A spectacular element in the landscape is a self-created alpine slide. A rock garden is a small area in the garden, designed as a natural area.
Many owners of personal plots are interested in how to make alpine slide with your own hands?
In order to create this corner of wild nature on your site, you need to become familiar with the intricacies of landscape design.
Usually this masterpiece is located in the most visible place. In addition, a rock garden requires a sunny place, so this corner is usually located in an open area.
Since an alpine slide has a calming effect on a person, it is best to place it near a place of rest.
The quality of the soil cover should not be discounted, since the most favorable soil for a rock garden is sandstone, but if the soil has a clay base, then it will be necessary to make drainage.
When is the best time to create a rock garden?
An alpine slide can be created at any time of the year except for winter, since in the winter cold it is impossible to plant plants or prepare the soil. However, experts consider autumn to be the most optimal time for creating a rock garden.
Since the natural shrinkage of an alpine hill can take several months, then, according to landscape designers, autumn landing we need to prepare in the spring.
Creation of an alpine slide
Landscape designers, answering the question of how to make an alpine slide, offer universal schemes and projects for arranging this natural corner, taking into account all the subtleties and scope of work.
However, knowing the basic rules for creating a rock garden, you can organize it yourself.
The first thing you should pay attention to is the location. So, the rock garden should be clearly visible. Most best option is the creation of an alpine slide in the shape of a pyramid, in which maximum height concentrated in the center.
In addition, all elements of the rock garden should be positioned freely; symmetry is inappropriate here. If it is possible to organize a rock garden on a natural slope, then it is best to mark its elements at the same level.
In terms of parameters, the height of an alpine slide should be proportional to its size, that is, 1 meter of area corresponds to a height of 0.2 m, thus, a flowerbed measuring 4 m² in height will be 80 cm, as in the photo of an alpine slide.
Preparatory work
Even the simplest alpine slide requires careful preparation. So, when creating a rock garden, you need to make drainage, the fact is that the use of stones causes the soil to sag, which means you can’t do without drainage.
Drainage material can be fine gravel, pieces of red or white brick, small pebbles or crushed stones.
Before laying the drainage, it is necessary to dig a hole 1 m deep for a flower bed with an area of 8-9 m². Then the drainage is laid out and the soil is filled with water. Next, a layer of earth is poured.
As a soil for a rock garden, it is best to use a soil composition consisting of ordinary earthen soil, peat and river sand. All soil components must be in equal proportions.
Note!
Stones
The basic element of any rock garden are stones. Usually these are large stones of an original shape.
Most often, pieces of granite, sandstone, limestone are used to create an alpine slide; you can also use wild stone, as well as tuff.
When decorating a rock garden with stones, you must follow the following rules:
- It is best if the size of all stones is the same;
- The stones must be of the same variety;
- The stones must be of uneven structure and shape;
- You need to arrange the stones so that they are asymmetrical.
You can arrange the stones according to your own taste, however experienced designers can offer you several suitable projects. Recently, a scheme has become fashionable when massive stones are scattered around the site, with small pebbles between them.
An alpine slide looks interesting when the most spectacular stone is installed in the center, especially if the rock garden is located on a slope.
Note!
When laying out stones, especially massive ones, you need to make sure that they stand steadily; for this, some of them can even be fixed with cement or dug in a little.
A properly organized alpine slide at the dacha can become a favorite vacation spot for the whole family.
Green spaces
2 months after the preparatory work, you can begin planting green spaces. The most convenient plants for decorating a rock garden are low-growing spruce, thuja, mountain pine and juniper.
A small alpine hill is an excellent landscape solution for a small area. When creating such a rock garden, it is best to use low-growing, herbaceous plants, such as wild carnations, low marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies and bells.
If desired, an alpine slide can be combined with a small reservoir in the form of a small pond, but in this case the process of creating a rock garden will be even more labor-intensive, but it will be a real work of landscape art.
Photo of an alpine slide with your own hands
Note!
