How to Landscape With River Rock

River rock can add beauty to your landscape. Varying in size from pea gravel to boulder, river rocks add power and form the backbone of your garden. They can be used to divert water in dry creek beds, define edges in walkways, or create height and depth in ponds and waterfalls. Here is how to landscape with river rock.

Instructions

1

First, select your stone. You will need sizes from pea gravel to large pebbles, small rocks, large rocks and a few boulders. Landscaping with river rock brings the strength and beauty of nature into your yard or garden.

2

Examine the area to be landscaped. River rock can add height and depth, divert water away from the foundation of the house to be used elsewhere in the yard, create pathways, define borders, or add interest to a dull and lifeless section of the yard. Decide what each area of the yard needs and gather or purchase your stone. Be careful with older stones if using heavy equipment to move them around. It can take years for a beautiful cover of moss to grow on big boulders. Smooth the rock if it is damaged while moving it, and apply a mixture of milk, moss seed and sugar to any damaged moss cover.

3

Consider your budget before you purchase any rock. Use landscape timbers, plastic paint buckets or rolled newspapers as filler beneath layers of large rocks. Old newspapers can also be used as weed barriers under layers of pea gravel in walkways. Simply spread newspapers over the chosen pathway before covering with gravel.

4

Place larger stones in groups of three and five for better eye appeal. Check the Resources section at the end of this article for tips on placement of larger stones.

5

For a waterfall, place stones without mortar whenever possible, as this is the most natural. Lay a bed of fine pea gravel over a grouping of railroad ties or landscape timbers, then embellish with large pebbles, small rocks and large rocks. Add a grouping of boulders, hiding a preformed basin and circulating pump in between the boulders, at least a foot above the base of the stream bed or pond basin. Create a second basin below the first to catch the water. Use a solar powered recirculating pump to conserve water use.