A rockery will always look best when it's been naturalized into your garden: following a running stream, gently solidifying a slope or reinforcing a sheer bank. On the flip-side, they look completely ordinary when contrived or seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

In fact, making a rockery work in your garden is probably one of the hardest things that you can try to achieve when landscaping. The reason: because they only look good when they look natural. And natural is not a facade that can be replicated easily.

To obtain the best results, it's advisable to study local bush settings to see how nature creates these landscapes. Studying the type of rock, how they're placed and what sizes are used will help you form up a valid version in your own garden. Also, it pays to consider the type of plants that grow amongst these rocks and the how they're positioned as well.

If you're struggling to keep your rockery real here are some tips to make one work in your garden;

• Use the same type of rock - one mistake that many gardeners make when creating their rockeries is they consider a 'rock' to be a 'rock'. Alas, rocks were not created to be equal and trying to produce a masterpiece with limestone, granite and basalt will result in something that does not resemble nature in an shape or form.
• Use different size rocks - when considering how nature designs these landscapes you will notice that the size of these rocks are different. Large boulders are supported by tiny pebbles with medium sized rocks in the mix as well.
• Don't paint your rocks - this is just a complete no-no and it smacks of artificiality. If you want to soften or colour your rocks then try including lichens or encouraging mosses to grow on them. This will give you shades of whites through yellows and even some red hues.
• Choose plants that appreciate good drainage - grasses and foliage plants work best but, as always, it's advisable to mimic nature and what plants work well in your area.

The main point to consider when opting for a garden rockery is how it naturalises in your yard. If your garden doesn't suit a rockery then it might be advisable not to add one. If it could benefit from a rockery then work with your garden to create one rather than against it.