A flower garden created in the form of a full-fledged alpine hill, with properly selected green spaces, will not leave indifferent even people far from floriculture. As a rule, the design and construction of an attractive combination of plants characteristic of mountainous areas and uniquely selected stones is carried out by professional landscape designers who have the necessary knowledge, experience and technical means to carry out work. Don’t despair, even beginner gardeners can do a simple alpine slide with their own hands, the main thing is your desire and patience, and the presented article will become a kind of instruction. The reward for the time and effort spent will be a small, but at the same time quite spectacular mountain landscape decorating a personal plot or summer cottage.
The publication provides a comprehensive answer to the question of how to make an alpine slide with your own hands step by step on your own site, without turning to specialists for help. The distinctive features and characteristics of the flower garden are considered and developed practical recommendations by choice, arrangement of stones and green spaces of the rock garden.
The first mixed compositions from wild plants exotic plants and stones appeared in Europe in the second half of the 18th century. The desire to recreate the natural uniqueness of wild nature determined the choice of green spaces - preference was given to representatives of the flora that were not cultivated by breeders. Plants from mountainous alpine regions were ideally suited for this purpose. The meadows, located at an altitude of 2 to 3 thousand meters, abounded in a variety of low-growing vegetation, including ground cover species that formed “grass cushions.” A little lower, at an altitude of 1.5 to 2 thousand meters, centuries-old coniferous forests grew in the subalpine zone. The imported plants were particularly unpretentious and frost-resistant, since mountainous regions are characterized by rather harsh climatic conditions - the possibility of frost is not excluded throughout the year.
Rockery 
Alpine slide
Yes, thanks natural environment plant habitat - the Alpine mountain range, artificially created compositions of greenery and stone blocks got their name. The design of an alpine slide is radically different from other sites for growing flowering plants, and the peculiarity is not only in the presence of stones. For example, a rockery (rocky hill) also assumes that a significant part of the soil surface is occupied by relatively large stones arranged in a chaotic manner. The fundamental difference between these two types of flower beds is that the landscape composition of the rock garden imitates a mountain landscape, with a center of a group of stones, surrounded by small areas (terraces) with plants characteristic of mountainous areas.
It is the correct, harmonious selection of plants - flowering plants, shrubs, conifers and their successful composition on stone terraces that distinguish the alpine hill from other flower beds.
Technology for creating an alpine slide with your own hands
Depending on the area occupied, a rock garden can be very different - starting from miniature fragments occupying no more than 1 square meter, ending with the largest, located on dozens of square meters. The size of the flower garden should be proportional to the size of the plot and depends on the overall landscape. Its height directly depends on the area of the alpine hill - by small space there is no point in imitating mountain slopes. As a rule, in mini-rock gardens with an area of up to 3 sq. m, a hill is not erected; with an area of 6-10 sq. m - simple alpine slides, the height is allowed up to 1 m. We propose to take a closer look at the technology for creating an alpine slide with your own hands, and the conditional division of everything process into logical stages, will help you better understand and plan independent device rock garden.
Video “Do-it-yourself Alpine slide”
Site selection and planning
When thinking about how to make an alpine slide with your own hands, it is important to understand that the only requirement that it must meet is an imitation of a mountain landscape and its specific vegetation. And how to achieve this, what means will be needed, what plants to choose - depends only on your plan and on the specific personal plot. You can build an alpine slide with your own hands in almost any part of the garden, but most often it is placed near the front side of the estate. If you want to grow light-loving species, the chosen place should be well lit. Regardless of the location, the stone composition should be in organic harmony with the overall style of the plot, the main buildings and be clearly visible.
Variety the composition being created largely depends on the characteristics of the terrain. The ideal option is the presence of natural unevenness or steep slope, which will allow the construction of tiered terraces in harmony with overall design. If the terrain is flat, an embankment with stones will have to be created artificially. After the final choice of location, you need to decide on the size and total area that is planned for the rock garden. Wooden pegs driven around the perimeter and twine stretched between them will help you imagine the future structure directly on the ground.
Remember
To ensure that the flower garden does not overwhelm you with its size, professional designers It is recommended to proceed from the following ratio: total area of the site (0.6 hectares), area of the alpine hill (6-10 sq. m.), height (60-100 cm).
