Figure Out Where Your Boulders Go Before They Are Delivered

Why people use it

• Avoid expensive repositioning of boulders that are too heavy to move easily
• Test how boulders anchor a planting bed visually before committing to specific locations
• See whether a boulder's size reads correctly in your actual landscape scale
• Plan boulder groupings that look natural rather than randomly placed
• Create a delivery placement guide so the crew knows exactly where each boulder goes

How it works

1. Photograph the boulders: Photograph each boulder you plan to use, whether at a supplier's yard, a quarry, or already in your landscape.
2. Create cutouts: Upload photos to Canvi and get clean boulder cutouts ready to position on your landscape canvas.
3. Upload your landscape photo: Take a photo of the area where boulders will be placed and use it as the canvas background.
4. Position and group boulders: Arrange boulder cutouts in your landscape, try different groupings and orientations, and find placements that look intentional and grounded.

Use cases

• Planting bed anchors: Position a large boulder at the corner or center of a planting bed to anchor the design and add structure.
• Slope stabilization features: Plan boulder placement along a slope where they will serve as both decorative and functional erosion-control elements.
• Natural groupings: Cluster two or three boulders of different sizes to create a naturalistic rock feature in the yard.
• Water feature surrounds: Visualize boulders surrounding a pond or stream feature to see how they frame the water before placement.

Tips

• Group odd numbers of boulders together, two or four can look symmetrical and forced while three or five reads as natural
• Vary boulder sizes in a grouping with one dominant stone and smaller companions nestled around it
• Consider burying the boulder one third of its height into the ground on the canvas; boulders that appear to float look artificial
• Position boulders so they have a weathered face angled toward the main viewing direction
• Think about shadow and depth: placing a smaller boulder in front of a larger one creates foreground interest

Frequently asked questions

Can I use supplier photos of boulders I haven't purchased yet?

Yes. Screenshot or download supplier photos and upload them to Canvi to see how the boulder reads in your landscape before purchasing.

How do I get the scale right for large boulders?

Include a person or a known reference object in the supplier photo if possible, or note the boulder's dimensions and scale it against your landscape photo.

Can I plan boulder groupings of different sizes?

Yes. Place multiple boulder cutouts of different sizes together and arrange them as a grouped feature.

Is this useful for planning dry creek beds too?

Yes. Place boulder and stone cutouts to plan a dry creek bed layout before excavating or buying materials.

Can I share the placement plan with my delivery crew?

Export the canvas as a PNG and share it as a placement reference so the delivery team knows exactly where each boulder should land.