What Are the Different Types of Garden Rocks and How Are They Useful?

Landscaping stones or garden rocks add natural appeal. Hence, you can always count on them to enhance the look of your garden or backyard. These rocks come in different forms and each form has its own benefits. To choose the right stones and rocks, first you need to decide the area you want to arrange the rocks. However, if you’re not planning to plant trees, you can achieve the desired look much quicker. Now, let’s see what are the different types of rocks available for gardens and landscaping.

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Types of Garden Rocks

• • Large Stones: Large stones come in a wide range of sizes, from the size of a small toy to the size of a football. Large garden rockscan both be ornamental, as well as functional. These rocks serve as focal point if surrounded by small rocks or plants. You can arrange large stones in waterfalls or ponds to create more natural, pleasant, and eye-catching look.

• Pea Gravel: These small stones usually wear out over time by water and wind. Pea gravels look like naturally polished stones. Since pea gravels have an attractive finish and available in variety of colors, these stones are used for several landscaping and gardening applications such as mulch, pathways, etc.
• River Rock: River rock is similar to pea gravel, except that, it is little larger in size. Usually, the size varies from ¼ inch to 6 inches. This type of garden rocks can retain heat from the sun and overheat plants. For this reason, avoid mulching plants with river rocks. However, these stones can be used along serpentine path as decorative.
• Rainbow Rock: Rainbow rocks are used for creating borders around landscape or gardens. These rocks are available in wide variety of colors hence the name is rainbow rocks. You can use these rocks as land fillings and for holding down weeds.
• Lava Rock: Lava rocks are mined from volcanic lava domes. These rocks are mostly available in red color, but sometimes available in black color. Lava garden rocks are most commonly used for filling easements and pathways. If you arrange lava rocks properly, you can significantly reduce the watering needs of your garden.
• Flagstone: Flagstones are extensively used as stepping stones in a variety of building projects and landscaping. Flagstones are highly functional, as well as decorative. Though you can place flagstones directly on the ground, it is better to use some kind of base materials like sand, granite, etc. This provides nice surface and avoids shifting or sliding of flagstones.
• Boulders: You can use boulders as visual focal point in your backyard or garden. You can arrange ornamental grasses around these garden rocks to give more attractive look. Boulders are actually better choice for giving improved look to garden surface than concreting.

Benefits of Garden Rocks

• Minimal Maintenance: Ground covers like shrubs and vines require regular maintenance and constant caring such as watering, fertilizing, trimming, etc. Fabric or plastic covers, and bark chips also need regular maintenance. However, rock-based covers don’t require constant replacing and maintenance.
• More Durable: Unlike organic or living ground covers, garden rockscan survive in harsh conditions and stand up heavy use. Stone or rock ground covers last longer than any other ground covers.
• Doesn’t Decompose: Ground covers such as bark chips decompose as soon as they’re exposed to rain or snow. With rock ground covers, you need not worry about this problem.
• Doesn’t Invite Bugs: When you use bark chips or wood chips, they decompose and attract termites, the rips, or other types of insects. Rock garden reduces the risk of bug problem, as they don’t decompose.

Hence, garden rocks are of a great use.