The basis of the alpine slide is a stone composition, diluted with a plant component. And choosing the right plants is not difficult. Various stonecrops, young, saxifrage, phlox will look great with proper care. As for the stones, lovers of landscape experiments have “punctures” with this. Illiterately selected and laid out stones in the composition completely negate the potential success of the operation. At best, such an alpine slide will look like an awkward accumulation of stones, at worst, like a pile of construction debris. Therefore, the choice of stone material for the alpine landscape must be approached with all responsibility. This is what we will do now.
Stones for an alpine slide should be in harmony with the plants and create a single whole with them
Rounded, perfectly smooth boulders look like foreign objects on an alpine hill. They are only relevant if the rock garden is complemented by a stream or a landscape waterfall. The presence of water, which “wears away the stone”, can justify rounded shapes. For other mountain compositions, specimens with uneven edges, preferably with traces of erosion, are suitable.
Stones with traces of destruction (visible cracks, cells, holes) look best in the composition of an alpine hill
To emphasize the naturalness of the rock garden, stones of different sizes are used - from 10 cm in diameter to 60-70 cm. For surface filling, even finer material is used - gravel, crushed stone, expanded clay, pebbles. Remember that stones of the same size and shape, even laid in a fantasy, “landscape” order, will create an image of “artificiality”.
The color of natural stones can be different. These are reddish tones, and greenish-gray, and yellow, and white. Usually, stones of the same shade are selected for rock garden. In any case, the plants will add their own colors to the composition and it is undesirable that the resulting color scheme be too lurid.
Yellowish sandstone serves as an unobtrusive background for bright alpine plants.
There are types of stones that are traditionally recognized as the best for creating an alpine slide. They lend themselves well to processing, emphasize the beauty of alpine plants and have a set of unique properties. What are these stones? There are several options.
A very good choice. Limestone has the ability to look natural in any landscape composition. Its corners are quickly smoothed out by the wind, mosses and lichens begin to grow on the surface. The structure of limestone is porous, rough, capable of retaining moisture for a long time and nourishing plants planted nearby.
The limestone alpine hill looks like a real piece of the mountain Alps
The color of limestone can vary from white to yellowish or light gray. The inclusion of various impurities (manganese, magnesium, etc.) in the composition gives the stone a reddish, greenish, dark gray or brown hue.
Another calcareous rock, with a pronounced cellular structure. Thanks to this, the tuff is very light and this allows even a woman designer to experiment with its position.
Tuff, due to its cellular structure, is considered one of the best stones for an alpine slide.
Tufas cannot boast of bright shades. Their colors are white, beige, coffee, slightly reddish. Their most important beauty lies in the almost airy structure, consisting of many small cells.
Tuff is a malleable, soft, easy-to-work material. Often it is drilled or manually gouged holes in the type of planting pockets for planting. The holes are made cone-shaped (with the wide part up), usually through. The diameter of the hole at the top is 5-6 cm, and more can be done. A 3-4 cm stone prepared in this way is dug into the soil on an alpine hill. The roots of plants planted in pockets will eventually be able to grow through the holes and gain a foothold in the ground. In addition, porous tuff will absorb moisture from the soil and the need for frequent watering of plant compositions will disappear.
Shell rock is a special type of limestone, consisting of the remains of petrified shells. The structure of the rock is porous, moisture permeable. Shell rock, like tuff, can be used as a planting container for plants with a small root system.
Various unpretentious succulents grow well in cellular shells
The colors of the shell rock are white, cream, beige, yellow, pinkish. Interesting specimens of shell rock are sold in pet stores for decorating aquariums.
Sandstone is often used for landscape compositions due to its cheapness and availability. It can be yellow, gray, beige, reddish, orange. Due to the rough surface, layered structure, sandstone harmoniously fits into the natural corner of the garden. This stone is durable, it weathers a little, retains its shape well.
Sandstone has a neutral reaction, so absolutely any plants can be planted next to it.
On sale there are instances of sandstones with a "perforated" structure. They look like Dutch cheese. These stones are not cheap, but they look great. In addition, unlike shell rock, they are very durable. Alpine Spartans are planted in sandstone holes: juveniles, saxifrage, carnations, beetroot, etc.
Rejuvenating and caustic stonecrop grow in the destroyed "cells" of sandstone
This rock has a layered arrangement of constituent minerals. Splitting, a block of slate forms thin and completely flat slabs. They are often used in landscape design to create retaining walls, artificial rocks, grottoes and alpine slides.
White, yellow, burgundy, red, brown shades of slate are in perfect harmony with each other and are often used in combination with each other.
