Tap into the beauty of stones

Every space has character. Indeed, landscaping architect Robert Kariuki, categorises space much as one would humans. For instance, he describes spaces that barely interact with their surroundings as introverted. Such spaces, keep to themselves through high walls and tall trees.

“Every landscape has its language” says Mr Kariuki, adding that landscapes create moods, tell stories, evoke emotions and connect people.

The director of Lariak Landscapes adds that a well landscaped space balances hard and soft materials. Soft materials comprise things like grass, plants and flowers while hard materials comprise rocks, stones and the ground.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Mr Kariuki suggests that, when landscaping with stones, you first determine what is available by looking at what you have in your compound, and whether it is enough to achieve the desired ambience. If you need to outsource, determine which types of stones you need, the cost and transportation logistics.

Also, look at their positive and negative qualities and play up the positives. Play down the negatives by accessorising with plants, flowers and different types of rocks.

“Humans are the only beings that enjoy the environment for the sake of enjoying it” says Mr Kariuki. Our enjoyment should be conscious of the environmental impact. Therefore, we should ensure that our use of rocks does not negatively affect the environment and its other inhabitants.

Also, consider the number of people using the property, the presence of animals, and aspects such as lighting, wind and dust. For instance, you would not want to have animal droppings on your white gravel.

Here are some ideas that bring out the functional and aesthetic qualities of stones:

READILY AVAILABLE

Almost every piece of land contains stones of different sizes and shapes. Mr Kariuki says the first step is to find out whether the stones are movable. You can choose one large immovable one as the focal point and arrange smaller ones around it. You can then accessorise and contrast the centre with flowers and plants of different colours.

LASTING IMPRESSION

“The first impression is the most lasting” goes a common saying, so you want to make a good impression at the entry. Mr Rajab Ashiali, a landscaping architect at Lariak Landscapes, says different stone textures create different effects. If you want to create a calm ambience, he recommends smooth stones such as pebbles, water-washed stones or soapstone. For greater effect, you can add slow-moving water features.

For a rustic, rugged or casual effect, perforated pumice is arguably the most suitable stones. Pumice comes in different colours such as black, brown and grey. You can use a mixture of coloured stones of different sizes and then accessorize with plants. Mr Ashiali suggests creeping or ground flowers and plants as they blend perfectly with the perforated stone.

Alternatively, you can have an arid theme by combining plants such as sisal and cactus with stones of different sizes.

You can also use sculptures, which are timeless and evoke sentimental feelings. If you fancy art, you can go for stone sculptures at the entrance.

WALKWAYS

One of the most functional uses of stones is paving walkways. Rather than walking on bare ground, which tends to get muddy during the rainy season, you can line your pathway with gravel or flagstones. Flagstones produce a unique, tortoise shell-like appearance when arranged creatively. Gravel is the cheaper option as it only needs to be poured and spread out evenly on the pathway. For a dash of colour you can combine different colours such as white and grey gravel or white and brown because they also add vibrancy. It is advisable to create a short barrier on either side of the gravel pathway by piling large stones to prevent the gravel from spreading.

OUTDOOR SEATING

There is something calming about sitting on a stone bench just to sunbathe or chat with others. Granite or building blocks and piled flagstones make for great benches. Place them neatly and surround them with beautiful plants to create an outdoor resting area. If funds allow, you can hire experts to cut and carve stones into sitting benches.

EXTROVERTED LANDSCAPE

Unlike an introverted landscape, an extroverted landscape interacts and borrows from its surroundings, says Mr Kariuki. It does this through open spaces that allow inhabitants to draw from the beauty of the surroundings. If you live near a grand and mysterious stone such as the Luanda Magere and Kit Mikayi (both in Kisumu County) or the Nzambani rock in Kitui County, it is only fair to keep your landscape extroverted.

Before building walls and planting tall trees, scan your environment and look out for any artistically sculpted stones.

Other functional uses to which you can put stones and rocks include building retaining walls and staircases, and building gabions on sloping landscapes.

You can play around with stones in your compound yourself but engaging an expert can result in a timeless landscape with striking personality.