Hardscape Advice from Nashville’s Premier Landscape Services Company
Landscaping your yard can be a clever way of spending a minimal amount of money to achieve a maximum amount of effect. Using rock as part of your landscape design can add definition and vertical structure to your front and backyards while accentuating the beauty of your plants, trees and flowers. Rocks can be functional, by creating barriers or paths in your yard, as well as helping with drainage. But you wouldn’t be on your own in seeking a unique outside space by using rock – the landscaping industry is booming in the US, and is worth a staggering $99 billion.
Landscaping with rock can create a look and feel to your home that is entirely your own. If you want a yard that has the wow factor and looks unlike your neighbor’s, getting in touch with a landscape services company could well be a good move.
Like many industries, landscaping with rock has many factors to consider – let’s move on to when you might choose to have landscape rock in your yard.
When to Use Landscape Rock for Your Home
There are many different ways to use landscape rock to make your home and yard more attractive. Your landscape contractor will be able to advise the correct rock to use in various parts of your yard and where to place them.
Let’s run through a few of the popular uses of landscape rock:
- Walkways, walls, and paths
- Water features using different sized rock or gravel
- Planting beds with large boulders as anchors
- Hardscape patios
- Drainage to hold back soil or keep it intact
- Redirecting water away from your house
- Low maintenance plant borders
- Hiding undesirable terrain
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Types of Landscape Rock
There are many types of landscape rock, as experts in the landscape design world, Greenway of Nashville, has used every single type to bring our customers’ yards to life. A good landscape services company will always go through your landscaping needs to identify the types of rock material that will work best in your yard.
Large Stones
The use of differing sizes of large stones – from the size of a car to the size of a small suitcase – can be both functional and artistic. Large stones can act as a focal and very dramatic part to your back or front yard, such as a driveway border or as backdrops to plants and grasses.
Decomposed Granite
An affordable option for a soft, rustic look and great for around trees and on walking trails.
Pea Gravel
Small pieces of gravel about the size of peas and in white, tan or brown color, pea gravel can fill space between larger rocks or cover a driveway. It serves as a great weed barrier, doesn’t decompose and won’t overheat due to its small size.
Crushed Granite Gravel
This gravel has a natural look and serves well between plants and on pathways. Due to its rough nature, it’s not recommended for areas where people might wander barefoot.
Lava Rock
Made from volcanic rock, lava rock is a bright red that is attractive when used as an accent on pathways and between plants. It’s lightweight and easy to spread although it can be expensive. One other interesting feature is that it absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night.
River Rock
Larger than pea gravel, these smooth pebbles come in different hues and can be usefully and attractively employed as a means of drainage.
Flagstones
Used as the basis for a patio, walkway or stepping stones, flagstones must be laid on a bed of sand, offering a stable foundation with good drainage.
Your landscape design should be well planned to maximize the yard area you have. Give us a call at (615) 238-4574 for a walkthrough of the best landscape rocks for your yard.
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How to Calculate Landscape Rock
Knowing how much landscape rock you’ll need is a set of fairly simple calculations. The first thing to do is decide the size of the space you’re covering and how deep you want the coverage. Check out our simple guide:
- For square or rectangular areas, measure the length by the width to get the square footage.
- For circular areas, measure the radius (from center to outer edge) and then multiply that number by itself. Then multiply that number by 3.14 to get the square footage.
- For the depth coverage, a good assumption is two inches for most projects but always check with your landscape contractor. If the rock you’re using is larger than this, you’ll need only one layer.
- Convert the depth into feet i.e. divide by 12 (or work it out approximately, knowing that 12 inches equals one foot).
- Convert the whole measurement to cubic feet by multiplying the square footage by the depth.
Using a landscape services company can make the whole process of landscaping your front or backyard simple and stress-free. Give the experts at Greenway of Nashville a call at (615) 238-4574 or leave your details on our contact form. We will be in touch!