Slate slabs form mini-rocks, paths, rock garden terraces
Granite is a dense rock with a fine-grained structure and noticeable speckled inclusions on the surface. The stone is difficult to process, as it has a large weight and hardness. At the same time, granite is durable and looks very natural as an element of an alpine slide.
Granite of light gray color is a durable and strong basis of an alpine slide
Granites of pink, white, bluish-gray and green colors are considered the most decorative. It is better not to choose black granites, their color in the compositions of amateur designers often looks dull.
All these materials are used for mulching or filling voids in stone compositions of alpine slides. Crushed stone and gravel, covered between large stones, give the composition an ease and airiness. Pebbles are used to create dry streams or to fill paths in rock gardens. Expanded clay retains moisture well, so it is great for mulching the upper layers of the soil.
Pebble dumping forms paths in rock gardens and mulches the soil
Suitable stones can be collected independently on the banks of rivers, in the steppe, in quarries. If there are natural deposits of shale, sandstone or granite nearby, and you have a car, go to the place and collect whatever your heart desires.
You can also buy stones. For example, in the nearest quarry (place of rock extraction). Or from representatives of landscape organizations that sell interesting specimens of sandstone, shell rock, tuff. Often they are put up for sale with the names "natural stone", "landscaping stone" or something like that. Small, "perforated" shells can be found in pet stores, in the department of goods for decorating aquariums.
An intricate composition of rocks and mountain plants will be a great addition to the design of your backyard.
Properly approaching the creation of a rock garden, you can independently create a beautiful and bizarre slide with bright greenery and fragrant flowers.
And here it is of no small importance what stones for the alpine slide were chosen.
Each of them has a different acidity, brittleness, ability to weather, as well as absorb air and moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to choose stones taking into account the characteristics of the plants that you plan to plant.
Rocks are presented in various versions. So, today the following types are considered ideal rocks for landscape design, in particular, the creation of slides:
Let's talk about each breed separately.
Due to its coarse-grained structure, smooth sandstone is simply made for decorative purposes. In addition, it has a wide variety of shades: cream, red, sand, brown.
Another advantage of this stone for an alpine slide is its slow aging, i.e. sandstone remains strong for a long time, which is also an excellent basis for planting plants.
This type of stone is easily combined with any greenery, so you can safely give preference to the plants you like without fear that the "sandstone" will not get along with them.
Granite boulders are stones with a dense, fine-grained structure. They, like sandstone, are offered in a variety of shades. A little advice: if you decide to create a rock garden yourself, choose light-colored granite.
The advantages of granite include its high strength, but at the same time, it should not be forgotten that it is very difficult to process, because. has a lot of weight.
Before wondering where to get a stone for an alpine slide, make sure that the plants you choose will get along with it. Granite affects the acidity of the soil, so conifers, heathers and rhododendrons are most often combined with it.
It is best to use this stone to create individual elements of slides that adjoin the banks of water bodies. It is in these places that granite looks very natural.
Limestone rocks include cracked tuff and decorative dolomite. They are simply created for landscaping.
Limestone is remarkable in that it allows air and moisture to pass through, and also normalizes the composition of the soil, creating an optimal environment for growing alpine plants.
Limestone looks the most natural and harmonious. over time, its surface is covered with moss and lichens. It is also the most convenient stone in processing, because. its corners are automatically smoothed as a result of the influence of weather conditions.
You can buy such a stone for an alpine slide in several colors: white, gray, golden, cream, with a bluish tint. Thus, it is allowed to realize any design idea, no matter how extravagant it may seem.
But at the same time, it affects the composition of the soil, so it cannot be combined with plants growing on acidic soils.
Among the variety of rocks you can also use slate and any material with a layered structure, including textured slate granite (gneiss).
Many build slides from ordinary stones that can be found along the road. They are granite boulders created by glaciers in ancient times. Among them, only occasionally you can find pieces of limestone and other minerals.
You can buy stones for an alpine slide in specialized stores. Breeds should be chosen thoughtfully and carefully. It is desirable that stones of the same type participate in the creation of the rock garden.
Striking with originality, undemanding in care, giving room for imagination - a small part of the return that stone gardens on the site can bring. All year round, their appearance remains attractive, and planted plants will complement the picture of a well-groomed place. Once you have worked on the creation, you will admire the fruits of your labors for many years. Properly selected stones for an alpine slide are the key to the success and durability of your landscape creation.
Creating a mountain out of rock is no easy task. With seeming simplicity, it is necessary to take into account many nuances that can become decisive in determining whether the result will please the eye. In addition to being a challenge for creative imagination, stone is a task that requires a purely physical solution. First you need to choose it correctly, then find a place where you can take it from, where to put it, and then bring it to the site.
