Stone Selection
If you know exactly what stone you want, a quarry may be the best source for stone for masonry purposes. Normally a quarry requires a certain tonnage of stone to make a trip for the truck. A supplier with a showroom can offer a lot of choices in color and different types of stone. A supplier in Conyers, GA has waterfalls, three outdoor fireplaces and loads of samples walls, as well as a wide range of flagstone floor panels.
Home Exterior
Drystack Fieldstone (natural face or chiseled face) and Ashlar (squared stones random sizes 8″ x 8″ to 12″ x 20″ with or without mortar) are the most popular stone laid locally. Cultured stone of many styles is popular, also. Natural stone that has been sawed to be used as thin veneer is popular, especially above the roof-line on chimneys to alleviate the weight problems of the full thickness of the natural stone.
Landscaping
Mainly different types of flagstone are used for flat work.
Retaining walls
Same stones used for house veneer. A lot of the pave-stone type products are being used for retaining walls also.
Laying the stone
The dry stack joint is more popular than the mortared joint. Different masons may finish joints with slight differences. I think stone choice is a very personal decision. There is such a wide range of stone types. Often different stone types are mixed together to achieve different colors and textures.