Having free space on the site is an excellent opportunity to diversify the landscape by adding an unusual flower bed made of crushed stone or gravel. Such a flower garden will not cause problems during the maintenance process and will become an effective element of decor; it can be decorated exactly the way you want, thanks to the convenience of the source material. A do-it-yourself crushed stone flowerbed is an excellent option even for inexperienced gardeners. Everyone can create a real work of landscape art by showing their imagination.
What is a gravel bed
A gravel flower garden is a small or medium-sized plot of land, the space of which, with the exception of the place for planting plants, is completely covered with crushed stone. The selection of plants for such a flower bed depends on the overall design of the garden, but most often gardeners choose evergreen or decorative deciduous perennials. Herbaceous annual plants are used much less frequently, since with them the flowerbed will quickly lose the desired decorative effect.
Important! Gravel can reduce the evaporation of water from the soil and can reduce the frequency of watering plants; in summer it prevents soil heating, and in winter it protects from frost. This versatile material also limits the growth of weeds.
Flowers in flowerpots will also look beautiful if included in the composition of a gravel bed. The pots can be dug into the soil and sprinkled with the smallest stones, or simply placed securely on the surface of the gravel backfill. One of the main advantages of such a gravel flowerbed with your own hands is the ability to change the location of the flowerpots at your discretion and at any time. A huge number of design options for a flower bed based on crushed stone allows you to create a flower garden of any type.
Advantages and disadvantages of a flower bed with crushed stone
Flowerbeds made of coarse crushed stone or fine gravel look original and interesting; this is the best option for those who want to diversify the design of their site. For such flower beds, both large and small stones are used, depending on the location of the flower bed and the type of landscape. To make the flower garden look more interesting, it is better to use decorative gravel of various sizes and combine it at your discretion. A large number of advantages make such flower beds more popular among gardeners looking for non-standard design solutions for their plots:
- does not require serious maintenance due to the absence of weeds, since they are based on a backfill of stones;
- flower beds can be laid out anywhere in the territory, in the shade or in the sun, on a sloping surface or plain;
- can have any size, shape or decor;
- allow you to water and fertilize plantings much less frequently;
- They give the garden a well-groomed appearance and are an original element of the landscape.
An additional bonus is the low price of the material and its environmental friendliness; it protects the root system of planted plants by blocking air exchange. The gravel finish does not cause any difficulties when creating a flower garden and goes well with other materials, such as wood, moss or metal.
Among the disadvantages of filling a flower bed with gravel, it is worth noting the problems during harvesting in the fall, when it needs to be cleaned of fallen leaves.
How to make a flowerbed with gravel
To make a flowerbed with crushed stone with your own hands in a country house or on a site at home, it is important to choose a place to place it. Depending on its size, you can determine the exact amount of materials. First of all, you need to choose the main material - crushed stone of various fractions and shades, depending on the design of the flower bed. For the work you will also need to purchase a special mulching cloth with fastenings, a weed membrane and containers for planting plants.
Soil preparation
First of all, you need to select a suitable area where the gravel flower beds will be located, and determine its boundaries using pegs with a stretched rope. The top layer of soil to a depth of at least 20 cm must be removed from the site, and its surface should be leveled. The place must be completely cleared of weeds along with the roots. In order not to miss those weeds that have not yet sprouted, the ground needs to be watered and left for up to a week until the sprouts appear, then remove them too.
Important! Decorating flower beds with crushed stone is not only beautiful, but also profitable. With them, the garden always looks well-groomed, and the plants are reliably protected from weeds and other unfavorable factors under a layer of gravel.
After removing the weeds and preparing the ground, the site is dug up, adding expanded clay or coarse sand in the process. Next, the soil is compacted using a garden roller and covered with the first layer of mulch, which will prevent the gravel from subsiding and the growth of perennial weeds. When the area is completely covered with fabric, it will be necessary to make holes in it every 3 square meters. m. in order to remove excess water. In the process of decorating a flowerbed with crushed stone, such measures will help create a perfectly even layer.
