Using rocks to decorate a landscape

Classy Rocks' landscaping

Decorative Landscaping Rocks By Jake Gorney
One of the best ways to add a special touch to your yard and flower beds is by using decorative landscaping rocks. Using these rocks you can achieve a classy look that does not have to cost much. The uses of landscaping rocks are almost endless. You can use them to make borders or rings around trees. The latter can be a great way to keep both animals and people away from tree trunks to prevent damage. Rocks can also be used to make paths in your yard. This way you will not have to walk through the mud when the weather gets rainy. Steps can also be made using rocks as can walls, railings and even seats and tables.

One way to use landscaping rocks is by stacking them around the edges of places where you don't want people to walk. This is not only effective, it also looks great. You can use large stones for this and put them in the ground when the earth is slightly wet. Smaller stones can also be used. These should be stacked on top of each other. You will find that when stacking you will have to dig down into the ground a bit to anchor the bottom stones into the ground.

Doing landscaping with rocks can be quite a bit of work and you should also be careful as it is easy to injure yourself when working with them. Before beginning your work it might be a good idea to do some research online on how to safely handle rocks and how to protect your hands and toes while working. If you will be using very large rocks you will probably need to rent equipment to move them around. This is why it is very important to plan ahead when using big rocks. Once they are in place you will not be able to move them easily.

An addition to the landscape...ornamental grass

Different types of ornamental grass

Ornamental Grass
Grasses, sedges and rushes are a great addition to the landscape. The ornamental grasses can be very short, from just a few inches tall to 10 feet or more. Some of the ornamental grasses are very fertile and can cause problems in the landscape and in the wild if they escape. Other ornamental grasses seem quite tame. I use the ornamental grasses and similar plants often to soften a border or to provide movement in the landscape. Or in some cases to make a very lush environment. The ornamental grasses will rustle in the wind. Many of these plants, such as Scirpus, Carex, Juncus, and Chondropetalum, are great in or near water. Though if you are near a wetland you should have caution when planting plants that might do just a little too well if they escape. Lomandra is even fragrant. One can smell as one walk down the garden path long before getting there.

Lomadra longifolia
Lomadra longifolia has done well for me in some of the most difficult conditions. I have grown it in full sun, dark shade, near swampy winters and baked summers without irrigation. All Lomandra longifolia has done is produce sweet smelling blooms. While the fragrant spikes on the flowers look like they could do some real damage when you go to smell them they are not very stiff. Plants can be expected to grow to 5 feet tall and wide, the dwarf varieties 3-4 feet. Lomandra longifolia is a natural understory to Eucalyptus. Two dwarf varieties of Lomandra that are available in the marketplace are Gary's Dwarf, and Breeze (aka Tanika). Our plants have shown no winter damage when temperatures dipped into the mid teens.

The Ornamentals' Plant

Information on Ornamental Plants

Ornamental plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower garden or as house plants. Most commonly they are grown for the display of their flowers. Other common ornamental features include leaves, scent, fruit, stem and bark. In some cases, unusual features may be considered ornamental, such as the prominent and rather vicious thorns of Rosa sericea. In all cases, their purpose is the enjoyment of gardeners and visitors. Ornamental plants may also be used for landscaping, and for cut flowers.The adequate spacing between pots of plants prevents them from competing for sunlight.

Similarly trees may be called ornamental trees. This term is used when they are used as part of a garden setting, for instance for their flowers, their shapes or for other attractive characteristics. By comparison, trees used in larger landscape effects such as screening and shading, or in urban and roadside plantings, are called amenity trees.
Meillandine Rose in clay pot

For plants to be considered as ornamental, they may require specific work and activity by a gardener. For instance, many plants cultivated for topiary and bonsai would only be considered as ornamental by virtue of the regular pruning carried out on them by the gardener, and they may rapidly cease to be ornamental if the work was abandoned.

Ornamental plants and trees are distinguished from utilitarian and crop plants, such as those used for agriculture and vegetable crops, and for forestry or as fruit trees. This does not preclude any particular type of plant being grown both for ornamental qualities in the garden, and for utilitarian purposes in other settings. Thus lavender is typically grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, but may also be grown as a crop plant for the production of lavender oil.

Adding Charm and Character to Residential Landscape

Garden Ornamentals An Accent in a Landscape

Overview
Garden ornamentals are used decorate and add charm and character to a residential landscape. Garden ornaments can provide an accent or emphasis in a landscape, drawing attention to a particular direction. The majority of a landscape is filled with plants, trees, flowers and grass. Garden ornamentals provide a great contrast to the living things in the surrounds of your landscape, as they are usually static objects and solid, they provide a different texture to your landscape.

Garden ornamentals very much contribute to the magic and beauty of a landscape. Whether you have a small terrace or a large open backyard, garden ornaments will compliment any landscape design.

Here are just a handful of different types of garden ornamentals that can be implemented in a residential landscape:

Ornamental Plaques
Ornamental plaques are used for decoration as walls within a landscape. This is just one of the many different castings that can be used to decorate bare areas within your landscape. Custom designs can also be accommodated to suit your individual taste. A theme can be created by using ornamental plaques. For the small amount of space they consume, ornamental plaques can make a great impact on a landscape.

Sundials
This garden ornamental dates back thousands of years. In the past, sundials were used to measure time by the position of the sun. A sundial can be positioned for any surface where a fixed object will cast a predictable shadow. These days, sundials can be used as a feature of a modern landscape. Sundials can come in different designs, but all represent a certain feeling of the old world charm.

Water Features
Water features add elegance and beauty to your landscape and are perfect garden ornamentals. Fountains especially can be implemented as the main focal point in a landscape design. No matter how small or large your landscape is, a water feature can be implemented into any garden. Not only are fountains beautiful to behold, but the sounds are trickling water can be very therapeutic.

Troughs
Troughs are perfect garden ornamentals for planting flowers that will bright up your landscape. Troughs are very traditional pieces that will give your landscape that old world charm. They can also be used for herb gardens. Troughs are available in a variety of patterns, colors and styles and will add beauty to your outdoor living area.

Bird Baths
Bird baths are a beautiful addition to a landscape. This garden ornamental can stand alone and still look beautiful. Bird baths are designed to attract wild birds and will create a sanctuary with the presence of these beautiful creatures. Birds bath easily be implemented as the main focal point in a landscape.

There is an endless variety of garden ornamentals that can be implemented into a landscape. Depending on individual taste and the theme of your garden, this will assist you in selecting the most appropriate ornamentals for your landscape. Garden ornamentals can range from urns and pottery to large life-size statues, there is no specific criteria.