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Ideas for a small rock garden


Rock Garden Ideas for Small Spaces

By

David Beaulieu

David Beaulieu

David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 11/07/22

The Spruce / Christopher Lee

In This Article

Project Overview

Rock garden designs can range from to sprawling, naturalistic creations to faux dried river beds to rustic mounds of stones, soil, and plants. It all depends on your preferences and the amount of space (and rock) you have to work with. If you have a small area, often the best design is a simple, round raised bed made of select rocks. This design can fit neatly into any well-chosen nook and will not be in the way when you mow your lawn. If you plant it thoughtfully, it also won't require a lot of maintenance.

Illustration: The Spruce, 2018

Click Play to Learn How to Build Rock Gardens for Small Spaces

Equipment / Tools

Materials

Instructions

  1. Build the First Course

    Clear the area of grass or other organic material, if necessary. Be sure to dig up sod and other plants below the roots to prevent new shoots from coming up later in your rock garden. Lay out a circle of rocks as the perimeter of your base, making the diameter about 4 feet (or as desired). This forms the foundation of your garden and creates some elevation above the surrounding ground. You can use up most of your largest, least attractive rocks in this bottom layer, but it does not require stones larger than about 12 inches in any dimension.

    Fill the area inside the first course with sandy soil, which provides good drainage. If all you have is a clayey soil, add sand and compost to it to promote better drainage. Walk on the soil to pack it down.

    David Beaulieu

  2. Add the Second Course

    Plan the second course of stones. This can simply be a smaller version of the first course, forming a circle within a circle, or it can take the form of one or more bands of stone that pass through the center of the bed perimeter. In any case, the second course should provide plenty of room for planting between the bed perimeter and the second-course stones as well as in any additional spaces created by the second course.

    Place the second course of stones according to your plan (and don't be afraid to experiment). Since you used your heaviest stones for the first course, you have lighter, more easily maneuvered stones to use for the second course. Try to use the best-looking stones here (any size is fine) because they will be more visible than the foundation rocks.

    David Beaulieu

  3. Select Plants for Your Rock Garden

    Start your plant selection by choosing a color scheme that will work well with your stone. For example, if the garden is made primarily with red sandstone, you'll want some plants with a hint of red in them, as well as some plants displaying silver, yellow, white, or other complementary colors.

    In addition to selecting for color, choose plants that thrive in well-drained soil. Also, confirm that the plants have similar watering requirements and are suitable for the amount of sunlight the garden receives. Drought-resistant plants are best, although you can make an exception for a particularly handsome specimen that you can treat as an annual (that is, temporary) plant. Finally, seek variation in plant height and leaf texture for maximum visual impact and interest.

    David Beaulieu

  4. Plant Your Rock Garden

    Arrange the plants in your rock garden while they are still in their pots. Usually, it's best to plant in threes: grouping three of the same kind of plant together or in a strategic arrangement. Keep in mind that you will intersperse rocks among the plants.

    Once you've settled on a layout, begin planting with additional soil as needed, adding rocks for decorative effect as you go (if you add all the rocks before planting, they'll just be in the way of your digging.) 

    If you want to cover small areas of soil with rock mulch (to prevent weed growth), use small stones of the same type (or at least similar coloring) as the major stones forming the rock structure.

    David Beaulieu

Sample Rock Garden Design

Here is a good sample selection of plants for a small rock garden, chosen for color, care requirements, size/height, and texture:

This rock garden will look nicer in spring and early summer (when the plants are in bloom) than it will in late summer. That's an example of a compromise you must make unless you have a space large enough to implement a sequence-of-bloom agenda. For colorful blooms throughout the summer, you can easily add the annual, portulaca, to the mix.

Another compromise is made with Scotch moss, which is not drought-tolerant. This is a case of sacrificing longevity for a temporary pop of color and texture. Scotch moss is suited to planting zones 4 to 9 and bears small white flowers, but it is grown mainly for the solid carpet of yellowish-green that it provides. It grows in full sun to part shade.

The only plant in this sample design that is grown more for its flower than its foliage is the daffodil. The relatively coarse textures of the lamb's ear, wood spurge, and hens and chicks contrast well with the other plants, all of which have more delicate foliage. As the years go by and the daffodil and lamb's ear spread, you can divide them. If you decide that they clutter up your rock garden too much, transplant them to somewhere else in the yard.

