All this talk about the grass in the front yard, what about the backyard? This is the yard I see as most beneficial, because that is where I reside. That’s where my dog house is and my personal digging area. Now you may have all the landscaping done in the back, and that little bit of grass accenting the main living area. How about taking out the grass? This would be a great way to add more space to your existing patio area. Try a decomposed granite courtyard area, a flagstone patio area with a fire pit, or a planted area accented with mexican pebbles. You can make it look good for me with just a bit of effort. It’s time to get ready for that Memorial Day celebration or summer backyard BBQ. Happy digging!

Water, water, water, I hear the humans talk about it everyday. Everyone is putting in rock. But of course they also say “but rock is so heavy, and more expensive than bark”. But rock can be used in so may ways to enhance your surroundings. Rock can be used in conjunction with a water feature (a pond less one of course), or as a dry stream bed. Anything with a stream bed, I really do enjoy. Rock can be utilized from large moss rocks placed as an accent rock, to a 3/8″ black and white rock to complement your plants. Once you put the rock down, you need not replace it for sometime. So moving the heavy product does have an everlasting impact. My owners carry rock from the 3/8″ minus size, up to 3,000 lb. boulders. If you can design it, my owners can get you the product. Bring your pictures or drawings in to Valley Rock, or send up an email, my owners are always around to help. Happy digging!

JFK, he was my favorite President, because of what he did, and because of his dogs Charlie and Pushinka. As we enter Memorial Week, American dogs everywhere take a moment from our day of chasing squirrels to reflect on the brave scarifies of American dog soldiers; and also their master soldiers. In honoring all that have given their lives serving in our United States Military on this Memorial Day 2015, we feel blessed to be in a country worth barking for.

When digging a new area to bury my bones, I often think what if I had a plan? What if I measured my bone, in respect to the hole I am digging? Could I bury more bones? With all the dog owners removing grass, why not change the function of the area? Perhaps make it a courtyard, exterior entry room, or quaint sitting area. Even though we all have to compromise on water, does not mean we have to compromise on style. Once all the old grass and water loving plants are removed, envision how you really want that square footage to work for you. Start with a plan, or at least measuring the area and making a simple drawing. This will give you the basic measurements, and from there you can determine the amount of product required. My owners are always available to help with your project. Just email a message through the site, or stop in with your drawing. Let’s get digging together.

My good friend Jared is quite the ball player. I know this because he throws the ball around with me. Mostly I take it and chew it, but every now and then I do return the ball to him. With Valley Rock supporting so many local events, Jared is the poster boy next to the banner at the little league field. And boy does he look good….. Speaking of a field, even with a severe drought, you can still install sod with the right soil and prep work. Remember, the better the soil, the more moisture it will hold, and the less you will have to water. Once your irrigation is in, and you ground is level, apply two to three inches of our planters mix. Roll it smooth as you apply the mix. Order your sod, 48 hours in advance from Valley Rock, that way it is freshly cut and ready for your project. Roll out the sod, and set your watering for two days. Soon enough you can be playing ball like my friend Jared on your new sod!

My owner no longer waters my lawn and is letting it die. WHAT IS HAPPENING? They say that Xeriscape Landscaping is now our method. But why??? Xeriscape saves water. For most dog owners, over 50% of water used, is used on outdoor landscaping. Xeriscape is less maintenance. My owners only have to occasional prune and weed. That gives my owner more time to walk me. Xeriscape decreases the use of pesticides. With Valley Rock organic soil and fertilizer products, healthier growth will be apparent. And here are the best reasons…. it increases property value and decreases pollutants. So come on down to Valley Rock, meet my owners and decrease your consumption!

Boy this earth of mine is dry as a bone, and that’s not too good for my garden, but I do love bones! There is so much you can do once you remove the lawn to save on my precious water. Create a creek bed with a mix of random cobble, small cobble and 1½ drain rock. Or if you really want to be fancy, use Mexican Pebble. Mexican Pebble comes in Black/Gray, Red/Purple and Buff/Tan, and boy does a dog like a nice smooth rock to run on. Once your dry creek is created, add some planting mounds with our Topsoil, and dress the top with Planters Mix. Now that your palette is set to go…. Add some Moss Rock for accents and your transformation has begun!!!

My owners at Valley Rock say there is a rule of thumb (paw?) for bark and mulch. With a product distribution of at least 3″ deep, the bark becomes a blocker of light, helps conserve moisture and begins suppression of the weeds. But, how much mulch is enough mulch? On valleyrock.com, under “services” exists a product calculator, so easy even a dog can use it. So plug in your dimensions, length and width of the area, and the product calculator will estimate the cubic yards. With so many options of bark and soil in stock, it’s easy…