Advantages of flower beds made of stones
You're probably wondering why rock beds are so popular. Such flower beds received their recognition for a reason.
Firstly, stone is a very strong and durable material, so stone flower beds will last much longer than others.
Secondly, decorating a flower bed with stones is a very good design decision.
Stone flower beds can transform the appearance of your dacha for the better.
Making a flowerbed with your own hands
Before making a flowerbed, you need to carefully plan everything, prepare the site, and purchase building materials. And now, in order:
- Pay attention to the location of the territory, its illumination, composition and soil moisture. This will affect the choice of flower beds and plant varieties. For example, when humidity is high, tall structures are preferred.
- They draw a sketch and make markings. Calculate and purchase materials.
- Carefully remove the fertile soil.
- If necessary, dig a trench and lay a foundation.
- Cement mortar can be used in masonry. The largest stones are placed at the bottom, with each subsequent row their size decreases. For the top layer, use stones with a flat side.
- After construction work is completed, drainage is installed.
Only after this is the fertile soil spread and given time for it to settle.
Attention! When constructing a permanent structure, water can be supplied inside the structure. In the future, this will make watering the plants much easier; all you need to do is open the tap and the flowerbed will be watered on its own.
Types of flower beds made of stones
If you look at photographs of flower beds made of stones, you will understand that there are many types of such flower beds. We will tell you about the main ones:
- Arabesque.
- Rockery.
- Japanese garden.
- Gabion.
- Rock garden.
Here are the main types of stone flower beds. We will tell you about each type in more detail.
Gabions and their general structure
A conversation about building flower beds using mesh should start with such a thing as a gabion. This term comes from the French language and is translated literally as “stones in nets.”
Having emerged as an installation technique for strengthening mountain slopes, embankments, roads and other objects, gabions gradually migrated into the sphere of advanced garden and country design.
Currently, this simple technology is successfully used on private plots to form decorative flower bed fences, various small architectural forms such as garden tables or benches, and original fences. Moreover, such designs look very beautiful in almost any combination. You just need to choose the right source material from the many known species.
Arabesque
This type of stone flower beds is used quite rarely. This is due to the fact that the design of this flower bed is quite formal and suitable for decorating any government buildings.
The arabesque itself looks like a large canvas on which flowers are located. In addition, you can use your imagination and plant flowers so that they are arranged in a pattern.
Let us remind you that this method is one of the most expensive, since the canvas itself is quite large and you will have to plant a lot of flowers.
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In addition to the fact that planting flowers will take a lot of money, they are also very difficult to care for. They only need to be watered using a special hose with a special spray nozzle.
Considering that this method has quite a lot of inconveniences, it also has a plus. The main advantage of this method is that it looks incredibly beautiful and large-scale.
To summarize, this method of laying flower beds is only suitable if you have a fairly large dacha and have a lot of time and money.
But, if you have a rather small dacha area, then it is better to pay attention to other types of stone flower beds.
raised flower bed
Focuses attention on the plants planted in it. Has practical properties:
- compact, rational use of the territory;
- promotes growing flowers in poor soil conditions;
- protects plants from weeds, easy to use.
Multi-tiered buildings look attractive, where climbing flowers can be combined with traditional crops. This beautiful flower bed is a capital structure and requires financial investment.
Rockery
Quite a beautiful and simple way. It is distinguished by its brightness and color contrast.
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The main plants present in rockeries are greens. As for the stones, the main feature is that the stones are selected in different shapes in order to diversify the appearance.
Making a rockery can be quite simple, here are instructions for making a beautiful rockery.
To begin, decide on the location of the flower bed and dig a trench for the stones.
After this, fill the trench with stones; it is advisable to lay the stones as tightly as possible so that your flowerbed does not fall apart over time. If you cannot fit the stones tightly, then fill the cracks with cement mortar.
Then, compact the stones tightly. If you have cracks in the stones, then lubricate them with sealant.
