Stone Landscaping: What are the Possibilities? (Part I)

Choices, choices, and more choices. When it comes to choosing how to use something, you might not think of every creative way to use something. When it comes to stone landscaping, there are a lot of ways to use stone. With some planning and hard work, you will have a scenary that will catch anyone's eye. And even with every category of stone landscaping, there is even more variety. The only limitation is what your mind can think up.

Stone Pathways

Stone pathways can be constructed in many ways, each with a different look and style reflecting the artistry of the person who put it together. Pathways serve the purpose of providing a route through the garden to any visitors. The look, size, and style of a stone pathway is an important landscape accent, and can be considered a part of the garden itself.

Stone Walls

Not many features in a home garden can not match the charm and ageless appeal of a stone wall (look at the great wall of china, and historical landmarks all over the world). There is something about stone walls that appeal to us: their strength and permanence (it's stone and cement, only a bulldozer or a giant can knock those down). And guess what? Building a stone wall is not difficult at all (look to future blogs for information on building them).

Stone Steps & Staircases

Stone steps & staircases combine a simple purpose with a strong visual presence to add eye-catching beauty to your home garden/landscape (however you prefer to call it). Two or three single steps along a gradually rising pathway bring a visitor's eyes downward. If you have plants that you would like a visitor to notice, put them right along the sides of the steps (see picture above). A more formal, cut-stone staircase leading to a home's front door is something people normally do. If you design it well, people might feel like they are getting a red carpet treatment or entering a fancy home (as long as you keep the house clean!). Simple design ideas can bring beauty to any home. This is just one way.

Next time, we will finish up with the possibilities of stone. Then, we will dive into stone uses.

"But, wait! Aren't these possibilities stone uses?"

Yes, they are, in fact, ways to use stone. But, you can get more specific with ways to use stone. These are big projects to build around a garden. There are other ways to use stones. How so? Tune back here this week and I'll tell you.