Alpine slides are becoming increasingly popular in summer cottages. Anyone who was lucky enough to see what these hills look like in the spring - bare stones, and small bushes of flowering plants between them, will no doubt want to repeat such “Alps in miniature” in their own home. garden plot. To do this, you need to choose the right place and plants that will please the eye and decorate the slide.

Selecting plants for alpine slide quite large, you can, of course, use it already ready-made diagrams landings, but creative individuals Our article today will be very interesting. Thanks to some tips, we will try to study and understand the features of growing future residents of the rock garden ourselves.

Planting a hill is carried out from top to bottom, and it is in this order that we propose to consider advice on choosing plants.

The top of the alpine hill

Sun-loving and drought-resistant plants, since moisture practically does not linger at the very top of the rock garden. In such conditions the following plants feel very comfortable:

• Iberis evergreen

The leaves are evergreen, oblong, dark green, shiny, up to 7 cm long. The flowers are white up to 1.5 cm in diameter. There are several options for planting Iberis: in the form of seedlings or seeds. If you buy seedlings, they should have healthy shiny green leaves, as this indicator is a parameter of plant health.

• Perennial carnations

Perennial carnations on alpine hills are especially good; firstly, they are unpretentious, and secondly, they do not require careful care - the main thing is that they are not “choked” by weeds or plants planted nearby. But it’s better to choose an open and sunny place for them; the upper tier of the rock garden will be just right.

• Alyssum rocky

Rock alyssum is drought-resistant, excellent for growing on alpine hills. It easily tolerates frosts down to -10 degrees, and if it is thoroughly covered with snow for the winter, then in the spring it will emerge from under the snow green and ready for further growth. Pride of this plant– these flowers are bright yellow color, such a carpet “hat” near the slide will not leave anyone indifferent.

• Edelweiss

This type of flower is a herbaceous perennial plant with beautiful foliage and beige-white flowers. Alpine edelweiss is somewhat reminiscent of daisies; this type of edelweiss grows well in rocky, sandy soil with good drainage, which makes them popular for use in rock gardens.

• creeping thyme

Creeping thyme is a drought-resistant and winter-hardy plant, and these qualities are the minimum necessary for the plant to take root on an alpine hill. Areas with fertile, loose, neutral soil of light or medium texture, free from weeds, should be allocated for it, well illuminated by the sun, protected from cold winds.

Middle tier of alpine slide

In the middle tier of the “stone garden” the conditions are slightly different - less light, more humidity, which means that a completely different assortment of plants will take root here.

• Phlox subulate

The main advantage of the awl-shaped phlox is that from March until frost, its stems and petals retain a bright emerald green color, and during the flowering period, in late May - early June, carpets of awl-shaped phlox are completely strewn with flowers of various shades. It is also impossible not to note the excellent winter hardiness of this plant.

• Aubrieta

Another suitable option for an alpine hill - this is a plant with original name Aubrieta, its main advantage is that it overwinters with leaves. The flowers are small, but due to the abundant flowering, it gives the impression of a colored carpet; it can be violet, magenta, rose-red, blue or white. Flowering is abundant and long lasting.

• Pozharsky's bell

This bell forms a lush carpet of lilac flowers in the shape of stars, the flowering is so abundant that you literally cannot see the leaves behind it. Pozharsky's bell grows quickly and overwinters well. The plant grows up to 20 cm in height with large rounded basal leaves with jagged edges. Looks good next to large species of carnation and saxifrage.

• Common lumbago (sleep-grass)

The best place for shooting is an alpine hill, a rose garden or a flower bed with low perennials. The best option is areas with light shade, although it grows well in open places, the middle tier of the rock garden has all the necessary conditions for favorable growth sleep-herbs.

• alpine aster

This type of aster is also called alpine chamomile; it is a cold-resistant perennial, herbaceous or, less commonly, subshrub plant. Reproduction of this plant is possible in several ways: seeds, dividing the bush, cuttings and shoots.

• Gentian

Another type of plant that takes root well in rock gardens is gentian. This flower is quite low-growing, so when combined with other plants, it will not stand out from the overall design.

The best place for planting gentian is the western side of the middle tier of the alpine hill.

The foot of the alpine hill

Plants that need moisture are planted at the base of the alpine hill. fertile soil regardless of their light preferences.

• Duchesnea indica

Duchenia is also called decorative strawberry; the thing is that the flowers of this plant are very easy to confuse with strawberry fruits. The foot of the alpine hill - perfect place for duchenee, partial shade and a high level of humidity will help this flower become a real decoration of the rock garden.

• Liatris spikelet

Liatris prefers fertilized soils and bright places; in this regard, the foot of the rock garden is a wonderful place to grow of this flower. It is in such conditions that it can be especially luxurious: numerous flower stalks sometimes reach 2 m, and the length of the inflorescence reaches 35 cm.

• Saxifrage

Cushion-shaped saxifrages are originally inhabitants of mountains, all kinds of crevices, and vertical walls. Their rigidity, hard protrusions, scaly structure, bluish color or powdery coating - all these are adaptations developed to reduce evaporation and withstand mountain solar insolation. Thanks to all these characteristics, saxifrage takes root well at the foot of the rock garden.

• The edge of the lawn is one of the most suitable places for creating an alpine slide;

• You should always start filling the slide with various plants from top to bottom;

• A very important part of the work of filling an alpine hill is the correct arrangement of plants; if this part of the work is done correctly, then there will be much less trouble with the plants;

• Another important task is not to overdo it with fertilizers; overly fertilized soil will lose winter hardiness;

• The voids that were formed during the creation of the slide must be filled with clay-turf soil;

• It is always better to start watering from the bottom.

When talking about flowers for an alpine hill and flowers for a rock garden, most often they mean the same plants. After all, creating rocky gardens is an art, so there can be no talk of any strict rules here. Most often, both of these concepts mean the same thing. So what flowers are suitable for an alpine hill and all varieties of gardens of this kind? Below you will learn the names of alpine flowers, see their photographs and be able to familiarize yourself with the conditions for growing these plants.

What flowers are suitable for an alpine slide

Iberis, stennik (IBERIS). The cabbage (cruciferous) family.

About 40 species grow in southern Europe. Perennials have entire, lanceolate leaves, white flowers in a dense inflorescence.

Kinds:

(I. saxatiLis) - height 15 cm, rounded bush.

(I. sempervirens) - subshrub, dense, round bush, 25-30 cm high.

Varieties:

"Snowflake"

"Findel"

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with garden soils and limited hydration.

Reproduction. By seeds (sown in spring), seedlings bloom in the second year; stem cuttings (after the end of flowering). Planting density - 16 pcs. per 1 m2.

Kolnik, phyteuma (PHYTEUMA). Campanula family.

Raceme-root perennials from subalpine meadows and mountain forest glades Central Europe. The leaves are in a basal rosette, the flowers are small, bell-shaped, in a dense terminal spike-shaped inflorescence, height 30-40 cm.