Preparing a place for planting
To prepare the site, you will need to make holes for planting in geotextile material, having previously determined how many plants you plan to grow in the flower garden. The holes must match the size of the planting containers. In each of them you need to dig a small hole, fill it with soil and plant a plant. Soft containers are ideal for gravel beds; they protect the roots of flowers and shrubs, and also reliably separate a layer of plain or colored crushed stone for flower beds from the planting site.
Advice! Small conifers, palms, azaleas, yuccas, maples, hydrangeas and ornamental grasses work best with gravel. They can be advantageously combined to form interesting compositions.
You can plant plants after decorating the flower beds with gravel; to do this, you need to remove excess gravel in the planting areas. Then make holes in the mulching sheet, bend its edges down and make a hole in the soil for the seedling. Afterwards, plants are planted in the prepared holes, sprinkled with a layer of soil and watered after distributing the removed gravel.
How to fill a flowerbed with crushed stone
To properly lay decorative crushed stone in a flowerbed, you need to prepare the soil and level its surface. Next, the gravel is evenly distributed over the site, making sure that its first layer is at least 3 cm. A thinner layer will provoke the growth of weeds due to the presence of gaps between the crushed stone and the soil. It is better to make the layer thicker so that weeds do not interfere with the plants in the future flower bed. Plant types also need to be taken into account, for example, a thick gravel layer is better for rhododendrons and azaleas.
The function of the first layer is to remove rainwater and drainage. A second sheet of geotextile is laid on it, designed to separate the main and decorative layers of crushed stone. The final stage is the filling of a decorative layer, with which the geotextile is masked; it should be completely hidden under plain or colored crushed stone for flower beds. At this stage, the composition of the flower bed is also formed, taking into account the previously developed design of the picture.
How to paint crushed stone for a flowerbed with your own hands
Ordinary crushed stone can be turned into decorative one by painting it in different colors depending on the design of the flower garden. The technology for coloring crushed stone for a flower bed is not complicated; when choosing high-quality dyes, the stones retain their original color for a long time. Special aerosol enamel in cans, as well as acrylic or alkyd paints, are suitable for them.
The process consists of several stages:
- The selected stones must be thoroughly washed.
- Paint each stone on one side and the other in the desired color, waiting until the paint dries.
- The paint is applied in a thin layer; if in the end the color is not too bright, the process can be repeated.
The method of painting each stone is suitable for processing small quantities. When there is a lot of gravel, it is poured into a large container and paint is poured on top, thoroughly mixing the stones. A concrete mixer is well suited for these purposes. Flowerbeds with white crushed stone look no less impressive, but often site owners prefer a more original decor.
What plants to plant in a gravel bed
The versatility of a gravel flower garden allows you to use many different types of plants. When choosing them, it is necessary to take into account the overall design of the landscape and the chosen decor of the flower bed. Plot owners can make a gravel flower bed without grass or use coniferous plants. Cypress, boxwood, yucca, yew and Rogersia trees look especially beautiful on light crushed stone.
Shrubs with bright and variegated foliage, for example, Fortune's euonymus, hydrangeas, Thunberg barberry and others, will also look impressive.
There are many types of plants that can be used in the composition, for example, a gravel flowerbed with conifers is considered the most popular option. It’s easier to remember which ones are best not to choose; these are fast-growing plantings and plants that require frequent replanting.
Photo ideas of flower beds with decorative crushed stone (gravel)
The number of ideas for decorating flower beds with crushed stone is limited only by the imagination of the owner of the site. Below are the most interesting and non-standard gravel flower beds with photos, which you can easily make step by step with your own hands using colored or plain crushed stone.
