How to Create a Layered Rock Garden

I created a layered rock garden on a the side of my house about 15 years ago, and it keeps evolving each year and keeps getting fuller. Because of the slope, it seemed only reasonably to add some sort of layering project. I chose rocks.

Shovels
Spade
Gloves
All different sizes and colors of rocks.

Instructions

- 1
  Start by finding an area that would be easy to create a rock garden, like a slope. If you don't have sloping hills, you will have to bring in dirt to make a slope and create a sloping hill.
- 2
  
  Sketch and design how you would like your garden to look and how big. I started with the top being flat and working down in different layers in a round circular design.
- 3
  
  Start by placing the rock along the different layers in a round circular design. You will need a shovel to dig out dirt and a spade to help dig out and place each stone. Choose rocks of similar size and design for a uniform look. Place each stone individually, and look back to see if it looks symmetric.
- 4
  
  Make sure that there is enough space and dirt floor for your flowers. By mixing a little sand in with your dirt, I have found that it helps the water to drain quickly, as the rocks tend to dry out the soil.
- 5
  
  Choose your plants, depending on where you live. You will have to experiment. That is the fun of it. When you find what works well, you will have a beautiful rock garden. Perennial or annuals work fine. I have had to go to more shade loving plants as my white pine now towers over the area. It is always different every year. This year I found that begonias worked really well.
- 6
  
  It took a lot of work to bring in the rock and place each stone correctly, but it payed off for many years of beauty. Each year it proves to be more beautiful than the next.

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