To build a rock garden it is necessary to consider some preventive considerations:
- prepare a rather large area of ??arable land, which allows the housing of plants, rocks and stones which are the constituent elements of this garden.
- to be able to take advantage of a good sunshine, an essential prerequisite for a good growth of the plants.
- have a sloping plot of land to guarantee water drainage.
- use non-porous rocks that could be damaged by atmospheric agents.
- preferably use river stones, as they are rich in moss and seedlings that fit well in the context of these gardens.
- place the stones and rocks in ascending order and with decreasing size, so as to create terraces on which to plant the flora.
- remember that the rocks limit the dispersion of heat, functioning as real thermal regulators, and also prevent possible landslides of the ground.
- if necessary, add broken branches or cut trunks for ornamental purposes.
- use well-adapted plant species, belonging to rustic, climbing, evergreen or alpine flora varieties.
This type of garden must be designed with great care because the presence of rocks and stones can limit the development of plants. From the landscape point of view, we find ourselves in front of an ornamental garden of very varied appearance.
HEATHER
It is a perennial, rustic, flowery and ornamental shrub. It has a stem with a bushy, branched habit, up to 1 meter in height. The leaves are needle-like, small, verticillate, dark green or tending to rust. The flowers are gathered in spike or raceme inflorescences, white or bright red. Flowering occurs when the temperature is between 7 and 15 degrees, and lasts a long time. The plant loves indirect light and cool, airy environments; it prefers a soil with an acid component, enriched with peat sand to guarantee good drainage. It is advisable to fertilize at least 2 times a month with fertilizers rich in mineral substances.
LAVENDER
It is a fast-growing evergreen bushy plant, flowery and very fragrant, which forms thick tufts. It has rigid herbaceous stems, up to 1 meter in height, which hold narrow leaves and elongated silvery green. The flowers are small and gathered in spike inflorescences with a typical purple color, very fragrant. The plant is resistant and easy to adapt since it is a rustic variety. It prefers well-drained soils, preferably a limestone component.
FERN
It is an evergreen or semi evergreen herbaceous plant depending on the variety. It has underground rhizomes from which erect stems of rigid consistency depart. The leaves are pinnate or bipinnate, with a lamina provided with evident veins, of bright green color, with slender, arched or hanging posture. The plant forms thick and ornamental tufts, suitable for being housed in the vicinity of rocks and stones, as it prefers fresh and shady areas. It lives well on fertile and well-drained soils, even if kept in pots.
WILD CAMPANULA
It is a perennial herbaceous plant, flowery, with creeping development, very suitable for covering rocks and stones, also for its great adaptability. It has a herbaceous stem covered with bristly hairs, which supports rough, heart-shaped or lanceolate leaves, of an intense green color. The hermaphroditic flowers are gathered in very showy inflorescences, with variable colors between purple, violet, blue and blue. The fruits are hairy capsules with pendulous shape, containing many seeds. The plant prefers soils with an alkaline component and does not tolerate acid ones, it must be exposed to areas with good sunshine, even if it adapts well to any weather condition.
CAPER
It is an evergreen shrubby plant, which has the characteristic of growing on rocks, stones and even in the fissures of walls. It has woody stems in the basal portion that become apically herbaceous, covered with petiolate, fleshy leaves and covered with a thick hair. The flowers are large, showy, very fragrant and white or pink. The fruit is an elongated green capsule externally and internally pinkish, in the pulpy area, edible for humans. The plant lives well on drained, sand-enriched, crumbly soils. It must be exposed to light, as it prefers mild climates. It has excellent adaptability and is used to create aromatic and decorative bushes.
rock garden project: MIRTO
It is an evergreen shrubby plant, with a bushy habit, with stems up to 3 meters high, rives stained by a reddish yellow bark. The leaves are oval, glabrous and shiny, dark green. The flowers are solitary, with a corolla formed by 5 distinct petals, white or pink, with a very intense aroma. The fruits are oval-shaped berries with a fleshy consistency and a blue color. The plant lives well on all types of soil, provided it is drained; prefers those with a neutral or basic component.