Patio Stone for Manassas, VA Timeless Landscapes

April 15, 2014

Patio Stone in Manassas, VA

RSSY supplies a wide variety of patio stone for Manassas, VA landscape projects. Our products coordinate to meet all of your stone construction and landscaping needs. Carolina Rose Flagstone, Greenbriar Thick stacking stone, and timeless, elegant fieldstone are just a fraction of the stone we offer for patios, fireplaces, walkways, waterfalls, garden walls, or anything you can imagine.

Whether your landscape style is traditional, modern, or eclectic, it can reflect your personal flair. Patio stone in Manassas, VA with a simple fire pit, fireplace or water feature can provide a lasting focal point and gathering place for your outdoor living. Tailor your patio stone in Manassas, VA by including contrasting stone patterns and colors, matching walkways or a retaining wall with a seat cap for durable, permanent built-in seating convenience.

Our design expertise, attention to detail and exceptional client services are just a few of the many reasons Northern Virginia homeowners, contractors, and landscape professionals prefer doing business with RSSY.  We  tailor our design to fit your style and landscape, working with you to ensure that your project needs are meet and that you get the patio stone in Manassas, VA that fits your budget.

PA bluestone patio

Knowing the right materials and the perfect patio stone in Manassas, VA for your job is important. At RSSY we carefully hand pick each selection for your consideration.  Some of our many varieties include a selection of patio stone, Palomino flagstone, Fieldstone steppers and Maple Creek garden stone. Our products can be used for a number of practical enhancement purposes such as proper drainage and stormwater management, hard paving of pedestrian traffic ways including driveways, walkways, steps and landings, not to mention adding fabulous constructed features such as tiered terraces or a grand patio in Manassas, VA with durable stone steps, planters and garden walls, as well as fireplaces or fire pits.

civil-war bluestone wall-300x225Since the Civil War, blue stone walls are seen in a broken ribbon through the Northern Virginia countryside, a testament to the strength and longevity of a natural patio stone.  Manassas, VA homeowners and landscapers see the investment value of a well-designed and installed stone patio in a wider hardscape design. Contact the professionals at RSSY to explore your stone patio options, and bring long-lasting outdoor elegance to your home today.

Mulch in Alexandria, VA – Inexpensive Landscape Benefits

March 31, 2014

Mulch in Alexandria, VA

At this time of year an application of mulch in Alexandria, VA is a simple way to gain a range of inexpensive landscape benefits. Mulch is loaded with vital nutrients your yard needs to sustain fresh, healthy plants. Mulch in Alexandria, VA amends your soil with essential ingredients – vitamins and minerals your landscaping can’t get anywhere else. In this day and age, keeping your soil nourished with rich, loamy topsoil, organic compost and high quality mulch in Alexandria, VA is a minor investment in your  landscape with benefits for your soil, plants and trees.

Adding 2-4″ of high grade mulch in Alexandria, VA atop your existing plantings is a cost-effective method to encourage the health and well-being of your entire landscape. A blanket of fresh mulch in the spring acts as a spongy reservoir, absorbing and retaining water for slow release.  Mulch adds a critical layer in the stormwater filtration system and aids in resisting topsoil erosion.

Properly-placed mulch in Alexandria, VA helps your landscaping achieve a more effective performance, covering delicate plant root systems with a protective barrier against scorching sun, competitive weeds and environmental dangers such as insects, drought, or microscopic predators.

Mulch is an often overlooked but vital soil amendment any Alexandria homeowner can add to their existing topsoil. As mulch in Alexandria, VA decomposes it provides food, moisture and  bedding for insects, plants, and fungi – and restores vitality to the soil. After investing time and money in designing, planting and creating a beautiful, healthy landscape for your home,  regular mulch applications are essential to keeping it properly maintained and looking its best.