The stone composition is a single whole, harmoniously commensurate in shape, size, color of the material. It is not always easy to achieve a balance between all the components the first time. It should be borne in mind that an overly overloaded landscape looks depressing and awkward. Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary expenditure of time and effort, we will consider the main points that will help you quickly and relatively easily deal with the material.
Important! A geological collection is good for a museum, but not for a garden plot. Therefore, give preference to stones of the same breed, belonging to a common type.
Whatever material you choose, it should look natural. You can achieve this in two ways:
Almost any natural rocks can become stones for alpine slides. The choice of their color and size depends entirely on your taste and imagination. If external signs are a subjective factor, then structural features, interaction with the soil and the ability to absorb water impose their limitations.
When creating various decorative landscapes, stones have been used for a long time, since the combination of them and plants has always…
Having decided on the place for the rock garden, the number and characteristics of future plants, you must correlate these data with the surface features of the material. This option is suitable if you are moving from plan to implementation with freedom of choice. If, on the contrary, at first you have stones, and you have to proceed from the parameters already set, then it is useful to find out what these guests “love”.
Despite external unpretentiousness, they can also be capricious, demanding that their preferences be taken into account. Let's take a closer look at what each of them represents.
A hard, heavy stone that can be difficult to cut without special tools. But it is also impervious to atmospheric precipitation with wind. This is a plus given its longevity, but will be a minus for the surrounding soil system. It is at risk of flooding and excessive moisture. Consider this when planting plants, giving preference to moisture-loving ones, equip the drainage system. Granite is also good in a variety of shades - from white, pink to blue, green and even black.
Slate 
A common sedimentary material based on clay and quartz. Forms thin plates, smooth and flattened. And it is formed due to deposits of groundwater, which are layered on top of each other. Found in abundance in river basins. Its color is mainly gray, but can be black, brown, green.
Sandstone 
Its neutral pH makes it a great companion to other alpine stones and most of the plants known in our region. Sedum, saxifrage, carnation, young will take root here without any problems. Despite the porosity, sandstone does not collapse so quickly, being influenced by natural factors.
Limestone
One of the most attractive materials. But absolutely not suitable for plants that need an acidic environment, such as heather, rhododendron. Soils with high acidity suffer from its presence, becoming alkaline quickly. Small cells in limestone quickly fill with all sorts of vegetation.
The name itself suggests that shells are the main component. By making indentations in several places (which is not difficult, given the softness of the material), you will create mini-pockets for planting. It is desirable that their roots are not long, like succulents. Due to the use in aquariums, you can choose a suitable specimen in pet stores.
tufa 
Travertine
Spongy, light and soft stones. They are made from calcium carbonate, which precipitates during spring floods. Suitable for non-flowering plants with an unremarkable appearance. They are easy to deal with due to their relatively light weight. The cellular structure absorbs moisture like a sponge. Therefore, it is preferable to place them in a sunny place where drought is a frequent occurrence.
Its remains after the construction of the house are suitable for laying out on a hill. Whole pieces of a rectangular shape are best broken into several small irregular shapes. By laying them out in layers, you can vary the color from beige, terracotta to brown.
Expanded clay 
Pebble 
rubble 
Gravel
Gravel is suitable for covering a place near plants and conifers, mulching the soil near them. The space between the boulders is filled with small pebbles, creating a smoothly flowing "top". Expanded clay and crushed stone, as neutral in hue, will quite cope with this task. In addition, due to the porous structure, they will perform an additional drainage function.
Given the proportionality, play on the contrast of color and size - near large boulders of dark colors, bright, multi-colored pebbles or gravel in saturated colors look good. And stones that glow in the dark provide additional illumination after sunset.
glowing stones
Local quarries and quarries are a constant source of resupply. Their number is limited by your budget and free space on the site. In search of material that is not typical for your region, go to garden centers. A wide selection of different sizes is complemented by a decorative effect.
There are several available places where to take a stone for an alpine slide. Relatively inexpensive there you can get the breed you need:
Or you can make them yourself, as the authors of these videos: 
During transportation, you will protect the material from bumps and shocks if you cover it with a tarpaulin or hemp sackcloth. It can soften the friction of stones against each other during transportation. It is advisable that you take the rock from a slope or hill, because it is easier to lower them down than to climb uphill with them. You will also need a cart and a crowbar to move them around the site.
Mountain landscapes have always attracted people with their simple and natural beauty. Being on a mountain plateau or standing on…
Measure the width and length in order to pre-make indentations in the ground into which the rock should enter. Large boulders are set first to give the slide structure. After that, a medium and a smaller size are added next to each other for visual harmony between all parts of the composition. By deepening each stone by a third of its size into the ground, you can achieve even greater naturalness. Avoid placing them just on the surface of the ground, as they are too conspicuous and have a forced look.
