This approach to the construction of rock gardens, ecological in fact, lies at the basis of success. Obviously, such a complex task that requires a connection crop experience, knowledge of ecology of mountain plants, construction skills, artistic taste and sense of proportion. Maybe this problem and it seems complicated, but compliance with established rules and regulations makes it very real.
How to choose a place in the rock garden
Venue to be undertaken under the rock garden, will determine to a great extent, the full existence of its inhabitants. The most important moment in his choice – definition of land on either side of light, the duration and intensity of solar exposure. This requires a detailed observation of the movement of the sun throughout the day, especially after noon. Better at high sun in summer.
The most common mistake – the desire to place a hill on the sunniest place and orient its main track to the south. In fact, the summer heat in this skillet for most mountaineers would be completely unbearable. This alone sharply limit the choice of candidates had to give up a significant number of traditional species. It is another matter if this place is protected from the afternoon sun foliage. But in this case to select for the southern section will need to be, sun and drought-resistant species.
Ideal location, floodlit unshaded sun from dawn until noon, or from the afternoon until sunset, ie those that are oriented to the east or west. Another part of the daylight hours they are in the shade. Slides from this exposure have the widest range of species – will be there and the sun is enough and not so hot in the heat. It is advisable to open the field to draw the main track to the north, north-east or north-west to the hottest rays fell on him on a tangent.
But even in old trees shaded the ground can be successfully arranged the original rocky hill to the shade-mountain plants, among which the mass of the remarkable species. However, there is one essential point: fallen leaves can be a source of fungal and bacterial diseases in evergreen species, so the autumn leaves have collected. It is clear that the plants open seats for a shady rock garden will not go.
The opposite situation: in the Rockery in the open space can be arranged several secluded niches, where to find their place Shade species.
If trees, such as pine, are relatively rare and constitute nondensely moving shadows, the best choice would be non-shaded buildings very bright place garden – there is a large assortment of plants for partial shade. It is indicative of exposure to a huge genus Primula (Primula), giving a whole range of species – for full sun or full shade.
It is not suitable place in a solid shade structures and oriented to the north, where the sun looks only briefly in the morning or evening – for those sites also have their plants, but very little.
 
 
How to choose a stone for a natural rock garden?
There are rigid and in choosing a stone for a natural rock garden. Decisions must be taken on the basis of a number of considerations: functionality, manufacturability and compatibility with a garden. Economy – no small point, but given that the planned capital construction at the spectacular location of the garden, it is secondary. I do not need the most expensive exotic material, but cheap and debris, trim or boulders will not fit. The list of proposed, with the available and suitable for rock garden stones enough: this is usually limestone, sandstone, granite yes, although varieties of each species gives a lot.
The principal factor in choosing a rock – it is the chemistry of indigenous soil of the garden. He plays an equally important role in the selection of plants. A simple rule will help avoid big mistakes: garden soil acidity must meet the chemical nature of the stone. Significant restrictions on choice imposed acidic peaty soils: the best of many parameters for rock gardens stone – limestone – are unsuitable.
The stone causes and future inhabitants of the rock garden. They are divided into three groups with respect to calcium in the rock and soil. Kaltsefily (their best) without calcium languish and eventually die, kaltsefoby, on the contrary, it can not tolerate, and a high proportion of neutral species. A good example of this situation can be kind of Gentiana (Gentiana), having all three groups. It is important to remember that different types of stone are not compatible with all the plants.
 
 
Appearance, color and size of stones deserve special mention, because natural and harmonious design begins with them. As is the case in nature, on a hill in the garden to gather stones, homogeneous geology, texture, texture, structure, in one color. The amount of any required: from a couple-three of the best possible transportability “suitcases” to the shoe box, you need only to avoid uniformity. And any useful form, except round: cubes, blocks, slabs and plates. Expansion of the order of size on the job site to fix the stones, possibly conceived by the creator of the image slides in general, and the first laid on the place of his stones can significantly change.
It is important to use a single principle of masonry: step, layers, etc. A minimum of chaos: chaos in nature only in the field of catastrophic landslides, and more logic! Do not be afraid to form a parallel lines and angles of the layers, on the contrary, we must strive to ordering songs: big and small stones to avoid monotony.
In the end, clutch has to produce an impression of whole natural rocky outcrops, but can not forget that all hatched for the sake of the plants. By placing the stones must not only strive for visual effect, but also create more inclined slits oblique openings, narrow cracks and other such comfortable places where the soil is not too hot and the water is not stagnant. Alpine planted in these niches, it is best to be yourself here feel and the winning look.
Especially valuable for the finishing touches on the final stage will be stone “waste” – the wreckage, debris and grit. By closing them after planting bare earth between the rocks, you get not only a decorative effect, but also absolutely necessary stone mulch performs several useful functions. Optimally, if the mulch of the same breed as the main rock slides.
The most unfortunate choice from all points of view should be recognized weathered boulders, our “pasture” stone. First, work with them is very time consuming because of the rounded shape and heavy weight, even at small sizes. Further, in the mountains such stones are found only in the glacial moraines and river beds, in their clutter found extremely poor and fragile plant communities. Can a natural looking garden construction from heterogeneous and variegated species, and with alpine, if anything like that in nature do not exist?
Rock garden in a private garden near Prague Photo: rock garden is located in the open loose slope facing north-east; area – about 100 square meters, from the south – screen out low-growing conifers, framing around the perimeter – the lawn.
 
Rocks – a local variety of granite Photo: rock – a local variety of granite masonry – the orderly succession of booms and depressions with vertical and horizontal gaps between the layers.
 
How to prepare the soil?
The words “rock garden” and “drain” are traditionally the inseparable pair, but should be critically and to this stereotype. If the garden is located on the sandy loam, it is usually recommended drainage layer at the basis of slides can go only to harm. With sustained summer heat plants will suffer from rapid drying of the soil substrate. In this case, the lower layer of drainage material warranted found interspersed with moisture retaining soil.
Yes, and the substrate, which will directly land plants, must be prepared with an eye on the physical and chemical properties of the local land garden, which, as a rule, and is the main component of the mixture. In general, no single recipe for it does not exist, there are only general requirements to be met by a universal basic earthen mixture: loose and airy, not fat, and damp-. The composition, which in the most general case corresponds to them, it is equal parts of local land and washed coarse river sand. Different additions to it can provide private needs of specific plants, but they can vary in wide limits: one needs the poor alkaline soil with a high content of sand and rock dust, other – rich, acidic and moist.
 
 
Overcoming these large and small mistakes and errors associated with the design, establishment and maintenance of rock garden and its people, objectively summarize the gardener to a refutation of the main biases of the complexity of the culture of rare alpine plants. Nemerenoe lot of bright and original plant cost correctly during the construction of initial conditions. Next, you need minimum, neobremenitelny care, far less than for many flower crops.