If you’re looking to add interest to your garden, you’re short on space, or you don’t want the upheaval of tending to a lawn, installing a rockery is a fabulous idea. Rockeries look the part all year-round, they’re relatively easy to maintain, and they provide an eye-catching feature for outdoor spaces of all shapes, sizes, and styles. If you’re keen to learn more and get some ideas for your own rockery, you should find this guide handy.

Creating a rockery

Rockeries add structure, height and diversity to gardens, and they’re a wonderful focal point at any time of year. Traditionally associated with alpine plants, rockeries are ideally suited to corners and sloped areas.

Pick your spot

The first thing to do when creating a rockery in your garden is choose a location. Alpine plants need a significant amount of light, so try and avoid shady patches and areas that are covered by tree branches. The beauty of a rockery is that it can be any size, so you don’t need a vast stretch to create a stunning new feature in your garden. If you have parts of your garden that are sloped, these work brilliantly for rockeries, so make the most of them.

Choosing your stones

The next step is to choose your rockery stones. If you have a large space, you can opt for giant stones, mixed with smaller pebbles and options like Scottish cobbles. Go for a range of colours if you want to make a statement or stick to muted tones of grey or beige if you’re keen on a more traditional look. Once you’ve cleared the site and removed debris and weeds, start by laying the biggest stones and then add smaller rocks to fill in gaps and create the shape you want. You can be as regimented or as laid-back as you like when it comes to presentation. Some rockeries are very neat with edges created using gravel, pebbles and Scottish cobbles, while others are much more fluid. It’s a good idea to do a sketch beforehand so that you can work to a template if you have a set design in mind.

Selecting plants

Now that your rocks are in place, it’s time to fill in the gaps with vibrant plants. If you’ve got a colour scheme, look for flowering alpines, which will complement your chosen palette. Alternatively, you can mix and match colours or stick to verdant hues. Popular rockery plants include dianthus, Pulsatilla vulgaris, sedum, thyme, aubrieta, and bellflowers. Depending on the look you’re going for, you could also look into options like cacti and wildflowers. If you don’t know where to start when it comes to choosing plants, take a trip to a garden centre, don’t be afraid to ask for advice, and browse blogs and magazines for inspiration.

Are you looking to add a little va-va-voom to your garden, or are you keen to jazz up a low maintenance yard? Rockeries are a great addition to almost any outdoor space, and you don’t have to be a gardening guru to create a magnificent feature for your garden.