The gravel or stone bed is often found in the entrance area of the house and should be with neighbors or others Leaving people walking past a neat impression and thus a positive overall picture of the entire garden throw.
Basics for designing a stone bed
The hobby gardener is in the design of the stone or There are almost no limits to gravel beds. Depending on the size and position of the stone bed and the desired effect, different colored stones can be used to create patterns or entire lettering. In a very classic stone bed, only white decorative stones, such as z. B. Ornamental chippings, ornamental gravel or even ornamental sand are used. However, every hobby gardener can decide for himself and design his very own stone bed according to his ideas, with regard to the size and color of the stones. Individual plants or even small bushes or trees can be placed between the stones, which contribute to a rounded overall picture of the bed.
In the case of larger beds, the gardener can even build paths marked by stone tiles, through which he can reach certain plants integrated in the bed in order to be able to water them. A sunny location should preferably be chosen for the stone bed so that the stones can dry quickly after a rain shower. It is a special eye-catcher if the bed is a little inclined or runs over different steps. Much larger stones should be used to design the steps so that the transition looks aesthetic at the end. To stimulate the imagination, the hobby gardener can get some suggestions from renowned gardening magazines and link them with his ideas.
Construction of the gravel bed
The area of the soil that is to be used as a gravel bed in the future must first be loosened up a little. If you live in an environment in which the soil is loamy, you can be sure that the rain and irrigation water are well drained from the soil and that there is no waterlogging. If you are not clear about the nature of the soil or if it is only slightly loamy, you should remove the top layer of soil from the soil. The horror of every stone bed is weeds.
If you take the trouble and put a lot of work into a nice-looking and well-cared for bed, then you want to one also that this beautiful sight is not destroyed within a few months and the bed is closed with weeds proliferates. Therefore, a special weed fleece is laid under the stones, which should completely curb the growth of unwanted green plants. Then the previously selected gravel, sand, split or the stones are placed. It should already be clear at this point in which place which plants will be planted later, so that some space can be left in these places. Even if the hobby gardener has decided to lay a path over stone slabs through the bed, he should leave enough space in the affected areas.
Suitable plants
All plants that can cope well with loamy soil are suitable for planting the stone bed. In addition, the plants should not have any problems with higher temperatures. Especially in summer, when temperatures of well over 30 ° C are reached and no rain falls for several days, The stones heat up, so that directly above the surface of the earth actually a slightly higher temperature prevails.
Particularly popular and easy-care plants for creating a stone bed are, for example, stone cabbage, thistle, pansy, pasque flower, but also roses or carnations. Stone beds are just as suitable for planting Mediterranean herbs. The same small seedlings should always be planted, as sowing with seeds is unlikely to lead to success due to the weed fleece laid out.Care and cleaning of the stone bed
- Most of the cleaning work for the stone bed occurs in autumn: fallen branches and leaves spoil the overall appearance of the bed and should be removed as quickly as possible.
- In phases when it is cool and humid for a long period of time, there is a risk that lichens and mosses form on the stones and inevitably lose the well-groomed impression goes.
- Is the stone bed a manageable area and the pebbles were rather larger is used, the best way to get rid of the moss infestation is to wipe the stones or sieve them off individually to hand.
- If there is repeated heavy moss formation, the stones can also be treated discreetly with a little weed killer.
- Otherwise, the maintenance is relatively manageable: the rain washes the stones off, the sun dries them again afterwards.
Further expansion to the rock garden
As a hobby gardener, once you have created a stone bed and had a lot of fun, you can consider whether the individual stone bed should be integrated into an entire rock garden. The prerequisite for this is, of course, that the garden at home has the necessary space. A small green area bordered by the stone bed, which is adorned by some bushes, spices up the garden additionally. Maybe even a small pond with a few fish can be created. Or a narrow path is laid through the stone bed to a hut in the garden, where ideally there is a barbecue area or where there is a pizza oven. The beautiful garden is not only an eye-catcher for people walking by, but also offers one idyllic place where parties are celebrated within the family or within the neighborhood can.
The stone bed is not cheap to buy, but it is an easy-care alternative to the design of the garden. Especially when you are very busy at work and don't have much time for gardening, you still have a beautiful garden in which you can feel comfortable.
Worth knowing about gravel and stone beds in brief
When designing the garden, gravel can also be used as a
The transition zone between hard stone, brick or concrete floors and plant beds are used. This gives the garden a soft and harmonious overall appearance. Depending on taste and needs, gravel areas and beds can also be bordered by edging such as bricks or stones.- To create a gravel bed, the corresponding area is first approx. Excavated 10 cm deep.
- Then about 6 cm of crushed stone or unwashed gravel is spread over the area.
- Finally, the top layer is filled with round pea gravel.
Well-compacted gravel is an optimal surface covering for garden paths, areas and beds. Natural stone walls fit ideally into rock gardens and serve as property delimitation or delimitation between individual garden areas. There are numerous plants that feel extremely comfortable on stone or gravel beds and thrive splendidly. These include, for example:
- Yucca palm,
- Noble diamond,
- Nasturtiums,
- Pansy,
- Horned violets,
- Gold poppy,
- Pennywort,
- Culinary herbs,
- Shrub and rock roses,
- low yew
To plant the stone and gravel beds, small holes are dug for the root ball. Then the hole is filled with fertile soil and the plant is used. The plants soon spread naturally, creating a lush carpet of plants. Larger stones can also be inserted between individual plants, which, individually or in groups, complement the overall appearance of the rock garden as a visual eye-catcher. If the gravel areas are not planted, spontaneous vegetation will form after a while. In the semi-permeable gravel layer, dust-fine soil accumulates in which seeds of wild herbs and flowers settle. The spontaneous vegetation can also be very attractive. However, if the wild growth of plants and flowers is not desired, they can simply be removed with a hoe.
Tips for designing gravel and rock gardens
In the vicinity of buildings, planted gravel and stone beds and areas are particularly effective. Stones and gravel from the local region are recommended, as they usually complement existing elements such as property walls or buildings in an atmospheric way. The planting near the building should match the color and style of the house. Shrub roses and wild roses blend particularly well in natural, rural gardens. Their lush growth flatters every passage, trellis and entrance area. Shrub roses also blend harmoniously into shrub and flower beds.
