Beautiful and functional, natural stone is a classic choice for your landscape design—whether the style you’re going for is rugged and rustic or modern and minimal. While natural stone costs more per square foot than other materials, you’ll appreciate its low-maintenance durability during harsh winters, and the “wow” factor it offers is hard to beat. Here are some tips for how to use natural stone in your landscaping from some of our favorite Great Goat projects:

Rock the Foundation

Slate or flagstone is a versatile choice for patios and walkways, as these sleek stones look good paired with almost any home style (stucco, brick, wood) and outdoor decor. Plus, they never need to be refinished like decking. While some homeowners consider pavers a DIY project, installation can be tricky due to the stones’ varying widths and tendency to shear over the years if laid down incorrectly. Give us a call at Great Goats to have the job done by an experienced professional.

Mix It Up

Once you have your walkway, build up using a combination of different stone types, which will keep your space from looking overwhelmingly monochromatic. A dry creek bed lined with shiny river rocks makes for a great contrast to flagstone, and a fire pit in a different colored stone creates continuity on your patio without looking too matchy-matchy.

Focus on Functionality

Since stone is such a long-lasting (and comparatively pricey) material, put it to good use! Instead of buying patio furniture that you’ll have to store during the winter and replace after several years, consider using rough-hewn accent stones as seating. Like the look of those dry creek beds? They also serve as drainage channels to protect your home.

Nature Is the Best Teacher

Natural stones and forest rocks are a great way to personalize an otherwise standard backyard and give you the serenity and privacy of a walk in the woods. Instead of buying a prefab fountain, consider installing a custom one lined in shiny river rocks. We also love using using large boulders as decorative accents to add visual interest to flower beds and borders.

With nearly two decades of experience in natural stone installations, we here at Great Goats are eager to help you bring the great outdoors into your own backyard.