Bricks come in more shapes,
colors, and sizes than any
other hardscape material.

Durable Beauty

Unless you're blessed with a landscape that's already outfitted with all the hardscape you need, you're going to want to add a few paths, planting beds, retaining walls, and perhaps a patio or two to your outdoor haven. Of the materials you can choose to form the bones of your garden, stone is the best choice, adding permanent value and beauty to your home. Once you get the "skeleton" in place, it's easy to flesh out the rest of the "body" with plant material.

True, stone costs a good deal and it's hard, heavy, and unyielding (as are 8-foot Norway pines at planting time). But you can buy native rock from a local stoneyard, which makes stone more affordable than you might think. Remember this, too: Rock is permanent, making it a more sensible financial decision in the long run than installing wood retaining walls or ground-level decks, which eventually will rot. As for installation, if you can afford to hire a contractor to install your stone projects, go for it. If not, buy a couple of good books and start with a small project. The techniques you learn while building a small stone retaining wall around a tree will stand you in good stead when you move on to a garden path. Tap a couple of handy friends and exchange labor for labor.

So what do you need to know before you check out the local stone dealer? Just some rough dimensions, that's all: length and height of retaining walls or planting beds, and length and width of patios or paths. Your stone dealer will show you what rock is available for your project, how many tons you'll need, tips on installation, and so on.