A rock garden is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to improve your backyard. Folks in the British Isles especially like rock gardens because the climate in the British Isles is not very good for most delicate plants. Rock gardens bring with them the assumption of having very few plants, and those of a very hardy variety, or no plants at all. The arrangement of the rocks in your garden, when properly complemented by attractive plants with coordinating colors, can add to the beauty of the home and provide a low-maintenance landscape feature that should not interfere with your lawn-mowing practices; rather, it will reduce the amount of space that requires mowing.

When you decide to start a rock garden the first thing you will need to do is inspect the area where your garden will be. Clear out any unwanted vegetation, like diseased and dying trees and plants or any types of spindly grass. If you don't want your rock garden to be spoiled by unwanted ferns or intrusive perennials later on, you should be sure to get all the roots out of the ground now.

Assuming you are going to add some plants to your garden, be sure to test the pH level of your soil. It is a good idea, even after you have placed your rocks and mapped out where you want to put any plants, to wait a full growing season before you attempt to plant in your rock garden. Waiting will give the soil a chance to settle, plus it will give you time to get rid of any annoying weeds by hoeing them and their roots out, whenever they pop up above the ground. It is also desirable to mix in such soil enhancements as mulch, compost, and other compounds. If the plants you wish to add require soils with alkali, take some limestone or crushed oyster shells and mix it into the soil.

When you are done improving the soil, you can start to place the rocks. It is important for aesthetic purposes not to evenly space your rocks, or to choose rocks of the same size and shape. Variety is key when choosing rocks for your rock garden, just as it is when choosing plants for a conventional garden. When using a lot of plants in your rock garden, be sure to leave more space between the rocks to allow room for the plants. On the other hand, if you are only going to use a few plants, leave less space between the rocks, but leave space for the plants to grow. Your rock garden will be more attractive the more natural you can make the design look.

In a sloping garden, begin placing your rocks in the bottom part of the slope and work to the top part of the slope Slope the top part of your rocks so that the water from the sprinklers as well as rainwater will run to the bottom of the slope. Outcroppings may overshadow plants and rocks below, try to prevent this from happening. The goal is to create a feeling of stability. The widest part of the rock should act as a base. You can also set a larger rock on top of smaller rocks and then fill in the cracks with soil.

When working with a flat section of ground, place your rocks starting on the inside and moving toward the outer edges of your garden. This will be tricky if your rock garden is circular or a different shape which has other landscape features surrounding it. Therefore, you should draw a map and mark on the map where you would like to place each stone. This way, you will be sure of placing each rock in the proper place. It may be necessary, on a flat site, to build up small mounds of dirt in different places to give the rock garden an interesting appearance.

If you plan to use plants in your garden, you should be careful to plant them after everything else is in place, and after you have a chance to make sure the soil is properly settled. The best times to plant, including in rock gardens, is in early autumn or early spring. Plants that are able to thrive in rugged terrain and are adapted to your areas climate, are the only plants that should be chosen. Then, plant them in the spaces you have designated. The end result should be a beautiful garden that requires little upkeep.}