When is a rock not a rock? When it's a rollin'! (Downhill.) Seriously, I've used several boulders in my landscaping efforts, sometimes with success, sometimes without. Here's a great article all about using boulders in your landscaping.

Artificial Landscape Boulders: Pros and Cons

A large rock or boulder can be a stunning addition to any landscaping job. Boulders can bring a beautiful natural feature into a lawn and are a much-coveted decorative element.

In addition to being impressive and gorgeous, boulders have a few other characteristics: they are incredibly heavy and not necessarily easily obtainable in all areas. These two unavoidable facts about the big stones have made many consider the use of artificial landscape boulders.

Using artificial landscape boulders does have a few advantages over using the real thing. First of all, they are of much lighter weight than huge rocks, making them easy to move, cheaper to transport and place, and available for easy removal should one ever choose a new yard plan inconsistent with the artificial landscape boulders.

Additionally, artificial landscape boulders can be much more cost-effective than a real boulder. Much of this cost-effectiveness stems from the benefits mentioned earlier. Because they are lighter and do not require as much human effort to move and place, they can often be obtained and utilized at a much lower cost. This cost-savings is particularly pronounced for those who live in areas where real boulders are uncommon.

There are, however, some disadvantages to using artificial landscape boulders. Initially, artificial landscape boulders do not offer the permanency of real stone. Authentic landscape boulders are millions of years old and have several more million years of use left in them! Even the highest-quality artificial version cannot boast that kind of longevity. Longevity isn’t the only issue, though, durability is. Even the toughest artificial rock is much more prone to breakage or discoloration than a real boulder.

Also, even the most painstaking reproduction of a boulder will be a little less than perfect. Great man-made boulders are available and, from even a close distance, the difference in appearance may be negligible. However, in many cases, artificial landscape boulders just don’t look quite “right.” A faux stone, no matter how good the reproduction, will never exactly mimic the look of an actual boulder.

If one plans on making use of one or more boulders in their next project, they might want to consider going artificial. That will save them money and increase convenience. However, if one is seeking the ultimate boulder for their project, they should rely on an actual stone in their landscaping plans.