Rocks set the tone for the rest of your landscaping. You can add warmth with tawny river rocks or brighten shady areas with white marble chips. Flat stones help enhance a tropical feel while lava rocks provide a Polynesian-themed modern garden.

Stones last a long time, making them a more expensive option up front, but a provide a lot of long-term benefits. However, you need to be sure of the look you want, because it’s not easy to change once it’s done. If you choose something you like now, you’ll be happy for years to come.

Rocks can also help with irrigation by providing a deterrent for weeds and directing the flow of water to areas that need it the most. They can guide runoff to allow you to conserve water for use in other areas of your landscape.

Replacing Mulch

Rocks are more expensive than mulch, but they provide a durable groundcover. While mulch needs to be replaced every season, rocks will last for a lifetime. You can use rocks to call attention to your favorite tree or shrub by selecting a contrasting color for striking visual appeal.

Rocks also work to discourage the growth of weeds, so if you strategically place them around your favorite gardens, you can create a weed barrier, allowing your garden to grow in peace without worrying about unsightly and annoying weeds. You’re free now to water your garden without also worrying about watering weeds.

Planting a Rock Garden

Rock gardens are exotic and unique. If you get quite a bit of sun in your yard, installing two or three small boulders gives you elaborate centerpieces around which you can bury small flowers, ground cover, or decorative cacti. Fill in the spaces with small stones that draw out the color of your boulders for a dramatic look.

Creating a Centerpiece

Large boulders in unusual shapes are eye-catching and create great focal points. It’s a low-maintenance solution for an ornamental shrub. In large gardens, rocks can also replace hedges that can be monotonous and boring. It’s also one less thing you have to water.

Building a Pond Border

The rough, hard look of rocks provide a nice contrast to the smooth relaxing feel of water. The right rocks can help hide pond liners and brighten up your dark pond water. For a more natural look, use rocks of irregular shapes and colors.

Creating Low-Maintenance Container Gardens

You can put potted plants that need regular watering in close reach of a sprinkler system, so they get the moisture they need without a lot of work on your part. Line an area with weed barrier and cut holes big enough to allow your post to settle into the soil.

Surround your pots with stones that complement the color of your potted plants, and you’ll have a container garden that gets watered whenever you turn your sprinklers on.

Making Stepping Stone Paths

Stepping stone paths are beautiful additions to any garden, allowing you to take a relaxing walk through your landscape and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Build a path in shady areas next to the house where you can relax on a park bench.

You can also create paths as a way to keep your shoes clean when walking from the driveway to the back gate. You can surround your stepping stones with ground cover or other small pebbles that contrast in color.

Enhancing your garden with stone is a great way to conserve water, direct runoff, and make the most effective use of your sprinkler system. Rocks can be just as gorgeous as plants and flowers, and when used together, they can create any look you want.

In conjunction with rocks, you should always use something for giving your plants the moisture they need, like an irrigation system. If you need replacement parts, you can find backflow replacement parts, rotor nozzles, and much more at Sprinkler Warehouse.