The dry hill
The bed for orchids of dry biotopes is not too difficult to design. The color picture and the diagram above depict a dry hill, a special form of the dry bed which gives you more flexibility. You can plant warmth-loving orchids like Ophrys more on the south side, and orchids like Orchis militaris more on the north side. You can place orchids of dry biotopes near the top and orchids of semi-dry biotopes near the base. Of course, you can create a flat dry bed, too.
Essential for this type of biotope is a good drain. The basic layer consists of rocks. Limestone is ideal, but you can also use gravel or rubble. For acidic biotopes sandstone rocks are a good choice. You can fill large gaps with sand.
