Rock Out Your Landscape
Using various types of rock in your Orlando area landscaping will set you apart and add a touch of sophistication, art and elegance to your outside areas. The addition of rock into your landscaping can provide texture, color, vertical features and focal points. It is also very versatile, low maintenance and long lasting. Depending on your style and the area you are working with, you can use rock as mulch, for useful pathways, as a border for beds or you can add a creative touch with a rock garden, a pond with a rock border or create a beautiful focal point boulder centerpiece in your yard.
Once you decide your projects, you will need to consider what type of landscape rock you want as well as what type will work best for your intended use. Choosing the right rock is an important factor in setting the tone for the rest of your landscaping or garden areas.
- Beach Pebbles, Pea Gravel or River Rock create warmth with their darker shades
- White Marble Chips or a lighter color rock will brighten areas
- Flat Terracotta will set a tropical tone
- Black Lava Rocks complement a Polynesian or Minimalist theme
- Red Lava Rock will add a pop of color and perfectly complement arid style gardens that highlight cactus and other dessert plants.
After you have decided on a project and a style or theme, you will need to consider the types of rock and what they are best suited for. Because rocks very greatly in size, it is important to match the right rock to your project. You can always contact your Orlando area Landscaper to consult you on the various uses of landscape rock in your area. Be sure to do your research beforehand and take into account some of the following tips:
When considering rock for a pathway, flat flagstones or river rock will be your best option. Other types of rock can track sand/silt such as decomposed granite. Although Pea Gravel is great for gaps in between flagstone, as a path it is very hard to push lawn equipment or anything on wheels through. Crushed Gravel can be very painful to bare feet while Pea Gravel is a great option for a walking path. Just remember when shopping for Orlando area Landscape Rock, to think if you’d want to walk on it sans shoes!
For using rock as a mulch, be aware that while it will be a more expensive option up front, it will pay off in the long run. While wood mulches are typically replaced every season or so, rock will last the lifetime of your garden. As well, you can choose complementary colors of rock in different areas of your landscaping to provide contrast, warm or to brighten up dark shady areas.
For rock gardens or a focal point, you will want to consider larger boulders. For a rock garden, choose varying sizes of smaller boulders and plant low-lying plants in between the gaps of the rocks. For a focal point, pick a large boulder or boulders and surround with varying sizes of River Rock.
Rock is a more expensive investment to your landscaping, but it is worth the investment if you are looking to save time with weeding, replacing mulch, stylizing your space and it will last indefinitely. The downside to this is that should you choose to get rid of your rock and go with another material, it will be a difficult task, so make sure you plan on enjoying this design for a while.
Keep in mind that adding a nice landscape alone will increase your home’s value. The addition of rock will find you higher returns. As well, as a tip to homeowners looking for curb appeal, add a pathway. It may seem strange, but adding pathways that divide areas make your yard look bigger. Of course, keep in ratio to the overall green space and don’t go overboard.
You can see what types of rock we carry and utilize our free material calculator by visiting our Shop page. Rock on!