Types and varieties:

Kolnik spicata(P. spicatum)- flowers are whitish.

Kolnik Wagner (P. vagneri)- flowers are bright purple.

Growing conditions. Semi-shaded areas with loose neutral soils.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring), form self-seeding by dividing the bush (in spring and late summer). Planting density - 20 pcs. per 1 m2.

As you can see in the photo, these flowers for alpine hills are used in mixed flower beds and rockeries.

Kupena (POLYGONATUM). Lily of the valley (lily) family.

A large genus (150 species) of forest long-rhizome plants that form thickets in the broad-leaved forests of Eurasia. Two groups of species can be distinguished:

• with an erect stem covered with narrow lanceolate leaves with flowers in their axils;
• the stems are arched with leathery oval leaves and small bell-shaped flowers hanging from the leaf axils. The fruit is a red berry.

Types and varieties:

Kupena whorled(P. verticillatum)- up to 80 cm high, forests of Europe.

Kupena pink(P. roseum)- 30 cm high from mountain forests Central Asia.

Kupena angustifolia (P. stenophyllum)- height 40-50 cm from forests Far East.

Growing conditions. All species, except (it can grow in a sunny area), grow well in shade and partial shade, on loose, well-drained forest soils.

Reproduction. These types of perennials for the garden are propagated by cuttings of rhizomes with a renewal bud, only at the end of summer. Planting density - 12 pcs. per 1 m2.

Cinquefoil (POTENTILLA). Rosaceae family.

A large genus (about 300 species), including species with different ecologies, but only a few species and varieties of perennials with beautiful trifoliate overwintering leaves and bright flowers.

Types and varieties:

White bloodroot (P. alba)- 10 cm high, white flowers, blooms earlier than other species (early May).

Cinquefoil whipweed(P. flagellaris)- 15 cm high, creeping, rooting stems, yellow flowers.

Hybrid cinquefoil (P. x hybrida).

Cinquefoil dark blood red (P. atrosanguinea).

Golden cinquefoil (P. aurea)- height 10 cm.

Nepalese cinquefoil(P. nepalensis).

Variety "Miss WiLLmott"- 50 cm high, pinkish flowers with a border.

Cinquefoil straight (P. recta)- 40 cm high, yellow flowers.

Varieties with bright flowers:

"Gibson's Scarlet"

"YeLlow Queen."

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with any soil with moderate moisture.

Reproduction. These perennial flowers for alpine hills are propagated by seeds (sown in spring), seedlings bloom in the 2nd year; dividing the bush (in spring, late summer). Planting density - 12-20 pcs. per 1 m2.

Alpine perennial flowers

Linen (LINUM). Flax family.

Large genus (about 250 species), mainly distributed in the Mediterranean. Only a few species with graceful thin linear leaves and openwork bushes are grown as ornamental plants. The flowers are yellow and blue (in perennial species).

Types and varieties:

Flax yellow (L. flavum).

Variety Compactum- 20 cm high, yellow flowers in paniculate inflorescence.

perennial flax (L. perenne)- with blue flowers.

Variety "ALbum"- with whites.

Growing conditions. These plants for alpine hills prefer sunny areas with light, fertile soils.

Reproduction. By seeds (sown before winter or spring), seedlings bloom in the 2nd year. By dividing the bush (in spring). Planting density - 16 pcs. per 1 m2.

Lychnis, dawn (LYCHNIS). Clove family.

Bush perennials 40–100 cm high, with a dense root system, numerous erect shoots, lanceolate leaves and large (4–5 cm in diameter) bright flowers in a corymbose inflorescence. The entire plant is pubescent. In nature, these alpine flowers grow widely in meadows and steppes of the temperate zone.

Types and varieties:

Lychnis sparkling (L. fulgens)– flowers are fiery red, shade-tolerant.

Lychnis Chalcedonian (L. chalcedonica)– 100 cm high, flowers in a corymbose inflorescence are fiery red.

Lychnis crowned (L. coronaria)- height 60 cm.

Adonis - crimson flowers with a whole limb and silver leaves.

Smolka (L. viscaria).

Variety "PLena"- stems are sticky, petals with a whole limb, crimson.

Lychnis Hage (L. x haageana)- a hybrid with orange-red flowers.

Lychnis cuckoo blossom (L. fioscucuii = Coronaria fioscucuii)- pink petals with a deeply divided limb.

Growing conditions. Sunny areas (except for the shade-tolerant L. sparkling). Undemanding to soils. Drought and frost resistant.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring), cuttings (summer), dividing the bush (spring and late summer). Planting density - 9-12 pcs. per 1 m2.

Low species in rockeries and borders, tall species in mixborders and for cutting.

Perennial flowers for alpine hills

(SEMPERVIVUM). Crassulaceae family.

About 40 species and dozens of varieties are known. Homeland - mountains of the Mediterranean. The beauty of the plant is in the leaves (succulent, succulent, of all colors - from light green to red-brown, often gray), collected in a dense rosette (2-15 cm in diameter), above which rises a peduncle with a corymbose inflorescence of small, non-decorative flowers. Many young plants are monocarpic, that is, the faded specimen dies, forming a mass of rosettes-babies.

Types and varieties. Most often, hybrid forms (S. xhybridum) are grown with leaves of all tones and colors:

Rejuvenated Caucasian (S. caucasicum)- leaves are green.

Roofing rejuvenated (S. tectorum)- green leaves, large rosette.

Young offspring (S. soboliferum)- leaves are ciliated with a red tip.

Rejuvenated cobwebby (S.arachnoideum)- the most spectacular species with a rosette of light green curved leaves covered with white hairs, like a cobweb.

Juvenile spherical (S. globiferum)- leaves are pointed and pubescent.

Growing conditions. Rejuvenated - unpretentious plant, grows especially well in sunny areas with poor sandy or rocky soils enriched with lime.

Reproduction. Young with rosettes during the season. Planted in spring, they form numerous stolons in summer with a rosette of leaves at the end. The rosettes take root, and after 2-3 years a closed cover is formed. Planting density - 25-30 pcs. per 1 m2. Juveniles easily hybridize, so it is better to propagate them vegetatively.

In rockeries or in the form of small rugs among bushy perennials (liatris, heuchera, etc.), along the border.

Nectaroscordum. Onion family.

A bulbous plant from the shady forests of the South, a large bulbous bulb, a tall stem ending in a spherical umbrella-shaped inflorescence, large, broadly bell-shaped flowers drooping. The leaves are wide, light green.

Types and varieties:

Nectaroscordum dioscorides (N. dioscoridis)- flowers are greenish with red veins.

Nectaroscordum three feet(N. tripedaie)- the flowers are white.

Growing conditions. Shady areas with loose forest soils.

