Ready to Rock: Gorgeous Gardens That Leave No Stone Unturned
When it comes to ramping up the impact of a garden, rocks and stones are worth their weight
Janet Dunn
12 September 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid interior design enthusiast. Ex-restaurateur and caterer, with a Professional Certificate in Gastronomy, University of Adelaide.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Former NZ House&Garden writer and stylist, and avid... More
All gardeners know there’s much more to a garden than plants. The lushest foliage and flowers have limited appeal without other elements to act as a foil. Rocks and stones play a vital role, setting unpolished grainy textures against delicate plants, playing earthy tones against vivid floral displays and adding weight, mass and a sense of solidity to a dynamic green scene. Enlist these heavy hitters to take your garden to the next level of loveliness.
Steady as a rock
The presence of rocks in a garden is calming and restful. Surrounded by seasonal changes of plants and weather, rocks stand firm. For some, this steadfastness promotes a meditative environment and a stronger connection with nature on a spiritual level.
Creating a rock garden as a place for reflection is possible in even the smallest garden, using existing materials and virtually no water. Sitting in a quiet corner contemplating plants growing in harmony with rocks is a respite from the busy outside world.
The presence of rocks in a garden is calming and restful. Surrounded by seasonal changes of plants and weather, rocks stand firm. For some, this steadfastness promotes a meditative environment and a stronger connection with nature on a spiritual level.
Creating a rock garden as a place for reflection is possible in even the smallest garden, using existing materials and virtually no water. Sitting in a quiet corner contemplating plants growing in harmony with rocks is a respite from the busy outside world.
Stones for sustainability
Rocks, stones, gravel and stone mulch cut down on areas used for lawns and water-hungry plants, substantially reducing water usage. “With our limited water resources and changing climate, sustainability is an underlying philosophy for most landscape designers,” says Janine Mendel, a landscape designer at Cultivart Landscape Design.
This Sydney beachside courtyard employs large, washed river stones surrounding a water feature, with an invisible reservoir housed beneath the stones. “The use of rocks here allows for minimal planting while still creating a lush subtropical garden,” says Mendel. Plants include sago palm (Cycas revoluta), frangipani (Plumeria acutifolia), dragon tree (Dracaean marginata), Silver Border flax lily (Dianella ‘Silver Border’) and star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).
Rocks, stones, gravel and stone mulch cut down on areas used for lawns and water-hungry plants, substantially reducing water usage. “With our limited water resources and changing climate, sustainability is an underlying philosophy for most landscape designers,” says Janine Mendel, a landscape designer at Cultivart Landscape Design.
This Sydney beachside courtyard employs large, washed river stones surrounding a water feature, with an invisible reservoir housed beneath the stones. “The use of rocks here allows for minimal planting while still creating a lush subtropical garden,” says Mendel. Plants include sago palm (Cycas revoluta), frangipani (Plumeria acutifolia), dragon tree (Dracaean marginata), Silver Border flax lily (Dianella ‘Silver Border’) and star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).
Local heroes
Mendel points out that many washed river stones on sale are sourced from countries such as Indonesia, and this contributes to erosion there. Buying non-local stone is really the reverse of sustainability, she says. Going local makes even more sense when you factor in the financial and environmental cost of transporting heavy materials long distances.
Aesthetically, local stones and rocks add a cohesive look, especially if there are already naturally occurring rock elements in your garden.
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
Mendel points out that many washed river stones on sale are sourced from countries such as Indonesia, and this contributes to erosion there. Buying non-local stone is really the reverse of sustainability, she says. Going local makes even more sense when you factor in the financial and environmental cost of transporting heavy materials long distances.
Aesthetically, local stones and rocks add a cohesive look, especially if there are already naturally occurring rock elements in your garden.
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
Plants that pop
Rocks and stones are a great way to enhance feature plants, as an attractive edging for garden beds. Here, chunky slate-grey stone slabs set off a profusion of soft, creamy hydrangeas. If existing soil is poor, they form a raised bed that can be filled with a more fertile medium.
When planting around rocks, consider colour, shape and size. Dark-green backgrounds make light rocks stand out, while pale planting makes an ideal foil for dark rocks. Don’t forget that rocks absorb heat so warmth-loving plants are ideal. Don’t plant shrubs that will grow to hide them.
