Landscaping can serve many different purposes, both practical and aesthetic. It can highlight special features, trees, and structures like pergolas and patios in your backyard. Gravel can be used to create a practical and attractive driveway and to control weeds. Small or sprawling rock gardens can be used to add interest or to deal with problem areas. Landscaping also adds value to your house, so it is a sound financial investment as well as an aesthetic choice. When it comes to doing the actual work, it may help to get the professionals, who understand the details like how small is driveway gravel and which plants work best in specific soil and drainage conditions.
The uses of landscaping
People love to spend time in their backyards and landscaping is one way to add to the beauty and utility of outdoor spaces. Features like patios, rock gardens, gravel driveways, and pergolas all add interest as well as functionality. Landscaping has a practical aspect as well, because it adds to the curb appeal and value of a house. Realtors estimate that adding landscaping features can increase the resale value of a house by as much as 14%.
One popular landscaping option is to put down gravel for driveways. In fact, according to the 2017 Houzz Landscape Trends study, over a third or 38% of homeowners who upgrade features like walkways, driveways, and patios use gravel or crushed rock. This is both a practical and aesthetic choice, since just a one-inch layer of gravel provides weed control. It’s best to check with the professionals when ordering a gravel delivery, since they can best advise you on the finer points like how small is driveway gravel and how many layers are needed. These small details can make all the difference to the success of your project.
Why build a rock garden
Landscaping choices can help to cover problem areas, or to create low-maintenance and drought-resistant features like rock gardens. Rock gardens replicate natural patterns of uneven rocky ground with mostly low growing plants that are hardy and drought resistant. Many people choose rock gardens to cover problem areas that might be rocky and uneven to start with. Others may actually go to some trouble to create that look. In general, rock gardens are an attractive and low-maintenance landscaping feature that give your yard or garden a more natural look.
Color plays an important part in choosing rockery rocks. Landscaping rocks can vary in size as well, giving your rock garden the look of a rocky hillside. A base layer of drainage gravel or construction sand will keep the area drained, giving you a wide choice of plants. When choosing plants it’s a good idea to learn from nature, and plant clumps of similar plants. These can be of various sizes and colors. Some popular plants for rock gardens include yellow alyssum, stonecrop, candytuft, lavender, and black eyed Susan.
Landscaping serves both practical and aesthetic purposes, while adding value to a property. Putting down gravel on driveways, walkways, and patios add both beauty and practical weed control. It’s best to get professional help and advice with landscaping projects like adding gravel or building a rock garden. Details like how small is driveway gravel and soil drainage can make all the difference to the success and longevity of your project.