Reproduction. Seeds (sow freshly harvested), baby bulbs. Planting density is single.

Perennials for rock gardens

Oats (AVENA). Poa family (grasses).

Evergreen oats (A. sempervirens)- a densely bushy cereal with narrow leaves and drooping spikelets.

The most decorative variety "Pendula"- tall (up to 80 cm) plants, drooping panicles of spikelets.

Growing conditions. Sunny locations with loose, well-drained alkaline soils.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring). Planting density is single.

Fescue (FESTUCA). Poa family (grasses).

Perennial rhizomatous grasses growing in meadows, forests and steppes around the world. The leaves are narrow, form a dense bush, the inflorescence is a panicle.

Types and varieties. Numerous species are grown, especially as part of lawns, but in flower beds the following are most often used:

Ash gray fescue(F. giauca).

Variety "SiLberreiher"- height 25 cm.

Amethyst fescue (F. amethystina).

Sheep fescue(F. ovina).

Variety "SoLLing"- bluish leaves 25 cm.

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with any relatively dry soils.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing before winter) and dividing the bush (in spring and late summer). Planting density - 9 pcs. per 1 m2.

Ozhika (LUZULA). Sitnikov family.

Rhizomatous perennials from European forests. The leaves are grass-like and overwintering. The inflorescence is light, openwork. They form bushes or thickets.

Types and varieties:

Ozhika hairy(L. pilosa)- low (5-10 cm) bush with oval leaves.

Ozhika ozhikovidae(L. luzuloides)- bush 60-70 cm high, leaves narrow, dark green.

Ozhika forest (L. sylvatica)- a thicket 50-60 cm high of light green wide leaves.

In the variety "Marginata" there is a white stripe along the edge.

Ozhika snowy(L. nivea)- 30-45 cm high, with thin leaves.

Growing conditions. Semi-shaded and shady areas under the tree canopy with loose forest soils and leaf litter in the fall.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring), dividing the bush (in spring and late summer). Forms self-seeding. Without dividing and replanting it can grow up to 20 years. Planting density - 9 pcs. per 1 m2.

Plantain (PLANTAGO). Plantain family.

Large plantain (P. major)- tap-root perennial with oval leaves pressed to the ground, in which the veins are clearly visible.

Two varieties are used in floriculture:

"RosuLaris" with a dark green rosette of leaves and an inflorescence - a narrow spike, the shape of the plant is pyramidal, height 23 cm.

"RubrifoLia"- with dark purple leaves, height 30 cm.

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with poor sandy loam or rocky soils.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring and autumn). Planting density - 25 pcs. per 1 m2.

More names of alpine perennial flowers

Poleska, scylla (SCILLA). Hyacinth (lily) family.

These are small-bulbous plants 20-25 cm high, growing in the forests of Europe and the Mediterranean. All, except P. autumnal, bloom in early spring, and end the growing season at the end of spring. The flowers are graceful, half-open, in a racemose inflorescence, mostly blue.

Kinds:

Autumn woodland (S. autumnalis)- flowers are small, blue.

Poleska two-leaf(S. bifolia)- 12-15 bright blue flowers.

Pushkiniformes woodland (S.puschkinioides)- flowers are gray-blue, open.

Poleska Rosen (S. rosenii)- large lilac flowers with a white spot in the center, similar to cyclamen.

Siberian Poleska (S. sibirica)- occurs more often than other species.

Varieties:

"Roseum".

Growing conditions. They grow in both shade and sun. But the soil must be fertile and loose.

Reproduction. Baby bulbs, seeds (sow freshly harvested). Forms self-seeding. Planting density - 40 pcs. per 1 m2.

Lumbago, sleep-grass (PULSATILLA). Ranunculaceae family.

Herbaceous perennials (25-35 cm high) of dry meadows and steppes of Eurasia. The root is thick, deep, taproot, so plants do not like dividing and replanting. The leaves are split, in a basal rosette, turning orange-red in autumn. The flowers are solitary, large (5-7 cm in diameter), open, silky with pubescence, bloom in spring.

Kinds:

Opened lumbago(P. patens)- purple flowers.

Red lumbago (P. rubra)- flowers drooping, violet-red.

Spring lumbago (P. vernalis)- flowers are white.

Meadow lumbago (P. pratensis)- height 20-30 cm, flowers dark purple.

Common lumbago (P. vulgaris)- purple flowers.

Varieties:

"Papageno"- height 15 cm.

"Rubra"- flowers are bright red.

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with loose sandy soils do not tolerate stagnant moisture.

Reproduction. Only by seeds (sowing before winter), seedlings bloom in the 2nd year.

Plant in place no older than 2 years; grow in one place for up to 20 years. They don't like transplantation. Planting density -9 pcs. per 1 m2.

Ornithogalum (ORNITHOGALUM). Hyacinth (lily) family.

Types and varieties. In central Russia the most promising are:

Orchid arcuate(O. arcuatum)- from the forests of the North Caucasus.

Umbrella poultry plant (O. umbellatum)- forests of Europe, 10-25 cm high.

Poultry pyramidal (O. pyramidale)- height 55 cm, non-winter-resistant.

Pontine bird(O. ponticum = O. pyrenaicum)- forests of Crimea, Caucasus, height 75 cm.

Poultry drooping (O. nutans)- height 35 cm, semi-shaded meadows of Western Europe.

Growing conditions. Semi-shaded areas under a sparse tree layer, on rich, well-drained forest soils. It is imperative to preserve tree leaf litter for the winter.

Reproduction. Baby bulbs, seeds (they are sown in the fall, seedlings bloom in the 4-5th year). Planting density - 36 pcs. per 1 m2.

Bladderwort, physochlaina (PHYSOCHLAINE). Solanaceae family.

Physalis bladderwort (P. physaloides)- long-rhizome, spring-flowering perennial from the rocky slopes of the mountains of Siberia and the Far East. Height - 30 cm, dense bush, simple, pubescent leaves, flowers in corymbose inflorescence, lilac. Ephemeroid.

Growing conditions. Open and semi-shaded places with fertile loose soils.

Reproduction. Sections of rhizomes with a renewal bud after the end of flowering. Planting density -16 pcs. per 1 m2.

Perennial plants for rock garden

Navel (ANTHEMIS). Family Asteraceae (Asteraceae).

A large (about 200 species) genus, species of which are found in Europe, Asia and North Africa. Bushes 50-80 cm high from light pinnately dissected leaves and peduncles bearing single large yellow baskets.

Types and varieties:

Dying navel, or yellow-colored (A. tinctoria)- leaves are large, bluish-green.

Variety "Kelwayi" height 70 cm.

Mountain Pupavka (A. montana)- rocky, lower plant.

Marshall-Bieberstein navel(A. marschalliana)- height 25 cm.