Tip

Give your rock garden a "grown-in-place" look by layering while you plant. Set a few plants first, then add rocks around them, as though the plants have grown up through the "cracks" in the rocks. Try to cover as much of the surface as possible with rocks and plants.

14 Small Rock Garden Ideas -Bigger Garden

When building your first rock garden there may be a few questions that come to mind.  “How do I set up the rock garden?” “Should I use plastic or fleece underneath?” or “what about mulch?” This guide will help you with your initial set up of the rock garden as well as spark some creativity from the different options for design.

Table of Contents

What you need to build a Rock Garden

So, let’s get started;

What you are going to need:

Now that your well equipped with the basics lets get to the fun part and move on to the small rock garden examples to get the creative juices flowing.

Japanese sand garden with rocks

The Zen Garden

Rocks of all sizes have a unique way of bringing about calm and relaxation. This is especially apparent when creating a Zen rock garden.  This design makes great use of a natural stream that ran through their back yard.

Not close to running water?

Don’t worry ponds are an easy way to add depth to your design.  To complete the look, fine white sand was added to this small rock garden. Task yourself with the duty of raking the sand daily to put your mind at ease. And of course, a Zen Garden is not complete until the buddha statue is added!

River rocks assembled as a stream

River Rock Garden

Another great option if you don’t have a creek running through your landscape is adding the illusion of running water.

This river rock garden does a great job of tricking the eye’s into seeing much more than a bed of rocks.

Using small stones this river look is easily achieved.  Small stones typically sold as “river rocks” offer the best size and consistency. They are given this name due to the small and washed over look they have which is great for your river garden simulation.

By using much larger rocks as a border on each side not only are you able to keep the design contained but the border rocks add depth to your newly build rock garden.Pot of soil with moss, groundcovers and pebbles

Mini Rock Garden

Working in smaller spaces? Try adding pots of mini rock gardens to your outdoor escape.

These fun little gardens are a great way to get kids involved in making their own little scenes.

Some popular additions to these tiny gardens include creeping herbs like thyme and oregano along side moss and mini painted mushrooms.  You can create a path with your pebbles or incorporate a rock garden wall as a backdrop for your mini garden scene.Large rock with waterfall feature

Rock Garden Fountain

Create something monolithic in your garden space by incorporating a fountain and waterfall rock garden. While working with water can be a bit tricky, over time it can create a truly serene experience.

This garden designer chose to focus their attention on one larger rock so they could create a waterfall effect from behind.  They carefully placed some greenery and let the grasses grow.

This option is still great for those looking to build something impactful in their yard or garden space.  While these larger rocks look nice, they are quite heavy to move and will require mechanics or a large group of strong friends to put in place. Watch your back!Orange slab stone rock garden

Natural Slab Rock Garden

This option is great for the gardener looking to build something that looks a bit more natural.

Using well positioned flagship slate stones as steps are perfect for leading the eye up to a new section of the garden or can simply act as a focal point for your greenery.

This home owner in particular used a nicely shaded yellow stone that is rich in minerals. These minerals shine through and give the stone an almost painted look in the sunlight. As with the rock garden fountain, get ready for some heavy lifting!Rock garden sitting area

Small Rock Border Garden

Not all rock gardens need to be fancy, sometimes all you need is a bit of the elements in order to get the look you are going after. Take this small rock garden for example, the gardener simply used the stones to create a nice border to separate the mulch from the river stone.  This makes for easy clean up as the leaves start to fall and creates some visual separation between spaces.  To add even more depth, follow this design lead by creating different levels between the separation of rocks for a more dramatic effect. Organized rock garden with small and large rocks

Transitional Garden Spaces

Adding a small rock garden to your back-yard space can be a nice way to transition 2 different spaces. With rocks on one side and lush greenery on the other this garden creates great separation of space. Some garden centres will stock dark river rock like in the example above.  This will really depend on your area and the local stone available -you may need to do some searching to find the right color. Once you find the right color the accent stones can be placed. This home owner used tan accent stones for a bit of color and flagship stones to create a guided walkway for your guests.

Herbs and groundcovers in rock garden

Herb Garden With Rocks

Another great use for adding a small rock garden to your space is for cultivating herbs. Many perennial herbs growing directly in the ground or a raised bed will become crowded by neighboring plants as the season goes on.

