When you get landscaping work done in your yard, you only want the hardiest and most beautiful stones added. There are many kinds of stone out there, but only certain kinds are going to add the right aesthetic to your landscape. Your landscape designer should work with you to help you choose the best stones for your yard, but to help you decide, here is a guide to the best stones for landscaping and what you can expect each type to look like.
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock that is composed of minerals. It’s usually composed of quartz or feldspar.
This kind of stone is usually brown, gray, orange, pink, or some mix of the colors. The unique mix of colors makes this kind of stone a beautiful addition to landscaping. Since sandstone isn’t porous, it’s not as likely to collect dirt and water as other types of stone are.
There’s a subset of sandstone known as flagstone which is composed of both quartz and feldspar. This kind of sandstone is typically used for walkways or patios. Flagstone comes in a variety of beautiful options, including:
- Oklahoma flagstone – Can usually be found in brown, gray, or orange. If an Oklahoma flagstone rock does have multiple colors on it, it’s usually more of a subtle ombre than an eye-catching mix of bright colors.
- Arkansas flagstone – Like Oklahoma flagstone, Arkansas flagstone may be brown, gray, or orange. It can also be white, and the gray may have a bluish tint to it.
- Arizona flagstone – Arizona flagstone is typically pink, brown, gray, or bluish-gray.
- Silvermist flagstone – as its name implies, silvermist is often a silvery color. It can also be gray or bluish-gray, and a mix of the three colors looks beautiful.
Another subset of sandstone is the surface moss boulder. This type of rock is a likely place to find moss growth – hence the name. When added to a yard or garden, it can add a very natural feel to the space.
Limestone
Like sandstone, limestone is a sedimentary rock formed out of minerals. The minerals that compose limestone are usually calcite and aragonite, which are kinds of calcium carbonate.
Leuders limestone is one of the best options, and it’s often found in rock gardens or pathways. Its usual colors are beige, gray, brown, or silver.
Chalkstone is a subset of limestone, and it’s made up of calcite. A great type of chalkstone is Austin chalkstone, which can usually be found in very subtle colors such as beige or white. It’s often used to create walkways or patios.
Pebbles and Cobbles
The main differences between pebbles and cobbles are their size. Pebbles are less than 2.5 inches in diameter, whereas cobbles are between 2.5 and 10 inches in diameter.
Since pebbles and cobbles are so small, they’re generally decorative rocks that can be found in rock gardens or adorning such landscape features as water fountains. Some of the best types of pebbles and cobble include:
- New Mexico cobble – This kind of cobble can be found in such a wide variety of colors that you’re very likely to find one that matches your yard’s aesthetics.
- Colorado cobble – Colorado cobble is usually found in more subtle shades than New Mexico cobble.
- Mexican beach pebbles – These stones are often found in brown, beige, gray, or a stunning blue.
Decomposed Granite
As the name implies, this type of stone is granite that has been decomposed into small pieces. Granite can be found in just about any color that you could imagine, so you have a wide variety of options when it comes to incorporating decomposed granite into your landscaping.
Since it’s so small, decomposed granite is usually compacted and used to create walkways or stone patios.
If you’re looking to get beautiful landscaping work that has stonework incorporated, contact Landscape By Design. John Scott and his team are experts at taking boring landscapes and turning them into unique paradises that you can enjoy for many years to come. They offer all of the above stone options and more.