Growing conditions. Sunny places with neutral rocky soils. On rich soils it grows and falls out faster. Does not tolerate stagnant moisture.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring), seedlings bloom in the 2nd year, and by dividing the bush (spring and late summer). Transplantation and division after 2-3 years. Planting density - 12 pcs. per 1 m2.

Pushkinia (PUSCHKINIA). Hyacinth (lily) family.

There are two species in the genus, growing in the mountain meadows of the Caucasus and Turkey. These are small bulbous herbs that bloom in early spring and lose their leaves in mid-June (ephemeroids). The flowers are bell-shaped in a dense inflorescence. The bulb forms 2-4 peduncles.

Types and varieties:

Pushkinia hyacinth (P. hyacinthoides)- with pale blue flowers in a dense inflorescence of 12-15 flowers and lanceolate fleshy leaves, along the midrib of the flower there is a bright blue stripe.

Pushkinia prolesciformes (P. scilloides)- differs in a looser inflorescence of blue flowers with a blue stripe, blooms somewhat earlier.

Growing conditions. Sunny places with fertile, not waterlogged, limed soils.

Reproduction. Seeds (sown before winter) and bulbs. They are replanted after 5-7 years, when the “nests” of bulbs grow. Planting density - 25 pcs. per 1 m2.

Equal fruit (ISOPYRUM). Ranunculaceae family.

Basil foliage (I. thalictroides)- long-rhizome, spring-flowering perennial from the forests of the Carpathians. Graceful small flowers cover the ground with a continuous carpet, emphasizing the beauty of the bluish leaves.

Growing conditions. Shady areas under tree canopy on well-drained soils.

Reproduction. Sections of rhizome with renewal bud after the end of flowering. Planting density - 25 pcs. per 1 m2.

, fritillaria (FRITILLARIA). Lily family.

There are about 100 species in the genus bulbous perennials, but in central Russia only a few representatives of this genus are promising for cultivation, since they are very demanding on soil, have poor resistance to weeds, and in central Russia they often die out in late autumn or early spring.

Types and varieties:

Kamchatka hazel grouse (F. camschatcensis)- 25-30 cm high, a plant of the forest glades of Kamchatka with a whorl of broadly lanceolate leaves and a small, brick-colored flower, grows well in partial shade.

Pale-flowered hazel grouse (F. pallidifbra)- plant of Central Asia, 25-30 cm high, with pale yellow flowers.

Imperial hazel grouse (F. imperialis) - originally from Afghanistan, the largest hazel grouse (height 60-100 cm) with an umbrella-shaped inflorescence of large orange-brown bell-shaped flowers (4-8 cm), a bunch of green leaves rises above the inflorescence.

Russian hazel grouse (F. ruthenica)- 20-40 cm high, dark beet flowers, speckled.

Checkered hazel grouse (F. meleagris)- 30 cm high, dark burgundy flowers with light spots, solitary.

Checkered hazel grouse (F. meLeagroides)- 25-35 cm high, small flowers (3 cm), dark red, drooping stems - both are moisture-loving species.

The last three species are plants of floodplain meadows southern Russia and are quite stable in culture.

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with rich, well-drained soils.

Reproduction. Seeds (sowed before winter), seedlings bloom in the 3-4th year, and bulbs, “nests” are divided once every 4-5 years. Planting density 5-12 pcs. per 1 m2.

Look at the photo of these alpine flowers:

Tall hazel grouse will decorate any mixed flower bed, low ones are planted in rockeries.

Smolevka (SILENE). Clove family.

About 400 species of this genus grow in temperate zone Northern Hemisphere, but mainly in the Mediterranean. Of the perennials, about a dozen species are widely grown in culture, from rocky habitats, with a “cushion” of shoots with silvery leaves and a tap root. They bloom all summer.

Types and varieties:

Smolevka stemless(S. acauLis)– 5-8 cm high, narrow leaves, small flowers.

Smolevka Welsh (S. vaLLe-sia)- height 15 cm.

Smolevka Shafta (S. schafta)- from the rocks of the Caucasus, 10 cm high, large (3 cm), dark pink flowers

Smolevka Primorskaya (S. maritima)- height 15 cm.

Variety "Rosea"- pink flowers.

Variety "Weisskehlchen"- flowers are white.

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with loose, fertile, sufficiently moist soil. Grows well in conditions humid air and soil, without overheating and stagnant moisture.

Reproduction. By seeds (sown in spring), seedlings bloom in the 2nd year. Plant immediately in place (does not like transplanting) summer cuttings. Planting density - single among stones or 16 pcs. per 1 m2 - to create a carpet in a gravel garden.

Other perennial flowers for rock gardens

Sunflower (HELIANTHEMUM). Cistus family.

Subshrubs from warm, dry regions. Evergreen, with grayish-green lanceolate leaves, flowering profusely and for a long time, forming spectacular “pillows”, they are widely cultivated and have many varieties. The name of these flowers for the alpine slide speaks for itself - sunflowers prefer warmth, light and sun.

Kinds:

Sunflower Apennine (H. apenninum)- yellow flowers.

Sunflower hybrid(H. x hybridum)- the result of crossing with. Apennine and s. coin-leaved, oval leaves, varied flower colors.

Varieties:

"Braungold"

"Cerise Queen"

"Gelbe Perle"

"Pink Double"

"Rubin"

Growing conditions. Sunny areas with rich, loose, lime-enriched soils.

Reproduction. By seeds (sowing in spring) and cuttings (after the end of flowering). Planting density - 12 pcs. per 1 m5.

Soldanella. Primrose family.

Small (5-15 cm) plant from the highlands of Europe. A short, small rhizome, a basal rosette of rounded leathery leaves and bell-shaped flowers with petals fringed along the edge give the plant a unique grace. They bloom in early spring.

Types and varieties:

Soldanella alpine(S. alpina) blooms at the end of April.

Soldanella mountaina(S. montana) blooms at the end of May.

Growing conditions. Slightly shaded places with well-drained acidic soil with the addition of spruce needles and rotted leaves.

Reproduction. By seeds (sown before winter), seedlings bloom in the 2-3rd year, by dividing the bush (late August). Planting density - 16 pcs. per 1 m2.

Asparagus, asparagus (ASPARAGUS). Family Asparagus (lily).

False rough asparagus(A. pseudoscaber)- Asparagus has been cultivated for more than 2000 years as a vegetable, medicinal and ornamental plant. large plant(height up to 170 cm) with a powerful short rhizome and deep root system.

Numerous strong stems form a clump. They are covered with numerous scales, in the axils of which there are needle-shaped, soft green branches imitating leaves. The flowers are small, whitish-green, non-decorative. Asparagus is spectacular during the fruiting period, when numerous bright red fruits and berries ripen.

Variety "Spitzenschelier"- height 80 cm.

Growing conditions. Sunny or semi-shaded areas with fertile soils.

