You’ll find thousands of posts on the internet all about landscaping. The one thing that they all have in common is this: nobody said that landscaping was going to be easy. Most people realize this in their first ten minutes of a home landscaping job. Even when completed with expert assistance, landscaping can leave you with some questions to answer. For example, what landscape rock should I choose?

How Do I Choose the Right Landscape Rock?

Professionals often ask, and DIY projects leave you to source landscape rock for your project on your own.

In this article, we give you tips on how to make the right choice of landscape rock, and how to decide which type will help you achieve the look and feel you desire.

What’s Landscape Rock?

Landscape rock is any kind of rock that makes a change to your surface or garden.

Most people think of landscape rocks as large, bold stones. They can be, but also don’t always need to be. Some types of landscape rocks are small and intended for ground cover. Pebbles are another kind of landscape rock you can add – even though they measure smaller rocks than the average boulder.

3 Important Things (For the Right Rocks)

It’s not just the choice of a rock, but as important as the right curtain or table for the inside of a house. Does it look right, and does it feel right? Rocks add a certain flair to your outdoor areas, and the wrong rock can be an eyesore – or just too heavy to move ever again after its placement.

Here’s how to find the right rock for your landscape.

1. The Shape of the Rock

A rock’s shape is more than just aesthetic. The shape of rocks has a lot to do with how it will affect your space. Some rocks place better than others, and other rocks catch the light just right. You’ll only know the right rock when you see it, in many ways.

Rocks should be fitting to the space. Rough rocks compliment rougher spaces, while smooth rocks are used for smoother lines around the edges.

2. The Size of the Rock

It’s not just about shape, but about size as well. Larger rocks can be great for certain spaces, but if you stick that same rock in a zen garden it would break the serenity of the space.

Before you choose your landscape rock, outline which parts of the garden you would like to augment. It’s like that common piece of advice about stripes and pants; you have to choose the best ones, or it can become prone to bad tricks of the light.

3. The Diameter of the Rock

Always consider and measure the diameter of the rock in question. Measure it in relation to the rest of your garden, and then make sure that it’s going to fit.

You’d be surprised at how many landscaping projects have gone bad for a lack of measuring.

Even if you think you know, never assume you know. Measure the garden, and measure the rock!

Popular Types of Landscape Rock

• pea gravel
• lava rock
• beach pebbles
• white marble
• river rock
• decomposed granite
• crushed rock
• stepping stones

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