The summer months see an increase in the amount of time spent in the garden, so it is vital to check all doors and windows are locked before spending lengthy spells outside. Failing to do so can result in having to make a claim on the household insurance policy. When thinking of gardening, not too many people would think of rocks but a Rock Garden can be a very attractive feature. These can be put in places that are otherwise impossible to use with more conventional garden ideas. A rock garden is more often than not built in an area of the garden specifically picked for the purpose, but it can also be built on any area of ground in the garden. All that is really needed is an area that has good drainage because the types of plants that grow well in a rock garden do not like water-bound soil. The best place for a rock garden is a sloping area so the water can easily run off.
Building a Rock Garden does not mean going out and finding any old rocks. To do the job right and to get the best results, a trip to a specialist in the type of rocks needed for the project should be arranged. In a rock garden, plants, flowers, shrubs and trees can all be added. Once the materials have been selected along with the location in the garden, it is time to level the surface and to build a foundation for the rock garden.
Remove the soil from the area of the rock garden area, about a foot deep. Next put in a layer of gravel, followed by a layer of sand, and finish by putting the topsoil on. Ideally each of the layers should each be one-third of the foot deep that was earlier removed. The gravel will help provide the drainage needed while the sand will help hold the topsoil. To make the topsoil richer and to promote plant growth mix in some peat with the topsoil. A two layer stone garden is both easy to build and manage. Use large rocks for the first layer which is usually hidden by the second layer, so save the best rocks for the top layer. The first layer of rocks will be buried half-way into the soil which will give it a much more natural look. Next job is to put the plants in the ground, try to avoid putting too many plants in your rock garden; and do not overfill the rock garden. Put each type of plant in groups of three, and add the second layer of rocks after you plant each group of plants. Cover as much of the surface as you can with both plants and rocks until you have the rock garden arranged in a way that looks good on the eye.
Adding a bird bath can make it look even better, and it can be very relaxing to sit in a garden and watch birds eat and bathe in a bird bath. You will be amazed at the different types of bird that will wander into your garden. If a lot of money is spent on the garden, make sure everything is covered. Having cheap home insurance can give you piece of mind. It is worth remembering if you are still undecided about whether to build a rock garden, that this small investment will pay off ten fold, because rock gardens can turn any grassy area and any difficult-to-mow slopes into a very low-maintenance landscape.