Reproduction. By dividing the bush (in spring or late summer), by seeds (sowing before winter). It lives for a long time (up to 20-25 years) without transplantation or division. Planting density - 3 pcs. per 1 m2.

Pike, meadow grass (DESCHAMPSIA). Poa family (grasses).

Soddy pike (D. caespitosa)- a perennial grass from the wet meadows of Europe and Asia. Forms a dense tussock (dense bush) of narrow, hard leaves with sharp edges. Wintering leaves are dark green. In June-July, dense panicles 40-60 cm high appear.

Varieties:

"Goldschleier"- with golden leaves.

"Tautrager"-leaves with white stripes.

Growing conditions. Sunny places with moist soils, tolerates stagnant moisture.

Reproduction. Seeds (sown in spring), young bushes can be divided (in spring and late summer). Old bushes do not divide well. Planting density - 5 pcs. per 1 m2.

Mitella (MITELLA). Saxifraga family.

Low (8-20 cm) perennial with a long thin rhizome, form thickets; stems creeping, hairy; Leaves are heart-shaped, basal. The flowers are reddish-brown.

Types and varieties:

Mitella nude (M. nuda)- from coniferous forests of Siberia.

Mitella bifolia (M. diphylla)- from the forests of North America.

Growing conditions. Shady areas with loose soils.

Reproduction. By dividing the bush and cutting rhizomes in early spring and late summer. Planting density - 20 pcs. per 1 m2.

A rocky garden decorated with a flower bed is a fairly common element of many garden plots. The decorative appeal and ease of care of the rock garden are the reason for the popularity of this element of landscape design. Rock plants for an alpine hill always visually enliven a stone composition, but at the same time retain the effect of a natural mountain landscape.

It’s not difficult to create a stone composition that will become a spectacular decoration of a suburban area. To do this, when selecting plants for a “rocky garden”, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• When creating a composition, preference should be given to compact and low-growing forms of plants that correspond to the proportional dimensions of the slide itself.
• The choice of plants should be carried out taking into account their resistance to local conditions: soil characteristics, climate.
• When choosing a place for rooting, it is important to take into account the plant’s relationship to sunlight: sunny areas are for light-loving representatives flora, shaded - for shade-tolerant.
• The intensity of growth and tillering of individual species is an important point, the lack of which can lead to the death of the “neighbors” of a rapidly growing plant.
• When creating compositions, it is important to take into account the characteristics of each of the plant inhabitants of the rock garden in order to avoid an “unfavorable neighborhood”. For example: the very attractive and easy-to-care for jasmine, rezuha and aubrietta have a bad effect on their “neighbors”.
• It is advisable to plant plants taking into account their “common interests”: they should be combined with each other not only in appearance, but in the similarity of growing conditions, growth and development rates, as well as flowering rhythm.

The material on choosing suitable stones for an alpine slide will also be useful:

When choosing perennial flowers for landscaping an alpine hill, you should focus not only on the location of the rock garden on the site, but also on the general style of the composition

The most effective combination is provided by combinations of herbaceous perennials with shrub and tree-like forms, decorated with variegated mats of beautifully flowering creeping species and lush green touches of evergreen and decorative foliage species

Examples of decorative varieties

The ideal plants for a rock garden are slow-growing, woody and low-growing plants. Conifers for alpine hills make the composition highly decorative throughout the year.

Creeping and dwarf forms of coniferous crops look great in miniature stone compositions: miniature Canadian spruce “Conica”, black pine “Nana”, scaly juniper “Blue Carpet”, thuja western “Danica”

By combining conifers with different crown shapes and needle colors in one composition, you can significantly enhance the picturesque effect.

Among deciduous shrubs for alpine hills, the obvious favorites are decorative forms of barberry, cotoneaster, chaenomeles, spirea

Perennial carnations and evergreen Iberis can become a bright decoration for the top.

A fluffy carpet of Iberis will cover the top with snow-white flowers in May-June, cushion-like carnation bushes will delight abundant flowering and a pleasant aroma throughout the summer

Sun-loving edelweiss growing on the slopes inaccessible mountains can become the main decoration of a rock garden, and lush purple mats of creeping thyme will attract many bees and butterflies with the honey aroma of flowers

Middle tier of stone composition

Plants that prefer sunny areas, but can easily tolerate light shading, can decorate the middle part of a rocky hill. At the middle level there is higher soil moisture. This makes it possible to expand the range of plants for decoration with moisture-loving beauties.

In the days of May, the awl-shaped phlox will sparkle with riotous colors of pink, blue and snow-white shades. An effective background for phlox can be the woolly chickweed with silvery pubescent leaves that are pleasant to the touch.

Anaphalis three-vein and Artemisia Schmidt also have noble silvery shades.

Aubrietta is a universal plant for landscaping, because in addition to its gorgeous flowering in the summer months, it has decorative foliage, the richness of color and attractiveness of which remains throughout the year.

At the end of May, the beauty Aubrietta cultivars will take over the flowering baton, delighting the eye with lush streams of soft pink, deep crimson and dark purple flowers

The sunflower subshrub is well suited for the middle tier and is easy to care for. In the sunny areas of the tier you can place all kinds of sedums, which form into cute cushion-like bushes, decorated in the summer months with miniature star-flowers

If you choose among the names of flowers for an alpine hill that feel comfortable in our latitudes, then the slopes of the hill can be decorated with all kinds of bulbous, varied, dense bushes, delicate alpine aster, primrose primroses, and the beautiful autumn-blooming colchicum.

The foot of the rock garden

Plants that like to grow in rich, moisture-saturated soil and are not afraid of shading are planted at the foot.

Color accents at the base of the composition can be placed using compact saxifrage bushes and spike-shaped liatris flowers

The lower tier is also reserved for placing tree and shrub plants. Often, group plantings of miniature dwarf conifers and rhododendrons are placed on this part of the hill.

Creating an alpine slide is a creative process that requires both a flight of imagination and clear knowledge. The article provides information about plants for an alpine hill, lists the most spectacular perennial flowers, their names, and provides tips on choosing stones for a rock garden. The text is accompanied by colorful photos.

Rock garden: basic rules for creation

Alpine slide (rock garden) is a fashionable decoration for a garden or summer cottage. As a rule, perennial plants of various shades with different flowering periods are selected for a rock garden, because its main task is to give beauty and delight gardeners from early spring to late autumn.

Select plants for your alpine slide that feel comfortable in the open sun.

Plants for an alpine hill should be selected taking into account natural environment growth: some flowers feel great on a stone surface, while others can bloom profusely only in well-moistened humus-rich soil.

Tip: a rock garden is a miniature mountain with a smooth transition from a rocky top to more fertile areas below. It is important to maintain its style, the height of the different tiers, recreating natural conditions for mountain flowers and plants, otherwise you may end up with just a flower garden with stones.

