Afew years ago, I helpedmy dad lay about 3 tonsof small (approximately2-inch-round) plainstones around his pool.

Every few feet or so we added a littledesign — almost like a stepping path —with extra bricks from the house. Itseemed like such a good idea at the time.Now that I think about it and look at it, wecould’ve done so much more. I don’tthink my dad went to a garden center andasked what would look good, and I’m noteven sure he would. However, if hewould’ve seen an example somewhere, sayoutside a garden center he drove by or inan advertisement, we would’ve been moreapt to venture out into the world of stone.

We could’ve added larger stones withmulch around the pool; we could’ve usedthose kits that help you make steppingstones; we could’ve accented flowers bedswith larger, matching stones — could’ve,should’ve, would’ve. It’s done now, sothere’s no use talking about it, but it doesspeak to a great new trend in gardenaccents: stone.

When thinking about stone, it’s easy toget caught up in the landscaping aspect ofthis material. You may not provide a land-scaping service, or if you do, you may con-sider it a completely different department.You may also not even carry landscapingstones. If you don’t, you might want torethink that because stone can be used formore than just landscaping, and your storecan inspire creativity when it comes toaccenting a garden with stone. The follow-ing are just a few of the latest uses forstone…and none of them are traditionalhardscaping.

DECORATIVE STONE Stone pieces are no longer plain and

gray. Gems are now mixed with stone toadd more color and texture. You canfind gems and pieces of colored ceramicembedded in stone birdbaths, windchimes, stepping stones, etc. The neweststone pieces feature designs etched intothem, color painted onto them andentire statues carved from them.

P R O D U C T F O C U S g a r d e n a c c e n t s & d é c o r´

For More than Just

Landscaping

By Carrie Burns

Gone are the days of plain landscaping stones used in placeof mulch or grass — lately, s tones are becoming a decorat iveway to accent gardens.

Stone:

Whether it be a stone with a collegiatemascot on it or one that pays tribute to alost loved one, decorative stones are gain-ing consumer attention. More and more,stones are communicating style.

WATER FEATURESWaterfalls. Stones are what make water-

falls in nature, and now they are includedin kits for the home gardener. Kits allowlarge stones (real, poured or simulated) tobe stacked on top of each other to create abeautiful, large and easy-to-build waterfall.

Fountains. Much like a waterfall, thesefountains are usually just over-sized singlestones with a hole in the top where thewater trickles out. I saw an abundance ofthese at the IPM show in Essen, Germany,in January. (See more trends from the IPMshow on page 6.) They’ve been around forthe indoors for a while — though muchsmaller in size — and have been very suc-cessful. Now they’re available for the out-doors and will most likely become as popu-lar as the indoor models.

LARGE, FOCAL POINTSEvery garden needs one, and stone is

quickly becoming one of the hottest focalpoints in new garden designs. Most often,stone focal points take the shape of large,natural boulders placed into the landscapeto mature and naturalize the setting, butdesigners are starting to refine this trendwith more shaped stone.

Even as furniture, stone is gaining pop-

Garden accessories The Longwood Gardens Collectionis reproduced directly from early20th-century originals selected fromthe estate of Pierre du Pont andincludes a finial, flower basket, frog,basin, pedestal birdbath and threeurns. Reproduced in natural caststone, the pieces are also finished ina choice of eight hand-applied pati-nas to achieve various antique,weathered looks to match any gar-den or décor. Campania. (610) 388-1000. Write in 1485

ularity. Though stone benches, tables andchairs have been around since medievaltimes and were used for functional rea-sons, they are now so ornate that peopleare using them to accent their gardens.

STEPPING STONESThe design of stepping stones is anoth-

er example of functional pieces turnedaesthetic over the years. You’ve seen thedifferent stepping stone kits featured inLawn & Garden Retailer; we often positionthem as children’s products because theyare such a great project to interest chil-dren in gardening. However, adults enjoythem too, and you can position them inany way you want. I’m not a child (thoughsome beg to differ), and I would love tocreate beautiful stepping stones and usethem in the right environment.

ARTIFICIAL STONEStone has become so popular that man-

ufacturers are satisfying the demand bycreating artificial stone — not just thosekey-holding fake rocks; artificial stoneshave branched out into lightweight fauxbenches, landscaping rocks, birdbaths,containers and more. Look to the follow-ing pages to find some of these stone andfaux stone products and other accents.

Carrie Burns is associate editor for Lawn & GardenRetailer. She can be reached by phone at (847) 391-1019 or E-mail at cburns@sgcmail.com.

A P R I L 2 0 0 4 L A W N & G A R D E N R E T A I L E R 2 1

P R O D U C T F O C U Sg a r d e n a c c e n t s & d e c o r´

Weather-resistantaccentsThe new line of lightweight, durable andweather-resistant planters, urns,pedestals and water fountains is manu-factured using fiberglass and resin. Withmore than 60 styles and five finishes perstyle, the selection of shapes and sizeswill suit everyone from the floral arrangerto the patio designer. Suitable for useboth indoors and out. KAS International.(800) 505-1380. Write in 1491

Headstone urn This headstone is inscribed with the following trib-ute: “If Tears Could Bui ld A Stairway, AndMemories A Lane, I’d Walk Right Up To HeavenAnd Bring You Home Again.” It has a container inthe bottom that holds the remains of loved ones.The headstone measures 91⁄2 x 8 inches and weighs18 lbs., suitable for placement in the home or gar-den. Kay Berry. (800) 426-1932. Write in 1492

Cover rocksUrestone, a new line ofhigh-quality, artif icialrocks is designed tohide or cover unsightlyirrigation valves, tele-phone and cable boxes,electrical transformers,well vents and others.The series includes 12rocks, varying in size and

shape. They are designed from a tough, structuralpolymer and use a 3- to 4-step coloring system toprovide a realistic look. Replications Unlimited.(314) 524-2040. Write in 1500 ç

Cobblestone kit Words In Stone is an easy-to-use, do-it-yourself kit that comes completewith everything you need to make word-bearing cobblestones. It works wellfor creating plant markers and garden stone messages. Kit includes lower-case press-in letters, numbers and punctuation marks, a 3 lb. starter bag ofconcrete, five cobblestone shaped forms, buff-colored tint, a trowel andinstructions. Magnetic Poetry, Inc. (800) 370-7697. Write in 1495

B o o k s f o r Yo u r C u s t o m e r sBooks are always great references for your customers, and an add-on for you. Here are afew to look into.

• Stonescaping: A Guide to Using Stone in Your Garden by Jan Kowalczewski Whitner

• Stone in the Garden: Inspiring Designs and Practical Projects by Gordon Hayward and Gordon Morrison

• Garden Stone: Creative Ideas, Practical Projects and Inspiration for Purely Decorative Usesby Barbara Pleasant and Dency Kane

• Sunset Landscaping With Stone by Hazel White

• Step-By-Step Outdoor Stonework: Over Twenty Easy-To-Build Projects for Your Patio and Gardenby Mike Lawrence

• Gardening with Water, Plantings and Stone by Carroll Calkins

• Stone, Rock & Gravel Gardens by Kathryn Bradley-Hole