Selection of stones and excavation work
Most often, when creating a rock garden with your own hands, granite, sandstone or limestone is used, but it is advisable to choose one type of stone, maximum two. Basic Required qualities: strength, moisture resistance, durability and naturalness. It is important to remember that our goal is to recreate a miniature copy of the natural mountain landscape, so from artificial materials It's better to refuse.
Simple alpine slide
Granite is better suited for decorating stone ledges, and if you need to build terraces or paths, pay attention to layered sandstone slabs.
You should not complement the mountain composition with perfectly smooth boulders if the construction of a landscape waterfall is not planned.
“Old” stones with traces of destruction, cracks and chips look very impressive, and to emphasize their naturalness, they select different sizes and colors.
Creating an attractive rocky flower garden with your own hands requires a long and painstaking preparatory work, which includes:
A simple DIY alpine slide
- preparation of the soil base,
- creating a drainage layer,
- selection and placement of large stones,
- preparing earthen mixture,
- planting vegetation,
- arrangement of small stones.
It is advisable to start directly building an alpine slide at the end of spring or in the first half of summer, in which case by the time autumn planting plants, all work will be guaranteed to be completed. When planning your time, do not forget that natural shrinkage of the soil will take 3-4 weeks. Before the beginning earthworks, it is recommended to draw as much as possible detailed plan mountain composition with precise indication of the location of large stones, terraces, paths and green spaces and their sizes.
First step practical work– excavation of soil from the interior of a rock garden marked on the ground. It is enough to dig a pit 20 cm deep, and weed roots are carefully removed from the removed fertile soil layer.
The second step is the installation of a drainage layer. As drainage, you can use crushed stone of a fraction of 20x30 mm, expanded clay or broken brick, the thickness of the created layer is 15-20 cm. A planting mixture prepared from excavated soil, peat and small broken stone, mixed in equal parts, is poured on top of the drainage pad.
The next step is the most important - installing large stones and, if necessary, layered slabs along part of the perimeter to create terraces. Depending on the height of the terrace being created, the slabs can be fastened cement mortar or sprinkle with earth with the addition of clay.
As a rule, when creating a simple alpine slide with your own hands, 2-3 differences in height are arranged - horizontal or inclined terraces different levels. On them, in addition to the planted plants, small stones are laid out in a chaotic manner, preferably of the same type as the large ones that form the basis. There is only as much free space between the stones as is necessary for planting groups of plants. Remember, it is important not to overdo it with the latter when creating a mountain composition. Try to avoid any symmetry and equal distances - a small man-made landscape should match the natural one as much as possible. After the sites are filled soil mixture and the completion of the construction of stone hills, the finished structure is given time to shrink.
Types of laying stones for an alpine slide
Selection and planting of plants
To create an original and spectacular mixed composition of stones and greenery, you have a fairly wide choice - perennials, annual flowers, shrubs and coniferous species. When choosing plants for an alpine hill, remember that you are creating a mountain landscape, with vegetation characteristic of difficult climatic conditions. In this case, you are required to make a reasonable compromise between the desire to give the flower garden a colorful brightness and the need to preserve naturalness and primitiveness.
- main selection criteria: compliance of plants with the mountain landscape, low maintenance requirements, decorative qualities or long flowering period;
- number of species. Considering the small size of the composition, it is advisable to select 3-4 types of flowering plants, 1-2 shrubs and 1 type of coniferous or woody plant;
- size of plants. The alpine and subalpine zones are characterized by low-growing, compact plants and creeping groundcovers. It is preferable to decorate the top and upper tiers with drought-resistant low-growing perennials;
- frost resistance. By selecting stones for the alpine hill and leaving space between them for planting, it was assumed that the planted plants would be able to withstand harsh winters without additional shelter or digging;
- slow growth. It is advisable to select coniferous or tree species from representatives that add no more than 10-20 cm in height per year and grow no higher than 1.5-2 meters.
It is advisable to plant selected plants starting from the top, gradually descending to the lower tiers and ending at the foot. After planting is completed, it is advisable to mulch the soil around the plants with fine crushed stone. This will not only serve as protection against weeds, but will also maintain soil moisture.
Having the necessary knowledge to build a simple alpine slide with your own hands and following the recommendations outlined in the publication, you can always create a small, but original and attractive mountain landscape on your own plot.
