Groundcover perennials - inhabitants of rock gardens

The variety of colors amazes the imagination of a person who begins to engage in plant growing. The abundance of all kinds of root crops, not to mention the tuberous and bulbous plants, turns his head. A separate place in this enchanting world was occupied by ground-cover perennials. Flowering species are represented by nature in the form of grasses or shrubs. Small height (up to 20 cm) they have stems-shoots, with which during the season grow to impressive size.

Wild ground cover perennials are unpretentious. They grow on poor, as a rule, calcareous soils. Most of them are mountain dwellers, some manage to stretch straight out of the stones. However, this does not mean that among them there are none who prefer shady forests, hot steppes or hills.

These flowers are indispensable on Alpine hills or in gravel gardens. Some on a regular flower bed can be strangled by aggressive neighbors in miniature sizes. Although many soil cover perennials are rapidly expanding, they themselves reclaim space from a number of growing flowers.

Attachments to the soil are different for all, but they are united by one thing: the absence of humus in the soil, the presence of crushed stone or small brick, good drainage and watering only in hot season. Some of them prefer sand.

When planting plants on the Alpine hill, it is necessary to take into account the speed of development of each species. It is advisable to choose slow growing species. For example, "Armeria" - one of the representatives of the vegetation of the Alpine mountains. It grows in small pads and can bloom all summer long. All sorts of low-billed bells will occupy a niche for them for a long time, not pretending to be someone else's. "Molodila", "Cleansers", "Shilovid Flox", a variety of carnations - all ground-flowers-perennials. Among the noteworthy shrubs, it is worth mentioning the "Horizontal Cotoneaster", "The Juniper of the Rock", "The Crescent Bearer" and many others.

Soil-perennial perennials should be chosen, given the timing of opening buds and wilting. Then a variety of shades and colors will please the eye all season.

The same significant element along with the plants are stones. Everything is important here: both the form, and the color, and the texture. It is desirable that they look like natural mountain boulders. Typically used for this purpose sandstone, limestone or tuff. Laying out the selected stones on a hill, it should be borne in mind that when caring for plants they will have to become feet. They must be strong and stable. To make everything look harmonious and natural, you can see how nature itself creates mountain massifs.

It is better to build a rock garden at the end of summer. Since the soil-cover perennials are mostly blooming in the spring, then it is necessary to transplant them in the autumn.

Care of such plants is not difficult: rare watering, removal of yellowed leaves and buds, cutting of shoots after plentiful flowering. The main thing is to provide conditions that are as close as possible to the natural habitat.