Rocks are commonly used in the home landscape for a variety of purposes. Home gardeners use several types of landscaping rocks in gardens, as pathways, as an edging material and as mulch. Landscaping flower bed rocks must be large enough that they don’t get lost in the soil, but small or lightweight enough that they don’t put a lot of pressure on your plants’ roots.
In large flower beds that require you walk through them in order to work, river rock’s round, smooth edges and surface is ideal. However, river rock does not pack down well due to its shape. It does provide good drainage and is an attractive rock to use in or around your flower beds. River rock for flower beds is available in sizes that range from 3/8 to 2-1/2 inches. Most river rock is available in shades of grey or brown and is ideal for creating a pathway through your flowerbed, providing you a place to step without crushing your plants. River rock also makes a stunning compliment to flower beds lining the exterior of modern homes, and it combines well with ornamental grasses and colorful plants.
Lava rock, also called volcanic rock, forms on the outside of volcanoes from lava flows. It has a porous texture due to the holes that form as gases escape the lava as it cools. Lava rock has a deep red-brown color once it has oxidized and it is lightweight and irregularly shaped. It is available in sizes ranging from 3/4 to 1-1/4 inch. It blends well around brick homes due to its red-brown color, but is also available in gray and black. Because lava rock is so light, additional layers must be added periodically to maintain the thickness of your groundcover. Lava rock’s porous texture makes it an ideal rock for flower beds in areas where moisture might be an issue, such as near downspouts or at the base of sloped areas.
Pea gravel is not as small as a pea, but resembles a pea shape. It is similar in size to crushed gravel, with a smooth, rounded surface, like river rock. Pea gravel is available in a range of colors and is ideal for use as a decorative stone in or around flower beds and as mulch. Because of its light weight, pea gravel can be laid around flowers and foliage, and it’s also commonly used as a base material to ensure adequate drainage in potted plants.
Crushed or chipped granite provides a colorful way to highlight your flower beds that is virtually maintenance free. This flower bed rock is ideal for weed suppression and is available in a range of colors including gold and pink. Granite is a more expensive option than standard gravel, but the many color options provides more flexibility in terms of matching your flower beds or your home’s exterior.
Made from fragments of marble, white marble chips add sparkle and shimmer to your flower beds. Marble chips are decorative, and range in size from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. If you have acid-loving plants, do not use this type of rock in your flower bed. It changes the pH in the soil, neutralizing it, which may be problematic for these plants.
- Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images