Important! Remember that it is better to install three large alpine-style slide stones than ten small ones. A large amount of fine material gives the impression of a mess and is not effective.
Regardless of the quantity, try to have them distributed in your area. A rock garden is a reflection of nature in miniature, so boulders and pebbles that are rarely found in your area will seem out of place. There should be no obvious signs of erosion as a result of weathering on the stone. Also avoid overgrown moss or lichen. It is easier to find clean material without them than to remove unnecessary vegetation later.
Some experts strongly recommend setting the rock like icebergs, i.e. vertically, sharp edge up. This is done so that as many sides as possible are visible. This placement creates the illusion of mountain peaks, according to the type of which alpine slides are created.
The vertex does not have to be in the center, you can move it to the edge. The main rule is that it is clearly indicated. And from it all around diverge, like circles on the water, smaller and lower stones. Moreover, you can make two peaks at once, depending on the amount of material and available space.
Small pebbles with sharp edges have one advantage, purely practical - they make it difficult for slugs and snails to access succulent leaves.
Alpine slide is not just a way to highlight your site, literally elevating it. The stones in the garden give it a well-groomed appearance, making an ordinary landscape look like a work of garden art. Their size, shape, massiveness, color and texture add a new dimension to the landscape - durability and sustainability.
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They say that happy people look at the sky, and sad people look at their feet. We can assure you that many people have become happier precisely because they carefully looked at their feet, and did not look at the clouds. We not only urge you to follow their example, but also explain what exactly you need to pay attention to and what places to walk in order to find a real treasure among ordinary stones: diamonds, amber, gold and even meteorites.
website draws your attention to the fact that the legislation of each country restricts the activities of prospectors for minerals and precious metals in different ways. Therefore, before you go on a search, find out which finds are not in violation of local laws.
Where can I find: The most affordable option is to go to the Baltic Spit. Amber is mined along the entire length of the Baltic coast in Poland and the Kaliningrad region. There are deposits in other places, for example, in Ukraine in the Rivne region, in the Dominican Republic, in Burma, but only in the Baltic you will be offered an excursion that includes collecting amber on the shore and in the waste land of the quarry.
It is better to go in late autumn, winter or early spring. After storms, the course of amber begins. Strong waves wash away the amber-bearing rock and throw up heaps of driftwood and algae on the shore, in which you will have to rummage to find amber. Experienced hunters do not wait until amber is thrown onto land. They enter the icy water, fish out accumulations of fin and algae with large nets, carry the wet pile to the shore and carefully sort it out in search of pieces of amber. It is believed that the most productive storm is short-lived, because a prolonged storm will simply carry all the washed amber back to the sea, and it can only be obtained if you have a diving suit and good cold tolerance.
The most expensive and rare specimens of amber are pieces with insects, small animals, fry, blades of grass, etc. trapped millions of years ago in resin. Such inclusions are called inclusions. And the value of such finds often exceeds the value of diamonds.
Precious stones and metals can be bought at every jewelry store. But you won’t find meteorites there, because they are much rarer, which means that it’s much more pleasant to possess them. Large meteorites that form funnels fall very rarely, and small ones more often. They are worth trying to find.
Where can I find: People who have made the search for meteorites their hobby advise beginners who have not yet acquired a metal detector to start searching from flat roofs.
Yes, it sounds strange. But the fact is that on the roof you will not be distracted by objects of terrestrial origin and it is there that you can find a lot of micrometeorites. Do not disregard the holes under the drains, which could fall into meteorites during heavy rain along with water flows. Check out your finds. All meteorites have a "melting crust" - a thin layer of melted substances that make up the "guest from space", and regmaglipts - small depressions located over the entire surface of the meteorite body. These are the main, but far from the only signs. Specialists, for example, employees of the meteoritics laboratory of the GEOKHI RAS, will help you finally determine the origin of the finds.
If you think you're lucky, then try your luck in search of the hardest mineral on our planet - diamond. Although it's not just luck, of course. Washing diamond-bearing rock in a special sieve is hard work that may not pay off. Therefore, tune in not to the discovery of the century, but to an unusual adventure that you will tell your friends about for a long time to come.
Where can I find: The world's only diamond quarry "Diamond Crater", open to visitors, is located in the USA, in the state of Arkansas. Any found stone is yours. So keep your eyes open and don't miss the gem: it can easily mislead you with its unassuming appearance. Rough diamonds are nothing like the sparkling diamonds we are used to seeing in jewelry stores.
