The use of stone in the garden is becoming more popular, pebbles especially with the wide range of shapes and sizes lend them selves well to the home landscape. If you have been thinking about the use of stones in your landscape I have a couple of suggestions on how to incorporate this attractive and durable material into your landscape.
Gravel Drives And Paths
A very attractive walking path or driveway can be made with the use pebbles.The heavier the traffic the more work that is involved. If you are going to receive a lot of use on a drive I suggest excavating down 10 to 12 inches and removing the soil then start with a layer of road fabric followed by a 3? layer of CA6 gravel. Compact the gravel with a vibratory roller then add a 2nd layer of the CA6. Compact this layer as well.Finally one more layer of the base material vibrate and rolled and you are ready for your 2? deep top layer of pebbles. Small pebbles or crushed granite work well the pebbles should be small and irregular shaped and not smooth. Be sure to really roll and vibrate this layer well to make sure you get a hard durable surface for you to drive over.
You will follow basically the same method for a path as the drive above but the excavation need only 6? deep with 2 layers of base 2? deep than the top layer of stone or pebbles. When installing a walk you can also install flagstone or stepping stone and use the gravel around them.
One important thing is a sturdy border to hold in the gravel so that it stays in place. Steel edging is the best it is easy to install and holds up well.
Mulch Your Beds With Pebbles
A great use for pebbles is mulching your planting beds. If done correctly not only will you have very attractive beds but it will reduce the number of weeds that will germinate substantially . The important thing is to level the area after you have prepared the sight and lay down a heavy commercial grade landscape fabric. Once it is place use ground pins to hold it in place. Now you are ready to plant. Lay out the plants and arrange them the way you want them. Pick up each plant one at a time and cut a big x in the fabric , fold the fabric back and install your plant. Now just fold your fabric back around your plants. Once everything is planted use a blower to make sure that there is no soil on top of the fabric. This is the most important step. Once the area is clean spread at least 2? of pebbles over the area. Now you will not only have a beautiful bed but very few weeds will germinate in the pebbles and they few that do can easily be pulled out.
Build A Japanese Garden
Japanese Gardens are tranquil and peaceful retreats. This type of garden relies heavily on the use of rocks plants and water to create a calm environment. Using specific plants and style usually a small garden it is a part of the overall garden plan. These are meant to be a small and secluded area. With a little research I am sure that you can come up with a design that will fit your site. Just remember that these gardens are not overly planted but everything is in balance.
Decorative Pots And Urns
When using decorative pots and urns in the garden you can highlight them and make them stand out by placing them on a base of decorative stone or pebbles. Choose colors that complement the colors of the pot or urn to blend into the surrounding garden. This is also a great way to feature your urns and to call attention by placing stone that contrast the color of the urn thus drawing the eye towards the urn.
Another great idea is to place a large urn on a bed of pebbles and use it as a water feature. There are many urns set up as water features available at most good garden centers that include a small recirculating pump and base to hold the water as well. The sounds of water in a garden lend a feeling of peace and harmony to any garden and if placed close to a bench or seating area invites visitors to stay and enjoy the garden.
When choosing stone or pebbles for your garden be sure to wet them to see what there true color is. Most stone has dust on it due to the way it is handled and packaged. By wetting the stone you will get a true vision of what it will look like once it is installed and washed. You will truly be amazed at the colors that are found in rocks and pebbles and will really get excited over their use and possibilities of decorative in your garden.
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