Natural stone is a universal component of landscape design. It harmonizes with any plants, trees and flowers. Using this material, you can implement many beautiful and practical ideas for landscaping your local area.
Man-made pond with a stone border Source happymodern.ru
Alpine slide with succulents Source papamamaja.ru
Stones in garden landscape design
The art of garden design lies in the natural combination of basic natural components: plants, water and stone.
Artificial waterfall in the garden Source pinterest.com
Natural stones for landscape design are more expensive than artificial decorative materials, but have many advantages over them:
- unlimited service life;
- resistance to adverse weather conditions;
- strength;
- natural beauty;
- environmental safety (except for those cases when harmful chemical compounds are used during mining).
Design of the local area with coniferous plants and stones Source domik.ua
Unusual stone layout Source landshaftnyj-dizajn-v-izhevske.ru
Landscape designers classify all decorative stones according to their size and shape:
- Boulders: large rounded stones formed under the influence of natural elements and time.
- Cobblestones: rounded fragments of rock (quartz, jasper, granite, etc.) of medium size (10-30 cm), traditionally used for paving roads and building walls.
- Pebbles: rounded small (1-10 cm) fragments of rocks formed under the influence of water flows or coastal waves.
- Blocks: large-sized, unhewn stones with natural relief (irregularities, sharp chips, edges).
- Crushed stone: granular, loose material remaining after crushing rocks.
- Sand and stone chip screenings: fragments less than 5 mm in size.
Element of a rock garden on a site Source fotovmire.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in landscaping work on sites.
The world around us 1st grade
Beautiful stones in our house
Probably every home has stone products or beautiful jewelry with stones, but do you know what they are called? In this article we will learn about some stones, what they look like, what they are called, how they are used.
| Granite | From Latin “granite” is translated as “grain”. It is a granular volcanic massive rock. Its origin is associated with volcanic processes. It consists of several elements: quartz, feldspar, mica, plagioclase. Granite stone is the most common rock on Earth. Strength is an important distinguishing feature of a mineral. In modern conditions, granite has become a mass construction material. |
| Malachite | Malachite is known to both adults and children from fairy tales from the book “The Malachite Box”. This is a very beautiful stone, it is named after the Greek name for the green herb “mallow”. Malachite is often used to create tableware. It makes very beautiful figurines and boxes. Malachite is also popular in jewelry. Where can you find malachite? In the Urals. This area is famous for its malachite deposits. The largest modern deposits are located in Africa. |
| Selenite | Selenite or moonstone. The stone received its name in honor of Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon. With his warmth, beauty and mystery, he won the hearts of millions. Selenite was the first analogue of glass; dishes were often made from it in ancient times. In Russia, selenite gained popularity only in the 19th century, after a snow-white specimen of the stone was first discovered in 1838 in the Perm province. It was used in the decoration of the Winter Palace (St. Petersburg). |
| Turquoise | Turquoise has always been considered a stone of happiness. Turquoise is a very rare precious mineral. Turquoise is formed in sedimentary rocks. Turquoise got its name from the Persian word “firuza”, which means “stone of happiness” or “victorious”. Turquoise also came to Russia from China and Iran, mainly in the form of jewelry and weapons. |
| Amber | Amber is a petrified fossil resin, the hardened resin of the oldest coniferous trees of the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene periods. Amber is an ancient mineral that has been preserved in the earth and on the seabed for many millions of years. Kaliningrad is the amber cradle of the world. Over 90% of the world's amber reserves are concentrated in Kaliningrad. Vacationers on the Baltic Sea can often catch raw amber themselves by hand. |
| Lapis lazuli | Lapis lazuli can be found under other names: lapis lazuli, lapis lazuli, and heavenly stone. The lapis lazuli stone has been known to man since time immemorial. The pharaohs equated the stone with the highest jewels. Used for 6000 years. It is beautiful both in jewelry and in the cladding of columns, for example, inside St. Isaac's Cathedral. Ultramarine paint was made from mineral powder back in the Renaissance. |
Place every stone on its shelf
Find out what it is. Write the names in the boxes.
Design and draw your own stone decoration.
Where to get stones for landscaping
Having decided on an idea for a garden composition, you can begin the task of finding the necessary material and transporting it to the site.
To get stones for the garden for free, you will have to be smart. It is worth searching the nearby areas for abandoned quarries, quarries, and dry reservoirs. Suitable stones can be found at demolished buildings and construction sites. If the areas are protected, you can negotiate with the workers to purchase the material.
Steps made of processed stone Source yandex.uz
You should not take stones from abandoned summer cottages and garden plots yourself: the territory may be privately owned, so this will be considered theft. It is better to go around the neighbors and find out from them the contacts of the rightful owner.
