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Stones add textural contrast and a feeling of permanence to landscaping. Long-lasting and resistant to harsh weather, stone features are also low maintenance. Whether you choose to use irregularly shaped stones to edge gardens or a pond, or lay down a walkway or patio with snapped pieces of slate or split flagstone, installing stone landscaping is a do-it-yourself project you can complete over a weekend or two, depending on the size of your landscape. Instructions as follows: Firstly, make a landscaping plan by drawing a basic diagram of your yard with all existing features, like trees, gardens, paths and fences. Secondly, mark the areas where you want to add stones, and leave a space to note which type of stone you want to use for each. Thirdly, select only 1 or 2 types of stone for consistency. For instance, use flat or split stones, like slate, bluestone or flagstones, for a patio or path and irregularly-shapes stones, like crushed granite or fieldstones, for edging and secondary paths. Fourthly, excavate the site with a shovel for a walkway or patio. Dig until the area is 8 inches deep and flat. Fifthly, fill the hole with 5 inches of aggregate. Tamp it with a tamping tool for a strong base. Rake 1 inch of fine sand over the aggregate. Set edge restraints against the inner sides of the site. Sixthly, lay your flat paving stones in the sand with as little a gap between stones as possible. Fit larger stones together like a jigsaw puzzle. Fill in the gaps between the surface pieces with fine sand to prevent debris between the gaps and hold the stones still. Seventhly, lay a casual, secondary path to a garden or pond. Dig out 4 inches of dirt with a shovel and lay landscaping fabric across the bottom to stop weeds and improve drainage. Fill the trench with river rocks or decomposed crushed granite, tamping the rocks after every 1-inch layer so the walkway doesn't shift under foot traffic. Eighthly, measure the edging stones with a tape measure. Dig 2 trenches, 6 inches deep, along the sides of the walkway or garden you want to edge. The trench should be 2 inches wider than the width of the stones. Ninthly, add 3 inches of gravel into the trench, tamp it down and smooth a 1-inch layer of sand over the gravel. Tenthly, place the edging stones in the trench flush against each other. Stuff smaller stones between the gaps. Backfill the trench with gravel once all of the stones are in place. Eleventh, create a rock garden in an area with poor drainage. Dig the area down about 5 inches, and fill it with crushed rock or decomposed crushed granite. The water-penetrable surface will absorb excess water and stop weeds from growing. Stack larger flagstones to a height of about 2 feet for a simple focal point. Finally, let me have a short conclusion. As a top-rated business E-platform of promoting stone industry, we analyze the B to B international purchasing flow carefully and set up network marketing solutions for stone trading enterprises involved. If you are really interested in us and want to consult us freely, you can also become a loyal follower of us by @ https://twitter.com/stonebtb.
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