Rocks and stones are a great way to enhance feature plants, as an attractive edging for garden beds. Here, chunky slate-grey stone slabs set off a profusion of soft, creamy hydrangeas. If existing soil is poor, they form a raised bed that can be filled with a more fertile medium.
When planting around rocks, consider colour, shape and size. Dark-green backgrounds make light rocks stand out, while pale planting makes an ideal foil for dark rocks. Don’t forget that rocks absorb heat so warmth-loving plants are ideal. Don’t plant shrubs that will grow to hide them.
Rocks au naturel
“The placement of rocks in a contrived landscape should reflect how they’d occur in a natural environment. It’s quite a creative skill,” says Mendel.
In this garden that Mendel designed, spiky aloe and liriope contrast beautifully with smooth, round river stones. “The rocks are placed to create the illusion that the stream is a natural watercourse. The water feature will represent a dry river bed or ephemeral stream when it is flowing,” she says.
“The placement of rocks in a contrived landscape should reflect how they’d occur in a natural environment. It’s quite a creative skill,” says Mendel.
In this garden that Mendel designed, spiky aloe and liriope contrast beautifully with smooth, round river stones. “The rocks are placed to create the illusion that the stream is a natural watercourse. The water feature will represent a dry river bed or ephemeral stream when it is flowing,” she says.
Japanese ‘dry’ gardens
Rocks and stones are fundamental to Asian gardens. The Japanese concept of karesansui, meaning ‘dry landscape’, has taken off globally as a way to use small spaces, reduce water consumption and provide a calm environment. Sand or fine gravel, raked into ripples, represents ocean waves, while rocks symbolise islands. Moss is sometimes included, but no other plants or trees.
Rocks and stones are fundamental to Asian gardens. The Japanese concept of karesansui, meaning ‘dry landscape’, has taken off globally as a way to use small spaces, reduce water consumption and provide a calm environment. Sand or fine gravel, raked into ripples, represents ocean waves, while rocks symbolise islands. Moss is sometimes included, but no other plants or trees.
Water on the rocks
The alliance of rocks and water is key to Asian garden philosophy. It affirms the yin/yang concept of balancing opposite and complementary natural forces. Water is mercurial, filled with light and motion, while rocks are constant and immoveable. Together, they create balance and unity.
Bring tranquillity and harmony to your garden by positioning rocks near water, whether it’s a small pond, a stone vessel or a bubbling water feature.
Read more garden stories
The alliance of rocks and water is key to Asian garden philosophy. It affirms the yin/yang concept of balancing opposite and complementary natural forces. Water is mercurial, filled with light and motion, while rocks are constant and immoveable. Together, they create balance and unity.
Bring tranquillity and harmony to your garden by positioning rocks near water, whether it’s a small pond, a stone vessel or a bubbling water feature.
Read more garden stories
Water also intensifies subtle colours, sharpens contrast and makes rocks and stones mirror-like. Dull dry rocks reveal their full beauty and character when wet, so submerge them or let droplets splash from a water feature to make them shine.
Sculptural rocks
When it comes to garden sculpture, no-one does it like nature. Wind, water, earthquakes and time shape rocks into astonishing artworks. If you’re lucky enough to have an amazing rock like this, position it prominently to reveal its most interesting face.
Tip: It’s illegal in Australia to remove rocks from beaches and reserves. Some landscaping outlets source rocks under licence from other places, such as local quarries. Look out for construction sites – there may be excavated rocks that you could get permission to haul away.
When it comes to garden sculpture, no-one does it like nature. Wind, water, earthquakes and time shape rocks into astonishing artworks. If you’re lucky enough to have an amazing rock like this, position it prominently to reveal its most interesting face.
Tip: It’s illegal in Australia to remove rocks from beaches and reserves. Some landscaping outlets source rocks under licence from other places, such as local quarries. Look out for construction sites – there may be excavated rocks that you could get permission to haul away.
Bold boulders
A boulder is a large rock worn smooth by water. It’s an expensive business transporting massive boulders for landscaping, but using lightweight ceramic ‘boulders’, as the homeowners have done here, is one solution.
A boulder is a large rock worn smooth by water. It’s an expensive business transporting massive boulders for landscaping, but using lightweight ceramic ‘boulders’, as the homeowners have done here, is one solution.