Conclusion
Decorating a flowerbed with colored crushed stone, as shown in the examples in the photo above, is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. This is a popular and environmentally friendly idea that many owners of summer cottages and adjacent plots have been using with pleasure for a long time. A beautiful flowerbed made of crushed stone with your own hands will delight you with its appearance for a long time, and will also become a wonderful decoration of the landscape if you decorate it correctly and with taste.
We meet each new summer season with new ideas and new plans. And at the same time we want to get the maximum result with a minimum of opportunities. For example, on the territory of a summer cottage, a flower bed is an indispensable decoration. And we set to work with zeal and desire. But what about weeds? There is a solution - these are flower beds made of crushed stone, which combine bright flowers and multi-colored (or plain) decorative crushed stone around them. In addition, our flower bed can be of any shape and color!
Advantages of the new material
Pebbles are formed during the decomposition of rocks, and are rolled in water (sea, river, stream). Round stones contain impurities that affect their strength. They are crushed industrially and the sizes are selected depending on the purpose of use: decorative or construction. Various sizes can be used, ranging from 1-3mm. and ending with 40-70mm.. Usually, for greater expressiveness, decorative crushed stone of different sizes is selected for both the flowerbed and the garden. But small stones are used for the path: the smaller the stones, the more convenient it is to walk on them.
- This is a cheap and environmentally friendly material that has a number of undeniable advantages:
- By covering the soil layer, it does not interfere with air exchange, so the root system does not suffer.
- Crushed stone is beautiful and looks good in any weather.
- Does not require special skill to use.
- You can decorate any unsightly area of the garden or flower garden.
- Good in compositions, for example, with moss, glass, metal, wood.
We try to keep up with the times, using new, unusual forms of garden design. The use of crushed stone and gravel in landscape architecture is becoming increasingly popular.
How to use decorative crushed stone?
There are now no problem areas in the garden: empty and useless, waterlogged, shaded. We cover them with crushed stone, and not necessarily of the same size; you can add medium and large stones. And small colored crushed stones will give an unusual look to paths branching among the trees in the garden. Here you need a layer of 5-8 cm.
Without it it is impossible to create an alpine slide. Without stones and crushed stone, the slide will “lose” its external color and will look uninteresting. And the closed space between the plants makes the slide an element close to natural conditions. The bottom of a decorative pond, decorated with blue crushed stone, will give it a special, slightly fabulous look. You can bring large boulders that will protrude from the water.
If you want to create a Japanese-style garden, no problem. Stone is an important part of Japanese design. There are “gardens of emptiness” made entirely of stone. Large stones are scattered without any special system, depicting islands and mountains, and the ground is covered with small rubble. The “rock garden” also requires care, but it is special.
Colored natural stone is indispensable in complex landscape compositions, and, of course, in flower beds. Here it is laid out in a layer of 2-4 cm. Decorative crushed stone does not require constant maintenance, and the space filled with it remains clean and looks aesthetically pleasing. In addition, the dyes do not lose their richness and brightness for a long time, and are harmless to the external environment and its inhabitants. Therefore, after cleaning it, the area can be used by planting any plants on it.
You can paint crushed stone yourself
You can choose the color you are interested in. Acrylic and alkyd paints and colored aerosol enamel in a can are used.
- First, the pebbles need to be washed well.
- Paint on one side and wait until completely dry.
- Paint the other side and also wait until the paint dries.
- There is no need to apply a thick layer of paint, but if the crushed stone turns out to be dull, the process will have to be repeated.
This method is suitable for painting a small amount of stones. If you need to paint a lot of pebbles, then you need to pour them into a large container, pour the paint on top and mix thoroughly (you can use a concrete mixer for this purpose).
Decorating with streamlined pebbles
Of course, crushed stone in a flowerbed looks unusual, but why not try streamlined pebbles? Then we need a large container, cement and paint. We do everything step by step:
- Pour a third of the crushed stone into the container, add paint, and mix thoroughly.
- Then pour water into the crushed stone, twice as much in volume as paint.
- Add cement (determine the quantity yourself) and mix everything. Then pour in the remaining pebbles and mix everything again.
