Rock Landscape Design

The purpose of all landscaping is to mold the natural world into a comfort zone for outdoor living. To do this, you have to unify the manmade with the natural. Because stone is abundant throughout the world in every natural environment, rock landscape design offers the most effective unifying element between human architectural and organic presence.

The most powerful characteristic of stone is its sense of absolutes. Its stark, unspoken reality makes it ideal for constructing any type of boundary that subdivides a property into areas of special interest. Architectural walls, columns, dry set stones, veneered walls, and rock borders can all be used to set aside special areas for conversation, recreation, and relaxation.

Rock landscape design also greatly compliments to any landscape element that features water. This is especially the case for natural swimming pools and ponds that are intended to emulate remote mountain lakes. Stone can also be used to cover the gunite bottoms of these ponds to make them look natural and to conceal the silent pumps, aerators, and drains beneath the water that maintain the pristine appearance of the pond.

Swimming pools can also be greatly enhanced by rock landscape design. Stones that are used to construct decorative copings make the pool appear more natural in origin. Stones are also ideal building materials for swimming pool patios because they provide a safe surface area to walk on with wet feet, and because they blend so very well with surrounding garden design. Stone copings around custom fountains always add an Old World or Classical touch to the water’s edge.

Driveways and walkways can literally be transformed by rock landscape design. Many people prefer to have a stone motor court rather than a plain concrete drive simply because it adds beauty to their front yard. You see such driveways a lot in front of homes built with very formal architecture styles. Around less formal houses, where an all stone driveway may look ostentatious, rocks places on either side of a concrete slab are normally all you need to dress up an otherwise plain hardscape.

Any purely decorative elements can be magnified with rock landscape design. Areas typically adorned with vegetation can be further accentuated with a less-is-more approach to stone placement. A tree with a flower bed around it, for example, will appear even more distinguished if stones encircle the flowers. Wooden arbors look more natural with decorative boulders standing on either side of their entrances. Entry gardens look sublime with large decorative boulders that highlight garden elements with a special sense of presence under outdoor lights.