Gravel garden design pictures
7 Gravel Garden Ideas: Design, Planting and Maintenance
A gravel garden that doesn’t require much watering is an attractive idea for many. But gardeners aren’t getting into gravel just for its resiliency. When covered in a patchwork carpet of alpines, sedums and drought-tolerant beauties, gravel gardens can look fabulous too. They are ideal for sunny spots where you can create a Mediterranean style space with minimal watering required, but you can also make them work in shade.
The advantages of a gravel garden
As drought and hosepipe bans become more common, gardeners across the UK may have to embrace the practice of xeroscaping (a style of landscaping which reduces the need for irrigation), which is common on the west coast of the USA. But you don’t necessarily need the sunny climate of LA to create a thriving gravel garden. A well constructed gravel garden will have good drainage – so shouldn’t mind a bit of British rain.
The advantages of a gravel garden are many. Where a lawn turns yellow and parched without water, a gravel garden can flourish, providing year round interest. And where astroturf heats up, gravel reflects the sun and moderates the soil temperature.
What’s more, the style of garden is great for anyone whose ears prick up at the sound of low maintenance garden ideas. Once established you’ll find you’re spending less time on weeding and pest control and more time with a coffee (or cocktail) in hand enjoying your outside space.
A gravel garden is preferable to paving when it comes to the environment. Using a permeable aggregate like gravel slows erosion, reduces run-off and improves drainage and water retention - ultimately reducing flood risks. Sound good? Here’s everything you need to know about creating your perfect gravel garden.
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Gravel garden ideas: Choosing the right gravel
Size it rightWhen it comes to choosing the right gravel for your gravel garden, size matters.
As Beth Chatto discovers in The Dry Garden, too small and it gets stuck in your shoes, too big and it becomes impossible to walk on or roll a wheelbarrow over.
We recommend choosing gravel that is a maximum of 10mm in size. The finer your gravel, the more it will stray from your chosen area, so if you prefer small over chunky consider using a gravel edging. Get creative with reclaimed wood (old fence panels or pallet wood works well), pebbles, or even upturned wine bottles – depending on what you have to hand or try one of these garden edging ideas.
Your top layer of gravel should be around four inches deep. This will help keep soggy roots at bay and generally, the rule of thumb is to use a tonne of gravel for every 12 square metres.
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Is gravel sustainable?Gravel is often touted as a good idea for the eco-friendly gardener. It doesn’t exacerbate flooding or contribute to the urban heat island effect like paving or concrete.
It’s also better for wildlife than laying a plastic sheet of habitat-wrecking, fossil fuel-based astro turf.
However, garden designer Jack Wallington thinks we shouldn’t all be rushing to rip our lawns out: “No, the lawn is not bad, it’s in fact quite important. It beats most patios and gravels because it’s alive; alive itself and with life, actively using and storing carbon.”
So, work with what you have rather than trying to alter your soil type to suit a gravel garden. If you’ve got lots of shade and heavy soil you might want to consider a woodland garden style instead.
Location, location, locationThere’s also the matter of how gravel is excavated. For gravel with rock-hard eco credentials, use suppliers certified with the Ethical Stone Register and buy from a trusted local source.
Avoid gravel which has been dredged from the seabed, where it contributes to coastal erosion and destruction of marine life. Instead, opt for recycled varieties like the crushed concrete found at the award winning Grow2Know Chelsea Flower Show garden.
These are usually made from a mixture of construction materials, including crushed concrete, brick and reclaimed gravel.
Alternatively, recycled slate chippings can add sophistication to your plot while making use of a byproduct of the roofing slate industry. Pea gravel tends to be softer underfoot so more child and pet-friendly.
Should you opt for a gravel membrane or not?A lot of advice you’ll read on how to make a gravel garden will suggest using a weed suppressant membrane. If you go down this route, choose a permeable matting. Plastic-free alternatives available include Ecotex MulchMat and the cornstarch based Mulch Organic.
But, do you really need membrane under gravel? Perhaps not, if Highfield Farm in Monmouthshire is anything to go by. The owners used a membrane on one side of their gravel garden and left the other half membrane-free. The result: the side without the membrane had more vigorous growth. Plus, without the matting, you get a more natural-looking, freestyle garden with selfseeders.
