Natural Stone Feature for colour and texture
Using a natural stone feature in a garden is a beautiful way to add texture and colour. There are so many ways to use stone. From huge boulders of local rock and stone retaining walls to meandering stone pathways or dry creek bed, the possibilities are endless. Moreover, a stone feature will last for hundreds of years.
Let’s take a look at some popular uses of stone in gardens.
Stone Pathways and Borders
Flagstone, quartzite, and sandstone are the perfect choice for an attractive pathway leading to your door. They naturally break into plate-like pieces revealing lovely colours and texture. In addition, these slabs can be milled to give a flatter more formal look or they can be left rustic.
Used as borders to shrubs and beds, they create interest and serve as an easily maintained hard edge for your whipper-snipper.
Larger Accent Rocks
If you want to be on trend, consider large statement pieces – boulders of locally sourced rock are ideal. Utilising local stone brings the feel of the local geography to your garden and they’re certainly impressive. Remember, plan wisely though, once they’re in place they won’t be easy to move.
A great place for inspiration is a Japanese garden. The Japanese are the masters of ornamental stone use. I’d recommend a visit to the Botanic Gardens in Coffs Harbour. They have a well-developed Japanese garden that’s sure to inspire you.
Classic Stone Feature – Benches, Statues and Fountains
Stone fountains are as old as our calendar. Think Roman and Grecian gardens. Granite is the preferred choice for fountains. It will resist corrosion by the water and can be cleaned with caustic cleaners if needed. In essence, there’s something uniquely calming about the sound of running water in a garden, and it’s useful to mask traffic noise too.
Stone benches are a popular addition to any garden and make a great stone feature. They won’t rot or be eaten away by pests. Again, Granite is the number one stone for these. Finally, statues add interest and charm to a garden. Combined with running water, they’re the perfect fountain too.
Stone Retaining Walls
Natural stone retaining walls are both practical and elegant. As stone features, they bring a sense of permanence and structure to a garden. Furthermore, they’ll last decades and will weather over time to become a seamless landscape feature.
Which Stone do I use?
Have a look at the locally available stone first. If it’s suitable for the purpose, then it’s probably the best choice. Beyond this, choose stone that compliments your planting. There are lots of colours and textures available. At this stage, talk to your local landscape firm. After all, they know what’s available and what will work best in your garden.
