Decorating and Creating A Rock Garden

Decorating and creating a rock garden is easy to do. There are some basic techniques in preparing a rock garden. The nice thing about decorating this type of project is you can put a rock garden just about anywhere on your property.

I have designed them on slopes, around swimming pools, and also just a small landscape bed in the middle of a backyard.

You can also create this garden by using a variety of different plant specimens. Some people make it a theme based garden using only one or two colors and a few different plants. Of course an important step is to plan out the landscape area.

Research in your area the different types of decorative stones that are available. In the theme color garden section think about decorating with a rock garden. Take your favorite colors and create a rock garden with a color theme. Think about what type of landscape bed or beds you want to create. Is there room for any other outdoor features to incorporate in this project? Lets take a look at some basic preparation techniques to do before planting.

• When doing a rock garden the first step is to remove any grass, weeds, or other debris in the area. A grass and weed killer can be applied and I usually recommend to wait a week before you continue to the next step.
• Remove all the dead grass and weeds and rake out the entire area. If you are on a bank or slope, try and get the surface as smooth as you can. Obviously a real steep incline wouldn't be practical for a rock garden.
• An important material to use is landscape fabric. You can purchase heavy duty plastic or use the actual fabric base. I feel the landscape fabric works well in preventing weeds to materialize. Along with your landscape fabric you will need metal landscape stakes. You can purchase them at any big chain store, local nursery or garden center. The stakes come ten to twelve a package and are inexpensive. The stakes secure the fabric in place.

• Once the ground is prepared it is time to start decorating and plant your shrubs or flowers. Below are just a few different shrubs and flowers I have used in different rocks gardens.

The first photo is a small perennial Hamelin ornamental grass and member of the Pennisetum Family. It grows two and a half feet high and two and a half feet wide. The foxtail like flowers or plumes appear in the summer months.

The Hamelin loves full sun and is easy to maintain. Great grass for bordering for using as a border or in group planting of three to five. The Hamelin grows well in zones six through nine.

There are many different ornamental grass to choose from today. One of my favorites I love to design with and also incorporate in my own gardens is the Peppermint Giant Reed. A slender plant that can create a great accent in and around evergreens. This plant whether you are using it for a regular landscape or a rock garden makes a great backdrop or even a focal point surrounded by smaller evergreen shrubs. I recommend this the Peppermint grass in any landscape. Feel free to check out the other varieties Ornamental Grass that are also my favorites.

The variegated Loriope is a very popular border plant. It is very hardy and grows well in zones four through ten. You can divide the Loriope if it gets to thick. Notice the beautiful purple flowers that appear in the summertime. Great plant for decorating a rock garden.

The Dwarf Hinoki is a small member of the Cypress family. This shrub will grow three to four feet high and two to three feet wide. The branches are shaped in a pyramid form. The color is a solid green and grows great in zones four through eight. The Variegated Dwarf Hinoki is exactly the same, except for variegated leaves. Either one of these plants act as a nice accent plant. They will show off their texture and color if planted in the front part of any rock garden.

The Blue Rug is a great colder climate evergreen ground cover. It will do well in zones three through eight and can take full sun and part shade. The Blue Rug grows four to six inches high and will spread out six to eight feet. This Juniper is great for slope rock garden. The Blue Rug is also a fast growing and is very hardy.

Variegated leaves with green and silver tones is what makes the Lamium so attractive. Plant grows ten inches tall and likes partial shade. Vibrant color blooms and rich purple tones. Grows well in any garden and likes zone three through seven.

The Dianthus has a variety of colors. Ranges from eighteen to twenty four inches and loves full sun. Flowers will bloom the first year and zones will vary. Most Dianthus will do well in zones three through eight. This is a great perennial flower to intertwine throughout the garden.

There are so many other plant specimens to consider. When decorating a rock garden consider a Zen style landscape area. The rock garden is very popular in the Japanese culture.

• The final step of the rock garden is to apply the decorative stones. Two options are to buy bags of stones or go to a specialized hard scape dealer. Most places have a good variety to choose from. Some nurseries and garden centers will also carry the rocks. There are also a lot of different colors and sizes for decorating the rock bed. Below are just two different styles of stones.

To me, rocks is very appealing in any landscaped area. Add a series of three bigger rocks in a couple of locations in the garden. Bird baths, feeders, ornaments, statues or fountains will add your own personal touch to the bed. Put the garden around the outside of a pond or pool. Decorating a rock garden isn't difficult and can truly add a different flare to your home properly. Also, it will cut out some of your time mowing the lawn. We all know that is one of everybody's favorite jobs around the house. I do believe rock gardens are worth the investment.