Are you planning a garden makeover? Then, you should take into consideration black rocks. Recently, they have become very popular and have displaced the trendy mulch.
The reasons for the new outdoor trend are that black rocks add elegance, sophistication, and style to the exterior. When it comes to their properties, black rocks are a material offering plenty of advantages such as durability, porosity, moisture retention, and weed control.
In this article, we are going to explore 25 Creative Ways to Use Black Rocks in Your Landscaping Design.
1. Mexican Black Pebbles
Mexican black pebbles are entirely natural volcanic beach rocks originating from Mexico. They come in a variety of sizes and finishes and are great for landscape designs that create contrast. You can find them in a polished and unpolished condition.
In this modern suburban landscape, Mexican black pebbles in an interesting cut-out pattern cover a transition area between the wooden fence, the raised deck, and the lawn. They also cover a garden bed with ornamental grasses, helping to minimize weed growth and ensuring good drainage.
2. Black Slate Chips
Black slate chips are an alternative to the Mexican rocks. You can use black slate chips for landscape ideas that require contrast. This material is great for pathways, garden beds, rock gardens, zen gardens. It is durable, low maintenance and water resistance.
In this landscape idea, the black slate chips cover an area from the front yard turned into a rock garden with ornamental plants, large rocks and slab stepping stones.
3. Polished Black River Rocks
To accentuate a garden bed among a green lawn, use black rocks as a cover for the ground. They offer good water drainage, weed control and a visual aesthetics.
To create a beautiful and maintained garden bed with black river rocks, take off more soil so that the garden bed becomes lower than the lawn level. Then, plant the kinds you have planned and are suitable for this layout and cover the ground with the rocks.
4. Mexican Beach Pebbles
This contemporary backyard landscaping features a nook with ornamental plants surrounded by lovely Mexican pebbles.
Unfortunately, they are quite expensive because of the added transport costs, however, the final visual effect created by them is worth buying some for a small garden bed.
5. Black Gravel
To complement your modern and exotic patio, cover the garden bed with black gravel. It adds personality to the contemporary landscape and a beautiful backdrop for the different green shades of the plants.
Black gravel is another expensive landscape material because it is quarried close to Del Rio, Texas and also used in the road construction processes. On the other hand, this is one of the most durable materials you will enjoy for a lifetime.
6. Minimal Landscape Design With Black Pebbles
@going_green_property_solutions
Black pebbles are the best filling material for a minimal style garden bed when contrast is needed. Other stones would blur the idea for simplicity, style and modernism.
The deep black color of the pebbles when combined with white garden features creates a touch of refinement.
7. Pathway With Black Lava Rocks
Black lava rock adds a bold contrast to the landscape. Usually, it is used for walkways or around an outdoor feature like a fire pit. It is lightweight, porous and durable.
It provides a unique natural backdrop for concrete or stone slabs arranged in a walkway pattern.
8. Black Pebbles In A Zen Walkway
Upgrade the pathway look and improve the curb appeal of your home by replacing the mulch or plain gravel with black beach pebbles.
They add an exotic touch and a relaxing feel to the feature through the resemblance to Zen gardens.
9. Replace The Mulch With Black Gravel
Black gravel can be called decorative mulch for a reason. It can replace the mulch around plants, successfully providing the same advantages as mulch.
It acts as a protection of the plants by retaining moisture and controlling weed growth.
10. Natural Black Rocks For A Gorgeous Walkway
These volcanic river rocks are amazing! They cover the ground of a lane edging the house that is transformed into a modern Zen walkway. The puka lava pavers functioning as stepping stones are another gorgeous addition to this gorgeous landscape area.
When you step on them, you can enjoy the beauty of a garden bed with different plants with dense foliage, colors and textures.
11. Black Rocks As A Border Of A Garden
The polished black river rocks act as a transition between a granite stone walkway and an elegant mulch garden bed next to the fence.
The black color is the theme of this landscape nook, providing a focal point and a lovely natural contrast for the greenery.
12. Draw Attention To A Garden Bed With Lava Rocks
If you have a garden bed in front of your patio and want to highlight its beauty, cover it with black rocks.
You can use natural black stone or polished material to instantly turn the garden into a focal point.