So we’d forgo it and spend the money in the garden centre instead, which brings us to the fun part: choosing your planting scheme.
7 gravel garden ideas
1. The herb gardenPlease the cook in your house and bring a splash of the Mediterranean to your patch with a fragrant herb garden that tastes as good as it looks. Create a backdrop of earthy tones with golden gravel, weathered second hand terracotta and whitewashed walls.
Choose Mediterranean herbs like thymes, rosemary, marjoram, sage and oregano – all of which thrive in a sun-drenched spot with free draining, poor soil. Add drought-tolerant fennel and taller varieties of yarrow for height or go big with stately junipers. In this style of garden, gravel has the added benefit of reflecting the sun and warming up the plants – handy if you’re growing herbs in an area which isn’t blessed with oodles of sunshine.
PaulMaguireGetty Images
2. The zen gardenWant a space to relax, meditate and escape the daily stress? Create a minimalistic Japanese-style garden with fine gravel in pale hues, a few well-placed boulders and an unfussy planting scheme which incorporates a water feature or pond.
Plant evergreens such as pine trees whose needle-shaped leaves add scent and texture, while acers provide a fiery pop of colour and cherry blossom softens the vibe. The zen garden works well if you can provide moist shady spots where mosses, hare’s foot ferns, hepaticas and Saxifraga cuneifolia can thrive. (Fun fact: saxifraga stems from the Latin for ‘stone-breaker’ so a good option for your rockery).
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Plus, swapping the roar of a lawn mower for the gentle strokes of a rake will no doubt keep your neighbours happy too. Though perhaps don’t bother with those pristine gravel-waves if you’ve got young kids or pets.
Read our top tips on how to feng shui your garden here.
3. The rockerySuper charge your gravel garden with the addition of larger boulders scattered throughout to inject some texture, depth and fun to your outside space. A naturally sloping garden is ideal for a rockery as it will already be blessed with that all-important drainage.
To create your rocky oasis, opt for alpine plants which are used to roughing it on mountain tops or clinging to cliff faces. Gardening connoisseur Chris Young says: “Think tiny when it comes to your rock garden plants. Smaller bulbs are a nice choice — especially small daffodils, wild tulip species, blue eyed grass or brodiaea.”
fotolinchenGetty Images
Add primulas in the crevices of your rockery for pretty bursts of colour. Low growing sprawlers like creeping thyme are a useful ground cover. Plant in cracks along a pathway to enjoy that aromatic hit as you meander around your garden. Just make sure you position any big boulders exactly where you want them first as they’ll be heavy to move later.
4. The gravel pathTraverse your garden in style with a gravel path. Add interest with clay stepping stones, scaff boards or mix things up with a mosaic of different gravels. Check Pinterest for reams of gravel path inspiration. If going for slabs, leave space between them to squeeze in extra plants.
A straight path leading to a focal point like a seating area or water feature works well but you can also add mystery and create the illusion of space with a winding gravel path (think along the lines of the RHS Forest Bathing Garden created by Dave Green).
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Use your hosepipe to map out the curves you want to create. To ramp up the tactile quality, line your path with ornamental grasses. Great grasses for gravel gardens include miscanthus, pennisetum and stipas. Finally, create a lasting impression with gravel or stone steps punctuated with mounds of erigeron, rock soapwort or adriatic bellflower.
5. Courtyard garden
Got a suntrap seating area enclosed on all sides? A lick of white paint and the right planting can instantly add a touch of romance to your garden. Alliums and lavenders thrive on light, sandy soils and will attract pollinators to your patch, while sun-loving agapanthus ‘Northern Star’ gives your border some oomph. Don’t be afraid to incorporate small trees into your courtyard scheme.
Arbutus unedo, the strawberry tree, is a gorgeous edible addition which can be grown in a pot in a sunny position. It’s fruit makes an excellent jam and the birds love it too.