Pond and paths lined with stone Source ledidesign.ru
The easiest way to get stone for landscaping is to buy it from stone processing enterprises or companies that sell products for landscaping garden areas. The price varies depending on the size (fraction), type of stone (boulders, pebbles, crushed stone) and rock (granite, tuff, shell rock, expanded clay, dolomite, etc.).
Bright composition with a dry stream made of colored material Source archidea.com.ua
The material is sold in different units of measurement:
- fine-grained pebbles, pebbles, cobblestones are sold in packaged bags (40, 60 kg) or kilograms (1, 10 kg or ton);
- tumbled stone, flagstone, hewn tiles, slabs of granite, marble, etc. are sold per m2 (the price varies depending on the type of rock and thickness);
- large solid pieces of rock are sold in cubes and m2.
To determine approximately how many stones will be needed, you need to estimate the scale of the composition: 2-3 tons of material is approximately 1 m3.
Ideas for using stone in the garden
Pebbles can be used in dozens of ways in the garden.
Rocky paths are the most practical option for using the material. For these purposes, you can use either special tumbled flagstone, cobblestones, crushed stone, or fine-grained screenings. Unlike paving slabs and concrete, even a beginner can lay such paths.
Paths lined with stone Source pipesz.ru
Using cobblestones of different sizes, textures, shapes and shades, you can give the path a natural look. The main thing is to choose pebbles of the same thickness, otherwise the paths will be dangerous for movement.
Cobblestones or pebbles can be laid in a straight line, in a “snake” or “zigzag” pattern: the shape should be selected for a specific composition.
Stone compositions look especially spectacular in combination with water: fountains, artificial ponds and springs, small pools.
Stones as a basis for a large waterfall Source yandex.uz
Using rock fragments, you can create an imitation of a dry stream. To make it look natural, you should look for a sample on the Internet or in magazines and rely on it when selecting and laying stones.
Panel of birds on a tree
It is not necessary to limit yourself only to stones when making crafts. Use twigs, leaves and preserved moss to create an environment.
What you will need:
- stones;
- paints and varnish;
- glue;
- branches, leaves, cones or moss;
- large photo frame.
First of all, you should prepare the background of the panel - on a sheet of paper or the back wall of a photo frame, draw the sky, forest or city, to your taste, this will set the atmosphere of the picture. Then place the branches on the picture so that they form a tree or part of it, securing them with glue.
For foliage, you can use real leaves, cut out of paper and painted, or stabilized moss. Draw birds on the stones and place them on branches, also securing everything with glue. The panel is ready, you can take the masterpiece to school!
IMPORTANT! If you allow your child to use stabilized moss, ventilate it before use and monitor the creative process. Despite the general safety of the material, it may have an unpleasant odor and should not be eaten under any circumstances.
Ladybug
One of the simplest crafts for kids. Here you don't need a lot of materials, just pebbles, paints and varnish. You can also add wire feet, but this is not necessary.
First you need to measure the head, eyes and wings on the stone with a simple pencil to make it easier for the child to paint. Then you can start drawing; here you will need only three colors - red, black and white. Paint the head and body with the first two, and use white paint to mark the eyes and mouth of the bug.
Composition horse
Here, just like with birds, you can use a background with a background on which your horse will gallop or graze, or you can create a three-dimensional composition.
For the second option, use a sheet of thick cardboard as a stand, on which you place a thin layer of stabilized moss, it will serve as grass. In addition, you can make several trees from twigs, placing them in the background.
To make the horse itself, you will need pebbles of three sizes: very small for the hooves, large for the body, and medium for the head.
Also needed:
- thick wire;
- glue (it is advisable to use a glue gun);
- yarn for the tail and mane;
- paints.
Cut the wire into 5 pieces, four of which will serve as legs, and the remaining one as the neck. Bend each of them a few millimeters at an angle of 90 degrees and fasten the wire with the pebbles using hot glue. When it hardens and the structure becomes stable, start painting, there are no rules here - everything is limited by the imagination of the creator. Finally, glue the yarn as the mane and tail. It is also better to secure the horse on the stand with glue.
Additionally: If your little one loves fairy-tale creatures, use bright colors and multi-colored yarn, and also add a horn to the horse. Now a fabulous unicorn will graze on the field.
Fridge magnets
Any of the painted pebbles can be used as a refrigerator magnet - just glue a special magnetic strip to the back side. And if you use crafts from the first point - letters and numbers - then learning will become even more convenient and fun.
Foot mats
Many doctors claim that walking on stones is very beneficial and can replace foot massage. In this case, this rug will be a useful craft. The main thing is to choose only smooth pebbles without chips and cracks, so as not to injure your feet later.
For the base, you can use the simplest rubber bath mats; it is convenient to glue the material onto them.