- Place the stones, completely painted with cement, on mesh or polyethylene until completely dry. When the process is completed, you can see that the stones have become more streamlined and well painted. They can be used in the same way as decorative crushed stone.
Creating a flower bed using crushed stone (complicated version)
Let's try to create a new generation flower bed using modern technologies. In our work we will need 2 types of geotextile mulch fabric, devices for fixing it, a special membrane against weeds, containers for planting flowers, decorative crushed stone of various colors and sizes.
We must prepare a place for the flowerbed: give it the desired shape, build a fence, making a reserve for height. This depends on the gravel layers and the height of the planting containers. Then you need to spread the first layer of canvas as protection against remaining weeds and their seeds. It is cut and laid as a continuous covering or overlapping (up to 10 cm), and secured with needle-type degradable fasteners. When securing the canvas to the fence, metal clamps are used.
Holes are cut in the covering and recesses are dug for soft containers of the required shape. Subsequently, they are filled with soil and plants are planted in them. They will separate the plant area from the gravel layer and protect the roots from pests. You can begin to fill in the first layer of gravel, the thickness of which is 2/3 of the thickness of the fence. Its main role is drainage and removal of rainwater. If the flowerbed is planned near the foundation of the house, then a groove is created from crushed stone to drain water.
The second layer of garden geotextile will serve as a filter between the gravel layer below and the decorative crushed stone above. A decorative layer of crushed stone is poured onto it. It is advisable to wash both gravel and crushed stone. Geotextiles should not be noticeable, so we use crushed stone of different colors and sizes. Everything is ready: you can fantasize and create your own unique composition design.
Creating a flower bed using crushed stone (simple option)
This method is simple and does not require any special skills. All you need is free time and a desire to experiment. The flowerbed is already ready and a variety of flowers or floral arrangements grow on it. You need to remove the weeds, take a backfill of crushed stone of a certain or neutral color and fill the space around the flowers. The layer of crushed stone is laid at a depth of 2-3 cm. There should be no gaps in the ground. And as a final touch, create a homemade or store-bought border.
But this method also has disadvantages. Over time, crushed stone mixes with the ground and does not look so beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. Then you will have to slightly renew the flowerbed. At the end of the season, the crushed stone can be collected, washed and reused the following year.
Modern garden: minimum costs and maximum decorativeness
Advantages of gardens using crushed stone and gravel:
- The area planted with plants and in need of care depends on the wishes of the owners.
- Compositions and sizes are also selected individually: you can refine any corner of the existing site.
- You can create a garden using gravel and crushed stone yourself, since the creation technology is quite simple.
- To create such a garden requires a minimum of financial costs.
- Plants mulched with floral gravel will look decorative almost anywhere in the garden.
- There is no need for constant loosening and watering, which makes gardening less labor-intensive.
The best place for a rocky garden is an area with light sandy soil. The area is filled, the turf is removed with a 20 cm layer of soil, carefully digging and removing roots and rhizomes. The area is moistened and left for 10 days for the remaining roots to germinate.
Dig up the area with the addition of baking powder, draining the soil.
The soil is compacted and the area is covered with geotextiles. The sheets must be joined together. The area is covered with crushed stone 5-10 cm thick, in which holes are dug, filled with earth and plants are planted. In landscape design, stone chips, crushed stone of several colors, sea pebbles, and shells are used. At the same time, select the desired color and size.
Planting plants in flower beds and gardens
First, a design project for plant placement is created. Shrubs are planted in the designated areas. Once they are established, you can plant carpet plants and perennials. It is better to plant daylilies in clumps. Single plantings do not look so advantageous; they suffer from rain and wind. Finally, seeds of annual and biennial crops are sown, which are subsequently renewed by self-seeding. Annuals are sown in early spring, and biennials in June, which guarantees flowering the following year.