Before construction, draw a plan for your alpine slide

• it is necessary to clearly understand the type of alpine slide (number of tiers), placement of stones;
• you need to choose the type of stones and their location;
• you should choose flowers for an alpine hill, taking into account their flowering period, growth conditions, and shade range.

Tip: you can draw a future slide, sign the names of the colors, indicate the placement of stones, and then create it following the drawing.

How to choose stones for a rock garden

The main task of the stones in an alpine hill is to recreate the beauty of the mountains, so it is important that the stone groups look as natural as possible. When creating a rock garden, preference is given to granite, limestone, and sandstone. Each of these stones has its own degree of fragility and moisture absorption.

The layout of stones in the rock garden must be well thought out so that the slide looks aesthetically pleasing.

Granite, due to its variety of shades and massiveness, looks impressive, but is quite difficult to process, does not absorb moisture well, and affects the acidity of the soil. It is recommended to plant heather trees next to it, conifers.

Most often, sandstone is used for rock gardens, which has excellent decorative properties: rich range of halftones, smooth coarse-grained structure. The variety of colors of sandstone is amazing: there is a light red stone, cream, light and dark beige, pinkish, dark brown. Ideal for all flowers and plants.

It is desirable that all stones be of the same type

Limestone (dolomite or tuff) is also used in the decoration of alpine slides, which has excellent breathability and moisture absorption. Ideal for alpine plants, over time it becomes overgrown with moss and lichen. Limestone is a fairly soft stone that can be processed outside of industrial conditions. Over time, all edges of the stone are smoothed out, it takes on a natural, picturesque appearance. Not suitable for plants requiring increased acidity soil.

Plants for alpine hills

Plants for an alpine hill should be selected taking into account their shape, color and height.

Conifers for alpine hills

Coniferous plants are especially popular in rock gardens; in combination with stones, they perfectly imitate mountain peaks:

• juniper (a cone-shaped plant of dark green color);
• dwarf spruces (have different shades: from bluish to rich green);
• cypress (attracts attention with its golden top against the background of a dark green base);
• thuja (a bush growing on the sunny side can have chestnut shades).

Deciduous plants for rock garden

Deciduous plants for alpine hills are used less frequently, since their growth involves additional concerns about cleaning up falling leaves. Therefore, you should choose evergreen plants:

• dryad (a shrub with showy white flowers and “fluffy” ball-shaped fruits);
• horizontal cotoneaster (changes color from dark green to reddish, has small flowers white or pink shades and black fruits);
• Iberis (flowers of lilac, pinkish or white shades, collected in brushes, fruits in the form of pods).

Flowers for an alpine slide

Flowers for an alpine hill are perennials, but at the initial stage of its creation it is allowed to fill temporarily empty spaces with annual flowers and bushes.

A real decoration of the upper tier of an alpine hill can be alpine edelweiss (popular name - highlander), growing in the mountains at an altitude of about 1500-2000 meters in poor rocky soil. This flower is listed in the Red Book, but at home you can grow it from seeds and then propagate by seedlings.

Flowering plants for alpine hills

You can achieve a harmonious landscape view of the hill by planting edelweiss with other low flowers: sedum, allium, gypsophila, grass carnation, creeping thyme, glaucous carnation, and young.
Various types of carnations will be an excellent decoration for the top tier of a rock garden; they create compact, lush green bushes that bloom in small numbers all summer colorful flowers emitting a pleasant aroma.

Creeping thyme has lilac-purple flowers that create lush cushions. In addition, the honey aroma of this perennial attracts bees and butterflies, which gives the rock garden additional picturesqueness.

Example of a rock garden design

Such a crop as rejuvenated looks quite impressive on an alpine hill. Absolutely undemanding to conditions, fleshy thick leaves create rosettes of various shapes, the color of the inflorescences is purple. It is recommended as a plant for alpine hills to stabilize slopes, since it can grow even in the cracks between stones.

For the middle tier of the rock garden, where there is a little less sunlight than at the top, but there is more moisture and the soil is more fertile, it is recommended to plant phlox, cultivated aubrieta, woolly chickweed, and sunflower.
The awl-shaped phlox blooms in May; the inflorescences are large and can be blue, bright white, or soft pink. At proper care blooms luxuriantly, completely covering the space allocated for it.

After it, in June, aubrieta blooms with bright flowers of soft purple, bright crimson, pinkish shades, which can bloom again in September. This perennial flower is decorative all year round because it has evergreen leaves.

Plan for placing plants in the rock garden

For the foot of the alpine hill (its lower tier), flowers that grow in conditions of high humidity are chosen. It is recommended to plant:

• liatris spikelet (inflorescences are arrow-shaped in various shades of lilac, red, white flowers depending on the type);
• Indian duchesnea;
• saxifrage ( different kinds);

When selecting plants for an alpine hill, you should take into account their requirements for humidity, soil acidity, and natural light.

What plants to decorate an alpine slide with: video

Alpine slide on a personal plot: photo

The construction of a rock garden or rock garden is a sure way to obtain a unique and extraordinary landscape. Having decided to decorate your property with a rocky garden, even before starting its construction, figure out which plants for the alpine hill will be the most suitable, which flowers will make it bright and original. Find out which conifers will best fit into the composition and how to arrange decorative greenery among the stones. Having understood this, you will create a unique corner on the site that you can be proud of.

Criteria for selecting plants for a rock garden

There are certain canons in the selection of ornamental plants for a rocky hill. The classic option involves settling it perennial plants, growing in the highlands. These are ground cover and low-growing, with a compact bush, undemanding to soil and moisture, winter-hardy, and wind-resistant.

Rock garden on the site

However, time makes adjustments, and lovers of rocky gardens have expanded the range of plants, including some inhabitants of forests, steppes and long-flowering annuals. Most often in rock gardens and rockeries there are:

• Low-growing species of conifers and deciduous shrubs or varieties with a slow growth rate. They, along with stones, form the basis of the rock garden composition.
• Creeping ground cover plants filling the volume of the rock garden. Among them, it is advisable to choose varieties that do not lose their decorative effect after flowering ends: for example, those that have leaves with a specific color.
• Herbaceous perennials. Special attention You should pay attention to those of them whose appearance resembles specimens growing in the mountains.
• Bulbous. They enliven the landscape in the first days of spring, but after flowering the aboveground part dies off. That's why separate place There is no need to divert them; they need to be planted together with ground covers.

Combination of plants in a rock garden

When choosing plants for a rocky garden, you should definitely take into account its location and lighting. The “new residents” of the alpine hill should receive the amount of sunlight they need. Accordingly, in a rock garden open to the sun, it is necessary to place light-loving species, and on a hill located in the shade or partial shade, shade-loving species will be comfortable.

Plants in the rock garden are combined in appearance

To the composition of the mini-Alps on summer cottage was harmonious and decorated the garden, it is necessary to select neighboring plants with approximately the same growth rate. Otherwise, too actively growing shrubs and flowers will not allow less energetic neighbors to grow. In addition, the selected plants should be similar in terms of growing conditions, flowering period and compatible in appearance.

