Stone Pillars in History and Today

Ancient natural stone formations resulting from geophysical forces sometimes resemble pillars. For example the fabulous Lena stone pillars stand along the banks of the Lena River in Russia and draw people on four day peregrinations from Moscow to see them. Many ancient pillar formations have legends ascribed to them. A large rock sitting on Mt. Sodom in Israel is believed by many to be the wife of the biblical figure Lot, who turned to stone as she looked back at the fire and brimstone raining down on Sodom and Gomorra. A group of stone pillars in Kuklica are supposed to be a wedding party turned to stone by a woman designated to marry the groom on the same day as the first wedding. Massive rock pillars in Utah are said to be "Legend People" who the Cayote Trickster turned to stone because of their evil ways.

Stone pillars were sometimes set up to commemorate religious occurrences, such as the stone pillar erected by the Biblical Jacob, or were erected to commemorate historical events, such as the Allahabad Stone Pillar, erected during the reign of King Samudra Gupta, which contains inscriptions of stories about his reign.  In England, stone pillar formations at Stonehenge and Mitchel's fold were ancient astronomical indicators and places of religious ritual. The Katskhi Pillar in Georgia, was used by stylites (pillar saints) - Christian ascetics who lived on its top and eschewed worldly temptations –The practice was stopped late in the 15th century, but recently revived by locals. Modern stone pillars in Snowdon, England are used to guide hikers in the winter months through the treacherous snow covered trails.

Throughout the ages, stone pillars have changed their style and appearance and function. In modern outdoor masonry, stone pillars are used for a number of functional and decorative purposes. Stone pillars in residential homes may be used to decorate and or embellish a gate made of wood or wrought iron. Pillars can support a mailbox, and will include an attached address sign. Pillars are used to accent a driveway entrance, and may stand alone or with a light on top and or an attached  fence. Pillars can help decorate and or support a portico.

Pillars may serve as supports for a pergola. Pillars may stand under a deck as supporting columns or on top of the deck as decorative markers of the deck's border or as support for an awning that sits over the deck. Pillars can decorate the front of a home, enhancing its curb appeal and value. Stone pillars may also be built into a home adding ambience to basements, dining areas, and can frame fireplaces, cooking areas and televisions.

Stone pillars can be round or square, straight up and down, or tapered. They may have a capstone, such as of bluestone or granite, or they may be topped by a light or decorative piece. Stones used for making pillars include fieldstone, sandstone, brick, natural stone, river rock, brown granite, silver granite, limestone, or quartz. Limestone and fieldstone are easier to work with than granite because they are softer and more easily shaped.

Stones come in many colors, which the mason can arrange within a pillar to form attractive color patterns. The mason may fit colored paver stones into the stoneworks to add attractive accents, and pillars can be made to match the stone work in a nearby wall, walkway, or patio. Modern pillars can also be made of veneer stone. There are many durable types of veneer columns, the common factor being that the stone or faux stone is fitted around a pre-made concrete inner base and held in place with mortar.

Custom pillars add boldness, ambience, and distinction to any home's architecture These important, hardscape features add texture and form to the home's outdoor landscaping. From patios, to walkways, to decks, stone pillars can add accent and character to any existing outside feature.

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Resource The Turf Barbers LLC; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; 914 302 2469 

Hardscaping Theory and Practice

Hardscaping relates to inanimate parts of the landscape, whereas softscaping refers to animate parts of the landscape, such as grass, plants, shrubs, and trees. Hardscape is inclusive of decks, patios, floors, stone or concrete paths, pillars, stone or concrete walls, stone or rock ornaments, and rock gardens. Masonry landscaping is like a subdivision of hardscaping, and is inclusive of traditional masonry projects such as walls, walkways, driveways, patios, and pavers. Some outdoor masonry projects land outside the scope of standard hardscaping and include outdoor fireplaces, brick ovens, and gas barbeques.

