Choosing a Site for a Rock Garden

Ideally you should build your rock garden on a piece of sloping ground and if it has rocks already in place, so much the better.

There is something of the 'wild' about a rock garden and therefore it is not usually built close to the house. Neither is the centre of a lawn ideal. If it has to be connected to the lawn, then it is better to be at one side or perhaps in the corner of the lawn to give the impression of a wild area running into a more cultivated piece of land.

Be careful close to trees or any other structure that might drip onto your alpine plants or rob them of nourishment. In their natural habitat, alpines tend to flourish in open hilly areas, often above the tree line. The closer you can achieve their natural environment, the better they will thrive.

Consider that you are constructing a raised part of the garden and if it is subject to periods of heavy rainfall, the water needs somewhere to run away without causing problems to the lawn of prized flowerbeds. If the site doesn't allow for this to happen naturally, it may be necessary to consider installing extra drainage.

Read Also:

• Siting a Rock Garden
• Materials for a Rock Garden
• Constructing a Rock Garden
• Planting Up a Rock Garden
• Planning a Rock Garden