Build a rock garden in three easy stages

Mimic the mountains with this easy-build rock feature

Step 1 Choose your site

You’re want to replicate a sunny, open and light spot in the mountains, where the soil’s very well-draining, to provide a place where your fascinating little rockery plants will thrive. It can be as big or small as you like – if you’ve limited space, just make a mini rockery! By building a solid rock garden it won’t erode at the first chance of rain or wind, and you can enjoy it for years to come. Make the area level and remove all weeds, adding rubble first to create a supporting base layer with good drainage. Lay upturned turf over this, or landscape fabric to keep everything in place.

Step 2 Shape your rockery

Make sure your base layers are all firm, then shovel on a thick layer of garden soil. Now you can get to the good bit and think about where you’ll put your rocks! Be creative – use any old bricks or slabs you have left over, and put them to good use. Do you want a local, natural feel? Choose local stone for authenticity, but any old ones you can find will suffice, or some from the garden centre – big and small. Think about where you want them to sit, and try placing a large first one with others surrounding it, perhaps built into a small, pleasing mountain peak arrangement. Stabilise large rocks with smaller ones and infill gaps with soil, packing down and securing as you go. Make sure you’re creating some nice little planting pockets too!

Step 3 Mix the best compost

For best results, your alpines will appreciate good soil, which is free-draining, weed-free, gritty and well-improved. Mix equal parts of ordinary multi-purpose compost and grit or gravel, also mixed with coir or leafmould to improve drainage and texture. Use this light mix to fill up the rockery with compost to settle in before planting later. By way of technique, take handfuls to fill certain areas, or pour a whole load on top of the rockery to then rake or brush in to vacant spots. Leave your rockery to the elements to settle in, ready for spring! At that time you can refill any areas that become displaced over winter with more compost.

An established rock garden can be a wonderful thing – here mini white spruce ‘Daisy’s White’ looks bright in the sun

It’s important to create a solid base with securely placed stones

Add compost to planting pockets or brush into crevices with a broom

Karen Murphy An open spot in good sun makes the perfect rockery location