Great Stone Landscaping Concepts for Summer Heat
Summer is one of the best seasons for landscaping upgrades. This is the season when you have a lot of energy, the creative juices are flowing and just about every plant you stick into the ground is likely to take and grow.
But with all of these positives come a few negative drawbacks. Summer can sometimes be brutally warm and this shear heat can chase you out of your garden while all of your hard work is burnt to a crisp.
Natural rock is a garden feature that can take the heat and can offer a lot of benefits if used correctly. Here is a quick look at a couple of smart rock landscaping concepts for properties that become scorching hot during summer.
Focus On Rocky Features to Preserve Water
Water is a precious resource that shouldn’t be wasted even in Melbourne. Lush lawns and excessive plant life can be an appealing feature but will require a lot of watering. To preserve water, more and more people are starting to invest in rocky garden features like dry creek landscapes, rock mulch, gravel driveways, stone pavers, and strategically placed stone along with succulents or desert plants to create dry gardens. These dry gardens are often easier to maintain, they can be just as breath-taking and they require a lot less water.
Choose the Right Rock
Rock absorbs a lot more heat than grass do. If you have a lot of rocky garden features then you can experience an increase in temperature. Choosing the right type of rock can help keep your garden temperatures from spiking.
Natural rock is available in a variety of shades and hues. Darker rocks and pebbles always feel warmer in the sunlight than lighter coloured stones because dark colours absorb heat while lighter colours deflect those burning UV rays.
If you are creating rocky formations in direct sunlight then it is best to focus on light coloured rock. Stone varieties like buff flagstone, autumn gold boulders or sandstone gravel will stay much cooler when exposed to direct sunlight.
Install a Rocky Splash Pad
Lots of property owners feel that installing a swimming pool just isn’t worth the additional expense and maintenance required for keeping these features in good condition. But everyone wants to have a little place in the garden where they can relax and cool off on a hot day.
Instead of installing a swimming pool, you can consider a rocky splash pad. Splash pads are a good alternative for people who want to cool down but don’t like to swim. It is a natural rock formation that usually has plenty of nozzles all over. When you turn on the water, the nozzles create small fountains all over and a shallow creek starts to fill up so you can cool down your feet and body. These garden features are increasing in popularity because they are safer than swimming pools, easier to maintain and they can be very charming in the garden.
Remember To Create Plenty of Shade
Natural rock can be used to create a great many wonderful structures and garden features and it can help save water. But they are usually not the coolest surfaces during summer. While installing new rock features, you should also look into adding some shade to help keep your rocky garden nice and cool.
If you have a tough time choosing the right rock type or want other fresh rock garden concepts then it is best to talk to the pros. Stone Edge Landscapes are happy to help you with any questions about natural stone landscaping and they are happy to assist with any stonework you might need done in your garden.
