Go for the Gravel
Inexpensive and Versatile Landscape Solutions.
By Rachel Foster 2/10/05

One thing I regret about the trend reducing the size of lawns (or even, sometimes very sensibly, removing them altogether) is that it often means replacing grass with an impervious surface. Concrete, mortared stone and mortared brick are often chosen to replace what was once a cool, breathing, organic solution to furnishing a living space. Budget constraints keep some people from doing this, because impervious surfaces are relatively expensive to install. They are, however, easy to maintain and they eliminate weed problems.
As more of the world gets paved over every day, problems arise. Some towns in Britain have banned the paving of front gardens for extra parking; the increased run-off during rain storms overloads sewers and causes flooding. For areas that must withstand heavy traffic, perforated paving systems exist that provide a plausible driving surface while they permit water to drain and grass or ground cover to grow. But for many home gardening needs, gravel will do the job, and it is relatively inexpensive. If you are planning to build a new or refurbished patio this year, gravel is worth considering.
What do I mean by gravel? Two different kinds of small stone are readily available: crushed quarried rock (locally, most likely basalt) and river gravel (a small grade of round rock). Both have advantages and drawbacks. Neither is totally friendly to bare feet, and both can be thrown by small children. Toddlers love to throw gravel. Count on it. Sometimes your choice of gravel type will be determined by aesthetics. If you are graveling an area in the same view as a dry stream bed of smooth, rounded river rock, for example, you may choose to match it with river gravel.
Crushed basalt is dark in color, which can be nice in sunny places but is less appealing in shade. The grade of basalt called half inch minus contains smaller particles that allow it to pack down to form a firm surface that supports furniture and container plants well. But if your gravel surface is near a door, smaller pieces will be tracked indoors on your feet. When it has weathered, weeds like to grow in half inch minus. Larger, "open" crushed rock (screened to remove small particles) is cleaner and less weedy but does not pack readily and is less comfortable to walk on.
Pea gravel, the smallest grade of river rock, reflects light, contains a subtle mix of colors and is beautiful to look at, but it travels. While this movement deters weed growth, pea gravel can feel loose underfoot and isn't a great substrate for furniture. It, too, can be caught in shoes that have a pronounced tread. These problems are mostly overcome by using the larger grade, called three quarter round, or by sinking paving stones to form pathways and firm standing for chairs and tables. Incorporating flagstone areas is also a good way to relieve the visual boredom that can result from large areas of crushed basalt.
Whatever kind of gravel you use, it is best to lay it on a base of coarser crushed rock to provide good drainage and to postpone the inevitable day when it fills up with soil particles and organic debris, forming an ideal seed bed for weeds. Yes, weeds can be a nuisance in gravel, but they are a minor one to a gardener, since any unwanted seedling is easy to pull from gravel as long as you get to it promptly. Weeding gravel or unmortared flagstone patios is a great job for a winter afternoon because it keeps you out of the mud. In addition to pulling, experiment with low-toxicity alternatives such as boiling water, radiant heat or flame weeders, and sodium salts of fatty acids (sold as Safer's Sharpshooter).
Some gardeners, myself among them, just love the fact that plants like to grow in gravel. Things that are miffy about growing in my flower beds will romp away in weathered half inch minus with a good, deep porous base. Our gravel sitting area and steps have become my version of a rock garden: hens-and-chicks, native sedums, a tiny black-leafed geranium and a poppy with gorgeous orange flowers revel in the gritty medium. Lavender and Mexican daisies also self-sow here, and it's the only place in the garden that creeping thyme is happy.
Very occasionally, I actually plant something in a graveled area. I make a hole with a pry bar, mix a small amount of gravel with the potting soil I shake off the roots of a four inch or two inch plant, and seat the new inmate in the gravel. A thorough watering washes soil particles around the roots.