3 Common Rocks Used In Landscaping Projects

If you’re looking to do some landscaping before the weather turns cold, or planning a landscaping project for next spring or summer, then you need to know what you’re working with. Landscaping rocks are a large part of outdoor projects, with materials ranging from crushed gravel to river rock. However, it can be difficult to know what material is best for your project.

There are a lot of uses for landscaping rocks, and each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Something like washed gravel won’t be the same as pea gravel, for instance. It’s important to know what you’re getting when you buy, and that’s what this guide is for. Here are three common tips of landscaping rocks and the pros and cons of using them:

Pea Gravel
Pea gravel is a small, rounded rock that’s about the size of a pea, hence the name. It typically comes in shades of tan, brown, and white, but they can also change prices depending on the rocks. They’re often used for patio areas, pathways, and filling between other rocks.

The advantage of pea gravel is that it’s fairly inexpensive and readily available to landscapers. The disadvantage is that it can be hard to push anything with wheels over it. In addition, these tiny rocks tend to slip out of place if you don’t edge them carefully.

River Rock
River rock is a very popular type of smooth gravel, typically one to two inches in diameter. The rocks are a little larger than pea gravel, and also can come in a variety of colors and costs. Uses for river rock are to create dry creek beds or to direct drainage through a property. Major advantages are that it is a readily available product, and there are plenty of uses for river rock in landscaping.

The major disadvantage is that it’s difficult to weed through this type of material. In addition, maintenance needs to be consistent to avoid cleaning issues.

Crushed Granite Gravel
This is a very common rock to be found in landscaping, and it has a very close relation to decomposed granite. This is a bit rougher in texture and size, however, and is not smooth like pea gravel. It’s often found in walkways and patios.

Some advantages to this rock are that it provides great texture in the garden, and it can give a refined or contemporary look. However, it can be harder to find in a more rural area and is often twice the price of a similar decomposed granite.

There are quite a few types of rocks that can be used in landscaping, and there are a lot of uses for river rocks and similar materials. All that has to be done is to find what’s right for your project. Hopefully, this list was able to help.