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WITH create original landscape design on the site of a suburban building, a do-it-yourself alpine slide will help. Step-by-step photos, diagrams and drawings will help you complete a high-quality project even in a day. Such structures are made using wild stones and unusual flowering crops. Carry out qualitatively installation work Certain rules will help, compliance with which will prevent alteration and disassembly of the created composition.
When installing the slide you will need various stone blocks, sand mass, crushed stone and different variants perennial plants
First of all, you need to choose a suitable place for future alpine slides at your dacha with your own hands, photos of which can be viewed on the website. The best solution may be the choice of a site on the southwest or south side. A good option it is considered a place on a slope where low-growing crops can be planted among stones.
The basis for a small area can be a slope along the border of the territory or even along the edge of the terrace. When choosing a space for a slide, you should consider the following factors:
- the slide must be visible from all sides, so this place must be open;
- the structure should be placed in a sunny and bright area where there are no tall trees;
- the structure is placed in a place isolated from the wind.
Helpful information! When starting to build a structure, it is worth considering suitable style design. Various landscape solutions involve the use of rocky gardens, ponds or bridges, which should be combined with a slide.
What time of year is suitable for creating a flower garden?
The work performed to install the slide practically does not depend on the time of year. It is not recommended to start work in winter time. The best period is considered to be autumn, when there is time before cleaning the area for the winter. A rocky structure after installation requires time for a certain shrinkage. After this, you can only start planting plants. If the plants are planted in the fall, then the construction of the main structure can begin in the spring. A high-quality alpine slide is created with your own hands using step-by-step photos and diagrams.
Features and rules when performing rock gardens
The rock garden is a stylish decor dacha area. To decorate it, perennial plants are selected that have different flowering time periods.
When creating an alpine structure, you should follow the following tips:
- the structure is erected according to the project, which indicates the number of tiers and the placement of stones;
- a certain type of stones and their placement are selected;
- flowers are selected taking into account their blooming time, microclimate and color palette.
For your information! The Alpine hill is a small model of a real massif with undulating transitions from a rocky peak to flatter areas. It is important to respect the style of the structure, the size of its tiers, as well as the recreation of all conditions for mountain plants.
Related article:
Do-it-yourself Alpine slide: step-by-step photos, diagrams and construction features
Before starting work, landscape design is thought out. Do-it-yourself Alpine slides, photos of which can be seen in the photo gallery, require a special approach and a well-planned project. When choosing a suitable site for construction, the proximity of the passage is important. groundwater. If they are located close together, the strength and durability of the structure is threatened. The groundwater level is influenced by special drainage.
Soil and drainage preparation
To make a beautiful alpine slide with your own hands, step-by-step photo instructions and diagrams will help you complete the installation.
First of all, the drainage system is performed:
- To do this, a pit is dug larger than the site;
- Before this stage, the terrain is marked, which is done using a coil of wire and special wedges;
- the height of the trench should not be less than 0.9 meters;
- the created depression is filled with crushed stone;
- the resulting layer is filled with water;
- then a sand and gravel composition is laid, which is compacted;
- the extracted layer of soil is cleaned and added on top of the constructed structure.
Stone laying can begin after the structure has settled. This may take about four months.
Helpful advice! You can add crushed stone to garden soil, and add sand to clay soil.
How to place the stones?
An alpine slide is made from stones with your own hands. Step-by-step photos, diagrams and drawings will help you choose best project registration Before laying the stones, it is worth preparing a special mixture. In this case, coarse sand, loam from the garden and compost are used. Crushed gravel is also used.
A similar composition can be distributed over the drainage. After this, the mixture is moistened and trampled. Large stones are installed first, and then smaller ones. When constructing, you should use the following recommendations:
- layers of stones should be laid parallel;
- the upper stones must be installed on the lower blocks, but not on the soil, as this will cause the sculpture to skew;
- if you plan to plant plants with a powerful root system, then you should leave space between the blocks for them;
- voids should be filled with soil.
The stones must be laid so that the soil between them does not erode during heavy rainfall. Sandstones, limestones and basalt with granite are used in the construction of this structure. Experts do not recommend using shell rock or tuff.
