Using stone is an inexpensive, effective and beautiful way to add interest and character to your garden, says stone buyer Carol Williams of American Soil Products in Berkeley, California. You can find a wide variety of stone at any local stone yard (figure A) and at many garden centers. Stone can add much-needed height and structure to an otherwise flat garden and can become the focal point of a garden. Before placing stone in your landscape, study natural settings that appeal to you. If you like the Arizona desert, purchase and place weathered sandstone in soft colors; if you prefer high mountainous terrain, select quartzite stone with sharp edges and an upright silhouette. Coordinate the stone with your planting scheme, considering color and shape so that stone and plants will complement each other and look natural. Mossy stones give a soft look. To highlight the moss, plant cultivars and species whose foliage color matches the moss. Or match foliage color to the stone itself -- for example, a blue fescue planted near blue-gray stone (figure B). Stone has many practical uses in the garden too. Strip stone from Arizona can be used to make a perfect dry-stacked wall (figure C), steps or an edging for a swimming pool.
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