After the fence is completely secured, you can plant flowers.
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All! Your rock garden is ready!
How to design a flower bed with stones: ideas with photos
Below are photos of various flower beds and flower beds; interesting ideas made from stone will help you decide on the choice of design option.
The staircase leading to the veranda can be elegantly decorated with blooming flower beds on the sides. A flower bed between the paths near a country house will harmoniously fit into the interior of the site. Flower beds of different shapes can be made from stone, including round ones. Granite fencing for a flower bed combines harmoniously with different types of plants. A flower bed of an interesting shape will beautifully complement any territory If the territory allows, you can make several small and large flower beds, combining them into one harmonious composition
Japanese garden
This species is very special, as it came to us straight from a country where gardens are very common. The Japanese garden is not very common in our country due to the complexity of its construction.
As a rule, the overall composition takes a very long time to assemble and is not limited to just stones and flowers. The general appearance can be complemented by figures in the form of various animals, or garden gnomes.
Unfortunately, such flower beds are not very suitable for Russian gardens. This is because our harsh climate does not allow some plants to grow.
As for stones, there is little choice. Smooth decorative stones are mainly used for flower beds. The stones themselves are taken in medium or small sizes.
How to choose stones for a flower bed in the yard
To create beautiful, cozy, sophisticated flower beds, different types of material are used. Most often in the yard they are created from sandstone, tuff, limestone, slate, granite, as well as basalt, dolomite, and pebbles.
Sandstone
This rock type of stone is porous and layered. This material is used to create raised flower beds in the garden.
Sandstone allows air to pass through well, but can quickly crumble
Sandstone comes in different shades - gray, yellow, brown and red.
Tuff
Tuff is a type of limestone. Flowers planted in the holes of the stone grow well and entwine it beautifully. To make the flower bed look elegant, ground cover plants are used.
Volcanic tuff is a durable stone that comes in a variety of warm colors.
Comment! Flower growers most often place tuff flower beds near small artificial ponds.
Limestone
To create original flower beds, rocks of white, light gray, yellow, cream or blue colors are often used.
Limestone has a porous structure
Various plants are planted into rock cracks filled with earth. Algae and moss grow well in limestone flower beds.
Slate
Slate is a mineral that consists of several rocks at the same time. Such material is capable of exfoliating into plates. Flower beds are often sprinkled with slate chips on top, making them look elegant and unusual.
Slate can be gray, sandy and even purple or blue.
Granite
Granite stones are frost-resistant, moisture-resistant, and acidify the soil. This type of material is used in small quantities to create original stone flower beds.
Granite can acidify the soil, which is why it is rarely used to create flower beds
Basalt
The volcanic rock of the stone withstands aggressive external environments and mechanical stress. Its decorative appearance helps to create an interesting flower garden.
Basalt always looks advantageous in comparison with other decorative stones
Dolomite
With the help of this rock, flower beds are beautifully decorated. It is also used as an ornamental stone.
Dolomite is a strong, environmentally friendly, durable, frost-resistant and moisture-resistant stone consisting of calcium and magnesium carbonate
Pebbles
Pebbles are small stones sharpened by water, they come in different sizes, colors, and round shapes. They lay out beautiful stone flower beds for her, connecting them together with cement mortar.
Pebbles are used not only for decorating flower beds, but also for paving
To make a flower garden, you usually take several large stones, around which compositions are created from smaller ones. You will also need additional material. Drainage is created using sand or coarse crushed stone, and mulching is carried out with tree bark, peat and small crushed stone.
Additionally, marble chips or pebbles can be used to decorate decorative paths around the flower bed.
Gabion
Gabion is one of the most popular types of flower beds. This species is unusual in that it is a kind of container in which flowers are immersed.
Fences are made of metal or aluminum wire. The stones that are poured inside the container should be small in size so as not to give the flowerbed a sloppy appearance.
