Green with Envy

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The less is more guideline and typically works well. Stone needs to be combined with other landscape materials including wood, metal and plants to name a few.

Stone selection

If I use stone in a garden, I let the architecture of the house and the existing landscape dictate what type I select. If the veneer of the house is beige sandstone, I incorporate the same stone or a stone with blending colours into the landscape. To brighten up a shady area in a garden, I will use stone or gravel of a lighter colour.

There are lots of types of stone available. I always look for local materials if possible. The best way to look at stone is in real life - not from a catalogue, magazine or book.

Wet the stone and allow the natural colours to become visible. The best way to install large boulders into the ground is to use the right equipment and a number of patient people.

It is important not to scratch the stone with a backhoe or other construction equipment because the timeless quality of the stone will disappear. Flat-bed trucks are a better way to transport stone from one site to another.

Typically a large boulder is positioned so that the lines on the stone run parallel to the ground. At least one quarter of the boulder will be hidden underneath the ground level; in this way it will appear to emerge naturally from the earth. There is lots of patience and practice required to place the right stone in the right place. Although it is not an easy job, it is well worth the time and effort.

 

- Marilyn Pomer is a landscape designer for Greenescape Designs Inc. E-mail Marilyn at marilyn@greenescape.ca with comments or suggestions.