Why Add Boulders to Your Garden?

Look around our beautiful North Bay. We are blessed with a range of natural geologic landscapes: Mt. Tam, Mt. Saint Helena, Point Reyes, inland hills, coastal cliffs, volcanic remnants of Sonoma Mountain, to name just a few. Our regional geology reflects the greater landscape and can serve as a springboard for your own backyard garden design.

Why add boulders to your garden?

• Habitat creation. Mosses and lichens grow on a boulder’s cool, north-facing side, while ferns thrive in its shade. Meanwhile, its warmer south-facing side complements lavender and other sun-loving plants. Carefully drilled holes can provide bird and bee baths. And beneath the boulder lies a moist habitat for soil-loving creatures, from tiny pill bugs to gopher snakes.
• Creative practicality. When artfully placed on sloping land, boulders can retain soil and curb erosion. They can define entryways and gathering spaces, or serve as a border. They inherently complement ponds and waterfalls. Boulders give a sense of perspective and scale.
• A sense of place. People are naturally drawn to boulders as a spot to lean against, for children to climb on and for literally grounding the landscape with a sense of permanence. After all, trees and plants eventually return to the earth, but boulders feel timeless.

Boulders and water are a natural fit.

There are boulders to fit any landscape palette, from color, to size, to texture. When considering boulders you can choose from local and regional rock types such as Sonoma and Napa fieldstone, Sierra granite, and slate, quartz and volcanic boulders from various California locales. We like to use local rock types to evoke an extension of the natural surrounding environment. Another factor to consider: locally sourced boulders require shorter transport distances, saving time and money.