Rock Garden

Rock Garden

Rock gardens, a popular form of landscaping used in residential buildings is an excellent way for utilizing sloping lands or apparently unusable areas of your backyard. Japanese are the pioneers in rock garden and it is prevalent from medieval times. These gardens are designed on the Buddhist principle of Zen.

The main requirement for a rock garden is to get a suitable area with good drainage conditions. Rock gardens are preferably built on areas where water can easily run off. Any area with a gentle slope is the best choice. In absence of sloping land, raised beds can be built. It is advisable to build a rock garden in an area that faces southeast or north so that plants are not exposed to harsh sunlight for a long duration.

Steps you need to take to prepare a rock garden:

  1. Dig about one foot into the mud to remove any weeds and loosen the soil. This helps in laying down the foundation.
  2. Line the bottom of the rock garden with boulders and then with several large rocks.
  3. After that fill the area with several smaller rocks to cover the entire space and improve the look aesthetically.
  4. In the top layer ensure that the stones and rocks are of different sizes to give a better visual impact.
  5. Ensure that the area is sturdy. A solid foundation needs to be built for proper functioning of the rock garden.
  6. The best option is limestone but you can also look at using granite or other types of stones. Naturally occurring rocks of that region will give it a more natural look.
  7. After the rock foundation is laid, it is time to lay soil. You can mix topsoil with sand so that the soil is not very heavy with clay and has good drainage.
  8. Regarding plant options, you can choose from verbena, alyssum, delosperma, and geraniums. Any type of alpine plant or flower will grow well in the dry soil and add beauty to the overall design. Space flowers out in the pockets of soil and let them grow naturally around the rock.
  9. Use general hydroponics for your rock gardens.

About Jean Smith

Hydroponics Grower experiencing and enjoying gardening using new technology and methods. Connect me on Google+ at Google+