How to Use Rocks in Landscaping & Building Stairs
by Sunrise Inc.
Add stones to small ledges to create steps.
Rocks are a useful material in landscaping, used as everything from borders to walls. Adding stones creates more interest to the natural beds and includes more textures and colors that can make a space stand out from the others. For a bold addition, you can use the rocks as a surface area for stairs that climb up a hill in your lawn or wind down through a garden.
Rocks in Landscaping
1.
Place stones in groupings to create rock gardens. Use various sizes, from several large rocks to small ones not much bigger than your hand. Place them far enough apart to be able to plant vegetation in between. Use small plants and ornamental grasses as well as flowers for a splash of color.
2.
Set rocks along the edge of natural areas to form borders or edging. Dig a shallow trench to keep the rocks from slipping out of place. The trench along with the rocks will keep mulch in the beds and keep grass and weeds from creeping in.
3.
Set large and medium size rocks in your natural area at random points to fill in and add texture. Place a single large rock in a natural area of its own to make it stand out as a focal point.
4.
Rocks as Steps
1.
Dig ledges into the bank to form dirt steps. After removing soil for the first ledge, use a measuring tape to measure the height of the back of the ledge. Mark the back at a height of between 4 and 8 inches, depending on how high you want the steps and who will be using them.
2.
Start the next step up at the same height as the first. Repeat with each dirt step so that they are all the same height. Maintain a fairly flat surface by checking with a level. Since you will be shifting dirt around when you put the stones in place, the dirt steps do not have to be exact at this point.
3.
Place flat rock on the first step. Select rocks that will hang over the edge of the step at by 1 or 2 inches. This will keep rain water from dripping down underneath and eroding the soil. If the stone is uneven on the bottom, remove the rock from the dirt step and dig out some of the soil so that the rock will sit flat.
4.
Check the stone to ensure it is level and add additional rocks to fill in the step. Repeat the process with each additional stair until you reach the top.
Things You Will Need
Shovel
Level
