Designing gardens and working with stones is an art for me. Building with rock dates back to the beginning of human history. Many cultures have left durable evidence of their fine craftsmanship with stone masonry. It should not be surprising that such an abundant, indigenous, long-lasting and useful material would be utilized by our forebears. What is surprising to me is that it is not used more now.I suppose that this is because it isn't delivered to the construction site in perfectly rectangular blocks that can be quickly stacked into straight walls.

I have always been fascinated by rocks. One of my earliest memories is of making a miniature rock building was when i was around 5 years old, I attemted to copy what my father was building with large, heavy stones. Rocks are infinitely variable in shape, color, texture, hardness and so on. To me, laying rocks, either with mortar or dry stacking, is a wonderful puzzle, one that is best approached with a Zen state of mind. Nothing could be more satisfying than seeing the pattern of a particular wall emerge!

There is definitely an art to laying stones, one that can be learned by studying, watching or doing. One basic tenet is to overlap the rocks as much as possible, as one would do with laying bricks. This creates a strong wall that resists cracking along weak seam lines. Another good practice is to keep the very largest rocks toward the bottom of the structure. Every rock mason has his individual style, it is almost a signature.

Rocks are particularly suitable in areas where thermal mass is desired, since they can hold their temperature very well. This means that rock walls in the exterior and interior of a building, especially where they will be struck by sunlight, can serve to store heat or moderate temperature fluctuations. If used as an exterior wall, rocks should be insulated from the inside to keep them from bleeding heat or cold in either direction. A well planned and constructed landscape can not only provide years of pleasure, but is also a wise investment.