Helpful information! To retain moisture for plants, the surface of the rock garden can be sprinkled with gravel or stone chips.
Compacting the soil is a mandatory step before laying stones
Video: DIY rock garden construction
Do-it-yourself Alpine slides at the dacha: photos of the best compositions
Mountain structures can be used in various variations. Based on the photo, you can choose the most interesting options:
- the composition of a valley in the highlands reflects the appearance of a high plateau, with large stones buried two-thirds into the soil and complemented by bushes of different heights and winding paths;
- large blocks are required when creating a rock cliff, in this case dwarf fern, mountain pine and juniper are planted;
- if there is a slope, you can arrange a mountain slope, which is formed using dwarf pines and heather;
- the composition in the form of a gorge is characterized by complexity, while a landscape of different heights is used and the hillocks are lined with boulders;
- when constructing a ravine in a forest, a fontanel and perennials;
- if the area is constantly moist, then you can use a swamp composition, which is formed using a pond;
- An original solution is considered to be a cascading stream, along the banks of which primroses, ferns and irises are planted.
Helpful information! The classic solution is a centric structure, in which bright flowers plants are combined with rocky elements. The basis is an area with natural elevation.
DIY Alpine slide: step by step photo, the diagrams of which are presented in this review, can be constructed using the following recommendations:
- the humped area is ideal for creating an unusual design;
- if cement is not used during construction, the structure can be reconstructed in the future;
- suitable height from 0.5 to 1.5 meters;
- limestone or sandstone is suitable for plants;
- It’s worth considering additional lighting.
With the help of a pond you can decorate any rock garden. Compliance with all the rules will allow you to create a stylish and original structure that will last for many years.
Here are step-by-step instructions for creating this beautiful landscape composition. If you follow all the tips, your slide will look impressive and natural, and the plants planted on it will delight you with abundant flowering.
So let's get started.
Very important point. It is preferable to place a rock garden on natural terrain. But if there is none, they create it independently in suitable place personal plot. But more on that in the following sections.
The most important aspects to consider when choosing a location:
- the slide should be exposed to direct sunlight;
- it should be south (at least southwest) of the site;
- the rock garden should be visible, not hidden from view; After all, what’s the point of making such beauty if it is not available for contemplation.
And about how to arrange it yourself automatic watering lawn, read.
Drainage
Drainage is a set of measures aimed at ensuring that the slide does not sag.
How to make drainage for an alpine slide:
- dig a pit in the selected place (the depth of the pit for a rock garden with a diameter of 2 m will be 70-80 cm);
- We fill the bottom with sand or crushed stone (you can use broken bricks or construction waste);
- lay the soil;
- tamping.
The quality of the compaction will determine how long the slide will remain a slide, i.e. will not sag under the pressure of stones.
To create drainage you will need this diagram
Selection and placement of stones
Boulders of any shape and type are suitable for an alpine slide; it all depends on your preferences and the availability of materials in your region.
You can also lay them to your taste, guided by aesthetic considerations and common sense.
Some tips:
- if your rock garden small size, do not place huge stones on it; firstly, it’s ugly, secondly, the slide will sag under their weight;
- Place larger stones at the bottom, smaller stones at the top;
- choose one type of stone, it will be more natural;
- do not stack the stones too closely together, remember the space for plants;
- Place stones in tiers, there should be at least three.
Experts say that a rock garden with properly laid stones looks great even with few or no plants. And they're absolutely right
Soil preparation
You can buy it or make it yourself. If you have a clean clay soil or you know where to get it, then consider that most of the work has already been done. You will also need peat and gravel. Mixing proportions: 3 parts soil to 1 part peat. Add a little gravel by eye.
The free space between the stones intended for planting should be filled with fertile soil.
Two tips:
- make sure that there is no weeds, they can greatly spoil the appearance of the rock garden;
- if you are not sure what you can do good soil yourself, better buy it.
The next stage is planting plants. It is important to choose those that meet all the criteria described below.
Plant varieties for different tiers of the slide
It is better to choose plants different sizes and shapes to give greater resemblance to wildlife. It is better to start choosing plants for a rock garden with low-growing and creeping perennials with decorative foliage. They themselves bloom beautifully and will decorate the rock garden.