Hardscaping has been described as the structural frame of a natural landscape and proper application of hardscaping or masonry improves the natural look of a backyard. Aesthetically speaking,, lifeless hardscape makes the softscape more meaningful. Hardscape also serves a psychological purpose. It's presence in the garden serves as a touchstone for modern man, who lives surrounded by hardscape like objects.


Certain basic principles of design help explain the role hardscape plays in the garden.

1. Hardscape is intrinsically familiar to modern man and serves as a center on which he can focus his attention, while in the natural environment.
   
2. Hardscape features are simple whereas softscape features are complex.
   
3. Hardscape features are relatively permanent compared to softscape features, which change with the season.
   
4. Hardscape features are durable whereas softscape features are vulnerable.

Below are added some additional ideas about hardscaping.

Because hardscape contrasts so well with softscape, even one figure or feature may be effective. Sometimes hardscape serves as accentuation, such as hardscape figures in the landscape, whereas sometimes the hardscape is more about functionality. Functional hardscape requires attention to the details that will enhance its functionality. Hardscape features that appear to cleverly imitate nature may at times be especially attractive, for example, a water fall feature that is built on a slope. At times hardscape features can be designed to imitate nature, and this can be especially attractive, i.e. a waterfall feature built on a slope.

Proper application of these principles can aid the homeowner or professional gardener to introduce attractive hardscape additions to his landscape.

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Resource The Turf Barbers LLC; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; 914 302 2469 Yorktown Heights, Landscapers

The Different Types of Hardscape Walkways

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There are stone walkways,  brick walkways, concrete walkways, and clay walkways. Specific differences between individual walkways also depends on the cost, and the style of walkway. Stepping stone walkways are made of chiseled pieces of stone carefully placed together to form a pathway. Forming a stone walkway is a painstaking chore as each stone has to be carefully placed by hand to create the overall path. Due to its attractiveness, stones for stone walkways are costly, as is crafting the path. Artful stone pathways, therefore, are frequently found in country clubs and exclusive neighborhoods.

Among the most frequently used stones used to make stone walkways are limestone, flagstone, sandstone, cobblestone, and bluestone, and each one is has its own unique qualities. Limestone comes in many colors and thicknesses. Flagstone has a non-slip surface, and at the same time is permeable, which permits easy drainage. Flagstone comes in many colors, and the stones are spaced slightly apart, which allows ground cover to fill the spaces. Cobblestone gives a rustic look to the yard. Bluestone pathways show off the rock's natural color variations. Bluestone pathways are easily constructed, and the layout permits easy water drainage.

Most commenly walkways are made of concrete. Concrete pavers are smooth, and are made as the concrete hardens in pre-formed molds. Concrete walkways come in various shapes including circles, rectangles, hexagons, pentagons, and fans. Concrete pathways are among the most economical and are a significant cost savings over stone. With modern stamped and colored concrete, walkways made of concrete can be made to resemble any other type of walkway.

Brick makes very compacted and long-lasting walkways. The mason or landscaper can place bricks together in straight or herringbone patterns. Modern brick can be made in many different colors so that it blends in with any style landscape or house. Brick pathways like concrete pathways accomodate children on bicycles or roller skates. A long wide brick walkway in front of a house can accentuate the size of the home, and compliment many American architectural styles.

Clay pavers can be constructed so as to imitate brick, and they are economical, as their cost is in the range of concrete paving.

If you are going to be installling a masonry walkway, you have a large selection to choose from. Your selection will depend on your own preference, your budget, and the current style of your landscape and house. A local mason who works in landscape masonry can familiarize you with all your options and help you make a selection that pleases you and complements your home.


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Resource Box The Turf Barbers LLC; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; 914 302 2469 Yorktown Heights Lawn Mowing Service, Yorktown Heights Lawn Mowing Service

Proper Lawn Care

Maintaining a beautiful well kept lawn is a challenge worth placing in the hands of professionals. With the proper equipment, professional lawn care specialists can create a thick beautiful lawn.



During warm months, the foundation of proper lawn care is regular lawn mowing. Mowing is to a lawn what haircuts are to the hair. An even well trimmed lawn begins to look attractive before anything else is done.