The varieties chosen for a garden with gravel and crushed stone should be drought-resistant and at the same time be decorative. It is necessary to pay attention to the biological characteristics of plants, to their development cycle, so as not to create additional difficulties for yourself later.
Mahonia holly attracts attention throughout the year with its shiny dark green leaves, yellowish flowers and bluish berries. Hosta varieties decorate the area with wide leaves. They may not be replanted for several years. Irises, daylilies, and ferns are also unpretentious. Plants with silvery leaves look beautiful on crushed stone: gray fescue, chickweed, wormwood, lavender, cineraria, carnation. Among shrubs, cotoneaster and gorse are most often grown, and among cereals, blue fescue is grown.
The uniqueness of the new material
Despite the simplicity and availability of decorative crushed stone, any flower bed will become unusual and a little fantastic if the flowers are surrounded with light crushed stone. It is this background that emphasizes the different color schemes. There may be other colors, there is always the opportunity to experiment. Flower beds, paths, garden paths will be practical and original. Crushed stone next to the pool and fountain - and you are on the seashore. Decorative crushed stone allows the designer to carry out the most daring projects that can be admired again and again.
If you are still wondering whether it is worth trying to create a flower bed using decorative crushed stone, then think about what is better:
- Weed all season long.
- See wilting plants that, without mulching material, need frequent watering.
- It is constantly spent additionally on organic fertilizers and seeds or simply adding a bucket of crushed stone.
Think and create your own unique flower plot using decorative crushed stone.
Ornamental plants are undoubtedly the main decoration of the garden, but there are also other materials that can be used to decorate the landscape.
These are various stones, fences, small architectural forms, as well as decorative filling, which has become increasingly popular lately.
Its properties are so diverse that there are many ways to use it in the garden.
The variety of types, materials, and colors can confuse you when choosing backfill. Therefore, in this article we will consider all the main points on its selection and use in landscape design.
Characteristics of the main types
Decorative filling, represented by bulk materials, is used to mulch the soil for various purposes. All types are divided into organic and inorganic fills.
The most popular organic ones are:
- pine bark. It is very durable, does not rot for a long time, does not fade in the sun, and is also environmentally friendly and safe for humans and the environment. It will look natural and harmonious in landscape design.
- Decorative wood chips, cedar husks. They can be painted in any color (using eco-friendly paint), so you get a wide palette of colors to experiment with in the garden, but don’t overdo it, everything should look harmonious and beautiful. For example, bright, saturated colors are inappropriate for a landscape style, but they are perfect for paths and playgrounds.
However, there are also disadvantages of such fillings– they are lightweight, can be carried by wind, and have a short service life compared to inorganic materials. But the disadvantages are replaced by the main advantage - low cost.
Anyone can afford to buy wood chips, since they are mainly a waste product from the wood processing industry.
It is necessary to use organic fills with caution, since they are placed directly on the ground and over time, the lower layer, rotting, can change the acid-base environment of the soil (mainly acidified) and its composition. However, for some plants this is a favorable factor, for example for rhododendrons.
If, however, you have chosen this type of filling, then it is advisable to add it annually to update the appearance and compensate for the rotted lower layer.
Inorganic fills are divided according to their origin into natural and artificial.
In the first case, the most popular are the following:
- decorative gravel– represented by stones of various shapes of fine fraction, used to form road surfaces, entrances, etc.;
- crushed stone– obtained by crushing stones of various types (marble, granite, slate, limestone, etc.), has the appearance of crumbs with sharp edges, corners, and also different colors;
- pebbles– has a rounded shape, a smooth small stone, the most popular is sea pebbles, which in combination with colored pebbles gives a beautiful effect;
- sand– a very fine fraction; sand from marble, quartz, shells, etc. is used in landscape design.
The advantages of these fills are their durability, they do not crumble or fade, and retain their original appearance for a long time. In addition, they are easy to care for, and organic natural fillings keep the soil from excessive heating and do not interfere with water and air exchange.
