Rock gardens add a special feel to the landscape, providing color, texture, and dimension. Even a small site can sport a rock garden that provides effective plant diversity combined with ease of care. Low-maintenance, small rock garden ideas can start the gardener off in planning such a landscape feature.
When planning to build a backyard rock garden, the gardener should ask themself a few questions. How large is the space? What exposure does it have? How much work will be required? Will there be adequate water to the site?
Once these considerations are vetted, it is time for some innovative small rock garden ideas.
Stone Choice for a Small Rock Garden
Rock gardens do not have to be sprawling affairs to provide the natural feel and delightful chaos of a stone garden. Acquiring the rock or stone is the first chore. Using native formations will simulate the natural outcroppings of the region. Stone may be purchased or found on the property. You can also find free stones for landscaping by speaking with local farmers and even construction sites.
Stones may be large, medium, or a combination of sizes. Large boulders, partially buried, will give the feel of natural erosion and the complexity of nature’s composition. These larger stones will also anchor the entire construction.
Choosing stones of the same geology will provide continuity, but is not necessary if the whole area will be covered in plants. Home Depot has a good selection of stones and pebbles for sale if you do not have enough in your yard.
Small Rock Garden Design Elements
Before selecting plants, some preparation at the site will make maintenance easier. Remove any weeds or unwanted plants to form a clean base. The rocks may be piled up in a mound or large pieces semi-buried to form crevasses that will host plants. The prepared base may be layered with nutrient rich medium such as compost, or contain small pebbles. If you don't have enough homemade compost ready, you can supplement with a product like Black Kow manure compost from Home Depot.
Layer with larger rocks to begin to develop the shape of the garden. In between the rocks, continue to tuck in soil to house the plants. A simple arrangement of gravel with river rock is among the most basic small corner rock garden ideas. Make sure the rocks used are comparative in scale to the area and the entire property.
Huge boulders are probably not the best ideas for a small rock garden. They will overwhelm the home and other aspects of the landscape. Select rock that reflects the region, tone of the home, and will bring cohesiveness to the design. For a more formal presentation, a Japanese Zen garden approach will provide a classic peaceful garden.
Choosing Plants for a Small Rock Garden
Once the basic layout is finished, the fun part begins: choosing plants for the rock garden. Small rock garden ideas for front of house landscaping don’t have to be boring. They can include alpine plants, perennials, bulbs, and even smaller evergreens. In fact, using a diversity of plants contributes to the natural feel of the area.
If your goal is a Japanese rock garden, small maples, azalea, iris, and Mugo pine are some options. An alpine rock garden will feature rosemary, creeping juniper, Aubrieta, creeping thyme, and Dianthus.
A full complement of plants will soften the rock garden and should include plants with year round appeal. Tucking in bulbs for spring color and selecting plants with fall appeal, such as Japanese maples, will enhance the landscape through the seasons. Fast Growing Trees has a beautiful, dark red weeping Japanese maple tree that will make a striking addition to your rock garden.
How to Create a Small Rockery
The simplest way to create a small rockery is to lay out the rock and stone in the composition you wish and then create an environment that is favorable to the chosen plants. A desert-themed rockery should have a base medium that will support desert plants. Sandy, rocky soil is a good base.
An alpine rockery needs humus rich soil to drive growth and health of such flora. As plants are selected and installed, keep in mind the mature size of the selection. Plants that will spread should be given adequate space to grow. Taller plants should be installed at the top of a vertical garden so they don’t block the rest of the shorter selections.
For ease of maintenance, consider installing drip irrigation that will deliver water to the base of each plant. To prevent certain weeds, installing a layer of weed barrier fabric over the base layer can reduce these nuisances.
Rock gardens aren’t difficult to install in small sites, and can be nearly maintenance free while adding a powerful statement to the landscape.
