Throughout the landscape design process, you’ll need to make several important decisions. One of the more important choices you’ll make is what type of materials you’ll use in your garden hardscapes (walkways, steps, retaining walls, etc.). These materials can have a major impact on the overall look and feel of your finished garden space.

Many homeowners opt for some form of stone to facilitate a natural and organic look when it comes to their garden hardscapes. By having a better understanding of the many benefits of using stone in your garden design — as well as the many viable stone options available to you — you can end up with a garden retreat that you absolutely love.

Reasons to Use Stone in Your Garden Design

Why use stone in your garden design to begin with? Consider just a few of the many advantages of doing so.

Cut Down on Care and Maintenance

Compared to some other hardscape materials, stone is extremely durable and can stand up to even some of the harshest weather conditions. As a result, you’ll be able to save on much of the maintenance that would be involved in caring for other types of landscaping/gardening materials. Many exterior stones don’t require any special maintenance aside from occasional sweeping away of debris — and you won’t have to worry about them cracking or wearing down with exposure to freezing temperatures.

You already have enough maintenance to worry about when it comes to the actual plants in your garden. Why should you have to worry about maintaining your garden hardscapes, too?

Create an Eye-Catching Focal Point

While the greenery should always be the highlight of your garden, the reality is that many gardens end up feeling a little lackluster because there’s nothing that immediately draws the eye’s attention. By adding a stone focal point, you can create a truly stunning and unique landscape within your own garden. In many cases, stone can also be used to conceal some less desirable features of a garden space (such as a water line that feeds a sprinkler system).

Provide Extra Protection for Plants

When situated properly, stone hardscapes can also provide some additional protection for your beloved garden plants. That’s because stone is naturally absorbent, allowing it to soak up some of the sun’s harshest rays during the heat of the summer. This means your plants can continue to receive direct sun with some added protection from excess heat.

Meanwhile, stone can provide some added insulation and protection to delicate plant roots during the colder winter months. It’s a win-win all year round!

Three Stone Options for Your Outdoor Garden

There are seemingly endless options to choose from when it comes to stone types for your outdoor garden. Not sure where to begin? Consider a few of these popular stones and explore their benefits and potential applications for yourself.

1. Aggregates

If you’re looking for something versatile that can potentially be used in other areas around your house in addition to your garden, aggregates are a great alternative. Also known as chips and pebbles, aggregates are available in a variety of colors and can be used to create garden walkways and decorative borders around the plants in your garden. Plus, they can even help to keep the weeds to a minimum. If you’re looking for a natural stone that can last for years, requires little maintenance,  and is cost-effective if you’re on a budget, aggregates are an excellent option.

2. Cobblestones

Are you searching for a durable stone to create that extra special feature in your garden? Cobblestones are a perfect choice, especially if you’re interested in creating a raised garden bed. Ideal for high traffic areas, cobblestones have a textured finish that’s naturally slip-resistant and, therefore, safe to walk on even when it’s raining. They also allow you to make a secure and stable border and are affordable and small enough that even a weekend DIYer can tackle the project. Bonus tip: They are low maintenance, durable, and will maintain their look, shape, and color for years.

3. Concrete Paving Brick

Concrete paving bricks are another option you won’t want to overlook when it comes to your garden walkways and paths. They come in a variety of colors and styles allowing you to create a garden that’s completely unique. Plus, they’re a favorite of the do-it-yourselfers because of how easy they are to install on compacted gravel and sand (mortar or concrete is another option).

Whether you’re looking to create a garden path, roof garden, golf cart path, or another garden accent, concrete paving brick is a versatile, strong material that can complement any landscape project.

Which Stone is Right for You?

With so many wonderful stone options to choose from for your new outdoor garden, you’ll want to put some careful thought and consideration into your final decision. Consulting with your landscape designer can help you with your choice, too.

When deciding on a stone for your garden design, be sure to consider the specific application. For example, aggregates may be better suited for a garden pathway or walkway than it would as a retaining wall material. You’ll also want to think about how much maintenance you’re comfortable with doing on your garden stone; while all stones are relatively low-maintenance, some do require a little more care than others.

Finally, you’ll want to be mindful of your budget when selecting garden stone materials. If you’re on a tighter budget, for example, ThinStone can be a very cost-effective option. Regardless of your budget, your landscape designer can assist you in selecting the right materials.

The Bottom Line on Outdoor Garden Stone

Stone can be an excellent choice for your new outdoor garden. From creating a beautiful focal point to providing you with a low-maintenance material for your garden pathways, benches, and more — there are so many different stones to consider for your garden space!

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When you are creating your outdoor space, you have to consider quite a few things. One of the most important things that you need to think about when you are decorating is just how you are going to decorate.

For most people, the outdoor space is going to have some type of theme, at least in style, and it can be important for you to consider the theme when you are choosing all of your different decorative elements that you are going to be using. You have plenty of choices when it comes to the type of décor that you might want to have for your outdoor space.

Here are some of the most popular types of decorations that many people have in their backyards. These might be a great addition to your own space. Read on and see what might work for you!

Balancing Sun and Shade

While you might want to get out and get some sun in the warm months of the year, that doesn’t mean that everyone that you have come to the house wants to do the same. You need to make sure that your outdoor space has a place where people can enjoy the sun, as well as a place where you can keep in the shade.

Large awnings are an option, but you have plenty of choices, including a professionally build roof for the deck or the patio.

Plants, Ponds, and Landscaping

Flowers are a great way to add a bit of personality to your outdoor space without spending a fortune, but they are not the only option that you have. You might also want to consider some other types of plants. Cacti, for example, can look great in many different outdoor spaces.

