Landscape Design – Boulders, Rocks, Stones, & Gravel

Rocks rock – when it comes to our yard and garden. Rocks come in all sizes and shapes, from LARGE decorative boulders, anchoring a stonework planting bed …

… to small Delaware Chalet River Stone, protecting and embellishing garden plants.

But first, where do rocks come from? They are frequently found in the wild, affecting a rather stoical detachment to their surroundings. Here is a picture of a rock in its natural habitat:

Domesticated rocks, on the other hand, are kept in a clean, safe environment and exhibit a more lively engagement, preferring the company of other rocks of similar ilk. Here’s a look at a typical domesticated rock habitat:

Ben’s Creek Nursery does its part and provides shelter for a variety of rocks:

Which is a long way around to the point that rock, and its large and diminutive brethren, boulders, stone, and gravel, are key components in many landscape plans, and Ben’s Creek Nursery crews are well versed in the strategic use of this material. Rock can be decorative, contrasting and complementing a pleasant bed of plants, for instance, or it can provide stability to an area prone to erosion and drainage problems. And most often, it can do both at the same time.

We’ve used rock, stone, and gravel in many projects around the Lake. Here are just a few examples of what our guys can do with this versatile commodity.

Garden beds in washed river rock, posted in Progress Report – New Sod, Plantings, Walkways, & More!

Creek bank retention rock rip-rap, posted in On the River Bank- Part Two.

Rock rip-rap drainage control and garden bed definition, posted in Custom Built.

Washed river rock overlay of foundation ground guttering and washed stone fill-in under a deck, posted in Instant Gardens – and More.

Click here for more landscape projects incorporating rock, stone, and/or gravel.

Finally, here is a roundup of the variety of uses we’ve made of this design element around the Lake. Click on any photo for a description and closer look.