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6. The gravelled front garden
When it comes to kerb appeal, millions of people across the UK are bumping flowers for four-wheel drives, but with a gravel garden you can have both. When it comes to the type of gravel for your front garden, Gravel Master says: “We recommend that you use a 20mm sized gravel as this is easy to walk on, stand the weight of car tyres and will not scatter about. A 10mm gravel may get stuck in tyre treads and any aggregate larger than 20mm will be difficult to walk on.”
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Plants that can withstand a bit of trampling include acaenas and creeping thyme. Thymus coccineus group has magenta blooms and pleasingly releases its scent with passing footfall. To brighten up a partially shaded spot, try creeping dogwood or phlox stolonifera ‘Ariane’ or try Ficaria verna ‘Coppernob’ for a cheerful carpet of sunset-orange blooms.
Ready to transform your front garden? Try these 9 ideas for a more welcoming entrance
7. Container gravel gardens
If your gardening space amounts to a small patio, balcony or window ledge, or you’ve been dealt a soil that’s heavy, clay-based, damp or waterlogged, there are plenty of small gravel garden ideas you can try out.
Raised rockery beds, pots and troughs filled with free-draining soil and horticultural grit can make a pretty home for alpines. Check out Beth Chatto’s alpine collection for inspo.
João Neves / EyeEmGetty Images
Slate chips placed upright in a pot with a mix of sand and free draining soil can mimic natural crevices (and are fun to get kids involved with). A top tip from the authors of The Crevice Garden is to create a mound with your soil and materials. The idea is to replicate “a mini-mountainous terrain and allow a deep root run” rather than adding rocks to a flat layer of soil. You can also create fun displays with bricks with holes for your chosen vegetation or broken terracotta pots.
How about selecting a few varieties of house leek or small alpines? Just remember gravel gardens with pots of a similar colour or type keep your design consistent while showing off your plants. Complete your miniature gravel garden with a top dressing of Shell on Earth’s recycled seashells.
14 Gravel Garden Ideas for a Water-Wise Garden
By
Erica Puisis
Erica Puisis
Erica Puisis writes about home products for The Spruce and specializes in interior design and plant care. She's contributed to Forbes and smart home blogs like Smart Home Solver and TechDigg.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Published on 06/02/22
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design.
She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column. She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Sarah Crowley / Stocksy
Gravel gardens give you an attractive but low-maintenance landscaping option. Not just reserved for desertscapes, you can use gravel to create defined areas within your yard or garden, as a base for container gardens, or to provide visual interest with varying sizes and colors of rock.
Options for the fill material of gravel gardens ranges from small, pea-sized pebbles to larger rocks, including river stone or other landscaping rocks. Usually, a gravel garden replaces the top 4 to 8 inches of soil. Many plants can be grown in a gravel garden, though the most popular choices are hardy varieties with minimal watering needs. In addition to reducing your watering burden, gravel gardens are also a good choice if you want to reduce weed growth.
Weeds take root far less frequently with this landscaping option.
Here are 14 ideas to create your own gravel garden.
The Best Landscape Design Software
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Succulent Garden
Altman Plants
Succulents require infrequent watering but excellent drainage, making them a good option for gravel garden plants. In this example from Altman Plants, a variety of types and sizes of aloes and other succulents creates visual interest and provides a punch of color against the gray gravel surface.
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Gravel garden beds
fotolinchen / Getty Images
Applying mulch to your garden beds can provide a number of benefits, including moisture retention and weed suppression.
Gravel, as seen in these garden beds, can be an alternative to wood or synthetic rubber mulch options. It allows water and oxygen to penetrate the soil's surface and also offers a measure of insulation during both summer and winter seasons. -
03 of 14
Around Raised Garden Beds
David Burton / Getty Images
Use gravel around your raised garden beds to create a permeable walkway as you tend and harvest your plants. The advantage of this option is that any watering runoff will easily seep into the gravel channels between the beds, which keeping your walkway mud-free.
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Sitting Garden
Clive Nichols / Getty Images
A water-wise garden can offer a calm, simple spot for reflection, as seen in this gravel garden with sitting rocks. In lieu of a green, grassy center, this garden has a warm, neutral stone as its natural surface material. The stone provides a serene, uniform backdrop for the purple wildflowers and the smooth sitting rocks arranged around the garden's perimeter.
