Hillside location is ideal for rock garden
Many rock garden plants come from the mountains. There it is naturally not flat and level, but steep and rocky. Ergo you create ideal living conditions for your mountain plants if you reproduce the natural conditions. However, not every slope is suitable for a rock garden design, as most species require a sunny, south-facing location. Some plants also feel comfortable in a partially shaded location, but these should be selected accordingly.
also read
- Properly plan and lay out a rock garden
- Planning a rock garden - what to consider
- Plan and design a rock garden with a pond
Optimal: The combination of stone and water
A hillside location is ideal for integrating a small stream in the rock garden. This can even be equipped with mini waterfalls and ultimately flow into a pond. For a watercourse you need pumps that are operated either with a mains connection (in which case a power connection must be made) or with a solar module. However, the latter are not suitable if a powerful waterfall is to be built in. Special pond liner is suitable for sealing the water surface, which is covered with a fleece layer to protect it from damage by the stones.
Place stones correctly
When setting and planting stones on a slope, special care must be taken. First, such a structure creates different microclimate zones, which the skilled gardener knows how to use for himself. In this way, plants with different needs can be planted in the same rock garden.
Planting place for moisture-sensitive plants
For example, some plants are very sensitive to moisture and should be protected from rain. To do this, you can let a stone protrude a few centimeters forward over a vertical column. The resulting roof protects the plant from direct rain.
Planting place for heat-sensitive plants
On the other hand, a stone protruding to the south protects heat-sensitive plants such as spring saxifrage from the strong midday sun.
Planting place for cushion plants
Silverwort, globular flower and other cushion-forming cushion plants thrive particularly well on flat stones or a correspondingly designed, level slope over which they can spread unhindered.
Caution: moisture!
The water available on a hillside is also very different depending on the placement of the stones. When planting, keep in mind that steeply sloping stones conduct more water to the roots than flat ones - and therefore drought-loving plants should not necessarily be placed directly under them. Even within a crevice, very different moisture levels can prevail: While it is dry at the top, it becomes more and more moist at the bottom.
Tips
It is best to do the planting while the stones are being piled up: the later insertion of the sensitive root balls is very time-consuming. This is especially true for woody plants.
