Many homeowners start with landscaping when they start thinking about renovating their exterior. But landscaping is limited. If you want to create a truly astonishing look for your property, adding stones and hardscaping will be essential. Simply adding a few well-placed stones in your landscaping can make a difference. Adding a fully designed hardscape can be transformative.
Rock wall gardens are growing in popularity as homeowners see how amazing they can make their landscape look. Just as their name implies, these gardens are built behind a row of rocks, usually on an area of the landscape that is already raised. The rock wall can consist of neatly designed rows of retaining blocks, or it can consist of stacked stone or boulders placed sporadically in a more natural design. The wall is often built to not only create an aesthetic element, but also as an erosion control and land management tool.
Adding water features to a rock garden helps you get even more from the space. You’ll turn your once boring slope of land into something that looks like a tropical oasis or a secret garden. You’ll create a space where you’ll love to spend time, and you’ll delight your guests.
To get the best results, you need a hardscaping designer who can marry form and function, creating a rock wall garden that not only looks stunning, but that will hold up to erosion and land shifts year after year. You also need a designer who understands how to incorporate the water features for long-lasting functionality. The designers at Triad Associates are hardscaping experts, and they can design and install a gorgeous rock wall garden that you’ll love. They can also add water features that will take your breath away. Our hardscaping experts will work closely with you from start to finish to create a stunning finished product.
Consultation and Land Assessment
The perfect project starts with proper preparation. When you decide that you’re ready to start your rock wall garden project, we’ll schedule a consultation with one of our hardscaping designers. During that consultation, the designer will talk with you at length to understand what you are trying to accomplish, both in terms of the final look for the garden and your overall landscape, as well as land management. The designer will ask many questions and offer suggestions where needed to help achieve the results you want.
During the consultation, the designer will perform a thorough land assessment of your property. That assessment will evaluate the conditions where you want to place the rock wall garden, such as how steep the incline is, conditions contributing to erosion, drainage, and more. The designer will also evaluate the overall conditions of the landscape to determine any conditions that may contribute to problems later.
The results of the evaluation will help to determine the right placement for the rock wall garden, as well as any site preparation that is needed. Preparation might include grading, leveling, installing drainage systems, and more. The site evaluation will also determine the right placement for the water lines, motor, and other elements needed for the water features for your rock wall garden.
Our associates bring their technical expertise and their design sensibilities to this planning phase, determining how all the elements can work together to create a long-lasting, functional rock wall garden and water features, as well as creating the most beautiful design for the space.
Materials Selection
Besides the placement of your rock wall garden, the selection of the materials has the biggest impact on the finished look. Triad Associates works with a wide range of materials, and we’ll help you choose the right ones to get the perfect finished look.
The type of stone you choose will determine the type of rock wall garden you have. Some of your options include:
- Small landscape boulders
- Large landscape boulders
- Flagstone
- Fieldstone
- Granite
- Limestone
- Slate
- Manufactured stone
- Concrete bricks
- Stone veneer over concrete bricks
These stones all require a different method of installation, and they have varying degrees of effectiveness for land management, depending on their placement. Of course, they also have different finished looks.
Your selection of materials should be made with consideration to other design elements of your home’s exterior and landscaping. The stones should complement these other elements, ensuring that the rock wall garden and other exterior features work together in one seamless design.
Your selection of materials should also take your landscaping into consideration. Do you plan to plant along the top of the rock wall? Or do you want your plants to sprout between the rocks, becoming part of the wall itself? The answer to these and other questions about your landscaping elements will influence what type of materials you can use and how they should be installed.
Our expert designers will walk you through your stone options and help you understand all the considerations for your selection, including look, functionality, design requirements and limitations, required maintenance, and more.
Design of Water Features
Adding water features to your rock wall garden really elevates the design. You can transform what might otherwise be a simple retaining wall into a natural oasis.
There are a number of options to choose from when adding water features. For a dramatic look, you can choose to create a higher rock formation and run the water feature through it to look like a small waterfall. You could then add native, water-loving plants around it to make it look like it is naturally occurring.
For a more contemporary look, you can add a small water spout or multiple, linear jets to the side of the wall. This kind of design usually works best with a concrete block wall or a neatly designed wall of stone veneer. The water feature looks more like an art piece, and it contributes to creating a calming and reflective zone.
More options are available, and your designer will help you understand what will work best for your space and your budget, while still achieving your overall vision. Your designer may also suggest some options that you hadn’t considered, helping you to realize the full potential of your space.
Keep in mind that the selection of water features is about more than just deciding what will look good. Plumbing and electrical work will have to be installed through the rock wall garden and your landscaping. Your designer will help you understand what’s required and will give you suggestions for how to hide those elements within the design while also getting the right functionality for the long term.
Accessories and Landscaping
As with any hardscaping project, any rock wall garden with water features would not be complete without accessories. There are many things you can add to your design that will enhance it and give you even better results.
Lighting is one of the best accessories for any hardscaping project. You can place recessed lighting within or near the water feature of your rock wall garden, making it appear as if it is glowing and giving it a magical quality. You can also place spot lighting or fixture lighting around the area, enhancing visibility when you want to sit in the area in the early morning or evening hours. Lighting can also enhance the safety of the area.
Depending on where your rock wall garden with water features is located, you might also consider creating a pathway to it. The pathway can connect the garden area with your home, or it can connect to other areas of your hardscaping, such as a patio or recreational area. The pathway will make it easier to get to the rock wall garden, as well as provide some visual definition for your landscape. You can add borders and plantings to your pathway, as well as lighting.
Our designers will help you explore your options for accessorizing and enhancing your rock wall garden to create a comprehensive hardscaping design. Putting in one element can improve your home’s exterior, but creating a larger design can make the space into something really special. Let our hardscape designers help you realize what’s possible.
Call Triad Associates Today to Start Designing Your Rock Wall Garden with Water Features
Triad Associates is a family owned and operated company that has been serving the Haverhill area for nearly 40 years. We have built a reputation for excellence based on our high-quality results and our superior service. We are experts in hardscaping design, and we are ready to help you create a beautiful space that will increase the value of your home and provide you with years of enjoyment.
Call us today to schedule a consultation with a designer and start creating your rock wall garden with water features. One of our designers will work closely with you to bring your vision to life. We’ll ensure that every part of the project is executed flawlessly. If you need help visualizing what’s possible, our designers will offer expert suggestions and help you explore options with materials samples, sketches, and 3D design software. Call us today to get started!