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Outdoor Entertainment Area
Raymond Forbes LLC / Stocksy
A gravel garden can be a social spot, too. Outfitted with comfortable seating and a fire pit, this large space is a great place to gather—and garden, as seen by the raised planter boxes in the background. Unlike grass that quickly becomes trampled under heavy foot traffic, gravel is a good choice for areas that are frequently traversed by feet or furniture.
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06 of 14
Pathway with Stepping Stones
EDB Designs
Create a walkable gravel garden by using smooth, flat stepping stones to create a path through your landscaping. In comparison to mulch or dirt, a gravel garden will keep your shoes cleaner and is less subject to disturbance from wandering feet. However, a well-planned path of step stones is practical and provides a clear visual cue to traverse the garden without disturbing your plants.
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Deck garden
beekeepx / Getty Images
A gravel garden doesn't always have to be in the yard.
It can make a great, low-maintenance option for decks. Whether it's around the pool or part of your outdoor entertaining space, this look keeps dirt and mulch from scattering across your deck material. -
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Cactus Garden
constantgardener / Getty Images
A cactus garden is a popular pick for xeriscaping since it gives you the ability to have bold, colorful plants while minimizing water usage. Gravel plays an integral role by allowing precipitation and other moisture to seep into the ground while preventing its rapid evaporation back into the atmosphere. Arid perennial plants, like agave, bougainvillea, and cacti will put on a show year after year.
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Entryway Steps
Sarah Crowley / Stocksy
Hardscape features, like steps leading to the front gate or entryway of your home, aren't usually adorned by plants. However, these micro gravel gardens define each step and create a clear visual, leading the eye up the pathway.
The large, gray stones used as fill material provide a contrast to the smaller, peach-hued gravel of the garden. In keeping with the water-wise nature of the xeriscaped front yard, these mini gravel gardens feature a single cactus plant to keep the look simple and watering needs to a minimum. -
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Low-Maintenance Front Yard
Sarah Crowley / Stocksy
Give your lawn a low-maintenance look by transforming it into a gravel garden, as seen here. You can keep the look simple and sparse, with few (if any) low-maintenance flowering succulents or rocks decorating the yard. Or, incorporate more hardy plants into the design plan if you prefer a more visually diverse look for your home's front yard. In either case, a gravel garden for the front yard draws the eye to the home's exterior, while minimizing your need for watering and lawn care.
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Large-scale Gravel Garden
David Madison / Getty Images
While gravel gardens are often chosen for their simple aesthetic, you can also increase the drama of this landscaping choice by choosing plants with a big presence.
This drought-tolerant garden captures attention with a mix of agave, stachys, ornamental grasses, and other plants that require minimal maintenance. When deciding on plants that will make a bold statement, consider factors like how tall the plant will grow, foliage color, and flowering habits. You don't have to create a symmetrical layout, but balance the scale of plants along the length of your garden. In addition, look to arrange larger plants toward the back of your gravel garden, giving smaller plants an opportunity to make a visual contribution up front.
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Retaining Wall Garden
Carey Shaw / Stocksy
Transform your retaining wall into a cactus gravel garden for an eye-catching but easy-to-maintain landscaping feature. The combinations are nearly endless, but one idea to explore is pairing large-scale rocks with finer gravel fill for a contrast of texture and scale. It's important to keep the look vibrant rather than dull and monotone.
This is accomplished with a variety of cacti that bring a pop of green to the retaining wall's gravel garden. -
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Container Garden
Trinette Reed / Stocksy
Not all flora and fauna must be planted in the ground. Instead, you can use a gravel garden as the backdrop for a container garden. Remember to keep a close eye on the moisture levels of plants grown in containers, since the roots can't tap into any moisture available from within the ground. However, if you choose low-maintenance plants, you can enjoy a fuss-free gravel garden that also gives you the flexibility to add or move plants as needed.
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Gravel Garden Oasis
GCShutter / Getty Images
A gravel garden can be used to showcase plants large and small. In this instance, contrasting shades of gravel and a small border are used to create a focal point in this gravel garden. The large, potted palm springs from the center of the gravel ring, complemented by a flowering groundcover species.
