For those who want to achieve a nice look in their front yard, but are unwilling to put in the enormous effort of maintaining a flower garden, a rock garden could be the perfect solution. Easy to maintain, the rock garden is the “lazy man’s garden” or the “busy man’s garden” depending on your perspective. The main attraction of a rock garden is that once you have brought in the necessary materials and arranged them how you want, it requires very little attention afterwards to keep up its attractive appearance. They are difficult to trample or destroy even for rowdy kids or rowdy dogs. Rock gardens are also good for people with a “brown thumb” and can’t seem to keep more finicky plants alive, as the plants in a rock garden are usually of the hardy variety and don’t need any special attention.
Rock gardens are not all rocks. They often include any number of bushes, hardy plants, and even small trees. However, even the green aspects of the rock garden are low-maintenance as you will want to select plants that function well in your region’s climate.
Obviously, the most important component of a rock garden is the rocks. When it comes to rocks, color and size are the most relevant factors. Rock gardens feature any combination of sand, gravel, pebbles, stones, slabs and small boulders. While a large boulder would certainly be a conversation piece, few people have sufficient space or the means to transport them. Most gardening stores carry large quantities of sand, gravel, pebbles and stones. To begin your rock garden, its best to make a trip to the gardening store to see what colors, amounts and prices would fit best with your garden’s design and needs. Later on, when the basic elements are in place, try visiting the riverside, the quarry, or even the park or your own back yard for stones that are unique in shape or color to add a special touch you can’t buy at the store.
The elevation of the rocks is another option to consider when planning your garden. It is easy to build up soil and sand to create a multi-level effect. Slate, brick or even large stones can be used to cordon off an area which can be filled with sediment or soil and feature a plant. If you have space large enough to walk through, a foot path or a wooden archway are pleasing to the eye even if they are not particularly functional. Running water is a nice addition to any garden, but a rock garden in particular is inestimably improved by the trickle of even a small waterfall.
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