Natural stones are extremely versatile: You can use them not only to build mini rock landscapes like in real nature, but you can also use the different stones to build walls, stairs, stone furniture or even stone garden houses. The stones can also be used for paving and paths.

Natural stones, ground cover and perennials: the perfect combination for an impressive rock garden

Not every stone is suitable for every plant

The gardener distinguishes between two groups of natural stones, each of which has a different effect on the soil and thus also on the plants growing on it. Peaty-humic, acidic soils with pH values between 4.5 and 5.5 develop on silicate or primary rock. Only plants that flee lime thrive here. All others need limestone, because this creates clayey, basic or alkaline soils with a high pH value between 7.5 and 8.5. Most mountain plants that are suitable for the rock garden are adapted to this soil, which is why it is better to opt for limestone rocks - the selection of suitable plants is simply much larger.

The most beautiful stones for the natural stone garden

Depending on their origin, most rocks are colored differently. The white, gray or grey-green shell limestone and the more yellowish Jura limestone are particularly interesting in the rock garden. So-called limestone knolls, on the other hand, with their numerous holes, offer many opportunities for planting. These types of rock are quite soft and weather very quickly, in contrast to the harder limestone rocks dolomite and marble - these, however, are only suitable for planting to a limited extent. The calcareous tufa, which is unfortunately quite expensive, is particularly popular, but it is ideal for use in the rock garden. This is a very hard limestone, which was built up by corals. Tufa is also sold under the name spaghetti stone or coral limestone.

Which silicate rocks are suitable for the rock garden?

Among the silicate rocks, granite, serpentine and greywacke are particularly hard. Sandstone, porphyry tuff and lava, which is less suitable, weather more easily. Gneiss and slate are particularly suitable. On the other hand, basalt and diabase are more problematic, since these types are very alkaline and can shift the pH value significantly upwards.

Be sure to capitalize on occupational safety!

Anyone who works with stones needs appropriate occupational safety equipment. Gloves should also be a matter of course when handling a few small stones, but safety shoes are also a sensible purchase for more extensive work.

tips

Instead of buying expensive stones from specialist shops, simply ask the nearest farmer for field stones you have collected. These are regularly collected from the fields, as they impede the large machines.

Category:

Garden design