13. Black Slate Rocks For An Edging Garden
A natural and elegant way to highlight your house is to surround it with a beautiful garden. To enhance the interest and improve the curb appeal, consider covering the soil with black stones other than mulch.
Black slate chips are trendy as they provide a sophisticated contrast, low maintenance and durability.
14. A Black Oasis Amid The Green Lawn
Check out how amazing lava rocks look in this landscape idea! They cover the entire garden beds, providing a bold contrast with the adjacent lawn.
The two garden beds have an interesting curved shape that is highlighted by paving edging. You may notice that most of the time, lava rocks are preferred in garden beds with shrubs and other tall plants because of the thickness of the material.
15. Black Granite Rocks
Black granite stones are another gorgeous material for garden beds, known for the tiny shiny speckles in their texture. It is also durable and moisture-retaining.
People tend to use it as an accent to water features or borders but it also makes a significant difference to the visual appearance when applied over the soil in the place of mulch.
16. Ensure Low Maintenance Of The Garden With Mexican Black Rocks
@Marc Mason Landscape Services
The natural Mexican beach pebbles are one of the greatest in color and shape stones you can use to enhance the curb appeal of your property.
In addition to the visual effect, these pebbles ensure good durability, resistance to fading, chipping and cracking. You don’t have to replace them every two years as you would have to in the case of mulch. Also, the Mexican rocks defend the garden from weeds.
17. Black Pebbles Mixed With Other Rock Types
Black pebbles can be a good addition to other hardscape materials such as flagstones, pavers, bricks and even concrete.
It doesn’t matter what the style of your garden bed is, as the black color and round shape of these rocks can only make the existing landscape more elegant and sophisticated.
18. Rock Garden With Black Gravel
In this tailor-made home, black gravel has been used to create a contrast with the stamped concrete walkway leading to the front door.
It covers entirely one big garden bed and a smaller one in the shape of a stripe edging half of the house. The plants chosen for the gravel garden are ornamental grasses, shrubs that bloom and a tree complemented by large rocks that complete the rock garden idea.
19. Tropical Garden With Polished Black Pebbles
This is another proof that black rocks fit any type and style of garden.
In this edging garden with tropical plants, the black polished pebbles cover the bed, setting the perfect conditions for the thriving of all kinds.
20. Mexican Rocks In A Stylish Minimalist Garden
When the Mexican pebbles are dry, they have a gray color that is also fantastic for your landscape project. Their bluish hue makes them a good match with concrete, granite and stone slabs.
This gray shade also provides a lovely contrast for the greenery you have chosen to plant next or amid it.
21. Rock Garden With Mixed Pebbles
You can use the black rocks to create a beautiful contrasting pattern with other colors of rocks or mix them all and turn them into a beautiful mosaic.
The owners of the garden above have decided to go for the second option and cover the entire garden bed with mixed pebble colors. This enhances the natural feel of the landscape design and reminds one of a dry streambed.
22. Lava Stone As Part Of Garden Sculptural Enhancements
If you are looking for a filling material that can complement a modern garden layout featuring minimalist sculptures, there is no better option than black lava stones.
Take a look at the example above! The lava stones are of the perfect color and smooth round shape that can highlight the style and pattern of the repetitive stone spheres.
23. Black Rocks As A Landscape Nook Transition
Black rocks can be used to transform an odd part of the garden or to create a bold transition between two backyard features. This image pictures the second option. The black gravel covers a curved area between the sand game basin and the pool.
The black rocks add texture and depth to the landscape and a visual appeal.
24. Urban Garden Bed With Black Rocks
@Exterior Worlds Landscaping Design
The black lava rocks in this landscape idea are used to ever a part of a garden bed edging the modern house.
Instead of plants directly in the ground, Impatiens is planted in metal black containers standing on the black rock surface. The outdoor rock border creates a lovely transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.
25. Mini Zen Garden
A little is a lot! Have you heard this expression? This mini garden oasis proves it! Sometimes, even the smallest indoor garden could change your mood and relax your senses.
The homeowner has utilized the small space to the maximum, aiming to recreate a Zen garden. In the center, there is a tiny lawn with large rocks, surrounded by black pebbles. The decoration consists of stone containers for water, a small garden bed and typical Japanese plants.
