STONES

When planning and designing your garden, the first items to be placed must be the stones. Plants change shape and texture over the years, fences and artefacts are periodically replaced, but the stones are enduring and usually remain where they were first placed.

There are some dos and don’ts for placing stones. Use stones of different sizes, stones that have the same characteristics, and stones that have similar features. This usually means acquiring stones from the same location. Mixing different types of stone can produce interesting results but it is very difficult to get a coherent final result. To relate two stones to each other successfully is relatively easy. To relate three stones is more difficult. To relate five stones is an art, and if they are of different colours and textures this takes great skill. Do not be over ambitious, it is usually the simple idea that works best and speaks loudest.