The downside is that it is difficult to remove debris from their surface, so it is better to use them away from trees. After a couple of seasons, when dust, seeds, or soil particles get into them, the fills become silted and weeds may appear, but they can be easily weeded out or treated with herbicides.
Inorganic fills of artificial origin include plastic and colored glass. They are laid on a pre-prepared base made of geotextile, film, as well as fills of natural origin.
Application in the garden
Decorative fill is very popular and is widely used in landscape design. With its help, you can significantly transform a site, complement any composition of plants, and using it you can create a Japanese garden (“dry”), an alpine hill, a sand garden (without water, from coarse gravel).
Filling is widely used when creating paths, patios, and also as mulch, for decorating tree trunks or as a replacement for a lawn.
Path made of decorative fill You can do it yourself quite quickly. To do this, you need to dig a pit (shallow, 10-15 cm), cover it with geotextiles and pour backfill (7-10 cm).
It is better to reinforce the edges of the path with stone or a special garden border. Using the same principle, you can make any elements of the composition, combining them with plants that are planted in slots in geotextiles and a lawn.
As a decorative element, you can use decorative fills when creating stone screes on an alpine hill, in a rock garden, or when decorating the shore of a reservoir. In order to highlight a particular plant, choose a backfill that is contrasting in color.
Organic materials as mulch are an excellent solution when planting perennial plants. The fill will fill the open space until the plants grow and cover the bare soil. This will also help retain moisture in the soil.
For 1 sq. m usually need about 50-100 kg of gravel, and wood chips or bark half as much.
In landscape design, mulch is used not only for functional, but also for decorative purposes, combining architectural and plant elements into a single composition. Additionally, having a bed of organic and inorganic materials in your garden will do a lot of good for your plants.
A layer of mulch 8-10 cm thick:
- will eliminate problems with weeds, the fight against which takes a lot of time,
- protects the root system of plants from overheating and freezing,
- improves soil aeration, since a crust does not form under the mulch,
- will retain moisture and reduce watering time,
- will provide a neat appearance and high decorativeness of the site.
Organic materials, such as wood chips or the bark of coniferous trees, also have absorbent qualities, absorb toxins from the soil, reduce its “morbidity”, and also contribute to an increase in the number of earthworms, the main producers of vermicompost.
Inorganic materials for mulching and filling
Gravel
More often they are used for laying paths, sprinkling driveways, arranging steps, and framing shrubs. They create original plant compositions with it, especially since it differs both in color (sometimes gray, green, black) and in size. Coarse gravel is usually used to line the edges of reservoirs or to design a mountain landscape. This material retains heat well, is not carried by the wind due to its own heavy weight, and reliably inhibits the growth of weeds.
Granite chips
Crushed rock that consists of quartz, mica, calcium-sodium and potassium spar. It is characterized by high hardness, resistance to friction, compression and temperature changes. Thanks to its mineral composition, it has a very attractive appearance, differs in various shades (from gray to pink), and glitters beautifully in the sun. The material is perfect for decorating paths, flower beds, etc.
Separately, it is worth highlighting such a variety of this material as granite screenings. It is finer than ordinary gravel, rounded, does not have sharp chips, and therefore is perfect for playgrounds, outdoor activities and garden paths.
Sandstone or crushed stone
These are crushed rocks, which are a mass of grains of sand that have been cemented under the influence of time. The strength and color of the material depend on the rock used for cementation. These could be clayey, siliceous, carbonate and other binders. Most often, sandstone is gray in color, but there are also pink types of crushed stone interspersed with other shades. The inexpensive material is perfect for decorating paths, the shoreline of a pond, or edging flower beds.
Marble chips
This is crushed stone of different fractions, colors and shapes. The material is environmentally friendly and aesthetic, allowing you to create the most exquisite compositions in landscape design. It is used for arranging paths, decorating dry streams, etc.
