Choosing landscaping stone is a fun and exciting process, but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking for. From flagstone to Armour stone to beach pebble, there are many options and it might be hard to know where to begin. We’ve put together a list of the top three things you should keep in mind when choosing your landscaping stone: budget, functionality, and aesthetics. Hopefully this helps you with your landscape design and prepares you to begin your natural stone shopping. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
- Budget –This is one of the most important factors when deciding on landscaping stone. You absolutely must know your budget, or you might find yourself falling in love with a stone you could never afford.
- Functionality — Ask yourself, “What will the stone be used for? Will it be walked on? How much traffic will it have to endure?” Stone is quarried and cut in ways to naturally work well with some projects and not others. For example, flagstone is a great option for patios or walkways, but it would not do well as ground cover in a flower bed. Some stone is more durable than others so you want to make sure that you choose stone that will last in high traffic areas, like a walkway. Avoid sharp rock that could be dangerous for pets or children, even in areas such as flower beds where they might wander.
- Aesthetics — You will want to make sure your landscaping stone matches the colours and style of your home. It’s important to take samples home to see what they would look like against your house, especially because stone will look different in different states (clean, dirty, wet, or dry).