Gravelled Plots & Gardens - Top 135 Photos, Landscaping Plot, Garden & Vegetable Garden
Private House Architectural Design
Bon Ton
Fresh Design Idea: Summer Plot and Courtyard Garden in Modern Style with Midday Shade
Private Residence
Ream Design
Pictured: Large lot and front yard garden in neoclassical (modern classic) style with gravel, retaining wall and midday shadow with
Grow zone, with greenhouse & potting shed
Metamorphic Design
Greenhouse at the center of the growzone, potting shed at the bottom. Autumn crush gravel as base
Large sunny garden in a modernist backyard lot with good lighting and gravel with
Menlo Park
Garden Nest Residential Landscape
Photo By: Jude Parkinson-Morgan
Source home decor inspiration: medium sized modern style backyard garden fountain with gravel
Above The Grade Landscape Project Photos
Above The Grade Landscape
Above The Grade Landscape
Photo of a sunny, summer drought tolerant fusion backyard garden with a garden path or gate, good lighting and gravel cover s
Garden Enclosure
Haver & Skolnick LLC Architects
A fieldstone wall, topped with a mahogany rail fence, provides a garden enclosure and a backdrop for pear espalier.
Robert Benson Photography
Design ideas for a huge, sunny, summer lot and well-lit, country-style side yard garden with gravel
Planter and Path
B. Jane Gardens
beds, good lighting and gravel cover with
Central District Edible Garden
Board & Vellum
Landscape contracting by Avid Landscape. Carpentry by Contemporary Homestead. Photographer by Meghan Montgomery. nine0007 Stylish Design: Sunny Lot and Medium Size Neoclassical (Modern Classic) Backyard Garden with Fireplace, Good Lighting and Gravel Covering is the Latest Trend classic backyard playground with gravel
Burns Avenue
Stride Studios
William Ripley, APLD The arbor is stained a traditional color for this formal space which keeps the garden sophisticated and tailored while accentuating the other shades of green in the plants. This color looks black, but is actually considered "Charleston Green.
" Here's a little info I found on the color, "http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/classic-paint-colors-00417000077685/page5.html"
MILL VALLEY MODERN GARDEN
BRADANINI & ASSOCIATES
POTS & HORIZONTAL BOARD FENCE, BRADANINI
Stylish Design: Graveled Plot & Backyard Garden9 with Wooden Fence & Fence - Latest Trend
9002 Cottage Garden
Designs by Shellene
We transformed an old tired space into a cozy cottage garden for family affairs.
Design ideas for a mid-sized shabby chic backyard sunny lot and garden with garden path or gate, gravel and good lighting
Front + Backyard Design (Colorado)
Tilly | Landscape Design
This customer was looking to add privacy, use less water, include raised bed garden and fire pit...making it all more their style which was a blend between modern and farmhouse.
Bocce Ball Court
Reyes Landscape Construction
Original Design Example: Mid-Size Summer Sports Court in a Country Style Backyard with Midday Shade and Gravel
Details
Grounded - Richard Risner RLA, ASLA
Original Design Example: Large sunny, drought tolerant retro front yard garden with retaining wall, good lighting, and gravel
Graveling Your Garden - 10 Essentials.
Photo - Botanichka Many land owners are considering the idea of landscaping using gravel. It is one of the most versatile landscaping materials and comes in as many colors and varieties as there are stone types. Gravel is a good choice for paving paths and for "carpeting" as an alternative to lawn. Our article will tell you what you need to know about gravel. nine0003 Graveling your garden - 10 essentials
Where you can use gravel in your garden
Gravel gardens make an attractive yet low-maintenance garden option. The natural low-key colors of the gravel and granite screenings will complement the landscape and contrast with the foliage to make the plants appear greener and more textured.
Many plants can be grown in a gravel garden, although hardy crops with minimal watering requirements are the most popular choice. In addition to saving water, gravel gardens are also a good choice if you want to reduce weed growth. Weeds with this variant of landscaping take root much less frequently.
