Stone Landscaping: Stones Uses (Part I)

Besides stone's use in pathways, walls, steps and patios, stone can be used for many other things in a garden. These are much smaller projects, but still can add new life and value to your garden. It'll also help people notice your plants better, because the stone will accent the plant.

Rock Gardens

The rock gardens of today take many more forms than those of Victorian times. Early rock gardens were usually on sunny slopes and made to resemble windswept, natural outcroppings. Only true alpine plants were used. Today, rock gardens can be in any part of the garden, and can include any plants you desire.

Outcroppings and Accents

Outcroppings of boulders can carry the rugged, permanent presence of stone throughout the landscape. Make sure to arrange boulders carefully, so they appear to have been in place long before the house was built. This is one of the most appealing displays to the eye, and the most natural-looking.

Planter Boxes

If you want a good stone landscaping idea, I got two words: planter boxes. You might want to consider building a long, narrow stone planter box along the edge of a patio (the one pictured above is built on a street corner, not really ideal for your needs). Or, you can have two matching boxes flank the entrance to the driveway or the sidewalk leading to the front door. Usually constructed of cut wallstone, planter boxes can be any shape or size.

Next blog will finish up stone uses. After stone uses, we start getting into the specifics of each of the possibilities we have covered. If you want to know what possibility will be covered, check back here tomorrow and I'll tell you.