A rock garden is an elegant and striking environment for growing alpines. Rock can be used in your garden in many ways, such as positioning roughhewn rocks in random fashion for an informal landscape or using rocks to disguise a lack of height or create an undulating effect. A professional Landscaping Contractor may be hired to draw a plan for a rock garden to suit your taste and budget. The landscape of a rock garden is enhanced by rock plants, which include a variety of fascinating flowering plants, ranging from alpines to dwarf conifers. Similar to a rock garden, a gravel garden is a low-maintenance alternative to the traditional lawn.

By choosing plants that flower at different seasons and including evergreens and winter-flowering bulbs for the winter months a rock garden can be an ever-evolving enhancement to your garden's landscape throughout the year. Annuals may be used to fill in any gaps for the summer, even if they are not strictly alpines, but make sure they don't seed readily and thereby become a nuisance for future seasons. In the dry months of the summer a sprinkler may be necessary to ensure that flowers remain fresh and vibrant.