Now that you've learned how to handle the sludge pan in a diamond pan, it's time to go for the gold.
Where can I find: In principle, you can pan for gold or find a nugget in any other country, but Australia has the most loyal laws in relation to free prospectors.
Australia beckons not only with gold. It is also famous for its opals: most of these magnificent stones are mined here. As in the case of gold, anyone can try his hand at prospecting. But with opals it is more difficult, because if you do not have special equipment, you will have to wander through the old tunnels, peering into the mined-out rock, in the hope that those who were here before you missed some good stones. However, this often happens. Opals glow in the ultraviolet, so if you take an ultraviolet LED flashlight with you, you will definitely not be left without a find.
To transform the garden plot will help the usual natural materials. The stones will be an excellent decoration of the garden, realize interesting ideas you can on your own. This will require a minimum of costs.
Photos of stones for giving will help you choose an interesting composition. Such elements will help to hide the imperfections of the relief. An amazing combination of cold stone and green plants will create a cozy relaxation corner in the garden.
To create a harmonious design, wild and processed, small and large stones are suitable. Boulders, cobblestones, pebbles will complement the composition. Natural materials can be collected independently, which will allow you to realize the idea at minimal cost.
The task is within the power of any person, it does not require the purchase of special tools and materials. You can use improvised means and garden tools.
If there are too many stones on the site, you can help some of them become covered with green moss. This method is suitable for creating a harmonious design.
Pebbles of various shapes go well with different building materials. In nature, there are many shades of these objects, so you can always choose the most suitable option for compositions.
Garden stones are unpretentious in care, they are not afraid of temperature changes. They are also used in processed form.
You can create a rocky garden on the site, even in a small area. It will help divide the territory into certain zones, hide unsightly elements. Simple stones will add color and become a wonderful garden decor. They harmoniously fit into the surrounding space.
The material can be used to create various compositions. It will suit any decor style. Stones can be a great addition, an interesting accent. They can be used to decorate individual corners on the site or be present throughout the territory.
Landscape designers use processed stones in their projects. To do this, objects are covered with luminescent compounds in order to achieve a glow in the dark. Whole pictures of colored gravel can appear in the garden.
To make the stone covered with moss, it is treated with a special substance. When paving garden paths, protective compounds are used. Interesting ideas for the garden will help you create your own unique landscape.
The Japanese invented this design method. It is necessary to initially think over the shape of the channel, dig a recess. Then the surface is leveled, after which the stones are laid out.
Decorative stones are well fixed so that they do not budge from one touch. The bottom of the stream is covered with pebbles, you can use rubble, which is pre-painted in the desired color.
The winding bed of a stone stream will make it possible to veil the imperfections of the terrain. It will deepen the space, visually delimit into functional zones. The source of the stream is usually made on a small hill. The depth of the channel is two times less than the width.
After the stream is dug, weeds should be removed and the soil should be compacted. A special material is laid at the bottom of the channel to protect it from grass germination. They start filling the stream with large stones, and then they fill it with gravel, supplemented with elements of different sizes.
Having arranged a flower garden with an abundance of stones and plants under the windows, you can admire them for a long time. Flowers can be arranged directly in containers, complement the composition with an artificial reservoir. Alpine slide can be complemented by plants of contrasting colors, the monochrome version looks no less attractive.
If the size of the summer cottage allows, then a stream is created along which flowers are planted. The use of stones in landscape design allows you to achieve amazing results.
Rock garden is usually done away from outbuildings. It is located in a well-lit area near the house. Amazing landscape compositions imitate mountain landscapes.
Elements for garden decor can be painted in any color. An excellent solution would be to apply drawings on natural materials. You can depict animals, berries, mushrooms. Multi-colored stones in the garden look interesting, which can be used to decorate a playground.
For drawing drawings, oval elements with a smooth surface are suitable. You should choose resistant paints that will not lose their brightness over time.
Pebbles will be a bright decor that will add warmth and charm to the garden. Fantasy patterns, beautiful drawings are applied to them, or simply painted in a certain color. After finishing work, the dried objects are opened with varnish.
The central part of the composition is usually a large natural object. Small stones are used for backfilling.
Care should be taken to balance the horizontal and vertical lines in the garden. Stones symbolize natural strength and beauty, and a small number of plants will only emphasize their shape.
A rockery differs from an alpine hill in a flat area. Decorative effects in such a garden are achieved mainly due to the beauty of the stone. The space between the main elements is covered with gravel, which will shade them.
The installation of stones must be carried out according to a pre-planned plan so that you do not have to make changes to the project. A composition created by oneself will complement the design of the site, make it unique.
