Landscaping with rocks in harsh weather areas is the answer
Dear Tim: I am building a retirement home in Utah. The location boasts lots of sunshine, but winter weather is a reality. Since I don’t want to spend lots of time taking care of the yard and the outside relaxation areas of my home, what materials would hold up best in this harsh environment? The area gets very little water so I want to hardscape with different natural materials instead of trying to coax plants to grow.
— Lacy O.
Dear Lacy: Just when I start to wonder if my college education would do anything for me, a question like yours ambles along. Seriously, I did graduate with my brain fairly stuffed with knowledge, but most of it was geology. It didn’t take too many field trips out west to quickly learn that some rocks resist weathering much more than others. In fact, all one has to do is look around at the highest mountains or the tops of plateaus to determine which rocks are the toughest.
You can sometimes get this same information from walking down a sidewalk in a major metropolitan area no matter if you live in Utah, Florida, Texas or any state for that matter. If the city has older buildings, there is a good chance many will have a stone or partial stone facade. When I look at some of the rock surfaces, they appear to be in the same condition as the day they were installed. But look closely at some buildings, and you will see rounded soft edges where 100 years ago was probably a crisp 90 degree edge. Some stones or rocks are indeed softer than others and subject to deterioration from regular weather including acid rain.
Granite is a plentiful rock that has a history of extreme durability. Some granites are much harder than others and repeated freeze-thaw cycles don’t harm them in the least. The high-quartz content of this rock makes it naturally resistant to just about the harshest weather Mother Nature can stir up. Other igneous rocks that have a high silica content also tend to last for thousands of years.
Since your new home location is so arid, you will also discover that many limestones will also wear like iron. Limestones do suffer some surface degradation in regions that suffer from frequent acid rain, but acid rain is becoming less of a problem as utility companies continuously work to lower their emissions from power generating plants. Fine-grained limestone quarried in Indiana graces many of the monuments in our nation’s capital and it has an excellent track record with respect to looking good for long periods of time.
I feel the key to successful hardscaping is taking your time to investigate all of the different rocks and stones you have near you. Not only am I talking about size, but texture, color and surface roughness can help you create a magnificent outdoor living area. Visit all of the local landscape or hardscape stores as well as any rock or stone suppliers listed in your Yellow Pages. If you are lucky enough to have a university nearby, contact them to see if there are one or more geology professors on the staff. They can be an excellent resource with respect to local or regional sources of unique and beautiful rocks.
I understand why you might not want to deal with living plants in your hardscape areas, but I think you may be making a mistake. Undoubtedly local landscape experts can show you plants that know how to thrive and adapt to all of the local weather conditions. If you are lucky, there may be some newer hybridized varieties that bloom more often and grow faster than traditional plantings.
I have seen several very unique hardscapes that incorporate both dramatic and subtle artwork that is often a blend of rock and man-made materials. If planned well, these one-of-a-kind pieces of art can add sound as well as beauty and become a focal point of a patio or veranda. I especially like hardscape art that incorporates recirculating water. The moving water creates soothing sound that you no doubt deserve as you enjoy your endless string of off days.
Do you need more information about this column topic? If so, there is a wealth of modern building material sources and time-tested building practices at Tim Carter’s award-winning Web site www.askthebuilder.com.
