At Hanselman Landscape, boulders and natural stone are frequently used in the gardens we create because of their wonderful qualities.
Permanence—Because of their size and weight, large boulders require special planning and skill to place in a garden, but lend a desirable sense of endurance and stability that can't be replicated by man-made products. Even smaller stones, such as those used in walls and stepping stone paths, last much longer and have a more pleasing appearance and texture than their man-made counterparts.
Natural—Because we desire to take our cues from the best garden designs available, we find inspiration in nature and from nature-inspired, human-scaled Japanese gardens. Boulders and stones are prominent in some of the most beautiful naturally-occurring landscapes on the planet. Using these sources of inspiration, our team members have studied how to set boulders with a sense of permanence, stability, and quietness, making them appear as if they had always been there.
Contrast—Natural stone is a perfect foil to highlight the differences in texture of various softer elements in a garden. Boulders and stone walls provide qualities of strength and endurance against which a garden designer can juxtapose the more ephemeral qualities of delicate leaves from Maples, Dogwoods, and ferns, for example.
Contact us if you would like to incorporate the permanence, texture, and beauty of natural stone in your garden.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Boulders and Natural Stonework
Does Hanselman provide both design and installation services for boulder and stone work?
Yes, we do. We provide collaborative consultation and design services to help clients plan and visualize their outdoor living space. We can then bring your design to life via our contracting services. We can install a variety of outdoor features that utilize boulders and stonework, such as:
What is the difference between hardscaping and landscaping?
Although both hardscaping and landscaping focus on the design and maintenance of outdoor spaces, there is a discernable difference between the two. Landscaping is the design, installation and maintenance of living elements of an outdoor space, which pertains to things like gardens, trees, flowers and lawns. Hardscaping deals with the design and installation of non-living elements of an outdoor space, such as patios, retaining walls, and walkways. Also of note, hardscaping pertains to the installation and design of impervious hard surfaces rather than using existing stone.
To see some of our past work with landscaping and hardscaping, view either our gallery or click on our testimonials page to see and hear what our clients have to say about our work.
What is your service area for stonework and hardscaping?
Although we are headquartered in Manheim, Pennsylvania, we serve clients all over. Whether its Lancaster, PA or Boston, MA, our team will bring their expertise and passion to your stonework and hardscaping project.
Schedule a free consultation with us to jumpstart your landscaping dreams today.
How deep should landscape rock be?
The depth can vary depending on what size of rock is used. If the stone is a half of an inch or less, the depth should be 2 inches. We primarily work with installing stone of 1 inch or larger, which in that case the suggested depth for stone of that size range is 4 inches deep.
What types of boulder and stone are normally used for hardscaping?
We have used several different types of boulder and stone on past projects in order to add beautiful diversity to gardens and landscapes. We have used anything from limestone boulders for retaining walls to bluestone slabs for large steps.
To see examples of varying uses of stone for landscaping and gardens, check out our boulders and natural stonework.