Rocks and boulders turn any landscape into a beautiful, enchanting, and unique space. Landscaping with rocks and boulders works best as these two materials are gorgeous, sturdy, and long-lasting. But, no matter how picturesque rocks and boulders have the ability to turn your landscaping into, there are certain factors regarding all of this that have to be kept in mind – such as the size of your landscape as well as the rocks and boulders, transport expenses, architectural complexities, and much more. Given below are a few tips to ease the creative process of landscaping with rocks and boulders.
1. Find a source locally
Landscaping with rocks can create beautiful scenery, but there is the difficult task of finding the rocks in the first place. Rocks, however, are extremely heavy and thus it may entail extra transportation costs in addition to the cost of the rocks themselves. This cost increases with the distance the rocks have to be transported, and thus it is a safe bet to find a local source for the rocks to minimize the expenses. Additionally, it is advisable to get rocks that match the natural rocks that may be present in your homestead, thus finding local rocks will keep the color contrast at a minimum.
2. Arrangement
Landscaping using rocks and boulders involves the use of numerous rocks of different shapes and sizes, of one parent material. Big boulders should be arranged with a group of smaller rocks which usually creates a beautiful masterpiece. The boulders should be planted into the ground, with the most appealing position where they are highly visible. It is planted into the ground for stability while the other rocks are positioned next to it as needed, based on your preference. It may take quite some time to organize, but the result should be worth the time and the effort.
3. Space
The available space for landscaping will determine what size of landscaping rocks and boulders to use. Extremely large boulders for a small area will eliminate the need for several pieces, but the general aesthetic may not be great. Additionally, it may be a mistake to use numerous undersized boulders just because it is expensive and tedious to use larger boulders. If the scale is wrong, both ways, the landscape may not yield the best image despite the efforts put into designing. Find a way to use the available sizes of rocks and boulders to create a beautiful landscape.
4. Incorporate plants
Arrange the boulders and rocks in such a way that you can incorporate plants into the setup, to give it a natural look. Just like in nature where plants grow on edges of boulders to get the trapped moisture underneath the rocks in the dry season and to protect themselves from adverse weather conditions, add plants to your landscape, especially perennials or shrubs, to add a visual appeal to the rocks. Also, use a technique called nesting to give an appeal to the landscape. In nesting, the rocks are planted such that they appear to be growing out of the vegetation.
5. Placement
Moving boulders and repositioning them tends to be a difficult affair since it is tedious and expensive, especially if the rocks are being moved to and fro when looking for the perfect look. The sheer weight of the boulders themselves can be devastating and can result in damages and accidents, so it is not advisable to move them around frequently. To prevent this, have an initial plan and idea of how you want the rocks to be arranged so that when you start the design, you do not have to reposition the rocks, and if necessary, it will be at a minimum.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
