The landscape designers were able to use the shouting contrast of harsh stones and subtle delicate flowers to create bright and beautiful pictures. Today, this fashion trend has occupied its niche in the design of gardens, parks and country sites. Make a bed of stones can anyone with their own hands. What is needed for this, what material to choose and where to start - we will tell about all this later in the article.
Stone flower bed, rock arias, alpine slide
Newbies in landscape gardening often confuse stone flower gardens with rockeries and rock gardens. In fact, this is not the same thing. The main differences of these decorative structures are in the semantic idea, the technology of their creation, the material and scale.
Did you know? The pioneers of fashion in the stones in the garden are the Japanese. More than a thousand years ago, the presence in the midst of blooming lawns of huge boulders covered with green moss and lichen scum was considered an indispensable attribute for philosophizing and thinking about life.To create a stone border in the flower garden there is no need to carefully select each of its fragments, as in the case of rock garden. Alpine slides always look very massive. Professionals consider them the most complex structure in the garden decoration.
After all, the designer is faced with the task of not just sketching a mountain of stones and planting flowering plants between them, but as close as possible to his creation to the natural rocky terrain. This includes a thorough preparation for the skillful formation of a mountain environment within the garden area.It consists of digging out a pit and laying a drainage layer, taking into account the gradient for outflow of excess moisture. For such compositions, vegetation is very carefully selected, giving preference to specific rock cultures with well developed roots.
Some kind of similarity can be seen between the usual design of a bed of stones and rockeries. But in the last version, accents are shifted not to plants, but to minerals, which should be in harmony by texture, color, size. 
When they are laid out, naturalism and asymmetry are desirable. Mandatory elements in these structures is drainage. Planted in rockeries, preferably slow-growing and hardy crops.
Did you know? Stony flower gardens in Europe came at the end of the XVI century. They were located in the courtyards of aristocrats, only exclusive vegetation from mountainous areas was planted on them.Flower beds do not need drainage, they have a simpler approach to the choice of plants, and the stone part plays only a supporting role in decorating. This is just a beautiful frame.
From the photo you can make sure that building your own flowerbeds from stones does not require special knowledge, skills and abilities. It is extremely easy and for everyone. 
Clarkia, heliotrope, forget-me-nots, rudbeckia, liatris, echinacea purpurea, yarrow, crocuses, young, alissum, gray fescue, catnip, rue, sage oakwood, Carpathian bell.
Stone selection
The choice of mineral depends on its scale and your preferences regarding the shape of the structure, its vegetation and the general idea. If you have conceived something huge, then everything should be appropriate.
When the area is enough for small layouts, then you need to decorate them with small pebbles. Let's analyze in more detail the popular ornamental stones for flowerbeds.
Natural
When you look at the natural stones in the garden, fleetingly come to the conclusion that there is nothing more perfect than Her Majesty Nature. Not a single person in a short period of time will be able to grow moss or lichen on an inconspicuous gray cobblestone. 
Designers can only artificially copy these masterpieces. Natural minerals are valued for their ecological purity and durability. Flowerbeds in a similar frame become more natural and laconic.
Important! Old stones are valued much more young, because they were hardened by time, winds and water. At home, artificially “aging” fresh limestone is real with the help of vinegar essence. It is enough to pour liquid on a surface and to pound. Then you need to wash off the acid, treat the surface with any mineral complex fertilizer (“Ideal”), lightly trickle with soil dust and plant a lichen.Among the varieties of natural stones are popular:
- Quartzite - is a beautiful breed with many shades. Differs in power and resistance to chemicals and sharp temperature fluctuations. Like a mirror, it reflects the light, pouring its every facet with a new highlight.
- Sandstone - a key feature of this mineral lies in the layering and porosity of its structure, whence the main drawback - the fragility. Large rubble stones and boulders that are subspecies of the breed are very appropriate on raised garden beds.
id: 37152
- Limestone - belongs to the mountain species. Most often found in light gray coloring, less often - in creamy yellow, pink and even blue. It is a very fertile material for growing moss.
- Slate - accumulates in itself several rocks and is distinguished by a layered structure. The stone easily breaks up into separate plates. Therefore, the material is more often used as a crumb.
- Basalt - This is a very durable and sturdy material for the floral curb, which is caused by the eruption of magma.
- Granite - Gardeners prefer it for accessibility, aesthetic appearance, high frost and moisture resistance. The only drawback of the breed lies in its ability to oxidize the soil.
- Gneiss - This breed of metamorphic origin stands out among other unusual colors.
- Volcanic tuff - thanks to the terracotta shades of the breed, it is able to create a cozy warm atmosphere in the flower garden. It is very durable.
- Pebbles - used as a rocky contour for small beds, always laid out on a layer of cement.
Important! In one composition it is worthwhile to place rocks with identical physicochemical characteristics. For example, an unfortunate neighborhood of granite with limestone will have a bad effect on the acidity of the soil and your composition. The fact is that these materials react differently to temperature fluctuations and weather conditions. Yes, and they will not look.
