The Coral Castle

The Coral Castle, which now sits in Homestead, Florida, is said to be made from tons and tons of coral rocks. Much controversy surrounds the castle, especially the construction of it, because one man, Edward Leedskalnin, supposedly built it by himself. Rumor has it that much of his work was done at night in order to avoid spectators, and he constructed it while using only primitive tools. When asked how he could accomplish this he wouldn’t tell anyone how he assembled it. 1,200 tons of stones make up the castle, including one 30 ton stone, and two 25 foot tall stones. With precision in his measurements and carvings, Edward was able to create structures with rocks that few others can claim to do, even with modern tools.

While it is called the Coral Castle, most of the stones are not actually coral rocks, but rather oolite limestone, which is a sedimentary rock that contains fossil shells and some coral. These types of “coral rocks” are found in southeastern Florida, sometimes abundantly just under the earth’s surface. The castle is typical of other structures made out of limestone rock with coral, or those made from real coral rocks in that it is extremely strong. The Coral Castle even survived a direct hit by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, even when buildings around it were destroyed. Today the castle is a tourist attraction that brings people in every year to marvel at its workmanship.  

Glass Mulch Becoming Popular in Landscaping

A new trend has made its way into the landscape arena, and Larry’s Cap Rock and Stone is proud to be a part of it. Recycled glass mulch is now a hit for decorating flowerbeds or gardens, and it is being featured by various designers every day.

The glass mulch is made from recycled glass shards that have been tumbled to make the edges smooth. They come in different colors, which have made them very popular among those looking for a little something extra for their landscaping.

With a little bit of planning and preparation, glass mulch can be practical for protecting plants and to cut down on dust, as well as provide a beautiful landscape. The colored mulch would be a great addition to complement simple plants and would add a bit of vibrancy among plain-colored foliage.

Virtually maintenance free, the glass mulch will only need to occasionally be blown clear of leaves and debris to maintain it. It is probably best used in an area without things like pine needles dropping or things that might become stuck among the glass. But overall, many projects this year across the country will be turned into a work of art with glass mulch. This type of decorating can be a welcome change to plain wood mulch that is so commonly used. With so many different possibilities of different color combinations and textures, glass mulch is bound to be seen more throughout the country soon.

Pebbles for Every Landscaping Need

If you are planting foliage in your yard or garden, you will want to cover the ground under your plants and flowers in order to protect the plants, keep moisture in, and provide a finished look. Pebbles are a perfect material for a variety of planting styles. Ranging in color from earth tones to colorful stones, pebbles are a very versatile cover material. With a range of sizes also available, pebbles can meet the needs of different landscapers with diverse planting projects.

Also a great material for rock beds and ponds, pebbles work great in wet areas to provide a textured surface. They are often used to line the bed of a pond and under plants surrounding ponds. These rocks show their colors more vividly when wet, which also makes them appealing for ponds and waterfalls.

Decorative rock beds are a great solution for drab areas of the yard, or ones that are difficult to grow plants in. Using pebbles as the base material is a great solution for areas such as these. Pebbles also are favorable in these areas of the yard because they don’t decay, they won’t blow away in the wind, and they won’t attract insects like typical mulch.

For those with an extra artistic touch, pebbles can be used in outdoor decorative pieces, such as mosaics and stepping stones. The variety of colors of pebbles that are sold can allow for a little bit of expression on the part of a designer or landscaper to create an outdoor masterpiece.