How To Build A Rockery - Part 1
Author: Johan Nickson

A poorly designed and constructed rockery looks like a pile of
stones. A good one is a combination of stones and soil
deliberately constructed to recreate rocky outcrop usually found
in mountainous areas. To complete the effect, brightly coloured
alpine plants and shrubs are planted in the tiny gaps between
the stones. A carefully built rockery should require a little
attention once it has been planted out, except for occasional
weeding.

In these forthcoming articles I'm going to give you some great
individual tips

The ideal site for a rockery is on a slight gradient – don't
choose and area which is too steep otherwise the soil could
easily be washed away by the occasional down pour. It should be
open to the sun and in a position which protects in from
prevailing winds. And if you can keep it well away from trees,
especially the deciduous variety which shed their leaves in
winter, so much the better. If you have a location in the mind
that fits none of these criteria, don't despair; one the most
attractive features of a rock garden is that it can be
constructed almost anywhere.

The basic building technique is deceptively simple. First a
shallow hole, the same size as the rockery, is dug out to
provide solid foundations. The hole is then filled with
alternating layers of stone and a carefully graded mix of
topsoil and gravel. However, don't be fooled into thinking that
all there is to rockery building is piling one stone on top of
the other and then scattering some soil around. Great care must
be taken, both in providing the site with adequate drainage and
in positioning the rocks to create the desired `rocky outcrop'
effect.

Planning the Rockery

The rockery I built is ideal for a small or medium size garden
plot. Built to a wedge shaped pattern, it is roughly three
metres wide with its highest point 400mm above ground level.

If you want a different size of rockery, you can easily adjust
the basic plan and consequently the amount of each materal
required. Indeed, you could have a rockery of practically any
size. The only governing factor – for stability as well as
appearance – is that it should not be too high. As a rough
guide, total height (measured from ground level to the highest
point) should never be more than half the diameter of the base.

Good drainage is essential for a successful rockery, especially
if the ground is flat. A light sandy soil on top gravel is
ideal: any surplus rainwater will quickly be carried away
underground. If you want to build on a thick impervious soil
like clay there is more of a problem. These soils do not drain
freely and you could find that your rockery becomes a sticky,
unmanageable mess after a rain strom.

Summary

Hopefully I've got you started thinking about how your going to
plan your rockery, and with a little luck your not going to jump
right in and start plonking down stones. Next time we'll
continue to look at soil types and on how to obtain all the
materials you require.


About The Author: Johan Nickson is a big fan of gardening
http://www.powertooldirect.co.uk