Landscape Architecture With Stones & Oak Trees

Principles of Landscape Design

• Designing any feature of the landscape involves the basic principles of composition used in every art form. Visually, there are foreground, middle ground and background areas that have to be considered from the vantage points where they will most often be viewed. Arrange complementary shapes, colors and textures according to how they look, as well as how the actual objects -- trees, shrubs, rocks and ground covers, for example -- will function in relation to each other. The process of designing outdoor space begins with mapping existing features on paper and recording basic environmental information, such as soil type, sun exposure and drainage patterns. Afterwards, the intended components of the design can be overlaid on the base map and arranged in a functional and aesthetically-pleasing way.

Oak Trees

• Most oak trees (Quercus spp.) are deciduous with large trunks and canopies. The acorn-bearing trees have adapted to nearly every climate zone in the United States, but they can generally be divided between those that thrive in the arid West versus and those that prefer the relatively moist, humid conditions of the Midwest and East. The coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) is emblematic of the western species, with leaves under two inches in length and preferring little or no summer irrigation. It is an evergreen variety and grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 and 10. White oaks (Quercus alba) grow throughout the eastern half of the country in USDA zones 3b to 8b and perform best in moist, well-drained and slightly acidic soil conditions. Their leaves grow up to 8 inches in length and turn deep red in fall.

Accent Boulders

• Wild stands of oak trees are often studded with exposed boulders and are an inspiration for designers seeking to mimic the simple, rustic elegance of these natural environments in the home landscape. Use boulders that are found on the surface of the earth, known as "field stones" in the landscape industry, as opposed to stone that is mined from underground or extracted from waterways. Field stone boulders are typically covered with natural moss and lichens, just like those found in a natural oak woodland.

A Complete Design

• Oaks are often found with scattered rock outcroppings in upland forests, rather than on flat valley floors. Following this inspiration, place them on a hill, small knoll or earthen mound in the landscape, which will also ensure they have the good drainage they require. If there is sufficient space, plant them in groups of three to give a sense of coherence and unity. Use field stones in a range of sizes, placing them in a random pattern in the grove of oak trees. Rather then plopping them on the surface of the ground, bury from one-third to two-thirds of each stone so the grouping looks like it's been there a long time. Add a mixture of clumping grasses and other ground covers to fill out the understory. Define the background with a loose planting of shrubs to complete the design.