Garden Pebbles are one of the most beautiful and versatile natural materials you can use for your garden. They’re the perfect accompaniment to plants, trees, pavers and can even be used as standalone elements to create texture, colour and draw interest to your yard.

Whether you’re building a modern, traditional, Japanese, country, Mediterranean, or Xeriscape garden, you’ll find stones and pebbles in all shapes and sizes to match your theme and project.

mixed polished pebbles

Garden pebbles are also practical. They can be used to assist with drainage, create structure and physical change, help a garden look more established.

Pebbles make wonderful decorative elements and help restore water in the soil that is exposed to the sun. They also prevent soil erosion and preserve the roots of plants.

Stone pebble paths can be used as walkways and decorative pebbles can replace the mulch.

Landscaping pebbles are very on-trend at the moment. So much so that landscape gardeners are using them to replace mulching, paving, surfacing paths and driveways and even creating mosaics out of them! Landscapers simply can’t get enough of pebbles and how much character they add to the homes they’re redecorating.

In this article we will answer some common and frequently asked questions about landscaping with garden pebbles.

If you find it helpful, please share with your gardening and landscaping friends!

Let’s begin…

HOW TO INSTALL GARDEN PEBBLES?

On the outset it seems: “How complicated can it be installing garden pebbles? Just sprinkle them all over the ground and et voila! You’re done.”

There is a proper installation process even for something as ‘simple’ as garden pebbles.

You see, weeds can become quite an issue with pebbles. This is why we suggest against skimping on materials and laying a thick layer of pebbles to prevent weeds growing through them. Alternatively, you can add  Roundup as a treatment on the ground before laying the pebbles. This will also prevent weeds from weaseling through the ground.

Another consideration is adding an underlay between the rocks and soil. This creates a weed barrier and prevents weed seeds from touching the soil. Here we recommend choosing a landscape fabric, double weed mat, or black plastic as the underlay. Compared to landscape fabric, plastic creates a stronger weed barrier but water won’t pass through it to feed the bushes’ roots. If you opt for the plastic option, make sure to punch holes in it so that the bushes get the water they need to grow.

HOW MANY GARDEN PEBBLES DO I NEED?

A few things affect the calculation for pebble coverage. These include the actual size of the coverage area, the depth of area and also the shape and size of the pebbles themselves.

While there is no hard science when it comes to calculating how many garden pebbles you need, at Armstone we’ve devised a formula that gets you close enough. We’ve physically laid out pebbles on a square meter and by doing so, found an accurate formula. While it may be very close to your requirements, please remember that it’s still only an approximate calculation. If you need help with your calculates, you can contact us here.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH GARDEN PEBBLES?

The better question is: “What can’t you do with garden pebbles?”

Why?

Because they are so versatile that you can use them for many different things.

Below we will show you some of the options available for you.

stone pebbles

Terraced Steps

Garden pebbles make a very strong focal point as terraced stone steps in a mix-and-match pattern. If you have a sloped yard they offer a functional purpose too. You can even add groundcover in and amongst your steps to diversify the terrace steps with a green carpet. Alternatively, you can plant soil and sedum into the cracks and crannies amongst the stones. Adding character plants on either side of the steps will also amplify the visual aesthetic and installing small flat lights will make the steps very enchanting at night.

Drought Tolerant Yard

Is your garden and environment prone to drought? Then we suggest creating a bed of pebbles dotted with native grasses, such as Mingo or Purple Lea. Grasses are great for attracting native birds and are well equipped to tolerate frost and drought.

Zen Garden

A zen garden is a place of refuge and is a wonderful space for meditation. Traditional Japanese zen spaces typically use stone, sand, and other natural materials to create lines and patterns to evoke that serene meditative environment.

Pool Border

Fancy feeling like you’re stepping into a resort every time you walk outside to your pool? Then use polished pebbles to outline your pool with a stone border.

English Country Garden

There is nothing quite like a flagstone path that leads you to a outdoor table or bench where you can enjoy a good book or hot (or iced) tea. Popular in English country gardens, these types of backyards incorporate more formal stone elements and can be brought to life with garden pebbles completing the gaps between stones, perennials lining the path and a birdbath at the end of the journey to complete the effect.

Modern Path

If you have a modern home with paths made of Raven Black Granite Pavers, you can frame them with Sino Black Natural Pebbles! The end result looks stylish and is completely maintenance-free.

Gravel Mulch

If you want to pave your garden with easy to maintain mulch (i.e. something you never have to replace), then we recommend using gravel mulch, or else known as garden pebbles. When lining your garden with gravel mulch, you need to ensure that the area around is 40-60mm deep, or 10-20mm deep for pots. If you want to avoid weeds breaking through, try the Roman technique of sprinkling salt on the soil first. Word of caution, don’t do this in spaces where you want to grow ornamental plants as the result can be permanent and detrimental!

Succulent Garden

Succulents are a wonderful plant for busy people. Why? They require minimal fuss and maintenance. In saying this, it’s important that when they’re planted, you choose the correct mulch. You see, they prefer to be placed with stones or gravel than with moist leaf litter mulch. You can even create an artistic feature by placing coloured pebbles to contrast against the pasty succulents.

WHAT ARE OTHER USES FOR GARDEN PEBBLES?

Once you’ve started using garden pebbles in combination with your home projects, you’ll feel hooked and excited for your next project.

It is likely that you will have a lot of leftover stones. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do with the leftovers!

Here are some of our favorite ideas:

Earth Natural Pebbles

BACKSPLASH

Pretty pebbles in a variety of earth tones can make a beautiful resource for a unique backsplash in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry. If you have a lot, you can run the whole length, or otherwise, consider just creating an accent.

MOSAIC

Leftover stone and pebbles are perfect for mosaicing, and the beauty of mosaics is that anyone can make something beautiful when they have quality material. Try creating a picture frame, lamp, or some coasters.

SENSORY TABLE

Sensory tables are great fun for kids and a valuable learning tool that encourages children to explore their world. Fill a bin with your leftover gravel, and place objects inside for your child to find. They can either guess with their eyes closed as to what each object is or can create a play area for some diggers or dinosaurs.