Stacking stones
Humans have built piles of rocks and stones for aeons; dry stone walls date back to Neolithic times. Rock walls have survived in many areas, including Yorkshire, Ireland, Scandinavia and South America. The Peruvian Inca city of Machu Picchu is made entirely of dry stone construction.
“Currently in Australia one of the trends is … stone used in walling and paving rather than as a more sculptural element,” says Mendel. Local stones and no adhesive chemicals make dry stone walls an eco-friendly addition to a garden.
Humans have built piles of rocks and stones for aeons; dry stone walls date back to Neolithic times. Rock walls have survived in many areas, including Yorkshire, Ireland, Scandinavia and South America. The Peruvian Inca city of Machu Picchu is made entirely of dry stone construction.
“Currently in Australia one of the trends is … stone used in walling and paving rather than as a more sculptural element,” says Mendel. Local stones and no adhesive chemicals make dry stone walls an eco-friendly addition to a garden.
Cairns occur all over the world. In some places, they are primitive stone stacks, in others elaborate hive-like monuments. They often have religious, memorial or ceremonial significance, though many were built as navigation aids for travellers.
Building a cairn is an absorbing way to spend time in nature. Play ‘rock lego’ and plant feathery grasses, such as the variegated Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegata’) seen here, that wave in the wind as a contrast.
Idea to Steal: Rock a Stone Garden
Building a cairn is an absorbing way to spend time in nature. Play ‘rock lego’ and plant feathery grasses, such as the variegated Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegata’) seen here, that wave in the wind as a contrast.
Idea to Steal: Rock a Stone Garden
A cairn can be as simple as a tower of rocks in decreasing sizes. Ensure your rocks have a stable seat or use a little help from cement. Practise on small ones until you get the idea. When you feel confident, go bigger.
Choose a spot where it shows to best advantage and where surrounding plants enhance it.
Choose a spot where it shows to best advantage and where surrounding plants enhance it.
A liking for lichen
Moss and lichen add colour and texture to rocks and bring the impression of age. Amazing colours occur naturally in many lichens and mosses and turn a nondescript rock into a special attraction.
I’ve used a ‘moss milkshake’ with some success – and a good dash of patience. Make a thick sludge of buttermilk or yoghurt and live moss (many nurseries sell tubs of moss, or you could collect it) and paint on rocks and stones in a shady place. Mist with water daily until it is established. Pitted rocks are a better medium than smooth ones.
Moss and lichen add colour and texture to rocks and bring the impression of age. Amazing colours occur naturally in many lichens and mosses and turn a nondescript rock into a special attraction.
I’ve used a ‘moss milkshake’ with some success – and a good dash of patience. Make a thick sludge of buttermilk or yoghurt and live moss (many nurseries sell tubs of moss, or you could collect it) and paint on rocks and stones in a shady place. Mist with water daily until it is established. Pitted rocks are a better medium than smooth ones.
Take a seat
Every garden should have a spot for sitting and enjoying the view. Make a pausing place into a fabulous feature with a rocky hero, as these homeowners have done. A sandstone slab supported by twining bronze branches may not be the most comfortable seat in the world, but scores highly for organic good looks.
Tell us
Do you use rocks in your garden? Tell us in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, don’t forget to like it, share it or bookmark it.
More
Browse more garden photos
Every garden should have a spot for sitting and enjoying the view. Make a pausing place into a fabulous feature with a rocky hero, as these homeowners have done. A sandstone slab supported by twining bronze branches may not be the most comfortable seat in the world, but scores highly for organic good looks.
Tell us
Do you use rocks in your garden? Tell us in the Comments below. And if you enjoyed this story, don’t forget to like it, share it or bookmark it.
More
Browse more garden photos
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Great use and placement of the "hard" materials. The use of hardscapes like patios, walkways, boulders and stones help to create a focal point in the landscape and can take the monotony off of a large plant bed or grouping that might not have its own focus.
Love it. Take your glass of iced tea out there and relax after gardening all day. Good job.
I spent last year's quarantine taking out a crepe myrtle, planting ferns, Amazon lilies, mandevilla, spider plants and liriope, installing 5 yards of pea gravel, a waterfall fountain and a firepit/seating area in my back yard. This year, as you can see in the picture, I'm kicking back and enjoying it.