of the hill with small trees or shrubs, it can be juniper, thuja, dwarf pine. Flowers that complement the composition better natural origin, they can be found in the nearest forest, they should not be high so as not to cover the stones.

Plants such as saxifrage, edelweiss, poppy, violet, cactus, spirea, cinquefoil are suitable for this. The main thing is that they get along with each other and withstand the conditions of your climate.

Plants for rock garden - Phlox subulate and young

Multi-colored purslane on an alpine hill

Plant in shallow holes, filling with soil with the addition of a small amount of very small stone. This will keep weeds from growing and help retain moisture.

50 examples of alpine slides for every taste