Move it
A good wheelbarrow is handy, but better still is a two-wheeled hand truck or dolly, because they are lower to the ground and more stable. There are also versatile work carts on the market that come with straps to carry large rocks. These require less lifting power. Use a hand truck with large pneumatic tires to better transport heavy loads, such as large flagstones or rocks, across lawns and uneven or rough ground.
Roll it
To move large rocks into place, I have used hefty PVC pipes as rollers. This moving technique works best on flat ground and you will need at least one helper to shift the pipes while you roll the rock forward. Use at least three pieces of 4"-diameter “Schedule 40” PVC pipe. Lift the front of the stone and place two pipes underneath so that the stone rests on the pipes. Set a third pipe in front of the stone so that you can roll the stone forward it. Then when the rear pipe comes free you quickly grab it and place it in front of the rock and repeat.
You can use a tree cart, or tree dolly, to move large rocks around. These can be rented at a local rental center.
Lift it
If you need to lift a heavy stone, keep the strain to a minimum. Use a commercial grade product such as the “Potlifter” that is designed for this task. It has lifting loops and lets you insert carrying poles. By grabbing the pole handles, between two to four people can lift rocks weighing up to 350 pounds and up to 34" in diameter.
By inserting carrying poles within the open handles, several people can lift rocks weighing up to 350 pounds. Having the right tool helps in these situations.
The product known as a PotLifter™ lets two people grab and twist the handles, as shown, to carry large rocks. Don’t forget to wear work gloves!
Wear Gloves When Working with Stones
If you carry stones or handle any big outdoor job, it is important to wear protective gloves to guard against punctures, cuts and skin abrasion as well as protection against cold and wet conditions. Look for well-fitting gloves that have a wrist closure. This provides an extra-close fit that prevents things from getting inside the glove. Dorian Winslow, president and owner of Womanswork, manufacturer of gardening gloves and much more, says the most important things to look for in a work glove, besides good fit, are good grip and materials that offer good resistance to abrasion. This applies both to leather or non leather gloves with features such as doubly reinforced fingertips and padded palms.
Seven Tips for Placing Rocks in a Rock Garden
You may think that placing rocks in a slope or on a flat plain is no big deal, but in fact, there are several considerations that go into making an appealing rockery. Below are some guidelines; as with most things, they are only suggestions. Feel free to do what makes sense to you.
1. Bury the rocks at least 1/3 in the ground to create a natural appearance. You can bury deeper if you want.
2. There should be more rocks that sit horizontally than vertically. This “grounds” the scene.
3. Have the natural “face” of the rock visible, in accordance with how it was positioned in nature.
4. If the rocks are stratified or have lines, locate the rocks so that these lines run in the same direction with each other. This ensures that they don’t look scattered and strewn about.
5. Slant the rocks slightly to direct rainwater into the soil.
6. Locate larger stones toward the base of the slope and smaller ones uphill. This mimics nature in a way.
7. Space the rocks to create crevices where you can tuck in creeping plants that will wander over nearby stones.
The Cactus Garden in Lotusland in Montecito, California, shows how incorporating spiny cacti in a modern rock garden can work.
A Cactus Rock Garden
A very different kind of rock garden can be found in Lotusland, a stunning 37-acre public garden in Montecito, California. The dramatic Cactus Garden makes up three-quarters of an acre and features diorite boulders, a coarse-grained igneous rock, a series of sandstone steps and unusual columnar cacti. This striking rockery was made possible by the donation of an outstanding cactus collection and was arranged by the landscape designer, Eric Nagelmann. He placed vertical columns of basalt stone throughout the garden to highlight the sculptural qualities of the tall plants. He also created deep planting beds among the stones and filled them with specially formulated soil suited for desert plants. The Cactus Garden is a powerful testament to the beauty of elemental stone and exotic cacti.
Exotic cacti such as species of Opuntia, endemic to the Galapagos Islands, make their home alongside specially arranged boulders.
The garden is mulched with one hundred tons of shiny black slate chips from a slate mine on the American River near Placerville, California. The dark-colored slate mulch serves to reduce weeds and retain heat in the root zone to keep the cacti happy.
The Cactus Garden at Lotusland shows us new ways to use natural stone in an arid garden. The sky is the limit when it comes to style and placement, as long as you supply the correct environment preferred by the plants. If you can get some tall narrow stones, why not try a version of this contemporary artful garden in your property?
An angular basalt block set as a standing stone reflects the forms of the tall cacti that surround it in Lotusland.
The orange daylilies planted around this rock outcrop are a vivid companion to the bright yellow coreopsis and the blue agapanthus. I planted blue flowers and evergreens to counterbalance the orange. A summer delight for the eye.
A Summer Flowering Rock Outcrop Garden
Large rock outcrops can be outstanding by themselves but, if you are like me,