Decorative rock can be a beautiful addition to your garden. These rocks can also be used to cover up spaces with no grass. With the sheer variety of colors, textures, and sizes of decorative rocks available at Calgary landscape suppliers, choosing the right ones can be a daunting task. Read on for a comprehensive guide that will make your decision a lot easier.
Major Types of Landscape Rocks
Before choosing landscape supply for your garden, it is vital to take a look at all of your options. Here are some of the main types of rocks that you may choose for your landscaping project.
Pea Gravel
Pea Gravel, also known as pebbles, is small, multi-colored decorative rock with rounded edges. They are formed from river rocks that have been broken into much smaller pieces and naturally evened out. Their smooth finish and attractive colors will add aesthetic appeal to all sorts of landscapes, especially playgrounds, patios, and walkways. In smaller areas, they are commonly used as a replacement medium for mulch. However, a solid edging is needed when using these tiny pebbles because they tend to spread out of bounds.
Flagstone
Flagstones are large pieces of flat stones that are ideal for the building of pathways. They are available in gray and brown colors and are sometimes cut into an even square or rectangular shape. Besides walkways, they can be used to make patios, fences, and roofing.
Flagstones are highly popular among Calgary residents because they make your landscape look picturesque and aesthetically welcoming, besides being affordable. If you’re looking for high-quality flagstone or ledgestone, be sure to check out Ornamental Stone – a leading decorative rock supplier in Calgary.
River Rock
In terms of smoothness and overall texture, river rock matches pea gravel. However, they are much bigger than pea gravel. On top of that, you will notice a more apparent distinction between colors, such as black, brown, and white, when you look at a pile of river rocks.
River rocks have a round shape and shiny texture. Couples these features with their large size, and they’ll look like a pile of marbles at times. Not only are they an excellent mulch replacement in larger areas, but they will also make all sorts of landscapes look incredibly beautiful due to their vibrant color. River rocks can also be used for drainage control and building borders alongside walkways, fountains, and ponds.
Washed Rock
Washed rock doesn’t have smooth edges like pea gravel and river rocks. They are, however, of about the same size as the former. While they are available in multiple colors, people usually prefer using them in one color only, with white being the most popular choice. The main uses of chipped rocks include mulch substitution, bases for plants, and beds for flowery gardens.
Lava Rock
As the name suggests, lava rocks are formed when the lava from volcanoes cools down and gets broken down into smaller fragments with rough edges. They are available in a variety of sizes, and their color typically depends on the maximum temperature of the lava and the impurities present in it. The most common color is red, but brown, gray, pink, metallic silver, black, and green are other attractive colors. They can be used as mulch substitution for large areas, grass replacement in yards, and for decorative and water retaining purposes in garden landscaping.
Boulders
Boulders are, by far, the biggest decorative rocks on this list. They come in a variety of colors and shapes and are ideal for designing rock gardens with plants and bushes grown alongside. But remember that boulders are large and heavy, and you would want your landscape supplier to deliver them with caution.
Factors to Take Into Account
With the above choices in mind, there a few crucial things that you need to keep in mind before heading out to your decorative rock supplier in Calgary:
- Budget – Not all decorative rocks are of the same price, and you need to establish which ones fall within your budget.
- Quantity – Determine the amount of rock you will need for your landscape. Most surfaces are uneven, and it would be better to leave the quantity calculations to the professionals.
- Aesthetics – Decorative rocks are available in many different colors and designs, and you have to determine which ones match your landscape’s desired aesthetic.
Choose Your Decorative Rock Now
Rock gardens are more sustainable since they require little or no maintenance. For your garden to look eye-catching, be sure to choose the rocks carefully. There are many options out there, but not all of them are created equal. You can find an extensive selection of top-quality decorative rocks at Calgary’s leading landscape supplier, Ornamental Stone.