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If your property has drainage problems or is located on a slope where runoff is a problem, creating a dry gravel riverbed can help. In addition, such a dry stream will be a great addition to your landscape.
The gravel garden can also be a place for family gatherings. They can cover a large space with comfortable chairs and a fire pit, and it will be a great place for meetings in the garden. Unlike grass, which is quickly trampled down by heavy foot traffic, gravel is a good choice for areas that are frequently walked on or furniture is placed on. nine0003
Gravel is an excellent easy-to-use material for a driveway or footpath, and is more durable than asphalt, which can crack from freezing in winter. The lighter colors of the gravel also provide a different and somewhat warmer aesthetic compared to asphalt pavement and make the garden more stylish.
A simple and attractive design can be created using fine gravel, larger river stones and creeping ground cover plants.
Choose ground covers that like good drainage and don't need too much water, such as creeping phlox, stonecrops, carnations, and bluebells. nine0003
Compared to mulch or dirt, which becomes muddy when it rains, a gravel garden will keep your shoes clean and less in the way.
Gravel is not cheap initially, but in the long run it is durable and requires little maintenance. What else do you need to know about gravel?
Many plants can be grown in a gravel garden, although hardy crops with minimal watering requirements are the most popular choice. In addition to saving water, gravel gardens are also a good choice if you want to reduce weed growth1. Not all gravel is the same
Once you decide to add gravel to your landscape, you should ask yourself the following question: what kind of gravel do I need? Each type of stone has a specific look and texture, as well as a purpose. Your choice will vary by region, so I recommend visiting outlets first to see what's available to you.
You can have a wide variety of stone sizes, textures and colors, including matte or shiny pebbles, as well as colors ranging from white to black, grey, brown, blue, purple or even pinkish. nine0003
2. Get to know the three most common gravel textures
Once you've decided on the type and color of your stone, you'll need to consider size and texture: Granite screenings or fine gravel?
Granite Screenings (Crushed Stone) is powdered granite that has a fine texture and is a popular option for walkways and patios. It is usually gray or yellow-gold, fading to yellowish brown. This material is very accessible and probably comes closest to the typical idea of what a gravel driveway looks like. Also used for patios, retaining wall drainage, backfilling and leveling. Fine gravel is a small and smooth river stone of various sizes and is used for similar purposes, but looks more decorative. However, its price is much higher. nine0003 Fine gravel is a small and smooth river stone of various sizes and is used for paths and patios, but looks more decorative than sifted granite
3.
Gravel can stick to shoes or pet paws (especially when wet) get into the house, where they not only create a mess, but can also scratch the floors. It is desirable that the size of the stone be such that it will not easily get stuck in the soles of shoes and will not be carried into the house like sand. nine0003
4. Granite screening requires more maintenance than you might expect
Lay granite screenings in layers for added strength, carefully compacting each layer. Also consider adding a bonding stabilizer (water activated) to glue the tiny pieces together. While gravel can last for a considerable amount of time, it needs periodic renewal if the soil absorbs it or if it becomes covered in moss in shady areas. You should also consider laying landscape fabric under rocks to discourage weed growth and gravel from sinking into the ground. nine0003
Although gravel prevents the growth of weeds, due to its high looseness, weeds can still take root in it. You can keep weed growth to a minimum by spraying your gravel surfaces with table vinegar or salt water.
5. Gravel requires a rake
Rake paths, walkways and patios regularly with a rake to maintain a level surface. Consider installing edging material (curb tape) to hold the stones in place. nine0003
6. Consider the cost of gravel edging
Gravel edging options include metal, wood, stone, concrete, brick, and plastic. And the prices for such materials range from budget to very high. The edge of the gravel path is softened by plants that fall onto the path: ferns, spurge, manzheka, catnip, etc.
7. Gravel is not convenient if you have to drag heavy objects
If you try to move something heavy, such as trash cans or a lawn mower, over gravel, it can feel like a heavy burden. Consider installing a concrete pad for container placement. nine0003
8. Do not use gravel on sloped areas
Gravel or stone is not the best choice for steep or sloping areas as the weight of the stone will cause the stone to slide down over time, which will be facilitated by rain and other factors.
