With a stream you can create a small oasis in your garden. Moving water not only brings relaxation, but also ensures a better microclimate. If you want to make the stream as natural as possible, natural stones are ideal.
What advantages and disadvantages do natural stones have in streams?
Natural stones are particularly durable, do not release any pollutants into the water and ensure themost natural look. Compared to artificial stones or stream shells, they are a lot more expensive to purchase, but can easily be recycled.
Which natural stones are suitable for building a stream?
You can use nature as a guide when designing your stream. Observe natural streams and rivers. Which stones can be found here? Adapt the design to your garden and your ideas.
For a natural look of the stream,larger and smaller stones, natural stone slabs, boulders, river stones and gravel are suitable.
Which hard rocks can I use for a stream?
Graniteis a hard rock and looks particularly good in streams in speckled grey, red, pink or yellow. Bas alt is also one of the hardest rocks and is also ideal for creating streams. The anthracite-colored stone even appears almost black in the water and thus sets special accents.
Is sandstone suitable for designing a stream?
Sandstone, for example, is rarely suitable directly in the stream bed. Many sandstones are soft and lose material due to the constant movement of water. However, they are more suitable forindividual border design and are therefore often used for optical reasons.
Can I use limestone in the stream?
Limestone (calcium carbonate) is light gray, whitish or ocher and can therefore be used flexibly in design. Since this rock is relatively soft, it isless suitable for a stream, but can still be used. For example, a rock garden with limestones at the edge of a stream looks particularly impressive. Only small parts of the limestone dissolve in the water.
Where can I get natural stones for my stream?
Natural stones are available commercially in all sizes, shapes and colors, but are particularly expensive to purchase. Take a look around your own garden while you're planning. Do you perhaps still haveold paving stonesthat you can use? Or do you still haveremains of a natural stone wall? Alternatively, you can also ask your neighbors and acquaintances. You can occasionally find cheap offers in the local classifieds. For nature conservation reasons, you should not take stones from a stream or river.
Tip
Make sure the gradient is right
Even when designing a stream with natural stones, a gradient of at least 2 percent must be ensured. This means that in one meter of stream there is a 2 centimeter difference in height. A gradient between 3 and 5 percent is optimal. This means the water flows at the right speed and doesn't build up.