In order for plants to grow and delight you, you need to be careful about planting them.
Plants that do not tolerate shade well and do not require much moisture should be planted on sunny side slides, and those that can grow even in shady conditions should be planted on the north side. Plants that cannot tolerate drought are best planted on the lower tiers.
For a rock garden, rock plants, shrubs, and dwarf trees are preferable; the composition can be supplemented with moss. If you want to see other plants that are not related to mountain varieties, such a rock garden will be called rock garden.
Step-by-step instructions for planting plants
In order for the rock garden to please you healthy and flowering plants, and not with limp and dried sticks, you should take a responsible approach to the placement of layers.
Each tier has features of planting, we present detailed instructions for planting each of the tiers.
Plants for the upper tier
Since this will be the highest section of the slide, it is not surprising that there will be the least amount of moisture and stronger winds here than on the other tiers. This means that there is no place for “delicate” plants that require moisture.
The best option for planting in the upper tier is Edelweiss. You can buy seedlings, or you can grow them yourself. To do this, at the end of winter, you need to scatter the Edelweiss seeds into a specially prepared box and, covering it with glass, place it on the windowsill on the south side so that the seeds have warmth and light.
Edelweiss will become ideal option for the upper tier of the rock garden
And at the end of spring, when already the time will come To plant seedlings, you need to prepare the soil. Between the stones, earth mixed with sand and crushed stone should be poured to create natural conditions.
You should not feed the soil, everything must be natural, otherwise the plant will refuse to grow.
You shouldn’t expect flowering this year, but next year the plant will definitely delight you with flowers. Every 2 years it will have to be replanted so that it continues to bloom.
Also, the top tier can be decorated with Iberis, which will delight with its evergreen color. For a slide, it is better to use the type that reaches up to ten centimeters in height. And already at the end of spring it will delight you with its flowers.
They'll come to the place perennial carnations, those that grow in bushes will look more beautiful, and a large area will be planted and the flowers will delight you with their abundance.
The active flowering period of this plant occurs in the spring, which means that you need to make sure that some other plant takes over the flowering baton so that the middle layer of the rock garden does not remain empty in the summer.
Aubrieta cultural - a good choice for the middle tier of the alpine slide
The cultivated aubrieta, having begun to bloom in May, will delight until July with its bright flowers.
The main thing is to water the plant regularly and abundantly, but not to allow excess moisture.
You can also plant Carpathian bell, which takes root faster and begins to grow.
However, it is worth watching it carefully, because rapid growth can interfere with the rest of the middle tier plants. As soon as it begins to displace its neighbors, it should be reduced.
You can complement this picture with chistema, which will delight you with its unusual and unusual silver-colored leaves. Chistets stand out noticeably among other plants due to their rare color.
More more plants for the middle tier you will see in the photo:
For the lower tier
The lower tier is different high humidity, which means this is the place for moisture-loving representatives of the plant world.
An ideal place for bryozoan subulate, which will delight you with active flowering in midsummer. Caring for it is not difficult and does not require much time. Main feature This plant requires regular and abundant watering. If the plant is provided with comfortable conditions, it will cover the lower tier of the rock garden with a green carpet.
This is what the awl-shaped bryozoan looks like in the lower tier of the hill
Suitable for the lower tier, it feels great in stones and poor soils. It is important to provide it with moderate watering. To obtain seedlings, you do not need to plant it in a box in advance, but only at the end of spring you need to sow the seeds on a hill.
The original decoration of the lower tier, and the slide as a whole, will be the Indian duchesne. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that its flowering is compared to strawberries.
Spikelet liatris will delight you with its hairy inflorescences in mid-summer. It is unpretentious in care, requires moderate watering, but is drought-resistant.
See photos of these and other plants for the lower tier here:
Well, now you know the basics of how to make an alpine slide with your own hands. Now it's only up to your imagination and desire.
Every dacha owner or country house strives to give his site beauty and originality. There are many ways to do this - neat lawns, trimmed bushes, exotic trees.
