Boxes of rocks

We're not the kind of people who take vacations along white sand beaches. We like lakes — great or otherwise. Before I moved to Wisconsin I lived on Lake Erie and then spent a few years on Lake Ontario. Wisconsin is bordered by two Great Lakes and has endless numbers of inland lakes. Madison itself is built around four lakes. What that all means is that we tend to spend a lot of time walking along rocky shorelines. We've rarely taken a lakeshore walk and returned with empty pockets.

Like many people, we love rocks and helplessly pick them up wherever we go. We actually have three shoeboxes filled with souvenir rocks. We used to line them up along the windowsills, but these days they mostly live in the basement. Until this week when I realized they would be the perfect mulch for the two potted boxwoods on the deck. The shrubs look better and grow better when the soil isn't exposed; but squirrels tend to toss bark mulch all over, making a constant mess on the deck. The rocks are a much more attractive solution and it was wonderful to pull them out of hiding and bring them out into the sunshine again.

 

Comments

[Barbara H.]

Love it. I'm a rock and shell collector - even had the movers bring some big rocks in the van - or did I bring them in my car? And crystals. And pottery. And....

Anyway, I should probably do this with mine, too.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

Beautiful! I never thought of doing that but I really love the look (and the sentiment). I rarely pick up rocks on the beach because I'm so focused on the hunt for beach glass. I do grab the occasional piece of interesting driftwood though. The beach glass is easier on the pockets than the rocks!

[Linda Brazill]

Beach glass is definitely easier on the pockets. I love it but pretty much have given up looking for it and do the rocks instead. Years ago, Mark made the most gorgeous piece of stained glass that used various kinds of clear and translucent glass and beach glass, very soft and unusual looking. Alas, he made for an old girlfriend (but I did see it once at her house and admired it and thats how I discovered he had made it). I need to get him to search for beach glass again and make me one!

[Andrew @ Garden ideas]

By far the best beach stones I have found scattered along the beach was in New Zealand.
I am currently in China, the Chinese love rocks, they clean them, polish them and invariably sell them - They come in all shapes and sizes, some small as a coin others as big as a small car, everyone of them with a price tag. If you are lucky enough to find a good one the chances are there will be someone willing to pay for it.

[Curt Heuer]

It's so much more fun reading and viewing your posts now that I have seen your yard and garden. I am currently beating back grass that has invaded one of my garden areas.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

What a great way to utilize your collection of rocks. You have some beauties in there.