A rockery is a great way to add interest and texture to your garden, as well as providing a home for alpine plants that prefer a well-drained soil. In this article, I will explain how to build a rockery in your garden, step by step.

When to make a rockery

While a Rockery can be established at any time of the year, it is a great garden project for the winter months, you may not think there is much to do in the cold and often frost-bound days of Winter, but there are all sorts of preparations to be made in the garden, and one of the best and most interesting things you can do is to build a rockery, and get it ready for the plants which are to be put in Spring.

Step 1: Choose a location for your rockery. A good position for your rockery is at the base of a wall, or any building, or you can make it just a mound raised up in the center and sloping down to the level of the ground. Whichever way you make a rockery, there is a right and wrong way of doing it. The most important thing is to make sure that the area you have chosen gets plenty of sunlight.

Step 2: Prepare the area where you will be building your rockery. If you are building against a wall or fence, you will need to remove any vegetation that is growing there. If you are building a freestanding rockery, mark out the area with string or spray paint so that you know where the boundaries are.

Step 3: you have to prepare the base, or drainage, as it is called. This simply consists of a lot of broken up terracotta pots, bricks, and the like; in fact, you can use anything that would make a good porous foundation.

Step 4: Start adding rocks to your rockery. You can use any type of rocks that you like, but it is important to make sure that they are of different sizes. This will create a more natural-looking rockery. You can either arrange the rocks yourself or have someone do it for you. The proper way to insert the rocks, or large stones is for these to slope downwards, and that by far the greater part of each is embedded in the soil.

The spaces between the rocks you will fill later on with plants, and I shall tell you about these when we come to the time that they have to be planted (Spring). You will see that if the rocks are put in this way, all the water runs down towards the centre of the rockery, whereas if the rocks were put facing up, the water would simply run off and be lost.

In collecting the soil you don’t need be too particular about having it rich. Most plants that grow on rockeries prefer sandy soil, so do not think of manuring your rockery.

Step 5: Once you have added all of the rocks, it is time to start planting! Choose plants that are native to rocky areas such as lavender, sedum, and thyme. Alternatively, you could choose alpine plants that prefer well-drained soil such as Sempervivum (houseleeks) and saxifrages. Planting your rockery is easy – simply dig a hole in the ground and pop in your chosen plant!

Step 6: Water your plants regularly – especially during dry periods – and sit back and enjoy your beautiful new rockery!

Do not be impatient because your garden is to remain empty assuming that your rockery garden is a new one, spending time preparing the site now and you’ll be ready to go when the weather warms up.

10 Great Plants for rockeries

1. Saxifraga x urbium – Commonly known as London Pride, this evergreen perennial is a great choice for rockeries. It produces attractive star-shaped flowers in a range of colours including pink, white and purple during the summer months. Its foliage is low growing and widely spaced, so it won’t take up too much space in your rockery garden.

2. Sempervivum – Also known as ‘hens and chicks’, these succulents are ideal for those who want to achieve a Mediterranean feel in their rockery garden. They come in various shapes and sizes, with some species producing rosettes of greyish-green leaves and others offering more colourful varieties.

3. Sedum – This hardy and low-maintenance ground cover is a great choice for rockeries. It comes in an array of shapes, sizes and colours, from tiny creeping types to larger spreading varieties. Some species even produce attractive pink or yellow flowers during the summer months.

4. Potentilla – Commonly known as ‘cinquefoil’, these perennials are perfect for adding some colour to your rockery garden. They produce flowers in shades of red, yellow and white throughout the summer months, making them a great addition for those wanting some extra vibrancy in their outdoor space.

5. Erigeron karvinskianus – Also known as ‘Mexican daisy’, this long-flowering perennial is a great choice for rockeries. It produces vibrant pink and white daisy-like flowers in the summer months and its foliage is dense enough to create a carpet effect in your garden.

6. Erodium – A great choice for those wanting an evergreen feature in their rockery, Erodiums are low-growing perennials with delicate foliage and delicate star-shaped flowers that come in shades of pink, purple or white throughout the spring and summer months.

7. Campanula – Also known as ‘bellflowers’, these low growing perennials offer long lasting colour to your rockery garden. They produce bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, white and purple during the summer months and their foliage is evergreen, meaning they will stay looking good throughout the year.

8. Thymus – This low-growing shrub is great for adding a Mediterranean feel to your rockery garden. It produces small leaves which are fragrant when crushed and its tiny pink or white flowers make it a great addition to any outdoor space.

9. Dianthus – These evergreen perennials are perfect for adding colour and texture to your rockery garden. They produce long lasting flowers that come in shades of red, pink and white, making them a great way to inject some vibrancy into your outdoor space.

10. Aquilegia – This vibrant perennial is a great choice for those wanting to add some extra colour to their rockery garden. It produces stunning bell-shaped flowers in shades of red, blue, purple and white throughout the spring and summer months. Its foliage is delicate and widely spaced making it perfect for filling any gaps in your outdoor space.

No matter which plants you choose for your rockery garden, make sure they are well suited to the conditions you have available in order to ensure their long lasting success! With the right combination of colors and textures, your rockery will be an attractive addition to your outdoor space. Enjoy!

Building a rockery is a great way to add interest and texture to your garden. It is also an excellent way to provide a home for alpine plants that prefer well-drained soil. By following the steps outlined above, you will be able to build your very own rockery in no time at all!