Granite for Backyard Landscaping

Pathways and Patios

• Granite is available in flagstone form. These flat rocks are ideal for creating level pathways in your backyard. You can use them as stepping stones within your flowerbeds so you don't have to worry about crushing plants. Arranging granite flagstone on the ground can lead people from your front yard to your landscaped backyard. Also use the flagstone to make a colorful patio that has a natural but luxurious look. Set the stone in cement or fill in the gaps with soil or crushed gravel.

Water Features

• Granite water features are available at many garden centers and range from simple block fountains to three-tiered carved fountains. This type of water feature is ideal if you want to create a focal point in your backyard. If you have a slab of concrete and a bit of plumbing know-how, save some money by making your own granite waterfall. Stand a slab of granite upright and install a pipe hidden at the top to trickle water down the rock. The water will appear as a sheet of glass and help highlight the crystalline qualities of the granite. Choose between a slab of natural granite rock or highly polished, commercial-grade granite--a piece of leftover granite from a kitchen renovation could be used. To make the waterfall interesting at night, install a spotlight to illuminate the stone.

Mulch

• Decomposed granite is crushed rock that can be as big as 1 inch in diameter or as fine as coarse sand. Use these pebbles as inorganic mulch for your flowerbeds. You use the granite just the same as you would use organic bark mulch, but you don't have to keep replacing the mulch. Cover soil in your backyard flower beds with 1 or 2 inches of decomposed granite. Don't push the stone all the way up against plant stalks. You can also use it to make pathways within your garden or as a soil cover in potted plants.

Rock Walls

• Use granite flagstone or round rocks to make a rock wall for the landscape in your backyard. Rock walls can be used as aesthetic accents, fences or retaining walls. If your backyard is hilly, make flat ground and use a granite retaining wall to prevent erosion. A flagstone wall would be easier to create because you simply cover a block wall with decorative flagstone. A wall made of three-dimensional granite stones is more difficult to stabilize and may be better suited for decorative rather than functional purposes.

Features

• If you have a large granite rock, you could use it as an ornamental feature in your backyard landscape. It could stand alone in your yard or be a centerpiece within a flowerbed. Place a large granite rock next to your backyard pond to create natural seating or situate a rock under your favorite shade tree for a tranquil reading spot. Rocks with flat tops can also be used to hold potted plants and garden statuary.