Rock gardens are a great way to add an aesthetically pleasing, yet unique, area into your backyard. They aren’t difficult to maintain. The most popular type of rock garden, the Japanese zen garden, can become a peaceful place for you and your family to relax.
However, it can be tricky to get started, especially if you’re not sure exactly what type of rock garden would best suit your yard. We’ll walk you through the basic steps of creating a rock garden.
Once you understand how to craft the foundation, we will also give you some different ideas to find the style and aesthetic that best fits you and your oasis.
How To Make a Rock Garden
The first thing you’ll want to do when creating a rock garden is picking the right portion of land to do it. After you’ve chosen the perfect spot, clear the place. Remove all brush, leaves, debris, and anything else that might be in your way. Use garden tools like a shovel, hole, and shear to remove the plant life.
Once the area is cleared out, you’ll probably want to use spray paint to make markings. You won’t be able to do the next steps until you’re sure what design you want, but it’s good to be aware of the necessary process. It’s a good idea to understand what you’re trying to accomplish before you set anything down permanently, so you don’t make mistakes.
As you would with any important project, do it in pencil before in pen. But in this case, spray painting the ground or draw out a sketch of what you’re intending before making purchases and creating the garden.
Rock Selection
Since the primary component of your garden is obviously going to be rocks, it is important to ensure you’re selecting the right kind. If possible, you should only use one type of rock, that way it will maintain a cohesive look. However, that may be impossible if you’re trying to vary the sizes.
Along with using the same type of rock, it is best to pick rocks from the same source and of a similar texture. This is all so your rock garden will be pleasing to the eye. When placing your rocks, be sure to leave cavities for where you intend on placing your plants.
Plant Selection
Aside from rocks, selecting the perfect plants for your garden is the next crucial step. Now, plant selection could potentially vary depending on the style of rock garden you’re hoping to achieve. But for the most part, there are a few different types you’ll want to look into.
According to Plants Galore, it is a good idea to have herbaceous perennials in your garden as they come back every year and give a natural appearance. Bulbs are another excellent choice as they’re small and grow low to the ground. Pick plants that are native to the area as they have a better chance of survival. Small trees can also be effective such as Kelsy Dogwood or Dwarf Birch trees.
Zen Rock Garden
These are easily the most popular type of rock garden. It’s somewhat strange to call a zen garden a “garden” at all, as you won’t find much plant life and the flowers are few and far between.
But zen gardens originated in Japan and have become immensely popular in gardening communities for people trying to promote a sense of sophistication, philosophy, and peace in their own backyards.
The idea of a zen garden is to allow space for contemplation, typically of nature. Many people creating a zen space will place statues of Buddha at the center as “zen” is part of Buddhism. The object of the rocks, sand, and soil in these gardens is to manipulate the space and allow them to be stand-ins for trees, flora, and more. Zen gardens are meant to help you appreciate your surroundings and understand the impact humans have on our natural world.
Don’t feel obligated to make your garden huge. A small zen garden can be just as effective as a small one. After clearing out your space, you’ll want to dig a trench and lay down a tarp. Atop the tarp, you will then add gravel or sand and cover the area completely. If you live somewhere that rains frequently, gravel may be the better option as it is more durable.
Once the area is set, you can then decide how you want to arrange the garden. Consider adding a stone bench somewhere to allow you a tranquil place to sit. If you wish, you can use a rake to create ripples in the sand and create an image of a river running through. Other possible additions to your zen garden may be small, low-growing, bushes, boulders, and, as mentioned earlier, statues to represent Buddhism. Garden lamps and stone lanterns also make nice accessories.
English Rock Gardens
If you’re not necessarily interested in a Japanese-style rock garden, you might also consider creating an English Rock Garden. With this type of garden, the rocks are submerged farther beneath the soil so you only see the tops of them rather than just setting them on top. These rock gardens take considerably more time to construct because you have to be certain of how and where you want each rock positioned.
However, these gardens can be quite attractive if you’re fond of flowers because many people like to plant between the rocks and over top of them. You’ll need to design the rock outcrop before you begin to figure out which soil mixes are the best. Some good examples are loam garden soil, which you will use to build in between the rock crevices as you construct to keep them compacted together. A helpful tip: Water the soil as you go along to allow it a chance to settle.
In regards to plant life, you will want to select low-growing plants that will take on the shape of the area they’re being planted in. You may want to wait a few days before beginning your planting to allow the soil to settle in. After the baseline flora has been planted, feel free to arrange free-standing flowers however you like in your garden.
Other Tips and Ideas
If you’re ready to get started on your rock garden, we have a couple of other ideas to give you in order to best map out the perfect garden for your individual needs. Consider adding a sentiment to your garden. If you have had any lost loved ones or pets, it can be a nice way to commemorate them by getting a rock with their name inscribed. Many people do this for pets in particular so you have a fond reminder of their presence in your home.
Also, don’t be afraid to make your garden lush and beautiful year-round! Obviously, this will be easier for people whose rock gardens are less fauna and more rock, but it is possible to maintain your rock garden with the right plant life all year. If you use evergreen plants or specific fall foliage, you’ll be able to keep your rock garden flourishing through even the cold winter months!
If you prefer to achieve a more colorful garden, there are plenty of vibrant blooms you could consider. These gardens are known as “cottage gardens” due to their picturesque and cozy arrangements. They look like something you might find in a fairy tale story. That said, every rock garden will be unique and personal to you. They should best embody the traits you value most. Don’t let others sway you with their opinions. If you want your garden lovely and colorful, then go for it!
These days, succulents are all the rage. The tiny cacti are hard to keep on store shelves. They can be grown indoors or out and they make an excellent addition and their small nature makes them easy to use in decorative designs. Despite being small and appearing fragile, succulents do just fine in sunny and dry areas. The other nice thing about succulents is that they grow in just about any soil so you don’t have to worry about loading your garden with expensive dirt. However, it’s a good idea to lay some rubble on the ground, or gravel, (which you will probably do anyway), then cover it with soil, and add the succulents on top.
Finally, the most important thing to remember about your garden is something you should keep in mind with any garden, rock or not. Make sure you make time to maintain the area! A rock garden may not require quite as much maintenance as a vegetable or flower garden, but it will still need to be weeded and watered from time to time (depending on what plant life grows there). You may also need to prune plants that grow too fast.
Don’t think your garden has to be full of foliage either if that’s not your thing. There are many rock gardens that have sculptures and various statues embedded within them to enhance the beauty of the area. The most important thing is to create a haven for you and your family.
Read how to compost in your backyard here!