Bluestone from Lorton, VA Constructs Virginia History

March 17, 2014

Bluestone from Lorton, VA
Trinity Church, Upperville, VA c1895

Bluestone in Lorton, VA is an investment in landscape timelessness. Seen throughout country estates, atop age-old city sidewalks, and on many a classic patio, bluestone, routinely confused with slate, is quarried in the New York Catskills, Pennsylvania Poconos, and in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It can still be seen in Brooklyn’s brownstone neighborhoods,  sprinkled throughout the New York City boroughs, winding through the crisp countryside of New England and the Lehigh Valley, and down to the small colonial towns that dot Virginia’s horse country. Bluestone in Lorton, VA is a construction material that also tells history.

Bluestone from the Shenandoah Valley region, a sedimentary rock known as Shenandoah Valley Bluestone, is a limestone formed 450 to 500 million years ago at the bottom of a shallow ocean that covered what is now Rockingham County, Virginia. The darker blue color of Shenandoah Valley Bluestone is concentrated in one of the largest limestone deposits in the world. As bluestone weathers, it changes from a deep blue to a light grey after prolonged exposure to sun and water.

main bluestone stonewall JMU
Bluestone planter and building at JMU

The colonial settlers used it for the foundations and chimneys of their houses. When James Madison University was built, native bluestone was the natural choice to construct campus buildings. The Frazier Quarry in Harrisonburg, Virginia continues to supply JMU with locally quarried bluestone for building and paving projects today.

bluestone retaining wall shenandoah valley
Bluestone retaining wall, Shenandoah Valley

Bluestone in Lorton, VA, has long been popular for fireplaces and counter tops, graceful walkways and driveways, and elegant patios.  Renewed demand is for a wide variety of applications, some requiring varying sizes and pieces, with some slabs weighing upwards of a ton or more.  This bluestone revival has dovetailed nicely over the past twenty years with the upsurge in authentic historic renovation. If your home is sited in a historic district,  your local planning department or City Council are good sources for a list of  qualified contractors who do bluestone installation and construction work.

At RSSY we have the area’s largest quality selection of bluestone, rock and stone, quarried from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. Plus, we deliver directly to your location. Whatever color, cut or quantity of stone you need – for any size job.  We’ve worked with native Virginia bluestone and other quarried bluestone in Lorton, VA since 1971, and can assist you in understanding its properties, calculating quantities, and engineering bluestone landscape features that will add elegant beauty and real value to your Lorton property. Call RSSY today – we deliver beyond your expectations.

Explore Natural Stone in Lorton, VA for Your Construction or Landscape Projects

February 28, 2014

Natural Stone in Lorton, VA

One of  mankind’s original building materials, natural stone in Lorton, VA still serves an amazing variety of practical uses in construction and landscaping in the modern age.

Rock, Stone and Sand Yard, Inc. has stocked over 50 different varieties of stone veneer products  and natural stone in Lorton, VA for nearly 50 years to meet all of your building and landscaping needs. Flagstone, stacking stone, and field stone for patios and fireplaces, walkways and steps, waterfalls, rock gardens and retaining walls – anything your imagination creates. Our incredible selection includes a variety of natural stone types, cuts, and colors for any landscape project you can envision, including:

  • large, decorative stoneecl retaining wall 6
  • decorative accent stone
  • flagstone and field stone
  • various wall stone
  • natural stone varieties in several different coordinating sizes, such as thick, thin and flats
  • garden rounds
  • stand ups or irregulars

So, whether you’re searching for  Black Regency Snapped stone, Desert Creek Flats, Greenbriar Tumble or Silver Mist Thick, find natural stone in Lorton, VA at RSSY for whatever your landscape or construction projects require.

With proper planning and design, you can add landscapeoutdoor fireplace 4 features such as patios, pathways, pool decks, driveways, retaining walls, curbs, and practical, low-maintenance entrances to your home. Visit RSSY soon to start planning your next landscape improvement project. Our trained, professional staff can assist you with product selection and quantity determinations.

Find the color, cut and quantity of natural stone in Lorton, VA you need – for any size job – at RSSY. We deliver beyond your expectations.

Rich, Healthy, Local Compost in Woodbridge, VA

February 15, 2014

Compost Helps Woodbridge, VA Plant Life Grow

Our unique RSSY compost blend is a rich humus designed to enhance root development for greater plant production, heartier growth and larger crop yields. While most compost in Woodbridge, VA enriches your soil and encourages healthier plant growth, only a premium compost blend in Woodbridge, VA can promote essential microbial activity in your topsoil to “pay it forward” in the plant ecosystem just outside your door.