Adding sparsely placed rocks throughout your garden can help to create little pockets for your herbs to flourish.   Take an herb like thyme, when left alone this plant will flourish, let it get crowded by other plants and you will be looking for something else to flavor your chicken with! Pairing perennials with rocks is ideals since you’re creating a permeant spot for your plants to grow again each year safe from critters looking for a winter snack.Bamboo fountain rock garden

Bamboo Rock Fountain

Nature, when left alone can lead to some wonderful creations, take this rock fountain for example in Japan.  Hundreds of years worth of water flowing out of the spout and into the basin of this rock slowly formed the shape it is today.

While you might not have the patience of waiting even a few years for something like this to form it’s still an interesting sight to see. A similar effect can be made with a chisel and some smoothing out.  Not only will you be able to enjoy the tranquil noise of the water flowing, the fountain will serve as a nice bird bath for the local wildlife.Carved out rock and fountain garden

Small Rock Fountain

Similar to the example above this rock garden uses the power of mother nature to slowly carve out a place in this wet stone. Surrounded by grasses and low sitting plants this rock garden will add a sense of tranquility to your outdoor space.  Nestled into a walk way this fountain offers the perfect resting area for you to ponder the day or clear your mind.  Water features like this are a fun way to bring your rock garden to life. Rocks are ideal in all soil types for proper drainage so you can easily create a filter system that returns that water back to the top of the fountain through pump buried below.Wall of rocks and tucked in plants

Rock Wall Garden

Sometimes as gardeners we are not always blessed with the perfect growing areas.  Sometimes the soil quality is less than ideal while other times we are forced to work with structures and slopes. If you’re like me living next to an escarpment having a rock wall in your yard can be a great garden transformation.

Some plants love being stuck in the nooks and crannies of rock walls due to their preference of low water and poor soil. Be sure to outfit your rock wall with these varieties, at first the wall might look like it’s lacking the proper vegetation, be patient and allow these hardy plants to establish and spread out.   Take a step back and review your work next year for gaps and holes that can be filled with new plants.Dry desert plant and rock garden

Desert Rock Garden

Depending on the climate you live in a desert rock garden may be your best or only option.   Luckily for you desert plants like succulents, cactus and other low water plants love being planted among rocks. Some garden beds like this one can be made up almost completely of small rocks for your growing medium.  This gives you a wide variety of options when making your plans, small rocks in beds and post while the larger stones nestle up against your aloe plants.  So, sit back relax an enjoy the heat!Japanese mini rock garden

Japanese Garden Bed

Miniature creations can have the most rewarding outcomes. There is something special about scaling down a scene to only a few square feet. From tiny cooking videos to mini gardens this Japanese garden boasts true serenity. While it’s not easily seen in this picture the rock garden is surrounded by bamboo to keep it protected from tropical storms. The home owner recreated a dried-up riverbed to fully accentuate the different sizes and compositions of the rocks being used. While adding in a bit of overgrown grasses to complete the aged appearance in its true form.

Large walkway checker board pattern

Checker Board Walkway

Not all rock gardens have to be sticking out of the ground. Take this example, the checker pattern of the rocks creates an optical illusion that can bring just as much joy as a small and tamed cluster of rocks. By using square cut flagship stones the pattern is kept clean and simple with clear structure throughout.  As time goes on the grass will begin to overgrow, this can already be seen in the upper hand corners of the image.  Some might prefer this look as it adds a bit of character to the otherwise predictable pattern.

You made it to the end of the list!

Thanks for sticking around and going through all of our examples.  Have you come across a garden idea worth sharing? We would love to hear it, leave a comment in the box below so we can follow up.

Common questions:

How much will this cost?

While the cost will really depend on how much you are looking to build this chart below will give you a sense of what each commonly purchased stone will cost.  (prices vary based on your region)

Landscaping Rock Prices

Landscape Rock TypeMinimum CostMaximum Cost
Crushed Granite  $50/cubic yard$70/cubic yard
Pea Gravel $2/bag $3/bag
River Rocks$0.05/pound $0.35/pound
Mexican Beach Pebbles$20/bag $30/bag
Cost estimate table

Where should I build my rock garden?