An example of an alpine slide

How to choose flowers for an alpine slide

It’s hard to imagine a rock garden without flowers. Carefully selected beautifully flowering perennials and bright, low-growing annuals add a special charm to this unique flowerbed, and with it the entire site as a whole.

Long-lived rock garden - perennial flowers

When creating a rock garden on a site, several reasons encourage preference for low perennials:

1. They form dense thickets-clumps along the perimeter of the laid stones, going around them, repeating the stone relief, partially hanging down on the boulders. This looks inimitable, especially during the flowering period, since perennial flowers have a high density of inflorescences.
2. Most perennials have a long flowering period (40-80 days) and after flowering remain attractive due to the highly decorative leaves.
3. When caring for perennials, less labor is required: there is no need to replant plantings annually. Weeding is also easier - active perennials fill all the crevices between the stones with their roots, preventing weeds from developing. And weed seeds have too little chance of surviving in the dense shade of clumps.
4. These flowers are drought- and frost-resistant, undemanding to the soil.
5. Many species can bloom again at the end of the season if faded flowers are removed in time and faded specimens are fed.
6. Perennials can be propagated by dividing bushes, cuttings, and seeds.

• Perennial flowers of alpine origin are sun-loving; in shade and partial shade they develop poorly and may die.
• High humidity“Alpines” cannot tolerate soil, especially stagnant water in it - good drainage under their plantings is mandatory.

Dense clumps of perennial flowers

You can get acquainted with some representatives of the vast world of perennials for the rocky hill at brief descriptions and photo.

Popular perennial flowers for alpine hills

Edelweiss(popular name highlander). Sun-loving mountain flower, growing on the poor soils of inaccessible rocks, will decorate the top of the hill and be your pride. It is listed in the Red Book, but you can grow the legendary flower yourself from seeds, then propagate with seedlings.

Edelweiss

Rejuvenated. An extremely unpretentious plant with fleshy leaves collected in a beautiful rosette, for which it is sometimes called a stone rose. There are many types of young, there are rosettes different shapes and shades: from silver-green to burgundy. There are chameleon varieties that change color according to the season. A stone rose will strengthen the slopes of a rock garden, since it can take root in the narrowest crevices between stones.

Rejuvenated

Rejuvenated in a mini rock garden

Alyssum(Alyssum) rocky. Drought-resistant, demanding sunny color. Small golden flowers, united in lush decorative inflorescences, bloom in May, decorate the garden for about 50 days, emitting a sweetish aroma. Faded inflorescences must be cut off. With proper care it blooms again.

Armeria seaside. Highly resistant to cold and drought, and reacts negatively to waterlogging. Compact bushes that simultaneously produce up to 10 flower stalks with spherical inflorescences, similar to the inflorescences of decorative onions. Flowering is long lasting, almost throughout the entire season. Old inflorescences, like all long-blooming ones, must be removed in a timely manner.

Armeria seaside

Echinacea. Perennial with rather large, bright colors, hardy, drought-resistant. Loves good lighting, prefers nutritious soil. It blooms from the second half of summer to September, replacing previously faded specimens.

Echinacea

Carnations(grass, pinnate, alpine). All these carnations form clumps that can cover bald spots between taller neighbors, and bloom luxuriantly. Grassweed is the first of the perennials to bloom, and in mid-June it is joined by pinnate and alpine carnations.

Carnations: grass and pinnate

Annual and bulbous flowers for rock gardens

Decorative perennials planted when creating a rock garden do not grow overnight; some species bloom only in the second year. A rocky hill built according to all the rules at this time looks, if attractive, then too strict, reminiscent of harsh Mountain peaks. Perhaps someone will be satisfied with just such a composition. And those who wish to create a semblance of a multi-colored alpine meadow on their site will be helped by annual flowers.

Annuals, together with bulbous flowers, will help the alpine hill awaken to a bright life with the melting of snow and blaze in the garden different colors all season. Bulbous plants for rock gardens should be low-growing and medium-sized. Let's say gladioli on it will be clearly inappropriate. Suitable:

• scillas,
• colchicums,
• snowdrops,
• muscari,
• crocuses,
• birdwatcher,
• Kaufman tulips.

Kaufman tulips

Low-growing annual flowers planted on an alpine hill will make it bright and attractive, help hide empty spaces, and hide fading bulbous flowers. Get to know individual annuals for rock gardens.

Dimorphotheca notemata. By origin it is a perennial, but in Russia it is often grown as an annual crop, unpretentious, resistant to cold and drought. Among other inhabitants of the rock garden, it stands out for its large inflorescences of sunny yellow and orange shades; it blooms profusely and for a long time.

Dimorphotheca notemata

haretail(lagurus). This is an ornamental grass that will add “naturalness” to a rocky hill. Loves sun, light partial shade, requires regular watering, has a negative attitude towards the slightest drying of the soil.

haretail

Brachycoma iberisolifolia. Not particularly widespread yet, but deserves more. Light- and heat-loving, requires watering only in drought. The soil for it needs to be light, dry, but nutritious for greater decorativeness.

Important: Do not overdo it with the number of flowers, because you are recreating on your site not a flowerbed, but a miniature fragment of the mountains, and the role of stones in it is dominant.

Brachycoma iberisolifolia

Annuals and perennials blooming all summer

Flowers are a wonderful gift of nature, and anyone who grows them wants their appearance to caress the eye and warm the soul all summer. There are two possibilities for this:

1. Select different species that bloom in succession throughout the season. Perhaps this is not a very simple option.
2. Choose to your liking long-flowering representatives of the plant world, which will decorate the area and delight you with flowering all season long.

Arenaria crimson

The latter include the above-mentioned Armeria, Brachycoma iberisolifolia, Dianthus grass, and Dimorphotheca notemata. But the list goes on and on. It is worth paying attention to the types of flowers presented below.

Arenaria crimson. Exceptionally unpretentious drought-resistant flower with shoots of a crimson color. An ideal perennial for rock gardens, capable of growing on stones and sand. The height of the stems is up to 15 cm. Small star flowers cover the bushes from early June until autumn.

Periwinkle. It grows as an evergreen mat, feels equally good in the sun and in the shade, which is rare. Pleases with small ones blue flowers from late May to September. In warm autumn, you can admire the flowers even in October.

Periwinkle

Balkan geranium. A fragrant perennial that blooms in June and again in autumn. The bushes, 20-25 cm high, are decorated with carved foliage, which turns yellow and sometimes red in the fall; the leaves often overwinter. It is noteworthy that this type of geranium has a branched rhizome, from which new rosettes of leaves extend, forming dense thickets. Grows equally well on wet soil and dry, in the sun and in the shade.

