Rocks often have a rather mundane role in backyards. Who gives them much thought? Well, this musing is dedicated to the often unsung rock!

In my yard, rocks provide a border for our pond. We have a boulder on our front easement emblazened with our address, and we use strategically-placed larger rocks to add interest to the landscape. Furthermore, we stash rocks on a pile during the year until we need their services for a project, craft, or weights in a planter.

A gardener friend of mine has a whole other fixation with rocks. Instead of having stone delivered, she scouts new building sites, checking the upturned ground for the largest rocks she can possibly lift, then lugs them to her SUV and hauls them to her garden. There she is in the process of creating lovely dry-stack dividers. She also has used these found treasures of nature to define garden beds and make paths.

I happened across another good rock story on a garden tour when the hostess guided us to a wooded area planted with hostas and bordered by brightly colored large rocks. This, of course, begged an explanation, "My grandchildren paint my rocks as a rite of passage. When one turns six, he or she gets to paint a special rock, but not until then. The occasion is so special that four-year-olds have begged to join in. Not permitted. You have to be six." Here, painted rocks become milestones commemorating childhood with lasting artistry.

Finally, I have a neighbor who through the years has gathered rocks from his travels. These days he delights in recounting the origin of each rock in his garden. The natural keepsakes prompt all kinds of happy stories.

What can you do with rocks in your yard - perhaps work toward a collection of fossils, mementos of travels, rites of passage, borders, walks, driveways? Rock on! You, too, can find satisfaction in the simple.