You will also find that there are some great ways to add some water features to your garden area. Manmade ponds are always a popular feature, and they can add a lot of personality to your backyard.

In addition, you really have to make sure that you keep up with your landscaping. Even though many would not consider landscaping part of the décor, it really is.

Décor for the Patio or Deck

You also want to make sure that you have the right décor for your patio or your deck area. Just as when you decorated the inside of the home, you want to make sure that the furniture and the accent pieces that you buy for the patio and deck are going to match and go well together.

You will want to choose great furniture, but the accents are where you can add personality. A fountain, a statue, hand painted tiles, and sculptures are just a couple of options that you might want to consider.

Lovely Lighting

Of course, one of the most important features of your outdoor space is going to be the outdoor lighting. Lighting fixtures and elements come in a host of different styles and shapes, and you should easily be able to find the ones that are going to work well for your outdoor space.

They can provide practical lighting, in some cases, but the elements that offer ambient lighting are the ones that are going to help you set the tone for your outside space once the sun goes down.

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It needs some unique design elements and a lot of innovative ideas. The first and foremost idea of the patio designing is to make it functional. So, your new design may include a dining room, living space, fire pit and lawn with a great accessibility.

Here is presenting a few ideas to beautify up your outdoor space:

Purpose of using your backyard

First of all, you need to think it out how you would like to use your patio. Do you like to relax outside? D you like to entertain? Or do you like to play soccer or golf in your yard? This is important because your preference will determine the design. The next thing to decide is to who will be enjoying it? When designing your patio, make sure that you get something for everyone like your kids and pets.

Design an all-weather space

If you want to enjoy your backyard fully, try to turn it in an all-weather and all-day space. With this type of designing, you can enjoy the rain as well as bright sun shine during the monsoon and winter. Add different shade variations. A partially shaded living room, a fully covered dining area, and a fire pit under an open air- all fulfils your purposes. You will have a great night sitting in front of a fire pit on chilly winter.

Whereas materials are concerned, rusted metals make a good element to be added to the fire pit or pergola.

Lighting

Backyard decoration cannot be complete without the incorporation of proper lighting solutions. Well, when your key objective is to set the mood in your backyard, you try to make it more attractive as well as make it visible in the late afternoon and evening. Low voltage lights or festive light strands can spread light throughout your garden and get your patio a colorful ambience. Hang them properly so that there will be no fear of dangers. Solar powered lights are a great option to be incorporated in your partially shaded living area. You can even use lights with 60 watts. Well, do not place them directly over where the guests sit because they throw a strange and harsh shadow.

Furniture accessories

Bring patio furniture and furnishings to create a wonderful seating arrangement. This incorporation will help you sit, relax and enjoy your outdoor space. Go for chaise lounges, simple bistro sets, Adirondack chairs and other sets of chair and table to beautify your patio and make it more appealing. You can find a wide selection of patio furniture and furnishings out there on the markets. Place furniture in your semi living room, dining area and near fire pit. If there is a hot tub in your backyard, you can add a great look to it by installing a chaise lounge along with an umbrella. This offers you a great opportunity to enjoy your summer baths and relax on the chairs to be calm and reinvigorated.

Elements for focusing on the nature

You can bring all the focus of surrounding of your patio to the eyes of your guests by beautifying it. Create a water feature like a gorgeous pond or a mini waterfall. You can get many resources to create that ambience in your backyard. This water feature really gets you a round of applause from your guests. You can make the water fall more attractive by bringing in different sizes of boulders. And add brightly colored fish to the pond.

Adding a luxury item

Well, if you want to add more luxury to your backyard, place a hot tub in your patio. Hot tub can be a great item for relaxation during the hot summer months. After a day’s hard work, it will get you a great opportunity to shed your tiredness and enjoy the serenity of your patio to the greatest extent. Get a hot tub cover to protect it from the elements as well as to maintain it.

Try to ward off pesky creatures from your outdoor space to make it a better place to congregate and enjoy your leisure times.

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Here are a few steps to help you create your own wood fence:

1. First, settle on the area you want the fence to cover. Do you want it to go around the entire home or are you adding it to a garden area only?
2. Take measurements to enable you to produce an organized structure. The measurements you take should include that of your posts, as well as the spacing between the holes you are meant to dig.
3. Head to a home improvement store to pick up all of the supplies you need to build a fence. If you do not like the idea of building the posts, many stores will build it for you and all you need to do is then follow the directions to install it. Look at the costs and type of work that you need to do in order to justify if this is worth it for your situation.
4. Place markers to indicate the exact spots for the holes. To do this, you can drive sticks into the ground, at each spot. It is important that you get the right measurements for each section of the fence or else you will end up re-doing the entire fence!
5. Dig the holes, and then gather your posts. Place each post into the hole and then secure the section of fencing to the posts. Secure your posts firmly on the ground by ensuring that at least a third of their length goes beneath the ground.
6. Make certain that the planks are aligned to allow for a neat finish.
7. Upon the post and plank installation you can add the railings to the fence.
8. Treat the wood with a termite sealtant and water sealant to prevent the wood from rotting and aging rapidly.
9. Paint the wood fence to the desired color. A simple stain may look great for your home. Look at the various types of stain and paint that will match your home and will help to improve your curb appeal.
10. After the paint and sealant has dried, add a second coating to make the fence really stand out. A fence will require yearly upkeep with a sealant to prevent the fence from aging rapidly.

Putting up a fence is definitely not a complex project but it may require multiple people in order to secure the fence in the right manner. Brands such as Delta will provide you with what you require for a fencing project.

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