It goes without saying that you don't need a green thumb to have success with rocks in your landscaping.

From tiny pea gravel to 6-ton boulders, homeowners opt for rocks or stones as landscaping tools because of their durability, appearance and low maintenance.

In some cultures it is customary to go rock shopping first and design the rest of a garden around the selected rocks, said master gardener Jill Barger of Mars.

“Different cultures consider rocks the main element of a garden,” she said.

In Western Pennsylvania, rocks are available in a variety of colors and sizes and are more commonly used to create attractive walks or driveways as edging or as accent items.

Barger points out rocks and stones can be both locally produced and a “green” product that saves on fuel use and creates no waste.

Beth Clever said she selected stones when designing the landscaping for her new ranch home in Franklin Township because it fit her family's busy lifestyle.

“You might have to refresh it every now and then, but the bulk of it will be done for a long, long while,” said Clever, a working mother of a 2-year-old child. “(Bark) mulch needs replaced at least once a year. And as much as we would like to do things like that, we just don't have the time.”

Clever said she used stone as landscaping in her former home in Plum and liked it.

So when her new house was ready for landscaping, she selected three sizes and types of stone in different sizes and colors that compliment the red brick on her house.

“I would have liked all stone landscaping, but we have brick and concrete work on the house, so we decided to add a little (bark) mulch to soften the look,” Clever said. “I'm very satisfied with it, and I plan to add more stone when our retaining walls are finished.”

Clever's landscaping includes diamond and even a heart-shaped pattern of bark mulch inside the stones. Shrubbery, an ornamental cherry tree and a fountain cranberry tree complete the look.

“We recommend a two-tone look — part bark and part rock,” said Bob Sterling of Sterling Landscaping Center in Center Township.

Sterling said it's good to mix the pair because rocks have a harder look and bark provides a soft touch and more natural medium for plants.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Sterling said, noting that during his 39-year landscaping career less than 15 percent of his customers have incorporated stone.

Sterling recommends homeowners who are considering the use of rocks to consult with a landscaper because placement can be an art. The option of how to use stone also can be as unique as the homeowner, he said.

For example, he has used rocks to create a dry river bed with a quaint bridge crossing over it.

“You can have something unique ... something different with it being not so, so expensive,” Sterling said.

Mike Kaylor said he gave a free hand to Sterling to design the landscaping on the house he built in Saxonburg in 2009.

“I let him use his imagination, and he went all out,” Kaylor said, noting that the different types of stones selected finish the look of the home. “It all ties in.”

Kaylor said he wanted a good portion of his landscaping to be stones because he travels a lot for his job. And he considered it the economically sound choice.

“Today, economic times are tough for everyone,” he said. “(Bark) mulch looks nice, but it has to be replaced year after year. With stones, you pay a little more up front, but it has a lasting affect without burying you financially. ... And the options are limitless. The sizes and shapes and there's every color under the sun. A lot more than what was available even 10 years ago.”

Barger, who has a certificate in gardening and landscaping from Phipps Conservatory, said there also are practical reasons to pick rocks as landscaping items

Rocks do not attract insects and do not have the sun, shade or water requirements necessary for plants.

Weeds are much less likely to grow in them than traditional bark mulch, which naturally composts.

Stones also do not bleach like traditional mulch and can hold natural beauty for years.

They also hold down soil and cut down on erosion.

“They can look nice, provide interest and be used to tie in the rest of the garden,” said Barger, who noted rocks are often an important element in water gardens and pollinator gardens, such as a butterfly garden.

But Sterling noted care should be taken when selecting and placing landscaping rocks because they present a longer commitment as they are more difficult to move or alternate.

When selecting a rock mulch in lieu of a typical bark mulch, for example, Sterling says count on at least a five-year commitment because a homeowner could replace the bark mulch five times for what he or she is likely to invest in a nice rock mulch.

For many of Shawn Hartman's landscaping customers, it would be “difficult ... nearly impossible” for the average homeowner to easily undo the design.

“We use boulders in just about everything we do,” said Hartman of Stoney Hollow Nursery in West Franklin Township.

Hartman, who sells a good share of boulders that weigh tons, said he's used them to design waterfalls, rock gardens, benches and monuments to deceased pets.

“Bringing a stone into your landscaping can just add an accent or focal point,” Hartman said.

He said one of the large ones can range between hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the size and composition.

The company delivers its product by use of heavy equipment and “a lot of physics,” Hartman said.

But, he said, rocks are worth the extra effort if the homeowner is looking for something unique.

“Its static versus dynamic landscaping,” Hartman said. “(We use rocks) to build a landscape that is 360 degrees — it looks different and interesting from every angle. It's unique.”