Makiavelli's Rock Garden OR What to Do with All the Rocks the Kids Collected!

I started with this (actually there were more weeds before I thought to take a before picture, but you get the idea).Some of the kids helped sort the rocks into distinct categories. Below you see pictured only the large, larger and largest rocks. In actuality there were lots more piles, all the way down to teensy tinsy.
Here is my $1.25 garage sale find that I used for the borders. Nice smooth,oval-shaped black rocks and white, slightly sparkly rocks of various sizes and shapes.

After getting rid of weeds, I rolled out a long piece of black-stuff-that-keeps-weeds-from-growing-in-an-area and cut it to the appropriate size. (Yes, that is what I asked for at Home Depot and they knew what I was talking about.)

I lined the outer edge of the rock garden with the black rocks and then did a second edge using the white rocks. When that was done, I sectioned off a shape and began to work on designs.

I started with a section for me. It is a treble clef and a couple of notes. Princess pitched in, making a small triangle in the upper right of the picture for all the pieces of mica and a few other rocks.

Down at the other end of the garden, I sectioned off a piece for the golf nut. We have plenty of random golf balls in varying colors around here, so they formed the basis for this section. Also in this picture you can see a design using some of the kid's painted rocks. In the section next to that, there are some sturdy white seashells that were granted admittance to this rock haven.

In this picture, the bottom left corner exhibits one of the largest rocks surrounded by various other rocks. The bottom right contains extra smooth, polished stones, including many teeny round shiny black rocks that I don't know what they are. The section on the right above the teeny black rocks houses shiny and sparkly rocks. On the left above are rounded larger rocks.

Then came Christmas. My very thoughtful Peanut gave me a present of blue glassy rocks. He bought them for the express purpose of them finding a place in my garden. :) Above the blue glassy rocks you will find a collage of other seashell and small rocks. At the top of those, there are some of the coolest, most interesting colored rocks we had. (Come on over and see them up close. It is even cooler that way.)

At the bottom of this picture you can see the seashells and cool colored rocks a little more closely showcased. Then, you have the granddaddy mammoth rock of unusual tones along with other rocks of similar themes. Next to them, you have more ultra smooth, polished stones.

The "Native American" style rock guy was the brainchild of Princess. She thought the facial features a good idea. I like the spiked hair. Then there are random larger stones with funky smaller filler rocks. Then you have the "flower" made from painted rocks. And finally you are back to where I started with the treble clef. Here you see the view walking out the front door.

And, what it looks like when we come home.

It actually took me months of doing this a little bit at a time, but it looks much better than the weeds, huh?

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