A well-designed landscape can make any property stand out. Moreover, it boosts its curb appeal and value as well.
But regardless of the benefits landscaping can give your property, there is no escaping the fact that maintaining it takes a lot of time and effort. You have to mow and tidy up your yard, water it, fertilize it, and trim the plants frequently.
Moreover, you have to look after the other fixtures, too, which often requires more of your time and money. Failing to maintain them can lead to an unappealing lawn.
Landscaping pros in Conway, Arizona say that your choice of materials and features in your lawn allows you to maintain a lovely space without too much work and the usual hassles of owning one.
Rocks are examples of low-maintenance and versatile landscaping materials and features you should consider having on your yard. Since they come in different sizes and colors, you will find different uses for them, whether for aesthetic or functional purposes, or both.
Once you have incorporated rocks in your landscape design, you will have features that are maintenance-free and can last for a lifetime.
Using rocks in your lawn
Below are some tips and ideas on how to incorporate rocks in your landscape design:
1. Think about where to best place the rocks.
Although you can use rocks anywhere in your lawn, you have to put some thought into where to best place them.
This is because rocks can amplify the heat in the immediate and nearby areas on hot days. As such, the plants you grow in these spots or that you want to surround with these features have to be able to tolerate the higher temperatures they can give.
Additionally, if you want to use large boulders, try to avoid placing them in areas far from the entrance. Keep in mind that moving heavy rocks means more work, whether you are doing it yourself or hiring contractors.
2. Determine how you want to use rocks in your lawn.
After deciding where in your yard you want to use or incorporate rocks, think about how you want to use them. Doing so allows you to choose the right sizes of this material to get.
A rock garden is the most popular feature you can create using stones of different sizes. However, you can also use this material for the following:
- Building stone and retaining walls
- Enclosing garden beds
- Creating edges on pathways and patios
- Preventing soil from eroding on slopes
- Constructing ponds and giving them depth and height
- Diverting water around the foundations of your home and creek, if there is one in or near your property
- Preventing weeds from sprouting around decks, paths, and other outdoor features
- Since rocks are versatile landscaping materials, you will still find other ways to use them throughout your lawn.
3. Prepare the area well beforehand.
A crucial tip you have to remember when incorporating hardscape in your lawn is to ensure all weeds, grass, and plants are removed from the areas where you want to use rocks.
If you fail to do so, you will have to deal with new weeds and other plants that will sprout up between the rocks, which are often a nuisance and hard to control. They are even more difficult to remove if there are flowers or bushes in the hardscape.
Preparing the area for hardscape can be a tough task. You have to dig out all the grass, weeds, and other plants until you are left with only dirt.
You can also consider spraying the area with an herbicide to prevent the grass, weeds, and other plants from returning.
If you want to ensure this part is done properly, get help from a landscaping contractor.
4. Set up rocks on the ground properly.
Simply putting large rocks on top of the soil is a dangerous landscaping practice.
To arrange large and medium-sized rocks properly, dig the soil around three inches down so that the rocks will be level with the surrounding area. This also prevents them from tipping, if anyone sits or stands on them.
Digging them into the soil also makes them look like they belong naturally in the landscape.
If you want to incorporate small rocks in the hardscape such as pebbles or pea gravel, dig down a bit before you place them. This allows you to have a thicker layer and, at the same time, keep them level with the surrounding ground.
Additionally, consider creating borders around features that have small rocks. The edges help keep the materials from moving into the lawn, which can damage the mower if it gets caught in the machine.
5. Create a rock garden.
Since rock gardens are quite popular today, you may want to have one on your lawn. It is the ideal, low-maintenance attractive feature to have on your property.
Here are a few tips for creating the perfect rock garden:
- Use different sizes of rocks. Combine boulders, river rocks, and pebbles to ensure your garden won’t look one-dimensional.
- Fill the spaces between rocks with thick, low-growing plants.
- Cultivate colorful perennial flowers in front of larger boulders.
- Grow bright, colorful plants around the different types of rocks to give the hardscape an eye-catching contrast.
- Build a small wall rock in an area in the garden that gets plenty of rainfall or water from the roof or gutters to create a natural waterfall effect.
6. Use rocks for walls and planter beds.
Finally, aside from creating a garden, other common uses for rocks in landscapes are for building walls and features around planter and garden beds.
If your property is on a sloped area, retaining walls made of rocks help keep the soil in place. When designed and built properly, they make for appealing features, too.
Large, flat rocks are best for tall retaining walls since they can give you a sense of stability.
You can also use stone walls for separating your lawn from the street or marking boundary lines or property corners.
Also, arranging boulders and large rocks around planter beds, islands, and even trees artistically makes these areas more eye-catching and interesting. Additionally, they can help prevent soil erosion and retain moisture.
Whether you are considering using rocks for a xeriscape or some hardscape, you can get the best results when you hirelandscaping and lawn care pros from Maumelle, Arizona. From design and site preparation to choosing the right materials and installation, your lawn will have features that are both functional and decorative.