A Garden Set in Stone

Walls, paths, steps, and focal points made of rock unify this landscape

gemstone has been the construction stuff of choice since humans first stacked Harlan F. Stone on top of each other to make a rudimentary protection . Used properly , stone brings people in touch with nature , creates a sense of timeless existence , and becomes an integral part of a garden . So stone was the rude choice for a native - works enthusiast ’s garden in northern California .

Our guest purchased this property for its spectacular views of San Francisco and the embayment , for the high - ceilinged rooms that open to the panorama , and for the stand of mature California alive oaks ( Quercus agrifolia ) on the property . The structured , Modernist landscape painting install around 1958 included concrete terraces tie in by broad steps and wooden retaining rampart painted black . It paid court to the design of the house but did little to concern the house to the woodland environment .

Our design called for a reduction of the existing landscape . There would be fewer terraces , and stone walls and flagstone paving material would replace the retaining wall and broad paths . The stone terraces where the oaks could be enjoyed would be tie with twist flagstone step leading past boulder outcrop , a pool , and through a chronological sequence of garden .

Match your paving to your house’s style

More than any other hardscaping ingredient , paving determines the character of your out-of-door spaces , and it make up mother wit to jibe the paving to the style of your house . For example , if you own a Craftsman - way firm , you might select an unpredictable pattern of hearty and rectangular flagstones lay in sand . A Georgian - stylus firm , on the other hand , calls for a more formal , rectilineal pattern .

For this garden , we need Harlan Fisk Stone that resemble the native Oliver Stone of the region . We settled on Shenandoah flagstone for the paving , Kennesaw wry - stack for the walls , and Sonoma fieldstone for the boulders . Though they come from unlike parts of the country , their character and color are like , and they look as if they belong to in this garden .

More important , the character of each type of stone express its use . The flagstone is smooth , wide , and flat , and “ order ” walking surface . The bowlder are rounded but sometimes craggy and speak immediately to the natural environment of the Bay area . The Kennesaw wry - stack pit is blockish and angular in character — a form that evoke they should be stacked in a paries .

Steps act as a transition between spaces

As a rule of pollex , footprint should tally the paving to make flow between levels , as they do in this undertaking . The exception is where you want to change from a more formal paving material to a less formal one . In this cause , whole step can pretend as the transition , and you have to decide which pave they should match , or whether they should be entirely unlike .

Stone tone should be set on a levelheaded concrete base , as they were in this garden , unless they are big slab that can safely be set straight into the land without fearfulness of subsidence or movement . In this garden , we crook the footrace of step between the different levels to give the garden an constituent menstruum .

The flagstone steps , which are mortar to a concrete slab for long - term stability , measure 412 to 5 substructure wide . The wide-cut expanse of steps invites hoi polloi to leave the bench and explore the garden . far away from the house , where the emphasis is on stuffy communion with the plants , the stepping - stone path measures only about 18 inches wide . This slows the visitor and encourage a nigh look at the plants .

Select stone based on how a space is used

How a space is used order your choice of stone . Flat stones with mortar joints are preferable for incoming , high - traffic areas , and places with outdoor furniture . Irregular , dry - laid stone are idealistic for garden paths and casual area . In either casing , verify the stone is not too fierce or uneven , which could present a tripping hazard , and not so bland as to be slippery when slopped .

Also consider color , porousness , and density when choosing stone . A light - color gemstone may brighten a dark domain , but could also make brilliance in a gay area . poriferous Harlan Fisk Stone can take over too much water and may have to be seal . A mild , slight stone should be mortared and laid on a concrete base to keep it from cracking .

In this guest ’s garden , the patio under the deck , adjacent to the pool , is one of the most used outside spaces . It made sense to set the flagstone on a concrete slab , with mortared joint , then transition to flagstone laid on sand , with plant joints , around the pond . Further into the garden , the areas become more unsophisticated and the flagstone again is laid on sand , with irrigation and plantings place in the joints .

Choosing a stonemason

Stonemasons are artists ; no two are alike , and most have rich experiences to partake . Therefore , it ’s important to have a sense of the style of stonework you like before choosing a stonemason . Clip photos from magazines and drive around snap stonework you like . Knock on doors to call for homeowner who did their fantastic stonework . Most will take account the compliment and be happy to recommend their James Neville Mason . If you are working with a landscape painting architect , he or she will be capable to show you examples of styles appropriate to your labor , and will know George Mason who build in that style .

Once you have some names , question several stonemason . Have them take you to see some of their projects . It is important to see work standardised to the style you like . Driving around with the stonemasons will also give you a chance to explicate a rapport with them . Ask questions . Do they hand - pick out the pit ? Do they mock up sections for you to refresh ? What are their workings days and 60 minutes ? How large are their crews ? How long do they believe this job will take ? When are they available to commence ? And what is their defrayment schedule ?

Once you ’ve pin down it down to two or three stonemason whose work you like and with whom you ’d like to work , ask for a fixed cost for the labor , and be sure to postulate what the price does and does not admit . commend , too , that the lowest bid is not necessarily the best one . A high bidder may have included prison term for a mock - up segment and adjustment , or just more time to do an peculiarly good job .

Dry-laid walls look more rustic

In a natural setting , such as this garden , where a countryfied esthetic is desired , dry - laid hold walls are most appropriate . The Stone are plainly stacked without mortar , usually battered back at a slight angle into the hill to good withstand gravity .

One of the beauties of dry - lay walls is that they do not require a drain system behind them , as weewee can weep through the joints between the stones . They can also bend and move in expansive territory experimental condition , without the crack that can occur in mortared walls . Dry - place walls should not exceed about 3 feet in summit ; beyond that , they can become unstable .

If you need something grandiloquent , or you are working in a more formal mount , Lucy Stone walls can be built on concrete footings with mortar between the stones . Where desired , trench mortar joints can be kept fragile and adjourn an inch or two from the face of the wall to give the coming into court of a dry - lay wall . Mortared stone wall may also have height limitations , want a rebar funding system , or need drainpipe and weep holes . Often , they necessitate revue by a morphological engineer ( particularly on the West Coast , where earthquake safety must be considered ) .

I. F. Stone can also be veneer over concrete block or a Freemasonry wall . This might be necessary where morphologic concern require a very strong rampart . When veneer a wall , pay particular attention to the corners and try out to obviate showing any thin edges of Isidor Feinstein Stone that will give a less - than - substantial feel to the wall .

When used throughout a garden , stone can become a elementary unifying element . In this undertaking , we used different type of stone , but the variety was limited to three , and these go with each other in such a way that they all seem as one with their environment .

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