Creation of the Alpine hill, a small model of the large Alps, in our garden

Alpine hill at the dacha is a mini-copy, the artificial embodiment of the amazing in beauty and variety of shapes and colors of the stony highlands of the Alps, so beloved by artists and poets. Here, amid a heap of bizarre blocks and cobblestones, low, but very attractive multicolored shrubs, flowers and grasses look particularly touching and cute. A bright, unique style is given to this element of landscape design by stones of various sizes and shapes, and the plants making their way among them only complement the image. However, this alpine slide is not a chaotic heap of stones, but a well thought out structure, where each cobblestone and flower is given a certain place, and all of them together create a pleasing spectacle.

Creating an alpine slide in the garden

Success in the construction of such an element of the landscape depends on the mandatory implementation of certain rules. First of all, you need to determine the location for the hill. It is built on a well-lighted and sheltered from the wind open area. The size of the slide is determined by the total size of the garden. The larger the area of the plot, the more monumental and significant the building can be. It is also very important to take into account the surrounding landscape. After all, the rock garden needs to be skillfully entered into the overall design of the garden, making it a harmonious and natural continuation of the green composition. So, a successful addition to the rock garden will be a nearby flower garden or emerald lawn, as well as a small decorative pond or waterfall.

The creation of an alpine slide should begin with the preparation of the land. First make a markup, and then excavate the pit, the bottom of which is filled with drainage, consisting of rubble, construction debris, expanded clay or broken bricks. Then layerwise fill up the fertile land level with the surface of the excavation. Each poured layer is carefully tamped and watered so that no voids form. To prevent shrinkage, which leads to the "creep" of the slide, it is better to install stones (especially large and heavy ones) on special supports made from asbestos pipes filled with gravel, or brick supports.

After the base of the slide is prepared, begin to lay stones. The most common way is to lay tiers in the direction from the foot of the mountain to its summit. As a rule, for a slide of medium height, it is enough from 3 to 5 tiers. They can consist of flat stones, which are laid in layers, and rounded cobblestones, located in one or in small groups. As a building material, granite, basalt, limestone and sandstone are used. Stones with a porous structure, such as tuff and coquina, look very beautiful, but they are fragile and short-lived, so they are used as additional elements.

The design of the Alpine hill must not be too correct or, on the contrary, very chaotic. The stones are stacked so that a natural natural structure is obtained, balanced and very stable. The main criterion is that the hill should look attractive without decorative plants and bushes, but the distance between the stones should be such that the planted plants have enough space for growth and development.

The creation of the Alpine hill and its successful functioning presupposes the fight against weeds. The land for planting plants must be carefully sifted and cleaned of roots and "wild" seeds, then treated with herbicides. Weeds are the main enemy of the rock garden. Over time, they can "crush" ornamental plants, and get rid of weedy roots that go deep beneath the stones, almost impossible. In order to protect against them, it is recommended to fill the hill with river stones or marble chips.

Successful creation of the Alpine hill is the proper selection of plants. It is not necessary to use only alpine alpine species of herbs and flowers. Under the conditions of the Russian climate, various mosses, heathers, small-grown coniferous plants, bulbous flowers and grasses develop well on rock gardens. Plants should "get on well" with each other, and the alpine slide - in each season, decorate the garden: due to bright flowering in the summer, unusual colors - in autumn, and dark coniferous silhouettes - in winter.