Water-conserving landscape possibilities are endless at Southwest Boulder & Stone

Christina Macone-Greene

Special to the Village News

The inventory at Southwest Boulder & Stone brims with exceptional quality, making it easy for customers to come up with creative solutions to their landscaping needs. Owners Michelle and Michael McLeod, mindful that water conservation is a top priority for all, provide a host of attractive and eco-friendly alternatives for properties of all sizes.

“We offer a wide range of products for landscaping and construction projects, both residential and commercial, and appropriate for outdoor and indoor uses,” Michelle McLeod said. “Boulders, decorative rock, natural stone veneers, recirculating ponds and custom fabricated water features are just a few of the materials Southwest Boulder has in stock.”

Depending on the project size, McLeod said customers can spend as little as four dollars for a bag of pebbles to a lovely, customized granite fountain for $4,000. The compound’s variety of inventory can be used to create retaining walls, benches, planters, barbecue islands, rock areas, pathways and more.

Southwest Boulder & Stone has ideas for striking landscape alternatives that won’t make the water meter soar.

“The use of rock in the landscape is a natural solution to our water issues,” said McLeod. “San Diego County is an arid area; we need to come to grips with that and find ways to design and implement water-efficient landscapes.”

In business since 1992, the owners of Southwest Boulder & Stone keep a keen eye out for quality, which is the cornerstone of their business.

“To ensure the quality of our products, we regularly visit our sources, both existing and new,” McLeod said. “Keeping up with the changing nature of natural materials involves a lot of hands-on inspection.”

Southwest Boulder & Stone works hard to retrieve much of its materials locally. Shaving off transportation costs keeps them competitive in the industry.

“We work hard to bring the highest quality materials to our market at the best price with the smallest carbon footprint,” said McLeod.

From sands to boulders, McLeod gives Mother Nature the credit for providing a natural assortment of forms, colors and textures in their product lines for construction and landscaping.

Customers have the unique opportunity to witness Mother Nature’s beauty by visiting the Southwest Boulder & Stone design centers. The Rainbow compound showcases a water-garden with five different features to visit. Additional centers are located in Cathedral City and Indio.

“We have almost every material we supply on site in our three locations where customers are able to touch as well as see what goes into the overall design,” said McLeod. “We don’t design, per se, but rather work to provide options, suitable options, that meet the customers’ needs.”

Southwest Bolder & Stone’s customer service representatives, McLeod said, are adept in landscaping materials. For example, a new garden pathway can be constructed several ways, using decomposed granite, gravel or pavers. At Southwest Boulder & Stone, customers have options, as well as valuable staff feedback.

“We work with the customer and take the time necessary to assist in making sensible and appropriate suggestions,” said McLeod.

As their way of giving back to the community, Southwest Boulder & Stone frequently hosts complimentary seminars that are open to the public. Past themes have included firescaping, water conservation and water-wise landscaping, and garden pathway workshops.

“It’s imperative that we emphasize the limits of our resources and this issue goes beyond rock and landscaping,” McLeod said. “We need to remember that our children’s children will need to use these same resources to which we have access.”

Southwest Boulder & Stone is located at 5002 Second Street in Rainbow (Fallbrook). For more information please call (760) 451-3333 or visit http://www.southwestboulder.com, and check out their Green Page section.

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