Rubber mulch
It has many advantages, among which it is worth highlighting the relatively low price and a wide variety of shapes and shades. The material has proven itself to combat weeds, fungi and mold, and is suitable for flower beds and playgrounds (it softens falls and creates safer conditions for children).
Broken glass
During processing, glass of different colors is crushed and the edges are rounded. This mulch is an excellent decorative element that can be used in any area. In addition, glass does not absorb water at all; all the moisture goes to the plants, which is very beneficial for the roots.
Conifer bark
This material is not painted, retaining all its beneficial properties. In addition to bark, whole and processed cones are also used in mulch. A layer of crushed bark lasts quite a long time, protects the soil well from overheating (repels moisture) and replenishes it with useful substances. Places for use: rock gardens, rose gardens, mixborders, various decorative compositions, heather gardens and solitary plantings. Coniferous mulch is a natural growth stimulator due to the content of fungal mycorrhiza.
Decorative wood chips
It is obtained by processing waste from deciduous trees. Due to its beneficial properties and variety of colors, this natural material is actively used in the garden for zoning space. Wood chips will also help accentuate your flower beds and simply give your garden a well-groomed look. The material will help strengthen the root system of plants, prevent the growth of weeds, and also enrich the soil with useful substances. In addition, wood chips are colored in colorizers in a variety of colors. An area decorated with multi-colored mulch takes on an elegant, often exotic look.
Nut shells
A good material for mulch can be the shells of nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and pine. It has antiseptic properties, retains moisture well in the soil and does not rot for a long time. Under such mulch, the soil does not overheat, it can be watered and loosened less often. Recommended for coniferous and fruit trees and shrubs. True, such mulch is easily blown away by the wind, and therefore, before using this type of mulch, flower beds should be decorated with a border or lawn border.
Fertile soil or peat
Fertile soil or peat (mixed with sand) is also used for mulching. These materials have no decorative value, but are very useful for plants. Mulching with peat or soil is carried out to create beds, raise the soil level in flower beds (including when it sags over time), and also to increase the fertile properties of the soil. As a result of mulching, the color saturation and growth rate of plants increases, resistance to drought increases, and the mulched lawn becomes more resistant to trampling.
Some tips from landscape designers for mulching the soil
- Do not cover the root collar with mulch, as this will cause the plant to rot.
- The best time for mulching is mid and late spring. The soil has already warmed up and is well saturated with moisture, and the top layer can already be loosened, since it has already dried out.
- First clear the area of debris and weeds, water the area if necessary and loosen the top layer to a depth of 8-10 cm. In this case, the soil should not be waterlogged.
There is no need to fertilize an area covered with organic mulch; you can only occasionally apply mineral supplements at the roots of plants.
Ornamental plants are undoubtedly the main decoration of the garden. However, there are other materials that can be used to decorate the landscape. These can be various stones, fences, small architectural forms, as well as decorative fills, which have become increasingly popular lately. This is an easy and simple way to improve your summer cottage area. It is worth understanding in more detail what they are and how to use them.
Decorative fills
With the help of decorative fillings you can change the appearance of the garden:
- to place emphasis in a new way,
- create an individual style.
In addition, the filling is excellent mulch:
- weeds grow slower
- moisture evaporation is reduced,
- no crust forms on the soil surface.
Dumps can also be used as a replacement for a classic lawn.
For decorative filling in landscape design, a variety of bulk materials are used - organic And inorganic.
Decorative inorganic fills
Inorganic fills include:
- gravel,
- pebbles,
- baby,
- seashells,
- colored glass.
Inorganic decorative fills are perfect for decorating ponds, alpine slides, rockeries and sandy gardens.
- With the help of waves, stripes and circles of gravel and crumbs, you can highlight a beautiful plant: for this, choose backfill that contrasts with the color of the leaves and flowers.
- Large surfaces covered with homogeneous material of the same color, or a combination of areas of contrasting colors, look most impressive.
Advantages of inorganic fills:
- long service life,
- unchanged appearance.
