Top 5 Tips for Choosing Landscaping Stones

Learn the Lingo

There are tons of different types of landscape rocks, some bigger than others. Before you dive into your project, make sure you’ve got the lay of the land so you know what you’re working with.

Small Landscape Rocks

Here are the four main types of small landscape rocks: river rock, pea gravel, lava rock, and chipped rock.

River rocks are, as their name suggests, rocks pulled from the river. They’re tumbled over time in the water, creating a gorgeous, smooth, matte texture that looks great in any yard. They usually vary widely in color and are a few inches in diameter.

Pea gravel, also sometimes referred to as pebbles, is a bit smaller. These are natural stones, usually only 2 and 1/2 inches wide maximum. They’re smooth and often come in multicolored batches.

Lava rock is bits of solid lava that’s chipped down into smaller pieces. If you live in the Southeast, you’ve likely seen it in lots of landscaping-it’s very popular in both the Southeast and the Southwest regions. This is probably because the reddish color goes great with the flora and fauna in those regions, and they make for great drought-tolerant yards.

Finally, chipped rock, otherwise known as gravel. Chipped rock looks great in modern yards because it comes in such a gorgeous, stark white color. It’s often used in place of mulch in flowerbeds.

Regardless of which small landscape rocks you choose, there are two essential things to remember. The first is to make sure you use great edging stones to keep the rocks in place. The second is to consider their function-if you plan to walk on the small rocks at all in bare feet, make sure to choose a smooth variety!

Big Stones

The main varieties of big stones are boulders, cobblestone, flagstone, and steppers.

Boulders are among the largest landscaping rocks out there. They’re natural stone and often used to create walls or carve out pathways. Sometimes, they’re even used as artistic accents in a space.

Cobblestone is a naturally rounded stone, and they’re generally fairly uniform. They’ll have slight differences and natural variations which make the stone look more attractive. Their general similarity, though, makes them great for use in a driveway or grouted walkway.

Flagstone is a favorite among those featuring landscape rocks in their yard or patio. Flagstone pieces are usually a foot or two in length and flat enough to walk on. They make a gorgeous, flat walkway in a space that’s tread on every day.

Finally, steppers. Steppers are super versatile; they can be used to pave a walkway, the bottom of a fountain, or an entire backyard patio area. They can be found as both natural and manufactured stone in a variety of colors and sizes.

Stay in Line with Your Home’s Style

This is hands down one of the most important tips to consider when styling your landscape using stones and rocks. After all, the point is to enhance your home’s aesthetics, right?

If your home’s style is modern and contemporary, stick to stone like flagstone and chipped rock which exudes a clean, contemporary vibe. If your home is more boho in style, multicolored stones will give off that perfectly imperfect vibe you’ve curated.

Spanish style homes look great with cobblestone driveways, and Colonial homes often feature boulders in the yard to add a contemporary edge to their old architecture.

Design for Function First

What sort of space are you creating? Do you intend to use it to entertain, or more for a walkway? Are you going to add a water feature or outdoor fire pit?

It’s not a bad idea to sketch out your ideas before you get started, so you can be sure you’re designing with function in mind.

For instance, gravel might look great on the ground near your fire pit, but it can be rough on the feet. Instead, you might want to opt for pebbles, which are smoother to walk barefoot on.

Patio pavers are also perfect for designing the ultimate outdoor hang out space. Pavers are durable, flat, and come in a ton of different colors and styles.

The bottom line: make sure your design takes both form and function into account before you make any purchases!

Use Stones to Create Shape

Here’s one of the best reasons to use landscape stones in your yard: you can actually create shapes and spaces that don’t exist using just your stone landscaping design.

Here’s what we mean. If you want to draw visual attention to a certain area of your yard, you can design your stone pattern to point in that direction. You can also draw the eye away from areas you don’t love by directing your pattern toward spaces you do.

You can also use your stones to make your space feel bigger or cozier depending on your needs. Bigger stones will make space feel more contemporary and spacious, while smaller stones and cobblestone can create a cozy, old-world feel in your space.

Consider a Water Feature

Nothing conveys luxury in a space like a water feature. They’re also super relaxing-eating outside on the patio with the sound of a waterfall trickling nearby? What’s better than that?

There are tons of different ways to incorporate a water feature into your landscape. You can design a mini waterfall and make it a centerpiece of your yard. You can carve out a little river that runs through your space, bringing the sounds and energy of nature right into your backyard.

Koi ponds are always a fun accent to a yard, too! Just make sure you read up on how to take care of Koi before you opt for this water feature!

Your New Landscaping Stones

Now that you’ve read up on some essential tips and tricks for incorporating landscaping stones into your yard or patio, are you ready to get your project started?

If so, we can help! We specialize in all aspects of landscaping stones, including initial design stages.

We can help take your project from idea to finished product-you’ll be on your way to gorgeous new landscaping in no time. Get in touch to talk about your project!