How Boulders Can Upgrade Your Landscape
3 pros!
Your home probably has an existing landscape. You may have installed it yourself years ago or inherited it when you purchased your home.
Either way, if it’s been a few years, you’re probably tired of it.
But maybe you don’t want to completely renovate it, but elevate or change it somehow. What can you do? New plant material can help. But plants age, and tastes in plant material change.
You will be right back where you started in a few years.
Is more of the same really the answer? Renovating your aging lawn is a noticeable change, too. But does it really benefit the landscape as a whole?
Instead of looking at changing your plant material or lawn, consider adding boulders to upgrade your landscape.
Boulders don't die while you are on a summer vacation. They won't get old and tired like your lawn. In fact, boulders get better with age.
Include boulders in your landscape design
Boulders are used to anchor your landscape. Plants are grouped near boulders, creating natural focal points.
Your neighborhood and house may be new, but boulders can instantly make your landscape appear timeless.
They impart an aura of age and weight, elevating the surrounding plants and man-made materials.
Boulders are also an excellent way to bring harmony to your garden. For example, a well-set boulder can break up the unnatural edges we create between lawns and beds.
Boulders can also be the answer to many of your landscape's issues. Have a slope that you struggle to utilize? Boulders can retain while also creating planting pockets for ornamental grasses, ferns or ground covers.
Have a boring entry walkway? Boulders can be set as columns on either side, elevating a drab entrance.
Do you have a low-voltage lighting system, but nothing interesting to illuminate? The broken face of a boulder can become a dynamic focal point at night.
RELATED: Rock Your Garden with Stone Walls
Choose the best boulder for your lawn
If you're going to set boulders there are a few principles to keep in mind.
First, select the largest you can manage. Don't be intimidated by how big they look at a rock yard. The boulder will look much smaller once it is set and planted around.
Second, set at least a few inches of the boulder underground. Boulders should never look like they dropped out of the sky! Burying a small portion helps the setting look natural and permanent.
Third, think boulder groupings. Set two or three boulders in a bed so that they complement each other.
It may be wise to hire a landscaper to set your boulders. Large boulders require proper equipment to set. An experienced landscape pro has likely acquired an eye for boulder placement.
You will surely benefit from his or her ability to skillfully and safely set heavy boulders.
Nature has given you a range of tools to use in your landscape. Boulders are a fundamental element that is often overlooked. Add boulders to your existing landscape for a simple, but profound, upgrade.
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted on July 15, 2013.
About this Experts Contributor: Ben Bowen is a third-generation landscaper with his family's residential landscape design/build firm, Ross NW Watergardens, which provides landscaping services in Portland, Oregon. As landscape manager, Ben oversees landscape maintenance, landscape design, and writes Ross NW Watergardens' blog. Follow this #ALExpert on Twitter @NWwatergardens.
As of July 17, 2015 this service provider was highly rated on Angie's List. Ratings are subject to change based on consumer feedback, so check Angie's List for the most up-to-date reviews. The views expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect those of Angie's List.