A superior quality compost for your lawn, gardens, and edible plants, we custom-create our rich compost in Woodbridge, VA for optimum ratios of minerals, nutrients, and raw compost materials.  Highly concentrated with organic matter and microorganisms, premium compost in Woodbridge, VA, rich in trace minerals, restores essential nutrients to depleted topsoil to support healthy plant growth and effective land management. Some of its many functions take place in garden beds, flower containers, lush lawns, and sustainable storm water management systems.

Compost in Woodbridge, VA

Adding RSSY custom blend compost in Woodbridge, VA enhances the various types of soil found in your yard, promoting essential microbial activity in your topsoil. This enhances root development and aids in the critical development of soil texture for optimal water filtration and retention. A superior quality compost supports not only the natural health of your lawn, gardens, trees, shrubs and edible plants, but supports the health of your entire ecosystem.

When you think about preparing your yard for the lush summer months to come, think about quality local compost in Woodbridge, VA from RSSY, your local landscape material supplier in Lorton, VA for over 43 years. We have everything you need to create and maintain an exceptionally beautiful landscape from pavers, to compost and mulch, to an amazing variety of natural stone. Stop by and see what RSSY can do for your landscape.

The Many Benefits of Mulch in Lorton, VA

January 31, 2014

mulch landscape 3

Mulch in Lorton, VA is a landscape essential, especially during a drought. Studies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have shown striking benefits from the application of mulch. Mulch is one of a homeowner’s most valuable landscape resources and, according to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, an essential component of low-maintenance landscapes.

The benefits of mulch in Lorton, VA are often overlooked. But the following list enumerates just how many positive functions mulch serves in your landscape.

  • Mulch shields your soil from the damaging effects of the sun’s drying rays, reducing water loss through the process of evaporation.
  • Mulch serves as a blanket in the cold of winter and provides shade to cool the soil in the burning heat of summer, dampening the impact of temperature fluctuations on fragile plant roots.
  • Organic mulch added to your soil breaks down to improve the ability of the soil to absorb and store nutrients, retain moisture, and filter stormwater via proper drainage.
  • Mulch promotes the activity of beneficial soil organisms, which in turn accelerates microbial decomposition that creates rich humus that promotes plant growth.
  • Mulch acts as a suppressant for the proliferation of plant diseases and the growth of weeds.
  • Land that is regularly mulched as a standard seasonal practice is less prone to erosion.
  • Mulch is a beautiful, decorative finish in any landscape.

The benefits of mulch in Lorton, VA are vital for healthy plant growth and sustainable land management practices, your yard included. So stop by RSSY to learn more about the many positive functions mulch serves in your landscape, and to get the organic mulch you need to keep your yard healthy.

The Magic of Stepping Stones in Lorton, VA

January 17, 2014

stepping stones through beach pebbles

Whether invisibly tethered across a babbling brook or dancing through a rocky field, stepping stones in Lorton, VA define our experience as much as they do a magical pathway or a special destination.

Raw landscaping materials from gravel to river rock, flagstone to concrete, make gorgeous and practical garden pathways to take you where you want to go across your landscape. The magic of stepping stones in Lorton, VA always beckons.

Imagine a meandering bed of Chesapeake Wash Gravel, topped by a chain of smooth chocolate-gray Maple Creek  round edge stepping  stones. Fantastic to the eye, fundamental to the natural filtration of rainwater, and a gorgeous accent to your well-appointed landscape.

Larger stepping stones can also blanket thick grass to pave a casual, comfortable walkway through your yard to the garage, patio, or pool. Plus, laying a walkway of high-caliber flagstone stepping-stones in Lorton, VA is a simple, upscale  DIY weekend project anyone can tackle.

