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One landscaping element that provides value when beautifying your garden is natural stone. It comes in various forms such as pavers, pebbles, and boulders, which you can use in diverse ways. Consider the following reasons for employing rock in your garden projects.

Make It Healthier

Natural stone can play a role in a healthier landscape. For example, you can spread pebbles across the garden beds to regulate soil temperature and to retain moisture. Alternatively, edge the beds with stone pavers to hold the ground in place and prevent runoff of vital nutrients during heavy rains.

While soil within garden beds is protectable, on a hillside, things become more difficult. The earth on a slope is exposed to harsh winds, which can blow away topsoil. Additionally, floodwaters during storms can carry the earth downhill, on a tide of water. To prevent this, you could construct a natural stone retaining wall to level the land and to prevent the wind and rain from causing havoc.

Decorate It

Natural stone is gorgeous, and thus it's the ideal substance with which to decorate the landscape. Diverse rock types bring their own distinctive look. Travertine, for example, can spread pink, ivory, cream, and peach shades across a paver patio. Slate tiles are imbued with deep blues and greys, tans and golds. Sandstone is warm and light, while granite is often darker. 

You can take advantage of this vast array of colours to enhance the landscape with pavers across courtyards, paths and pool decks when purchasing your landscape supplies. Likewise, when building a retaining wall or scattering pebble mulch, you can control the aesthetics with the hues you select. 

A large part of the appeal of stone is its organic character. As well, hard, smooth rock provides the perfect foil for feathery leaves and foliage. The contrast enlivens the landscape — the two elements being so different but complementary. 

Make It Safer

Rock can also create a safer backyard. Slippery and soggy lawns can cause family and friends to trip in the garden. Solid paver surfaces, though, are more reliable. Stone retaining walls also improve garden safety by stabilising the earth. Landslides and sinkholes are two byproducts of shifting ground on a hillside. You could be enjoying your garden when a chunk of land higher up dislodges in your direction, which is highly hazardous. 

Pooling water that encourages sinkholes does not create certain conditions either, and it can damage the foundations of nearby buildings. A level natural stone retaining wall will create more stable and less perilous conditions.

For more information, contact a local landscape supplies provider.