Artificial
Artificial stones are made from acrylic, polyester resins and natural crumbs. Externally and by texture, in some cases they are difficult to distinguish from natural creations. In everyday life with such material they decorate the facades of buildings, steps, garden ponds and even furniture.
Aesthetic appearance and power - the main advantages of artificial stones. Along with this, they do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, and in some cases they may crack with prolonged contact with the ground. This decor is not cheap.
On the border of artificial stones for flower beds, made with your own hands, fit:
- Brick - silicate or red ceramic variety is used for gardening purposes. Its shape allows you to lay out clear geometric shapes.
- Slate - characterized by slight splitting, it is black and dark blue tones.
- Polymer concrete - consists of sand, cement and polymeric additional components, well tolerates moisture, cold.
Did you know? Psychologists say that the rounded shapes of garden stones soothe a person and place them on sincerity, warmth, and sharp, rough forms in the subconscious mind provoke aggression and irritation.
Stone flowerbeds
There are a lot of variations of beautiful flowerbeds made from your own hands. In this aspect, each gardener should be guided by their capabilities and preferences. Some cost the classic paved stone curb, others lay out of it complex geometric or asymmetrical shapes.
And in some gardens you can see raised flower beds that stand out with stone walls, the height of which can reach 1 m.
In areas where there is little space, skilled gardeners manage to create stone flower gardens in the form of spiral towers and other small architectural forms. So the garden can not only be decorated, but also divided into zones. 
Features of construction
If you have already matured your own idea about the arrangement of the stone flower garden, you can start planning. First you need to decide on the size and material of the building, and then begin to make the dream a reality.
Important! To minimize contamination of stone flowerbeds, their borders are recommended to be treated with hydrophobic protective impregnations. Moreover, the substance contributes to a brighter manifestation of the color of the material.
Placement of a flower bed
According to experts, stony corners need to be planned exclusively in sunny areas where northern winds and drafts do not blow, and cold air, melt and rain water does not collect. Particular attention when choosing a place for a flower bed should be paid to the vegetation that you plan to plant on it.
In the design of stone flowerbeds there are some rules that will greatly facilitate the planning of the building:
- The arrangement of flower beds should not interfere with movement in the garden. It is better to break them under the windows of the house, along the fence or the central garden area. The main task of the flowerbed is to bring pleasure.
- In open areas it is customary to break round, oval or figured flower beds. They should be open for inspection from all sides. Along fences and walls make rectangular compositions.
- There should not be many stones, so as not to shift the accents.
- Flowers in the flower bed must be selected with identical requirements for soil, lighting, moisture and temperature. For example, marigolds prefer sunny areas, therefore they cannot grow in combination with a shade-loving fern. You should also consider the timing of flowering plants, a combination of colors and height.
- Do not bother intricate designs that are difficult to bring to life.
- The number of flower beds, as well as their sizes depend on the total area of the garden. But it is always easier to equip one large flower bed than a few small ones.
- When arranging a flower garden, you can compose several different breeds, just be sure to take into account the combination of their color, structure and shape. For example, layered slate will complement loose sandstone, but with powerful granite it will not look.
- If you work with several minerals, be very careful with the combination of their colors. Your task is to create a harmonious picture. Therefore, prefer only dark or light colors. Do not experiment with red, light yellow and gray cobblestones in the same flower garden.
- In the border, it is desirable to use stones of the same shape and size.
- Flowerbed style should not go beyond the general design of the garden.
Important! A flower bed with elements of limestone decor in several years will require serious renovation. This is due to the characteristics of the breed, which over the years will begin to crumble.
Masonry technology
Arrangement of all types of beds begins with a drawing. After that you can arm with a tape measure and wooden pegs to transfer lines to the site. Further work will depend on the selected material.
If the future flowerbed will be based on limestone, it is enough to lay flat slabs of the rock (sandstone, slate, limestone) on top of each other. With a similar technology, you can operate on small structures of large boulders. Only their lower layer needs to be slightly deepened into the ground.
To make your garden irresistible and cozy, build an arbor, a bench in it or just decorate it with crafts.If we are talking about solid minerals, river or sea stones, you will need to carry out laying with cement. This is a version of a good border that will stand for dozens or even hundreds of years.
First, around the perimeter of the inscribed lines, you need to dig up a shallow trench (up to 20 cm), cover its bottom with a 15 cm layer of construction waste or rubble. Then a layer of thick cement-sand mortar is prepared on it, prepared in a ratio of 1: 3. 
Stones lay out layers, alternating with a cement clamp. At the same time, the work should be clean so that the interlayer does not show through on the front side. Border make the desired height. Masonry leave for 3 days to dry, then fall asleep in the flowerbed soil, align it and proceed to plant flowers.
Important! It is recommended to plant tall plants in a flower bed with large and high boulders.For the construction of a stone flower garden on your site does not necessarily invite designers. If you wish, it is quite possible to independently realize your dream.