It is best to use pebbles of different sizes to maximize the effect of this massage. There is no system here, just place pebbles randomly so that they cover the entire surface of the mat. It is better to avoid dyeing and leave the natural color of the material.
Cacti made from stones
What if you don’t have the time or desire to grow plants, but a little greenery in the interior wouldn’t hurt? Combine the process of creating crafts with benefits for the family. Stone cacti are a great home decoration.
You will need:
- shallow planter;
- large pebbles;
- paints;
- varnish;
- small pebbles or sand.
The creation process is very simple. Large stones must be painted green and the needles and pattern marked with white paint. After drying, coat the pieces with varnish to extend their life.
You need to fill the pots with sand or expanded clay and then stick the finished “cacti” into them.
Constructor made from pebbles
A great option for developing fine motor skills and a sense of balance would be a construction set made from natural stones. This is probably the easiest craft on the list because the only thing you need to do is paint the pebbles in different bright colors. After drying, you can begin the competition and find out who can build the tallest and most stable tower.
Mosaic of stones
Another simple craft for younger schoolchildren. On thick cardboard you need to draw an ornament or any picture that will serve as the basis for laying out the mosaic. Here you can use both painted small pebbles and semi-precious stones of different colors. The complexity of the execution depends on the detail of the design and the size of the materials used.
Houses made of stones
Humanity has long been using natural stone to build housing, why not repeat this on a smaller scale for children. With the help of stones you can build an entire play town or castle, it all depends on your child’s perseverance.
There are a lot of options, you can simply paint large pebbles in the shape of houses, or you can use glue to build walls. For the roofs of such buildings, small branches tied together are great, and doors and windows can be made using popsicle sticks or cardboard.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated in making crafts from stones; you can choose the option that suits you in terms of time and materials. Don't be afraid to create and awaken your children's imagination!
Composition of stones
Decorative stones for landscape design look great in composition with plants, flowers and trees.
Alpine slide on an uneven landscape Source freshplus.ru
Ideas for composition:
- Rockery is a rocky flower garden. It may have the same set of stones and plants as a rock garden, but unlike it, a rock garden is located on flat terrain.
- Rock garden: a fragment of a mountain landscape, recreated directly on a personal plot. To make the composition more holistic and durable, you should follow the basic rules: large stones are placed at the base, medium fragments complement it on the sides and top, and small pebbles and crushed stone dilute the picture.
- A multi-level garden of flowers and plants, in which stone structures serve as supports.
- An installation made of stones and metal, glass, wood: for such a composition there are no uniform principles of construction; the personal imagination of the creator is important here.
Pebbles at the base of the installation Source pinterest.com
You can dilute garden greenery with the help of gabions - structures made of a metal frame filled with cobblestones, pebbles or flagstone.
Small architectural form – “turtle” gabion Source pinterest.ru
Beautiful crafts made from stones for school with your own hands
There are a lot of ideas for children's creativity, paint, glue, lay out mosaics. In addition to the fact that such activities develop perseverance, imagination and fine motor skills in children, they can also be useful in learning.
Drawings on stones
Draw letters, numbers and math symbols on pebbles with your child. This will help not only to complete your school work assignment, but also to receive visual teaching material. You will be able to lay out examples and words from ready-made stones, and the child will remember them, because teachers have long been repeating that in a playful form the material is learned much better.
If you just want to draw, then animals are an excellent option. It all depends on the skill of the little artist. Animals can be simple and stylized, a little cartoonish, or very detailed.
Make sure that your child has suitable brushes, it is difficult to paint both small details and the background with one brush, this can spoil the child’s mood and bring down the whole mood.
Decorative pebbles for the garden
Pebbles are used for landscaping local and driveway areas, paving paths, and decorating lawns and flower beds.
Laying material in a circle for a decorative area Source skif.websmith.ru
This material looks harmonious with water features: swimming pools, fountains, artificial ponds.
Large boulders of natural shape Source yastroyu.ru
Using pebbles, you can create a platform for an outdoor summer shower.
Stones in a summer shower Source dkds.ru
What can be made from large stones at the dacha
Large boulders and blocks can be used in many practical ways in the country.
Elements with a flat surface can be used to arrange a summer area or patio. Large boulders made of strong rocks (granite, marble) can become the basis for a table and chairs. To make the design more comfortable, stone seats can be covered with decorative pillows.
Relaxation area made of stone Source houzz.com
You can make a stylish barbecue from small cobblestones and metal rods.
Gabion in the shape of a barbecue - a practical solution for a recreation area Source gabion-russia.ru
The stone is also used in the construction and decoration of stoves, baths, saunas, and outbuildings.
Large gabion with barbecue Source pinterest.ca
