Types of Stone Used in Landscaping
The stone used in landscaping is usually taken from a nearby regional source. Here in Northern Virginia, we use a lot of Pennsylvania flagstone and Tennessee flagstone. We also bring in a fair amount of travertine, a type of weathered sandstone with a pitted surface that is quarried out West.
We classify the stone we use in landscaping by the way it is naturally shaped and by how we use it in the landscape:
Flagstone
Flagstone is quarried from layers of sedimentary rock. A fundamental characteristic of flagstone is that it can be split into relatively flat layers of varying thickness. It is ideal for patios, pool decks, wall caps, and garden walkways.
Fieldstone (Boulders)
Unlike flagstone, fieldstone is not quarried. It is found near the Earth’s surface in rock outcrops or in areas that contain ancient glacial deposits. This rough surfaced, weathered stone comes in irregular shapes, and with rounded edges. A key feature of fieldstone is its craggy edges, scars, and numerous crevices that naturally support the growth of beautiful moss or lace lichen. Fieldstone works very well when used in fireplaces, waterfalls and around ponds.
Stone Slabs
Slabs are usually cut 3″ to 5″ thick and are used for stairway steps, steppingstone walkways, and waterfalls
Building Stone
Can be any type of stone. Pieces are roughly shaped at the quarry so they can be fine-tuned on site by craftsmen. They are used in building retaining walls or fireplaces.