It’s a good idea to build your garden in a place that’s easy to access. After all you’ve spent all the time building its your going to want to easily visit your creation from time to time. This is especially important during weeding season when fleece or plastic is not being used below.

Plants to choose from:

Small grown cover plants are your best option for small rock gardens. When building on a desert landscape look for drought tolerant plants like succulents.  If you choose to add a water feature then try including some creeping thyme or ferns.

18 ways to use stone in garden design - Roomble.com

2022-05-20T07:40:08+00:00 2022-05-16T11:14:39+00:00 18 ways to use stone in garden design 2022-05-20T07:40:08+00:00 Do not rush to get rid of boulders and stones on the site. Here are 18 ways to spice up your garden and make it showy and stylish with rocks. 18 ways to use stone in garden design

Do not rush to get rid of boulders and stones on the site.

Rocks in landscaping are a beautiful way to add personality to your garden without changing the global green trend. From stones, you can create not only alpine slides, but also functional elements of garden design. The lack of stones on the site is not a problem. There is always the opportunity to look for them in the forest and quarries, or buy them at stone processing enterprises. How to use stones in the country - 18 stylish ideas.

Natural stone is an excellent material for creating garden paths and paths. Granite and sandstone slabs, marble chips or pebbles - and your paths are stylish and neat.

With the help of a stone retaining wall, it can decorate slopes and gardens, zone space, create multi-level flower beds and fences, strengthen the ground, protecting a site with a height difference.

To create a beautiful rockery in landscape design, it is not necessary to contact a designer. A composition of stones is created on a flat surface, decorating with coniferous and unpretentious flowering plants.

A well-known element of garden design, which is more effective the less decorative gloss, like painted hedgehogs and gnomes. It is important to remember that the rock garden requires constant care. If time is in short supply, it is better to stop at a less whimsical rockery.

Editor's note:

Rockery and rock garden - what's the difference? These two elements of garden design are often confused: both are made from stones and plants. And yet they are different. A rock garden is always a hill covered with plants, it is characterized by height and tiering, and the plants are planted mainly alpine with imitation of mountainous terrain. Rockery is located on a plane, and its large area should be occupied by stones. In addition, unlike a rock garden limited by a curb, rockeries can be a continuation of the site.

It's a great idea to turn landscaping stones into a dry stream in your country house. You can add a decorative bridge. Or even functional and solid, if you mask a ravine on the site with the help of a dry stream.

Czech rock garden, layered rockery, Czech hill - as soon as they call this modern garden element, which is a more modern version of rock garden, more aesthetic and functional.

The peculiarity of the Czech rolling pin is in the way of laying stones of different thicknesses with an inclination or vertically to create an imitation of a rocky hill with unpretentious mountain plants. A role model is rocky outcrops of limestone.

There is a patio area, even if it is small and near the house itself, on every plot. A hearth made of stone in combination with a stone-decorated platform is a stylish solution for a recreation area, and at the same time weed protection.

A spectacular garden bench in the patio area can be made according to the gabion scheme or completely stone, insulated with a wooden seat or mattresses with pillows.

Stone benches are usually made of marble or limestone, granite, basalt and travertine.

Seasoned summer residents often use stones to create small sculptures, as markers for seedlings in the garden, and instead of garden gnomes, hand-painting cobblestones with moisture-resistant paints.

The stone-filled plot is a real gift for those who dream of creating a Japanese-style garden. The three main components of the Japanese garden, which is created for relaxation and contemplation, are the stones arranged in a clear order, emphasizing their harshness of the plant and the backfilling of stone chips to simulate waves.

To make your own gabions, you need stones and a metal mesh frame. Gabions are used to create spectacular fences, patio benches, firewood sheds and beautiful installations in the garden.

Stone steps are ideal for blending in with the landscape on uneven ground with elevation changes. Especially in combination with a stone platform in the recreation area and other stone garden design elements.

Low borders and fences for flower beds, edging garden paths, zoning the site, finishing areas and so on - small stones can not only decorate the garden, but also play the role of drainage, protect flower beds and beds from sliding onto paths.

Decorative elements for garden decoration can be created from gabions, boulders, multi-layered stone structures. Most often, tuff, slate, gneiss, and large pebbles are used for such purposes.