All this will make the area near the house cozy and well-groomed. But such a mini-park can hardly be called original. But to make your site unique, you need a non-standard solution.
And there is such a solution - this is an alpine slide. There are practically no limits to imagination when creating it. There are no strict patterns or rules in its design and decoration - everything depends on the creative ideas of the owner of the site.
Of course, there is a certain set of rules for creating an alpine slide. And he is well known to landscape designers who know their business very well.
But why pay a lot of money for something that you can do yourself? After all, creating a rock garden does not require special training or qualifications. By following simple rules, you can add beauty and originality to your suburban area with your own hands.
What does it represent
An alpine hill is a copy of a mountain landscape, decorated with a variety of plants. Sometimes a rock garden includes small ponds and even waterfalls.
It is impossible to find two absolutely identical slides - each of them is made in a single copy and is the embodiment of the fantasies of the person who created it.
There are several types of alpine slides that copy one or another mountain landscape:
- "Rocks"- made up of large boulders.
Photo: "Rocks" - - installed on sloped areas.
Photo: “Mountain Slope” - - for flat areas, many flowering plants are used.
Photo: “Valley” - - an excellent option for creating an alpine slide with your own hands on a flat area, it involves the use of small stones in combination with flowering plants.
Photo: “Alpine lawn” - - Suitable for areas with rugged landscape.
Photo: “Ravine” - "Stone Garden"- rock garden in style Japanese garden stones.
Photo: "Stone Garden"
In practice, these options are often mixed or new ones created, original types alpine slides.
Selecting a location
Not only the beautiful appearance the hill itself, but the site as a whole.
Therefore, when determining a place for it, a number of significant factors should be taken into account:
- It is necessary that the alpine slide fits organically into the landscape of the site. Tomato and cabbage beds are not the best neighborhood for a piece of mountain landscape;
- the alpine slide is a highlight suburban area. Therefore, it should be in plain sight, located next to the recreation area, and not hidden behind a garage or currant bushes;
- the area for the rock garden should not be too large; the optimal area is considered to be from 2 to 6 square meters, with a height of up to one and a half meters (at a higher height, it will be difficult to care for the slide);
If the size of the plot allows, then you can place the rock garden on larger area, but not more than 50 square meters, otherwise during the inspection the feeling of the integrity of the composition will be lost.
- For an alpine slide, it is better to take a sunny, unshaded place. This is necessary for good growth plants and rapid evaporation of excess moisture.
Site preparation
It is better to start building an alpine slide in early autumn, before the onset of heavy rains. This time is optimal, because over the winter the soil inside the hill will settle a little, and in the spring, having added soil to the spaces between the stones, you can safely begin planting.
The first thing that needs to be done when installing a slide is laying drainage. Drainage is necessary in order, firstly, to avoid subsidence of the soil under the hill, and secondly, to prevent the accumulation of excess moisture under it.
The drainage is constructed in the following sequence:
What materials are used
When decorating an alpine slide with your own hands, you should carefully consider the choice of materials, because its appearance and attractiveness depend on this.
The size of the stones should depend on the size of the slide itself. For a large rock garden, massive boulders are suitable, which will create its base.
For slides with an area of 2 to 5 square meters, it is more advisable to use medium-sized stones and flagstone. It will be very good if the stones are of the same type - this will give the slide more naturalness.
The most suitable rocks are granite, sandstone, and limestone. The stones themselves must have good view- after all, in winter and in early spring the plants on the hill will not give it a lively appearance, and its attractiveness will depend entirely on the stones that make it up.
Formation of a rock garden
There are no strict schemes or requirements for the formation of an alpine slide. What it should be depends only on the imagination and desires of the owner of the site on which it is created.
But there are some rules that must be taken into account when creating it:
What plants are needed
After the formation of the rock garden is completed, they begin to plant it. It is very important to choose the optimal set of plants.
This is especially true when decorating an alpine slide with your own hands. small area. After all, the smaller the slide, the less opportunity diversify her green decoration.
However, by following a number of rules, you can achieve the desired effect even in a small area:
How to make an alpine slide with your own hands (step-by-step photos)
An alpine hill is a wonderful decoration for any suburban area. The absence of patterns and templates in its creation gives scope for creativity, which makes each of them unique and inimitable.
