Landscaping Design Ideas employing Washed Stones

Landscaping Design Ideas employing Washed Stones

You’ve got tons of choices when choosing washed stone for landscaping jobs. It’s available in single colors, like red or slate gray, or in multicolored combinations with gray, white, white, brown and red. Sizes for washed stone range from 1/4-inch crushed stone, to 3-inch sharp-edged pieces, to 5-inch rounded stones, with many variations in between. Whether your project is large or small, take the time to sketch your ideas on paper or lay out a small sample design to save time and trouble in the long term.

Ideas for Small Projects

Glue modest pieces of round or crushed stone to the edges of a flat image frame. Hang the frame around a mirror and hang it against a garden fence or on the side of a garden shed. Fill out the spaces between the stones with moss or grout if you’d like a more finished appearance.

Glue modest pieces of stone around the outside or upper edges of terra cotta flowerpots. Lay the stones in a random or a geometric pattern and leave the spaces between the stones with or without a layer of grout.

Brush a layer of adhesive over a sheet of plywood and lay down small parts of round or crushed stone to form an abstract or representational mosaic scene to make garden art. Depending on the magnitude of this sheet, the finished polishing may be heavy and may require a safe fence or wall for hanging.

Dig shallow depressions from the garden and place washed stones in a circular pattern to form stepping stones, ensuring that the stones break at ground level. Add colored marbles for additional interest.

Ideas for Big Projects

Spread a layer of concrete over an existing concrete patio or path to make a stone mosaic. Set stones into the concrete and tap each down lightly with a rubber mallet.

Insert a stone mosaic edge to the edges of an present concrete path to widen it. Landscape designers in Clemson Cooperative Extension urge that entry walks should be large enough so two people can walk with them, about 4 1/4 feet broad. Backyard paths can be narrower.

Dig a shallow trench along the edge of a lawn or drive for stone edging. Set rounded stones into the trench in order that they sit in ground level to stretch and widen existing edging or to add edging.

Dig a meandering trench with softly curved sides within a place of your garden to move storm water to sewer drains. Lay a combination of medium and huge stones into the dry stream bed and also intersperse the stream with larger boulders. Landscape the edges of the stream bed with a number of plants.

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