Adding a rockery garden to your outdoor space can give dimension to a flat space that consists of rocks and mainly alpine plants. Rockery gardens are also a fantastic way of enticing local wildlife and once set up are quite a low maintenance addition to your garden.
When’s the best time to build a rockery garden?
A rockery garden can be constructed at any time of year but it is most advisable to wait till the ground is soft and wet (autumn/winter) so that the soil is easier to manipulate, however the planting of your rockery/alpine plants should wait till spring time for optimal success.
What you’ll need
- Suitable rocks (local rocks will look most natural)
- Spade/trowel
- Wheelbarrow
- Topsoil & compost
- Landscape fabric
- Rubble
- Alpine plants
- Gravel/grit
How to build a rockery garden
- Choose where to place your rockery garden
Picking the right spot is crucial for the success of your rockery garden as alpine plants do best in a well-drained, sunny spot so it’s vital not to place your rockery garden in the shade of large trees or shrubs that could block out the sun. Avoid boggy, wet areas and ensure your rockery garden will have enough space to thrive.
- Map out your rockery garden
Whether by drawing or placing markers around where you think you want your rockery garden, it’s always a good idea to plan out how it will look in your space before getting ahead of yourself and creating something that you don’t like the shape or size of.
- Prepare the area
You’ll need to remove any weeds, unwanted rocks and other general garden waste from the area to give yourself a blank canvas to work with. Add a bottom layer of landscape fabric to ensure the soil stays in place and no fewer weeds appear in your rockery garden. You may also prefer to add a layer of rubble under the landscape fabric to stabilise the area and allow for better drainage.
- Position the rocks
Begin by placing the largest rocks down in your desired positions to create a natural look. Take care when lifting rocks – you may need to employ the assistance of a crowbar or a helper to help you move them. Surround approximately the lower third of the large rocks with soil and small rocks to ensure they are secure and won’t tip over at the slightest push.
Continue to build the shape of your rockery with different sized rock, layering with topsoil to keep things secure.
- Get planting
Place down your alpine plant friendly compost mix around your rockery garden in planting pockets and begin planting your alpine plants to achieve a natural rockery look. You may prefer to place your plants still in their plant pots around the planting area to get an idea of what they’d look like in certain positions before planting out fully.
Make sure your plants are planted firmly in place before watering and adding handfuls of grit/gravel as a layer of mulch to improve general soil drainage, minimise weeds and to perfect that rockery garden look.
Plants for rock gardens
Tips
- Sun-loving plants would prefer to face south, while those that are more tolerant to shade are better off facing the north.
- Use sand or sticks and string to map out your area with ease to minimise the amount of times you have to move around heavy rocks.