Small for beginners
For those who are just mastering the creation of alpine slides, it would be advisable to practice building and decorating a mini rock garden.
Such slides are made as follows:
- Drainage is arranged in the usual way. But for a small area, it is enough to dig a pit up to half a meter deep.
- A large stone is installed in the center of the area chosen for the mini-rock garden. It needs to be dug a third into the ground and, if necessary, secured with cement mortar.
- Around the large stone that formed the base of the slide, smaller stones are laid out, the lower ones also go deeper into the ground.
- It is poured between the stones fertile soil. Plants are planted both between and around stones.
Options for small alpine slides:
Photo: small alpine slides
Such a small alpine slide will look impressive in a small area or perfectly complement a large rock garden.
With a pond
An alpine slide looks very impressive if a pond is included in its composition.
A small pond can be made even in a small area. This is exactly the case when you create an alpine slide with your own hands from scrap materials.
To create a pond, a large old tire from a truck or tractor is suitable - just dig it into the ground, lay a layer of polyethylene on the bottom, let the edges out and press it with stones.
After the edges of the tire are decorated, it will turn out small pond, goes well with the rock garden.
Can be used old bath- a pit is dug under it, drainage is laid and the bathtub itself is installed, the edges of which are also decorated. To change the water in such a mini-pond, just remove the plug from the bath and the water will go into the drainage.
For a larger pond, a pit is dug to a depth of one and a half meters.
The bottom is covered with sand to a depth of 30-40 cm, and several layers of polyethylene are laid on it.
The edges of this waterproofing extend outwards by half a meter and are decorated with stones. In such a pond you can grow plants such as water lilies, daylilies, calamus, and reeds.
The presence of hornwort and elodea is beneficial in any pond. Their task is not to decorate the pond, but to purify the water and saturate it with oxygen.
Stages of creating a pond:
Alpine slide with waterfall
The crowning achievement of skill in constructing an alpine slide is the construction of a waterfall. It is truly an impressive sight and well worth the effort.
Stages of constructing an alpine slide with a waterfall with your own hands:
- After determining the location for the slide, a pit for water is dug. The bottom is covered with sand and compacted;
Photo: water pit
- A water container is placed in the pit, and sand is poured between its edges and the edges of the pit. You can also use polyethylene, as when constructing a pond;
Photo: the bottom is covered with thick polyethylene
- drainage is laid in place of the future slide - broken brick, crushed stone or simply construction waste is poured into a dug shallow pit;
- from the soil removed from the pit, a slide is poured onto the drainage, on which they are installed decorative stones, a cascade is being formed for the future waterfall;
For strength, the stones must be fastened with cement mortar or foam, and the joints must be decorated with small pebbles.
- A pump is placed in the reservoir, the power of which depends on the height of the slide. The hose from the pump is carried to the top of the slide and masked with stones. The pump power cable is also brought out and connected to the power supply;
Photo: view of an alpine slide with a waterfall
- A rock garden with a waterfall requires careful maintenance - two to three times a year it is necessary to drain the water and clean the entire system. But the result obtained compensates for all the hassle of installing and maintaining a waterfall on your site.
Scheme of an alpine slide with a waterfall:
Photo: diagram of an alpine slide with a waterfall
From polyurethane foam
There is a rather exotic option for creating an alpine slide with your own hands. The size of this slide is more suitable as a stand for indoor plants.
This “home” slide is made from polyurethane foam and improvised materials. The basis for it are ordinary plastic bottles or banks. Polyurethane foam is laid out in several levels around several bottles.
The higher you go, the smaller the levels become, just like when building a real alpine slide. After the foam dries, it is given the appearance of stones using putty.
Then these “stones” take on the appearance of the real thing with the help of paint. natural material. And the final stage of turning ordinary polyurethane foam into an elegant home decoration is decorating with flowers and decorative elements - butterflies, figures of people and animals.
The availability of material is another argument in favor of creating a rock garden with your own hands, and following simple rules will make the process of decorating a site a pleasant experience.
Video: Alpine slide made of polyurethane foam
DIY rock garden options:
Video: Making an alpine slide with your own hands
