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It’s rare that such a stunning landscape material is both completely natural and—relatively speaking—affordable. Rocks as a landscaping design are far from a short-lived trend, and they fit with any style of home, existing landscape design, or region. For those who prefer their yards to look a little more natural and serve as an oasis right outside the front door, nothing compares to rocks and stones. They complement any plant, flower, tree or garden, and they provide interesting but subtle color and texture. Better Homes and Gardens recently sat down with Barbara Pleasant, author of Garden Stone, to learn more about why we just can’t get enough of “rocking” our landscape.
The first thing Pleasant wants homeowners to know is that rocks and stones are two different things. Stones have been exposed to natural weather or water for a very long time, so they are smooth. Rocks are freshly broken off from a big mass well below ground, usually from a quarry. Both can be great additions to your yard, but if you’re shopping around, it’s important to know the difference.
Stones are usually rounded and might have a number of crevices, so they do very well in shady and moist sites where moss will find them. They can also be used (along with rocks) to create a retaining wall. Pleasant says that a lot of DIY gardeners start landscaping with stones and rocks simply by finding ones they like and adding them as an accent piece in a garden bed or container. You might build your own stacked-stone wall and don’t even need concrete or any other “glue” if it’s less than 18 inches tall. These walls are great options to create planting beds because they allow for drainage and the rocks themselves look fantastic alongside plants.
Sometimes stones are turned into more functional items, such as pavers to create a pathway. However, if this is your goal, the site needs to be well prepared (usually professionally). You also might want to use stones to showcase a water feature, which makes the already beautiful centerpiece of any yard even more dramatic. Depending on what you have in mind, this might be a DIY project.
Pleasant stresses that when it comes to rocks and stones for landscaping, the possibilities are limitless. There has been a trend in recent years to seek out stones from old buildings or fences, but you can also purchase stones that have that stressed look already. The Dirt Bag offers a rich variety of stone and rock types so you’re sure to find the perfect aesthetic.
Finally, Pleasant wants homeowners to know that you don’t need a large space to enjoy stone and rock landscaping. You can complement succulents with smaller stones or use what’s called specimen stones to help reflect light. Stones and rocks of all sizes and shapes can help to unify your yard, serving as both an aesthetic and practical purpose. Discover more about rocks and stones for landscaping today at The Dirt Bag.
