The most important aspect of building a rock garden is selecting or constructing
in an area with good drainage since most Alpine plants don't grow well in water
retained areas. A gentle sloping area is best to allow the water to drain well.
You'll need to dig up the area designated for your rock garden about a foot
deep, which preps the ground, getting rid of weeds and grass in the
area.
Rock gardens can be fun, whimsical, and creative. You can make one that will also serve as a drainage system for
your lawn. A dry creek bed will make the perfect rock garden and also keep water
from clogging the soil in your yard. Build the drainage system at the bottom of
a slope and dig a small trench. You can decorate the trench with rocks as
well.
The three most popular kinds of rocks are flagstone, schist and
river rock. Flagstones are flat by nature and lend themselves to being used as
patio and walkway building materials. Schist comes in a wide variety of colours,
this is why most people use it in their design. They consist of long, thin rock
layers (like ledgestone) and work well in small garden streams. River rock comes
from rivers and has soft, round edges from years of water wearing them down.
This makes them great for drainage, and even better for incorporation into rock
water feature.