Selecting a different type of stone can completely alter the look and feel of your walkways and  landscape. Irregular Flagstone sections are light-colored and large, very patio-like; while Mojave Flagstone is alive with orange and rust, splashing across the horizon. stepping stone flagstone garden path

More substantial stones, such as Midnight Blue Thick, Fieldstone Steppers, and Hoopers Creek Thick can cover a wide area, coordinate with thinner varieties within your landscape design, and span your entire property, acting as decorative accent, extraordinary functional elements, and a long-lasting landscape aesthetic for the ages.

Gravel, the trusted foundation to every landscape project ever undertaken, is an extremely versatile material available in plentiful colors and sizes.  Consider gravel and its silent companion, sand, to reduce water-dependent ground covers and lawns, improve rainwater filtration, and move toward a more sustainable landscape environment.

Stop by RSSY and discover everything you need to create all the magic of stepping stones in Lorton, VA.

Protect Your Landscape Investment and Dress Up Your Yard with Mulch in Reston, VA

December 30, 2013

mulch stones brick walkway 1029x677

Buying local mulch in Reston, VA is a little like getting fresh ingredients in your diet. Instead of grabbing a box on a shelf in the freezer at a chain store, you seek out the best locally grown produce and foods with better value, taste, and nutrition. These are the natural, raw materials your body needs to keep you healthy and at your best.  Well, that’s what mulch is – a natural, raw material for your plants and landscape.

Think about it; would you spend thousands of dollars on a car and not change the oil? I didn’t think so. So, why would you invest money and time designing, planning and creating a uniquely beautiful landscape for your home and not keep it properly maintained?

Applying mulch to your flower and garden beds, around the base of trees, and in areas where pets and children play means protection and safety. There are other important reasons to “dress up” your yard with mulch in Reston, VA.

  • It’s healthier – packed with nutrients your plants need to thrive.
  • It helps your soil perform better – soaking in moisture and helping to naturally filter rainwater.
  • Mulch acts as an insulator,  blanketing topsoil with a protective barrier for winter warmth.
  • An application of mulch in Reston, VA can prevent soil erosion from water and wind.
  • Deteriorating  mulch provides food for insects, plants, and fungi – and restores vital trace minerals to the soil.

Any property can benefit from good quality mulch, so head over to RSSY in Lorton to get your local mulch today. We’ll help you protect your landscape investment and dress up your yard with mulch in Reston, VA.

Patio Pavers Springfield, VA

December 15, 2013

Hardscaping has to do with all the non-living design elements of a property. Use hardscape, such as patio pavers in Springfield, VA to improve any outdoor space. Primary functional uses include enhancing privacy, creating boundaries, leveling topography, providing a foundation for outdoor living, creating shelter and reducing yard maintenance.

Hardscaping also helps achieve a fluid transition from your home to the surrounding beauty of nature. Use natural stone, precast blocks, or interlocking patio pavers in Springfield, VA from Belgard, Techo-Bloc, Nicolock, and others, to transform your yard into a practical, even elegant, outdoor living sanctuary.

Once you analyze the habits and needs of your lifestyle, visit RSSY to start planning your hardscape today so you are ready to greet the spring. Patio pavers in Springfield, VA are a great way to improve the appearance and function of different spaces within your exterior landscape. Imagine your driveway, walkways, entryway, and outdoor recreational areas permanently manicured in a coordinated palette with your home architecture. The possibilities are only limited by your creative imagination.

Before installing patio pavers in Springfield, VA, you will examine the abundance of patio pavers. They vary in size, shape, color, texture, cost, and ease of installation. techniques for installing patio pavers of all types are quite similar. For dry-laid surfaces, that is those installed without mortar, the process involves installing a base of crushed stone and a setting bed of sand or stone dust. You may want to install your stone or brick pavers with mortar instead. First install a solid concrete slab, and fill in from there.

The beauty of precast patio pavers is they stand alone on a sand or gravel base without mortar. They are small enough to be  hand-set without special equipment. Some designs are even ideal for permeable paving that complies with zero-runoff building codes. Modern interlocking pavers are set in visually stunning patterns that many homeowners opt to install these over more traditional tile or stone.

Patio pavers in Springfield, VA are a much more affordable and sustainable choice for urban streets and residential yards. Contact RSSY to start planning your patio paver design for spring.

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