Working with Rocks and Stones
Fall is a great time of year to work on the structure of your garden. One of the best pieces to add to your garden are stones and rocks. Whether it be a rock wall, stepping stones placed in a walkway, or large boulders to catch your eye or accent a view, rocks offer texture and a natural visual appeal.
The best stones to use would be native to your area. Look around at neighbor's yards and public gardens to see the types of stone available. While a dry stone wall outlining your perennial garden may be beautiful, it does require either lots of physical labor on your part or money to hire someone to build. However, you don't have to build a huge wall. If you have a source of stone, you can build 1- to 2-foot tall, small stone wall around low growing plants to add a backdrop without having to invest in a larger wall.
Strategically placing boulders in the yard gives your property a natural feeling as well as adds places to group plants. Mimic nature by growing small trees, shrubs, and low growing groundcovers around boulders giving the area a wild feeling. If you have kids, consider placing boulders where they can climb and play on them. It's fun to climb on rocks. Just don't plant prized plants nearby, since they may be trampled by frolicking youngsters.
If a wall or boulders just seem like too much work, simply gather flat stones to place as stepping stones in walkways and gardens. Not only do stepping stones make the walkway more interesting visually, they provide a place to walk during rainy stretches that might turn your walkway into a mudway!
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