River-Themed Landscaping Ideas

Water Feature

• A water feature is an essential part of a river-themed landscape. While it’s certainly impractical to build a raging river through your yard, you can incorporate a smaller feature with running water to simulate the feel of an actual river. A trickling stream provides a subtle take on the theme, while a larger waterfall feature offers a more dramatic look for your landscape. You can hire a landscape architect to create a custom water feature for yard, or purchase a kit from a home improvement or garden supply store. Choose a spot for your water feature that allows it to serve as the focal point of the landscape while still leaving room in your yard for other features such as a patio or shed.

River Rock

• To give your river-themed landscape a natural feel, look for ways to incorporate river rock into its design. River rocks are naturally shaped by years of exposure to churning water, so they're usually flat and rounded. You can use them for a variety of landscaping applications, but perhaps the most obvious is incorporating them in your water feature. Scatter some along the edges of your stream or use them as the basis for your waterfall. You can also use river rock to build a retaining wall in your yard, edge garden beds or form a walkway.

Mixed Plantings

• For an authentic river-themed landscape, your yard should have as natural a look as possible. As a result, formal gardens or uniform groupings of landscaping plants aren’t your best options. Instead, use a mixture of various grasses, vines, flowers, shrubs and trees so your yard resembles the wild landscape that surrounds a riverbed. Place a mixture of evergreen shrubs and deciduous trees along the back and sides of your landscape. You can also place a couple of trees beside your water feature so the branches drape over the water. Plant some tall ornamental grasses beside the water for height and texture. Ferns add a natural look beside your stream or waterfall, but you can also scatter plants such as peonies, irises and daylilies to add a pop of color.

Natural Materials

• In most cases, you must make room for practical items in your landscape even when adopting a theme approach to its design. Choose natural materials for your practical features to match the spirit of your landscape. A flagstone patio is an ideal complement to a river-themed landscape, and patio furniture made of wood can blend seamlessly as well. When it comes to fencing, wood is your best option, though a decorative wrought iron fence may work as well.