- they require almost no maintenance,
- protect the soil from overheating and do not retain water,
- they do not need to be fertilized, watered, mowed,
- plants that have sprouted from flying seeds are easy to weed out,
- in the spring, places with decorative backfill are the first to thaw, and you can immediately walk on them.
Disadvantages of inorganic fills:
- fairly easy littering with plant litter,
- However, cleaning is also not very burdensome; an ordinary broom will help here.
Decorative gravel and pebble fills
Crushed granite gravel of various fractions, river and sea pebbles are often used as backfill. They are small fractions of natural stone with rounded or pointed shapes.
- A complex pattern of gravel of different shades and sizes of stone creates an interesting feeling of a decorative landscape.
- Rounded, or vice versa, rigid contours of the pattern of fills create a peculiar effect, thanks to which the site looks more attractive.
Decorative crumb fillings
This is the smallest of the materials in the “stone” line.
- Happens granite , marble , quartzite chit.
- Natural granite chips are a mixture of sand, gray and reddish shades.
- It can be painted in any color, but such crumbs are much more expensive than natural ones.
It is necessary to keep in mind that under granites and shales the soil quickly becomes acidic.
Marble chips cannot be used in shady areas of the garden; they are quickly attacked by moss and mold. In addition, the crumbs “flow” into the ground over time, so it is better to place geotextiles under them and protect them from spilling with a border.
Decorative fillings made of shells and glass
As an effective addition, you can use unusual types of fills, such as seashells And colored glass .
- They are especially beautiful in the design of ponds and dry streams.
- Small glass balls in blue, green and purple colors look very original with white shells and large bluish-gray pebbles.
Decorative organic fills
Among the decorative organic fills, the most popular are:
- cedar husk,
- pine bark,
- wood chips.
Most organic fills acidify the soil!
When using decorative fillings of organic origin in flowerbeds, tree trunks, etc. - wherever they are laid directly on the ground - it should be borne in mind that the lower layer of mulch, which rots over time, changes the composition of the soil on which it lies.
Pros of organic fillings:
- Of course, the common advantage of all organic fills is their low cost,
- spectacular appearance that creates a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Disadvantages of organic fills:
- Relatively short service life
- relative lightness of the material.
Decorative bark fillings
- Like pine nut shells, pine bark is very durable,
- does not rot for a long time,
- does not fade in the sun,
- is environmentally friendly and safe for humans and the environment.
Decorative fillings from wood chips and husks
Decorative wood chips and cedar husks are used both in their natural form and painted.
- With colored materials you have a wide range of colors to experiment with in the garden.
- But remember, bright, saturated colors are inappropriate for a landscape style, but they are perfect for paths and playgrounds.
How to make decorative filling with your own hands
Before starting work, it is better to draw a plan for the layout of the site so that the new element of garden design does not “stick out” like a foreign body in the middle of the landscape. Try not to choose strictly geometric shapes.
Where to start dumping:
- it is necessary to remove the top fertile layer of soil,
- select weed roots,
- carefully level and compact the soil.
- Then lay dense geotextiles or spunbond.
It is better to take black covering material.
- If you want to place plants on the fill, you need to make cross-shaped cuts in the geotextile.
- To prevent fills of different colors from mixing, it is necessary to install a border tape along the contour of the pattern.
- If you are making a path, then it is better to reinforce its edges with stones or the same curb tape.
Immediately after installation, the decorative coating must be leveled, compacted and watered.
Consumption of decorative filling
- When backfilling, layer thickness stone chips usually does not exceed 5 cm. On average, 4 large (12-liter) buckets of material are needed per 1 m².
- Decorative thickness fills from organic materials – 5–8 cm. The layer on the track is made thicker – 7–10 mm.
- One bag (60 l) wood chips enough to cover 1 m² with a layer of 3 cm.
- Bag pine nut shells on the same area will give a layer of 4 cm.