Landscaping With Rock Border

Rocks in a landscape suggest unity, solidity, a subtle strength and a merging with natural forms. You can put them virtually anywhere in a garden or yard and use them for their color, size or shape. Stand them solo or in groups, or arrange them as borders for flowerbeds and to frame the beauty of your plants. Once you have your general landscape plan in hand, choosing the rocks and stones can become a bit like a treasure hunt.

Landscape plan
Garden tools
Plants
Soil
Compost
Mulch
Hose and water
Rocks
Stones
Pebbles
Stakes (optional)
Twine (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Plant your beds according to your landscape design. Work from your entry outward. Dig the bed areas then add soil, compost and plants — flowers, perennials or shrubs. Water them well. If your yard is already landscaped and you are simply adding rocks to create your borders, proceed to choosing the stones.
- 2
  
  Loose borders allow for plants to naturalize between stones.
  
  Visit a nearby large rock shop, quarry or landscaping supply store to choose your rocks. Even if you are having a truckload delivered, you'll first want to check out the selection. There are dozens upon dozens to choose from.
- 3
  Select the type of rock you want to work with. The typical size for most garden applications is a rock one person can lift — about 40 pounds or less, and 12 to 18 inches long. Some people hand-select each stone, while others choose only the type they'll use. Haul them away or schedule a delivery.
- 4
  Add the rocks to pathways and around trees. Set those of similar height and shape along both sides of each pathway and fill the areas between rocks with pebbles. Place rocks around trees about 4 to 6 feet away from the trunk, encircling it. You can backfill more soil and add shade-loving plants under large deciduous trees, or just leave the space between the rocks and trunk filled with grass, ground coverings, soil or mulch.
- 5
  
  Low walls of uncemented narrow rocks add interest on large plots of land.
  
  Place the rocks around the borders of your flower and small plant beds. You have two options: Set the stones directly in place, or first mark the outline with stakes and twine. Start at one end and create a not-too-uniform line of stones. Some people leave gaps of a few inches between rocks for flowers to fill in naturally. Others prefer to leave no gap. Use what style appeals to you most.
- 6
  Set rocks as a border around berms. These are raised mounds of soil ideal for planting flowers, perennials and small shrubbery. Edge them by placing rocks close to or on top of the line where the bed's soil meets grass or lawn.
- 7
  
  Large stones create a stairway as a border to two beds at once.
  
  Add stones around any small ponds or artificial lakes on your property. Rocks can also be placed inside the water's edges, depending on the style. Hide any plastic ponds or fountain parts by placing stones over the lips to form a top border.
- 8
  Place rocks around your herb garden. Vegetable gardens aren't ideal for rocks, as you're usually digging, weeding, planting and harvesting too often and they'll get in the way, unless you create raised beds with low rock walls that are stable.

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