how to design a rock garden

Instructions

Build the First Course. Clear the area of grass or other organic material, if necessary. ...
Add the Second Course. Plan the second course of stones. ...
Select Plants for Your Rock Garden. Start your plant selection by choosing a color scheme that will work well with your stone. ...
Plant Your Rock Garden.

How do you design and build a rock garden?

How to Build a Rock Garden

Clear off a section of land. The first step to building your stone garden is to make some space for it within your lawn or yard. ...
Plot Your Design. ...
Choose Your Rocks and Lay Down the First Layer. ...
Add in the Soil. ...
Lay Down the Second Layer of Rocks. ...
Planting the Plants.

How do you make a rock garden look natural?

Promoting the weathering of your rocks will give the rock garden a natural look. Weathered stone looks as if it had always been there. Also, stick to rocks that look the same in texture, color, and form. If you use rocks of similar appearance throughout your rock garden, it will have a more natural look.

How deep should a rock garden be?

The suggested depth of coverage varies according to the size of the individual stones. If the stone size is 1/2-inch or less, the suggested depth is 2-inches. Stones that are 3/4-inch to 1-inch should have a depth of about 3-inches. Stones that are 1-inch or larger should have a depth of 4-inches.

How do you make a sloped rock garden?

Arrange the large rocks in your garden first, then pepper the area with smaller rocks. Go with the grain of the rock when setting each piece on the slope, and bury at least one-third of each rock to avoid rocks rolling down the slope during bad weather or otherwise becoming loose.

What do you put under garden rocks?

Rock beds are low-maintenance -- though never no-maintenance -- when done right, and doing it right involves placing a barrier between the rocks and your soil. The barrier of choice is usually heavy-duty landscape fabric, but tarps or other types of plastic can sometimes be an acceptable substitute.

How do you make a rock garden without weeds?

An option is to use the plastic, but leave large holes in it around the bushes. Alternatively you can combine the underlayments, placing landscaping fabric around the bushes and then covering the rest of the rock garden with heavy plastic.

How do I put rocks in my flower bed?

Keep the rocks around large plants such as trees and shrubs instead of around delicate flowers to keep all your garden plants healthy.

Cover the area where you plan to add rocks with landscape fabric. ...
Install edging around the area to hold the rocks in place, as they tend to become displaced over time if not held in.

Where can I get free rocks?

Shop Craigslist and Freecycle

Craigslist and Freecycle can be a good source for free rocks, but you'll have to check both sites regularly and be quick on the draw when an offer comes up.

Can you build a rockery in the shade?

Although rockeries are often located in full sunlight, you can build your rockery in partial shade. Select plants accordingly and consider the growing needs for each plant.

Should I put landscape fabric under rocks?

Landscape fabric is really only good for one application. This is when you want to use stone (such as river stone or decomposed granite) instead of mulch. We've installed a good bit of river rock in some of our landscape jobs and we always use a geo-textile landscape fabric that allows some water penetration.

What is the cheapest rock for landscaping?

What is the cheapest rock for landscaping? Crushed gravel and pea gravel tend to be the cheapest landscape rocks.

How many square feet will a 40 lb bag of rock cover?

1 bag contains 0.5 cu. ft., covers approximately 3 sq. ft. for a depth of 2 in.

How do you make a simple rock garden?

Building the rock garden

Mark out the area using marker spray from a builders' merchant or with dry pale sand poured from a bottle.
Ensure that the area is weed-free, by hand weeding or using herbicide.
Build a base 15cm (6in) deep of coarse rubble, broken bricks, stone, ballast or pea shingle.

What should I plant on a slope?

Plants such as English Ivy, Liriope, Vinca and Ajuga work very well on slopes but can invade nearby lawns. Contain these plants using barrier edging. Snip stray Ivy or Vinca stems. Also avoid planting shallow rooted trees on a slope.

How do you make a homemade rockery?

How to Build a Rockery in 9 Steps

Step One: Plan Your Rockery. ...
Step Two: Mark Out the Area. ...
Step Three: Prepare the Space. ...
Step Four: Place Rubble Over the Area. ...
Step Five: Place Landscaping Fabric Over the Area. ...
Step Six: Start Adding Your Stones. ...
Step Seven: Add Smaller Rocks. ...
Step Eight: Make Compost Mix.

Should I put plastic under River Rock?

The plastic is only recommended for small areas of rock, not for mulched beds, graded slopes or hillsides. If you have Oaks be wary of placing rocks beneath the trees as Oak leaves do not break down quickly and you will have to blow or vacuum the leaves from the rocks to keep them looking neat.

Are rocks better than mulch?

Rocks are great at suffocating weeds and show a better success rate at weed-prevention than mulch. Stone cover is perfect for low-water gardens and landscapes. However, stones aren't the perfect solution for gardens that may get a lot of sun because they can hold more heat than mulch.

What can I use instead of landscape fabric?

The Top Seven Alternatives for Landscape Fabrics

Mulch. The number one alternative to landscape fabric is mulch. ...
Compost. This is one of the best ideas for your garden because not only is it healthy for the soil, it recycles your kitchen scraps and grass clippings. ...
Straw. ...
Cardboard. ...
Newspaper. ...
Burlap. ...
Gravel or Rocks.

Will river rock kill plants?

No Benefit to Plants: Rocks don't aid plant growth or soil health. Messy pH: Most trees prefer acidic soil, but rocks create alkaline soil, which can hurt trees. Return of the Weeds: Wind will eventually blow soil between rocks, creating a spot for weeds to grow.

How do you place rocks in a rock garden?

Give your rock garden a "grown-in-place" look by layering while you plant. Set a few plants first, then add rocks around them, as though the plants have grown up through the "cracks" in the rocks. Try to cover as much of the surface as possible with rocks and plants.

How do you kill weeds in a rock garden?

You can successfully banish weeds from landscaping rock by pulling them but who wants to mess with that? Instead, spray them with straight white vinegar. Be careful not to let the overspray reach your plants or grass, however, as it will kill them as well.