One-level and multi-level, oval and round flowerbeds are even more spectacular if stones are involved in their design. Among the most popular options are flower beds made of gabions, flower beds raised with the help of stones, stone borders flowing into steps or paths.

As a fountain, stones are used in pre-produced shapes (for example, a stone bowl) or in their natural form - from a large solid stone or flat cobblestones, stacked in the form of a tower and mounted on a pipe.

The ideal natural stone for paving a patio area is sandstone, slate, granite, lemesite. You can also decorate the fire and other elements of the recreation area with a stone.

Let's not forget about the cozy night illumination of our stone elements, and also take note of the idea of ​​luminous stones for the garden. Painted boulders or gravel on the path will absorb sunlight during the day and gently illuminate the area at night.

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105 photos from single ideas to a stone garden

Ordinary natural materials will help transform a garden plot. The stones will be an excellent decoration of the garden, you can implement interesting ideas on your own. This will require a minimum of costs.

Photos of stones for giving will help you choose an interesting composition. Such elements will help to hide the imperfections of the relief. An amazing combination of cold stone and green plants will create a cozy relaxation corner in the garden.

Review content:

Advantages of using stone in the country house

Wild and processed, small and large stones are suitable for creating a harmonious design. Boulders, cobblestones, pebbles will complement the composition. Natural materials can be collected independently, which will allow you to realize the idea at minimal cost.

A detailed description of all the features of the taaffeite stone.

The task is within the power of anyone, it does not require the purchase of special tools and materials. You can use improvised means and garden tools.


If there are too many stones in the area, you can help some of them get covered with green moss. This method is suitable for creating a harmonious design.

Pebbles of various shapes go well with different building materials. In nature, there are many shades of these objects, so you can always choose the most suitable option for compositions.

Garden stones are unpretentious in care, they are not afraid of temperature changes. They are also used in processed form.

It is possible to create a rocky garden on the plot even in a small area. It will help divide the territory into certain zones, hide unsightly elements. Simple stones will add color and become a wonderful garden decor. They harmoniously fit into the surrounding space.

Ideas for using stone in the garden

The material can be used to create various compositions. It will suit any decor style. Stones can be a great addition, an interesting accent. They can be used to decorate individual corners on the site or be present throughout the territory.

Landscape designers use treated stones in their projects. To do this, objects are covered with luminescent compounds in order to achieve a glow in the dark. Whole pictures of colored gravel can appear in the garden.

To make the stone covered with moss, it is treated with a special substance. When paving garden paths, protective compounds are used. Interesting ideas for the garden will help you create your own unique landscape.

Dry streams

The Japanese invented this design method. It is necessary to initially think over the shape of the channel, dig a recess. Then the surface is leveled, after which the stones are laid out.


Decorative stones are well fixed so that they do not move from one touch. The bottom of the stream is covered with pebbles, you can use rubble, which is pre-painted in the desired color.

The winding bed of a stone stream will make it possible to veil the imperfections of the terrain. It will deepen the space, visually delimit into functional zones. The source of the stream is usually made on a small hill. The depth of the channel is two times less than the width.

After the stream has been dug, weeds must be removed and the soil compacted. A special material is laid at the bottom of the channel to protect it from grass germination. They start filling the stream with large stones, and then they fill it with gravel, supplemented with elements of different sizes.

Alpine hill

Having arranged a flower garden with an abundance of stones and plants under the windows, you can admire them for a long time. Flowers can be arranged directly in containers, complement the composition with an artificial pond. Alpine slide can be complemented by plants of contrasting colors, the monochrome version looks no less attractive.

If the size of the suburban area allows, then create a stream along which flowers are planted. The use of stones in landscape design allows you to achieve amazing results.

Rock garden is usually done away from outbuildings. It is located in a well-lit area near the house. Amazing landscape compositions imitate mountain landscapes.

Drawings on stones

Garden decoration elements can be painted in any color. An excellent solution would be to apply drawings on natural materials. You can depict animals, berries, mushrooms. Multi-colored stones in the garden look interesting, which can be used to decorate a playground.

Oval elements with a smooth surface are suitable for drawing. You should choose resistant paints that will not lose their brightness over time.

Pebbles are a bright decoration that will add warmth and charm to the garden. Fantasy patterns, beautiful drawings are applied to them, or simply painted in a certain color. After finishing work, the dried objects are opened with varnish.

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