What makes South Minnesota landscapes so breathtaking? Some will say it is the beauty of nature surviving in harsh conditions. Some will say it is the unique mixture of rocks and plants. You don’t need to go on a hike to enjoy these sights. Boulder work makes these gorgeous landscapes come to life right in your backyard. Here are six ways to transform your backyard with stone boulder work.
1. Create a Rock Garden
Vegetation changes all year round. Add a constant element to your garden with some boulders or smaller rocks. You will have something to look at during the winter months and will find that a rock garden requires very little maintenance. Basalt, granite rocks and boulders provide shade to small plants or can be arranged to create a seemingly random effect.
Combine larger rocks with gravel or chips for your paths or beds to play with sizes and textures. Use rocks to define garden beds, create a path or organize your garden in different areas. Look at some boulder work examples for stone gardens to get some ideas.
2. Fill in Empty Spaces
Does your backyard look dull because of empty spaces? Filling these spaces with trees or plants is going to create more work for you and your yard will still look barren during the winter. Add some charm and relief to your backyard with some boulder work. Boulders are half-buried in the ground for safety reasons and to create a more natural effect.
You can have them installed vertically or horizontally and even add some outdoor lighting features to draw attention to the boulder at nighttime. Choose a boulder with some cracks in it to grow a few plants and create a truly unique garden feature!
3. Add a Support Wall
If there is a hill or some other type of relief in your backyard, add some structure to this area by installing a retaining wall. This creates a visually interesting element, helps divide your yard into different sections and provides you with a sturdy foundation for the more elevated areas of your garden. Riprap rocks can be stacked to create walls or borders, but boulders are another popular choice.
4. Decorate Water Accents
Do you have a pond in your backyard? Add some boulders around it to create a sight typical of Minnesota. Boulders work great with any waterscaping project, whether you want to create your own waterfall with large boulders on each side or hide the base of a hot tub. Combine boulders with some moss-covered field stones for a more natural result.
5. Hide Eyesores
Adding boulder work to your yard creates a new point of focus while hiding what is behind. This is a low-maintenance solution if you would like to hide a gas tank, a pool pump or another eyesore. Stone work can limit your view on your neighbor’s property and even provide you with more privacy.
6. Upgrade Your Yard with an Outdoor Living Area
Boulder work can provide you with the shade and privacy you need to set up the perfect outdoor living area. Combine larger boulders with flagstone if you like darker accents and need a new surface for your patio. Customized stone furniture is a great way to complement the larger stone work in your yard. Carved stone seating, a fire pit, stone stairs or even a pool bar are all within the realm of possibilities.
The only limit to working with boulders and stones is your imagination! Use boulders, basalt, field stones and other rocks to make your yard more functional, add some visual elements, hide some eyesores and reproduce some of the gorgeous landscapes you can see throughout South Minnesota.