Front Yard Landscaping Ideas With Rocks

Xeriscaping is a landscaping concept that’s been front and centre in the industry in recent years; it’s a philosophy of creating landscapes that don’t require as much—or any—irrigation. 

Rocks, stones, and boulders are commonly used in xeriscaping; they take up some of the spaces where plants would otherwise grow and they even replace soil in landscapes where drought-resistant plants are used.

While rocks, stones, and boulders are incredible for xeriscaping, they can also be incorporated into traditional landscapes. Whether you want to completely xeriscape or keep a classic front lawn, here are 5 ideas to incorporate rocks into your front yard:

Use Large Boulders As a Focal Point

You can enhance a relatively simple lawn with large boulders; you can group these boulders together or have one large boulder as a statement piece. Depending on your yard, there are hundreds of different ways you could position these boulders; toward your home or in the middle of the yard tend to be popular locations.

The goal here is to make the boulder look both natural and unique. How you orient the boulder is important and so are its surroundings. Consider placing river rocks or pea gravel around the boulder; that way, it doesn’t look like it landed out of nowhere on your lawn. 

River Rocks Are Perfect for Walkways

Want a pathway leading from your front yard to your front door? Consider river rocks. 

River rocks are smooth, round stones that have been polished by moving water. They’re an extremely versatile tool for landscaping, and we highly recommend them for gorgeous, natural-looking walkways.

There are two general approaches to building river rock walkways: You can create a walkway made entirely of river rocks or you can surround paving stones with river rocks to make a more solid surface for people to walk on. 

Incorporate Sustainable Landscaping With a Rock Garden

You can boost the aesthetics of your front yard landscape with a rock garden. Rock gardens include hardy plants that need relatively little soil and moisture. Shrubs and prairie grasses are typically used in rock gardens; in this way, they’re different from a traditional flower garden.

Mixing flower gardens and rock gardens together can give your front yard a unique look. We can help with both! 

Augment Your Water Features With Rocks and Stones

Water features are a bold, eye-catching addition to any front yard—and rocks and water features go hand in hand. Whether you opt to pair river rock landscaping with a small pond to create a one-of-a-kind front yard design or you decide to create a rock fountain, the natural look of rocks and water together is sure to impress. 

Build Steps With Large Rocks

When your home is elevated, consider choosing to build steps out of stone instead of a simple pathway up; these steps could be built to access your front door, or even to access features in your backyard, like a porch or a gazebo. You can surround your stone steps with other rocky features; boulders can make excellent borders for your steps, and river rocks can be placed around your steps.

Conclusion

Stones, rocks, and boulders can all play an important role in creating a beautiful, unique front yard. Winnipeg landscaping is often focused on lush greenery, especially in front yards, but you can combine rocks with lush greenery to create some truly breathtaking designs.

The team at Bulger Brothers can help. We’ve been designing landscapes for Winnipeg homeowners for years; we can boost the curb appeal of your home by bringing your unique ideas for your front yard to life.