Natural Garden Walls Design

good fences make good neighbors but a stone wall also creates a glorious landscape. The stone wall may well have been the very first fence. Even though wooden and metal barriers are popular building materials, nothing can really replace the beauty of an old fashion stone barrier.

Of course not all stone walls are old fashion! Today stone masons use a wide variety of natural and manmade materials so you can order a nostalgic garden wall or a contemporary brick one that will blend with your other landscape features. Let's take a look at some of the materials now available for building your own stone fence.

The traditional garden wall used natural stones which were usually found around the area. Since rock is very heavy, walls are still commonly constructed from material which is readily available in the area. If you opt to use stones which must be shipped a long distance, you could easily end up paying three to four times more.

Natural stone is divided into three categories.

· Igneous rock - granite and traprock

· Sedimentary rock - sandstone and limestone

· Metamorphic rock - marble, slate, schist, gneiss, and quartzite

It's not just the color or variety of rock which determines the look and style of the wall, but also it's shape. Natural stone is available in three different formats. The shape of the stone often defines the style of the wall.

· Natural shape - Each stone can be stacked and mortared together in their natural shape. This can be done with very large rocks, smaller stones and even pebbles.

· Flagstone - This type of stone gets its shape from natural breaks. They are often flat slabs or pieces of varied shapes and sizes.

· Cut bricks or blocks - Natural stone can also be cut into uniform shapes. This is popular with more contemporary designs.

Natural stone is also graded by the fineness of its grain. The grade does affect the cost of the stone; however the grain also affects the stone's appearance which defines the overall look of the stone wall.

· Statuary - top quality and are used high end projects

· Select

· Standard - used in some stone walls

· Rustic - used in garden walls

Finally stone is also classified by its surface.

· Gang sawed - This treatment achieves a moderately smooth surface.

· Shot sawed - You'll be able to feel as well as see some roughness.

· Machined - This surface is smooth, but you be able to see some texture.

· Machined tooled - You can design the surface with two to ten grooves per inch, however this can get expensive.

Of course, not all garden walls need to be built with natural stones; many charming barriers are made of manmade structural clay products.

· Brick - The little red brick wall may be the most popular of this style, but bricks come in many colors. Don't forget to look at the surface; each surface affects the overall look.

o Ruggs Face - These bricks look like corduroy with a ridged surface.

o Smooth Face - This has a smooth, almost shinny surface.

o Matt Face - Textured surface

o Sand Mold Face - This is best described as a sand paper surface.

· Structural clay Tile

· Architectural Terra Cotta - You'll find a wider range of colors, veneers, and shapes with terra cotta than traditional bricks. Check out ornamental shapes for a fun new approach to the stone fence.

Remember, stone fences last a very long time and make a lasting impression on any one who sees them. Look for stone masons which specialize in stone walls.

To have a beautiful garden is like having a piece of heaven surrounding you all day. It gives us so much pleasure and space to relax and ponder our life. Garden walling can enhance such a garden even more. Let's have a look at some of your options.

You need to first ask yourself whey exactly you want to wall your garden? Is it to give more privacy to you and your family? Do you have problems with burglaries? These factors will greatly influence the type and design of walling you choose.