The garden should be built with Weed Prevention in mind.
A rock garden is a good place to display plants.Once you set up a rock garden, you can fit it to any size yard, including small spaces or yards with natural slopes.Rock gardens can help keep weeds down.
Step 1: Decide what kind of garden you want.
Think about what's in your yard.Do you want your rock garden to be large or small in the sun or shade?If you have a shady site, you can change the planting scheme of your rock garden plants.You may want to draw what you want your garden to look like.Don't place rock gardens in places with manhole covers or underground pipes that may need to be accessed.
Step 2: There is a site where you want to put your rock garden.
Grass, plants, furniture, tree roots, and anything else that can be found on your site should be cleared.If you define the edges of your rock garden by digging a map with your spade, you can plan the area.
Step 3: The area has a drainage route.
If your soil does not drain well, you need to think about how to improve it.Remove a few inches of the top soil to increase soil drainage.The mix should be six inches of gravel, rubble, broken bricks, pea shingle or coarse sand.The materials will help drain water more efficiently.
Step 4: Weed-resistant fabric should be laid on the ground.
If weeds persist in the area where you plan to have a rock garden, you can put some weed-resistant fabric on the site.The fabric won't allow weeds to grow through it.
Step 5: Newspaper should be laid down to prevent weeds.
If you don't want to use weed-resistant fabric, lay down several layers of old newspaper above the top layer of soil.The weeds will be kept at bay as the newspaper breaks down.If you are not worried about appearance, you will be laying a layer of topsoil and rocks on top of the newspaper.
Step 6: You can create a garden by selecting your rocks.
A random scattering of rocks works well.Pick at least two or three very large rocks to highlight your garden.It is possible to pick rocks that are all the same color and variety, as this will look more natural.Bigger rocks can be supported with bricks or smaller stones.
Step 7: Rocks can be used to shape the plant bed.
You can create a natural look by replicating how the rocks are placed in nature.You can make a frame of rocks around your plant bed to look more formal.This will help to define the area you will be working in.
Step 8: It's a good idea to place the topsoil between your rocks.
You should put a layer of topsoil between the rocks once you have your rocks in place.Try to submerge the rocks in the soil so that they don't look like they are floating in your yard.It's a good idea to use weed-free topsoil.If you want your soil to drain well, you may want to use a topsoil that is 30% grit.It may not be weed-free if you use topsoil from another area of the garden.
Step 9: Take a stroll on the soil.
To make sure air bulbs are removed, water the soil with a garden hose.Wait a few days before planting your garden as your rocks may shift a bit.
Step 10: You can choose plants based on the characteristics of your site.
If the garden gets full sun, partial sun or shade, keep the soil type in mind.If you choose plants that die back in the winter, your rock garden may look desolate.You may want to choose evergreens that are year-round because of this.Alpines and Sedums are small plants that work well in rock gardens.There are many Alpines to choose from.Some perennial Penstemons, as well as Celmisia ramulosa and Dianthus, are examples.An attractive and elegant choice for providing some height and year-round visual interest is the Japanese Maple.
Step 11: Some plants work well as weed Suppressers.
Some plants that are suitable for rock gardens tend to cover the ground so thoroughly that they suppress weed growth.
Step 12: Rock gardens can be too dry for some plants.
Plants that like heat will do well growing next to large rocks that retain heat well.Plants that need a lot of water may not fare well in a rock garden.
Step 13: Don't feel like you have to cover your garden with plants.
Gardeners try to hide the ground when planting a bed.The aim of a rock garden is to display the rocks as well as the plants.The rock garden doesn't need to be completely covered with plants.Give your plants space to grow so they spread slowly.
Step 14: It's important to care for your rock garden.
You may want to weed your garden every few days because many rock garden plants don't require that much water.If you put down newspaper or organic fabric, the weeds will be less of a problem.ants can be pests as they may set up their home in between your rocks.Leave them be if you are okay with it.If you don't want to have ants around, you can buy ant killers at your garden store.