Introduction to Rock Landscaping
Before we get to the important business of this article, I felt it pertinent to mention that this is one piece that had me reminiscing about one of my favourite fictional places… Bedrock!
The city that housed the Flinstones is one of the most shining examples, real or fictional of what we want to discuss today which is rock landscaping. As the name clearly spells out, rock landscaping is basically the use of rocks, along with or instead of the other elements that make up a landscape such as plants, metal, wood, etc.
The essence of this article, after understanding what rock landscaping is, is to know its pros and cons, and to know its cost implications, and feasibility, and to also know how best to apply it or mix it with other elements.
Pros of Rock Landscaping
- Rocks are easier to maintain than gardens or lawns. Your green landscapes need to be fertilized, watered, mowed, and cut.
- The ease of maintenance also means that in the long run, rock landscapes are cheaper to have and maintain.
- Rocks are very durable and you rarely need to replace them.
- Rocks are more friendly to human passage. This is a bigger issue in rainy seasons, where grass-based landscapes will be muddy. This point also lends itself to the flow of water (drainage) during the rainy season. Rocks are far less likely to absorb water than soil.
- You don’t have to worry about pests with rock landscapes.
- Rock Landscaping is an easy way to increase the value of your home.
Disadvantages of Rock Landscaping
- Rocks are heavy, difficult, and expensive to install. Usually, you need a truckload. For example, a rock mulch over an area costs two or three times more than a wooden mulch over the same area.
- In hot regions, rocks can be unbearable to stand on or touch. Plus they heat up the ground which can cause damage to plants and their roots.
- If not done properly, there is a possibility of weeds growing in the debris between the installed rocks and the debris.
- Some types of rock installations are as difficult to remove as they were to install. Basically, this means that you have to be careful with what you install because chances are that the stress of removing a rock installation is not something you want to go through.
Now I’m sure you may be a bit confused. The pros left you wanting to lift a whole truckload of rocks to throw in your front porch, but the cons made you want to smash every rock you see in sight. But the truth is, whatever choice you make actually depends on the location, terrain, and weather of the home you want to modify.
For those who are always looking for my personal recommendation, my landscaping philosophy has always been to include a bit of both in my designs. However, the proportion in which that decision is made varies depending on the location and the nature of the job.
In an area where there will be rainfall, rock landscaping features heavily. Especially in the pathways that people are expected to walk on. But in areas where there’s less rainfall and temperatures are high, it’s important to have vegetation and a bit of green. In such a situation, rocks can be used for the diversification of colour and for aesthetics. Either way, rock landscaping is a beautiful art form that is sure to beautify any environment it is used. We specialize in creating great landscaping in OKC using rocks.