Diy Landscaping Stones
Choosing Natural Stone For Your Garden
There are various types of stone that can be used for paving and garden patios many of which are manmade these days, but it is the natural varieties that win when it comes to looks. There are many different natural materials you can use for patios such as sandstone, limestone, quartzite, travertine, slate however slate wouldn’t be recommend for use as a durable surface covering due to it’s brittleness and susceptibility to splitting or cracking. Travertine is also more fragile than other stones and is softer than many stones, however it does possess unusual beauty.
The Romans favoured the use of travertine because of its availability and it’s workability with the rudimentary tools they had available to them. Also Italy was once the major source of all of the world’s Travertine, but now countries such as Mexico, Peru and Turkey also have sources. It is a type of Limestone formed at mineral springs, especially hot ones and perhaps one of the most famous travertine structures is the Colosseum in Rome.
So where does the natural stone that we us in our gardens today come from? Most of the stone supplied by British stone merchants now comes from India. Previously there were other sources but due to the rise in transport cost and the quality of the stone many no longer stock stone from other countries such as China. European sources of natural stone are also very restricted now, even though in the past there were huge mines supplying stone such as marble and granite.
Of course there are alternatives to natural stone, which have both advantages and disadvantages. For many garden projects it is possible to use man-made products like concrete and other form-moulded materials. Some people may opt for this approach to get a more artificial finish, something that natural stone cannot provide, such as a bright green or red finish or geometric patterns within the stone.
There are also practical considerations to be made when selecting a type of stone for a specific use. For example treads on steps and staircases should ideally be non-slip so certain smooth surface stones such as marble would be dangerous. When selecting a stone the finish is also very important because, for example, you would not use fully honed stone (polished stone) around a swimming pool as it would be very slippery, similarly you may not want to use riven stone indoors as it may be rough underfoot and difficult to walk on.
What about cutting the stone – should you try to buy stones and build to a plan that avoids cutting? Using modern methods, cutting of any stone today is not normally a problem, provided you have the right equipment to do so. It may pay you to work to a plan to avoid any wastage and excessive cutting and most natural stone suppliers will offer a design service combined with pre-cutting to assist. It is also possible to purchase pre-packed sets of stones that can be laid to a plan to achieve the end result, such as a circular feature piece or patio design.
It is possible for anyone physically able to lay the stones, however some natural stones can be very heavy so care should be taken. One option would be to employ a professional landscaper if you are uncertain of your abilities or the skills needed. Many suppliers will recommend the use of a local landscape gardener as they will have plenty of experience in this type of work and are familiar with the techniques required. It is not really a DIY job.
So how heavy are natural stones and do they break? The stones can be heavy especially the larger sizes which are also the ones more likely to break if they are dropped. To keep the stone looking good and protect them from damage it is advisable to use a specific surface cleaner to remove any moss or algae that may develop.
Laid correctly and treated well a natural stone patio or footpath can last several decades and looked beautiful for the duration. Natural stones are more capable of aging well, retaining a beauty and form rarely found with artificial alternatives.
About the Author
Nick is a horticulturist and landscape gardener who enjoys working with natural stone suppliers and other providers of materials that add to the beauty and asthetics of gardening and landscaping projects.
Landscaping advice?
We just bought a house, and it has a small backyard. It’s quaint, but perfect for the two of us. The grass looks horrible. It’s practically dead in all areas, bare in most. It’s so small that it doesn’t make much sense to buy a lawnmower and the PoA takes care of the front, so we’re looking for a low maintenance implant that can suffer the abuse of two dogs.
I live in Virginia. The yard is shade in the morning, full sun in the afternoon. I’m looking for a deep green color, that will be thick, not very high, and slow-growing. Any suggestions?
I’m also looking for ideas on a new patio. The old owners put down square stone slabs, and they’re broken and uneven. There is no concrete underneath it. What would be easiest for DIY (do-it-yourself), and be the best cost efficient to replace this ugliness with, a flat slab wood patio deck or pavers?
As far as a patio, a properly installed paver patio will be extremely low maintenance. If you take the time to dig out the patio area, put down weed block, level it, put an adequate layer of sand down and pack it well, a paver patio will last for years with almost no maintenance besides the occasional sweep.
Mulch, landscape stone and excavation projects