Balkan geranium

Rhodiola. An impressive looking mountain perennial with medicinal properties. Loves sun, moist (without stagnant water) nutritious soil mixed with gravel and sand. Blooms from spring to autumn.

Marigold. A charming, unpretentious annual with an amazing variety of varieties. It begins to bloom at the beginning of summer and continues until frost. Heat- and light-loving, adapted to limited watering, does not tolerate stagnation of moisture.

Marigold

Ground cover plants for rock gardens

If it’s hard to imagine an alpine hill in the garden without flowers, then it’s completely impossible without ground covers. Stones, ground cover plants and conifers are the “three pillars” that support rocky gardens.

Advantages and disadvantages of ground covers

Ground cover representatives of the green kingdom have earned recognition from summer residents because they:

1. They are highly decorative throughout the summer (some even in winter), adding originality and charm to the rock garden composition.
2. They are unpretentious, do not particularly need care - time is saved for other things.
3. They cover the ground with a continuous living carpet, preventing it from overheating, drying out, and weathering, which makes them better preserved. useful material in the ground.
4. Prevents weeds from developing.
5. Hardy, for the most part not afraid of shortages nutrients, cold and drought.
6. Being planted on the slopes of an alpine hill during its creation, they strengthen the composition.

Important: When purchasing ground cover species, carefully read their characteristics. Many grow aggressively, peremptorily conquering territory from neighbors, and not only weeds, but also your pets can survive. Such specimens should be planted away from other inhabitants of the rock garden.

Ground covers on the slope of a rocky hill

The most common ground covers

The range of ground cover plants is wide. Many of them are creeping: they spread through the rooting of tendrils and stepsons. Others produce many shoots, turning into a fluffy mat, while others grow in breadth with the help of surface roots. Meet some of the flora that can create impressive living carpets in your garden.

Saxifrage. An almost indispensable inhabitant of rock gardens, it is found in perennial and annual crops. Some species of saxifrage prefer full sun, others prefer partial shade, and all need high humidity. Graceful bushes are decorative, forming many rosettes that merge into dense mats. They can bloom for up to 4 months (from May to August). Saxifragas easily reproduce by rosettes, which need to be separated after flowering.

Saxifrage

Arabis. One of the best perennials for rock gardens and gardens. Honey plant with a rich aroma. Blooms during May-June, has decorative leaves, thanks to which it decorates the hill even after flowering. It blooms more luxuriantly in the sun, and grows stronger in the shade of the garden. It has incredibly intense growth, displacing its neighbors, just like saxifrage, by the way. Because of this, the layers have to be removed.

Aubrieta. Ground cover perennial, elegant, blooming profusely. Creates a “carpet” 10-30 cm high, up to a meter wide (depending on the type). In early spring, the rock garden is decorated with overwintered small leaves of aubrieta, which can be bright green, bluish, or variegated. By May, the rug is transformed, becoming covered with an innumerable number of small flowers, their colors depending on the variety.

The flowering of aubrieta lasts up to one and a half months. A faded rug dries out and looks sloppy. But if you cut off the shoots after flowering, this encourages the beauty to produce new ones and bloom again in the fall.

Delosperma profusely flowering. A charming groundcover annual. Loves heat, bright sun, frequent watering, well-drained, poor soil. Blooms in the year of sowing, flowers are pinkish-lilac, star-shaped.

Delosperma

Dwarf shrubs and conifers for rockeries

If the construction of an alpine hill seems too labor-intensive for you or there is not enough space for it, you can create a small rock garden of conifers in front of the house, placing in it dwarf or low-growing species of spruce, juniper, pine, and thuja. Arranging a rock garden on a flat area does not require such serious costs physical labor and means, like the construction of a rocky hill, but in terms of decorativeness, a rock garden is not inferior to a rock garden.

Rockery in front of the house

Choosing conifers for rock gardens

In creating a decorative rock garden, large and small stones play an even greater role than on an alpine hill, and should occupy at least half the area of ​​the rocky garden.

Coniferous composition

Shrubs and trees should be planted in small quantities and the composition should be supplemented with ground covers and flowers, with which it is also important not to overdo it. As on an alpine hill, first of all you need to plant trees and shrubs on the site.

For a small rockery, you should choose low-growing conifers or dwarf species, various shades the greenery of which will decorate the garden all year round. Their range is not particularly large.

Combination of conifers

Dwarf spruces. They grow slowly, eventually reaching a height of 0.6 m, and tolerate being trimmed well. The shape of the crown can be pyramidal or spreading. The color of the needles ranges from blue in seaside spruce to lush green in Canadian spruce. Spruce trees are unpretentious and require almost no care. Being resistant to dry conditions, they are very suitable for rock gardens.

Dwarf spruces

Junipers. They have many very decorative types, both creeping and standard. The needles are green, sometimes with a yellowish tint. They grow well on rocky soil and are light-loving. What makes junipers attractive are their cute, indehiscent cones.

Junipers

Mountain pine. There are several varieties. An interesting dwarf pine Pug has a spherical shape. By the age of 10, the diameter of its crown reaches only 50 cm. The needles are greenish-blue. This pine variety is external conditions undemanding, feels great in rock gardens and rockeries.

Mountain pine

Thuja. A shrub with a cone-shaped (some species with a spherical) dense crown and delicate green needles. Under the bright sun, the greenery sometimes turns red. Thuja can be cut to give the desired shape. The shrub is unpretentious, cold-resistant, and drought-resistant.

Thuja in rock garden

Evergreen shrubs for rock gardens

Deciduous shrubs are undesirable inhabitants of rock gardens, where removing leaves is difficult. However, there is a group of evergreen small shrubs that do not shed their leaves and are very decorative. Here are the most popular ones.

Cotoneaster horizontal. In nature, it is an inhabitant of mountain slopes. The bush shape is compact, with small dense foliage. The foliage is green throughout the year, turning purple in autumn. In May it becomes covered with inconspicuous pink flowers. The cotoneaster is very decorated with fruits that appear in the fall and persist throughout the winter.

Cotoneaster horizontal

Iberis evergreen. A low-growing (up to 50 cm) strongly branching bush with dense foliage. It has a pleasant aroma and is highly decorative. The first buds appear in May, it blooms luxuriantly for 2 months, the flowers are white. Unpretentious, but does not tolerate shade and stagnant water. Requires watering during drought. Loves sandy rocky ground.

Iberis evergreen

Barberry evergreen(boxwood). Dwarf bush, up to 50 cm high. Undemanding to soil, loves sun or partial shade. It is cold-resistant, but in very severe winters it needs shelter. It blooms in May, but its main decoration is its luxurious greenery.

Barberry evergreen

If there are not so many true “Alpines”, then it is impossible to list all the names of the various plants that have found shelter in stone gardens. Choose according to your taste, taking into account the needs of your green friends, their relationships with each other, follow simple agricultural practices, and your rock garden will be inimitably beautiful on a country plot or in the garden.