Gabions come in different shapes and sizes. The most common shape is cubic. But, especially inventive individuals make gabions in the shape of a snake or a labyrinth.
So, you can adjust the design of such a flower bed. It all depends on your personal preferences. You need to plant low plants that grow at a moderate speed.
Avoid planting aggressive plants whose growth is difficult to control. There is no need to purchase special decorative stones for gabions. It will be enough to choose completely ordinary stones. The main thing is that they fit in size and shape.
It is necessary to fill the flower beds with earth so that the flowers that are planted in the gabion do not become loose and are not broken by wind or rain.
Ordinary flower bed
Installed in any convenient place. Has features:
- limited sizes;
- presence of fences;
- correct geometric shapes.
Consists of one or more layers of stone.
Rock garden
As you might have guessed from the name, a flowerbed is a small hill of flowers and stones. You most likely thought that this flowerbed looked very sloppy and ugly. But this is fundamentally not true.
If you choose the right stones and flowers for your rock garden, you will get a pretty beautiful flower bed that will decorate your dacha.
Due to the fact that the flower garden has a multi-level shape, stones need to be selected in different sizes. It is also important that the stones should look organic next to each other. Depending on what kind of dacha you have, you need to make a rock garden of the appropriate shape.
In general, this is a fairly universal flowerbed that is suitable for any area. The main thing is to learn the technique of correctly laying stones on top of each other. This should be done as the size increases.
As for plants, you need to use perennials that will last you a long time.
As for care, everything is not so simple. You need to care for both stones and plants. Yellowed leaves need to be removed from flowers so that healthy leaves do not die.
The main task when caring for stones is to analyze the stability of the entire structure. Simply put, you need to check whether the stones lie securely on top of each other.
These are the main types of flower beds made of stones, which are the most famous and widespread. Make your choice yourself.
We will advise you to experiment and eventually you will find a flowerbed that will look perfect in your dacha.
Brick flower beds: beautiful photo examples, interesting ideas and construction tips
Despite their simplicity and unpretentiousness, brick flowerbeds also have undoubted advantages. Such flower beds do not require serious expenses, since they can be planted using material left over from the renovation or construction of a country house or outbuildings. In this case, this is even an advantage; a house and a flower garden made of the same material will look harmonious on the site. Moreover, even fragments of bricks or what remains after the demolition of a building can be used for flower beds.
Wave-shaped stone structure with green spaces.
Even an inexperienced builder can work on such a flower bed, because all you need is brick, sand, gravel (or crushed stone), cement mortar, twine and a couple of pegs. As with the construction of a flower bed made of stone, you must first select a suitable location, draw a sketch, mark the area, remove fertile soil and dig a shallow trench.
The trench is filled with sand, compacted, then with a layer of gravel or crushed stone (it will also serve as drainage). It is also compacted well. After this comes a layer of bricks.
An ordinary flowerbed with stones and several types of plants.
Note! You don't have to use cement to cement the first two rows of bricks. This will ensure normal water flow and protect the plants from root rot.
There is another way to make a flower bed out of stones (photos on the Internet often describe it). Instead of a sand cushion, the bottom of the trench along the perimeter of the flower bed is filled with a 5-centimeter layer of concrete. After it has hardened, bricks are laid using cement mortar, with the first layer of bricks being laid below ground level, and in the lower layer, also bonded with mortar, gaps are left for water drainage. It is necessary to check the accuracy of the masonry with a level. It is recommended to tilt the walls of the flowerbed slightly inward, as in the case of stone. After laying the walls of the flowerbed, it is left for several days for the solution to set.
A flowerbed with a brick border decorates the yard.
Do not rush to plant flowers immediately after laying the soil. The soil must be shed and left for 10 days so that it settles properly. And only after this you can start planting plants.
These simple tips on how to make a flowerbed from stones will not only allow you to easily decorate your summer cottage, but also create optimal conditions for the healthy and full growth of flowers and green spaces for many years
