A Guide to Selecting Landscape Stone

There are many beautiful stone products available to the homeowner today. How the stone looks, the design aesthetic, is arguably the most important factor in choosing which of these you will use. However, a number of other factors should also be considered. Among these are how the area being resurfaced will be used, the colour, age and architecture of your home, your project budget, and the level of maintenance that is acceptable to you.

Local limestone (in Ontario, examples are Owen Sound or Credit Valley), either in dimensional or flagstone, is the most popular choice, but by no means the only one. Granite, either native or imported, is very effective, used in cobbles for a more established old country look, or in flamed slabs for a more polished finish, perhaps for a French garden.

Porphyry is a natural stone that is very popular for its unique warm reds, browns and greys. Porphyry is imported from Mexico, but is also available from Italy and Brazil in slightly different colouration. Porphyry has some very ancient and famous applications, including the floor of Solomons temple.

For more contemporary gardens, the concrete-like appearance of Indiana Limestone is very effective, while New England Fieldstone and New York Bluestone provide a more rugged and colourful appearance suitable to country estates.

Many sandstones are also available. Sandstone is generally solid coloured and is a softer stone, less workable but highly satisfactory in many applications, at a slightly lower cost.

If cost is a priority, there are numerous good-quality engineered stone products. Many of these provide a very attractive finish, particularly in combination with natural stone. For driveway and other heavy-wear applications, these often are more suitable than natural stone.

Whatever stone you choose, a quality installer is crucial to a beautiful and durable finished project. Choose a landscape firm or mason who can show you a great portfolio and a list of happy clients!