Edging, or maintaining even borders around a lawn is another important part of lawn maintenance. Professional lawn maintenance companies have special motorized edging tools that ensure the most even well kept borders.


As fall comes, an integral part of lawn care is leaf pick-up. Masses of brown leaves blowing across a lawn ruin its look. Not only in the fall, but in the spring, lawns that have not removed all their leaves, fail to present an expansive green appearance, which is so essential to any well kept lawn.


An additional fall lawn care task is grass aeration. Lawn maintenance companies use a mechanical device that allows then to punch our 1 to 2 inch cores of earth from the lawn at periodic distances. the punched out cores allow water and minerals to penetrate down to the grass roots. In time this helps to create a thick and healthy growth of grass.


An additional fall project is grass reseeding. Grass tends to lose its vitality after 7 years, so it is important to bolster a thick lawn with occasional reseeding. The ideal time to reseed is in the fall once lawn aeration is completed. Early fall reseeding permits the new grass to develop roots that will help it survive the winter. In the early spring, the new grass will have time to grow up and blend into the already mature grass, giving the lawn an attractive uniform appearance.


You can see from just these five important lawn care tasks that a large lawn requires the services of professional lawn care company that has the training and machinery necessary to properly care for your lawn.

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Resources: Turf Barbers is a landscaping and landscape design firm in Torktown Heights, NY.They offer deck building and refinishing, outdoor masonry, power washing, and indoor and outdoor painting as additional services. Call 914 302 2469 for more information

Types of Outdoor Stone Work

Stone Wall

Outdoor stonework is an important part of outdoor masonry and helps to beautify and enrich homes across America. There are nine major types of outdoor stone work and additional minor categories. The nine types include walls, arches and gateways, patios, outdoor fire places, stone seats and tables, walkways, steps, rock gardens, and water features.. Each of these major categories includes multiple minor categories.

Stone walls include garden walls, patio walls, retaining walls, and more. Stone walls may be made of granite, concrete, natural stone, brick, or many other types of stone. Arches include posts on either side of a gate and other similar structures.

Patios include similar types of entertainment areas. Patios may be made of granite, well placed concrete stones, slat slabs, natural stone, brick, or many other types of material. Outdoor fireplaces are frequently set at the edge of a patio. Similar structures that are also considered part of outdoor stone masonry include fire pits, stone chimneys, outdoor kitchens, and outdoor grills. Stone tables and chairs are often located on patios and are a separate category of outdoor stone work.

Stone paths and walkways are an important type of stone work. Walkways may be made of brick, concrete pavers, slate, granite, bluestone, natural stone or more. Stones may be placed tightly together in natural patterns or separated by spaces filled with grass and other natural vegetation. Pathways may include garden pathways, pathways around the side of the home, pathways through a wooded area or by a water feature. Closely related to pathways are stone driveways. Often pathways and patios are created in a matching style and the pathway  branches off from the patio. The stone work of a typical combination patio pathways might consist of split rock, granite, or patterned concrete.

Steps are another category of outdoor stonework. Steps can lead from the house to the garden, from the house to the patio, or from the patio to the grass and or garden.

Rock gardens are a beauty endowing sort of outdoor stonework. Gardens may be enhanced by a fill of pebbles, or can include a large well placed accent boulder. Closely related to rock gardens are stone walled planters, and any of a large variety of stone ornaments and sculptures that are used to adorn the outdoor landscape.

Water features frequently require outdoor stone work for their construction. Water features can include drains, stone water sluices, waterfalls, and runoff irrigation channels. Some irrigation channels are constructed so the rock basin itself becomes an attractive part of the landscape when it appears during a dry spell.

Other less common forms of outdoor stone work include cairns, and labyrinths. Cairns are a man-made pile or stack of stones, often found in uplands, moorland, mountaintops, near waterways, sea cliffs, or on the barren tundra.


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Resource Box The Turf Barbers LLC; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598; 914 302 2469 Yorktown Heights, Landscapers">Yorktown Heights Lawn Mowing Service

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