River rocks and beach pebbles are one of the most subtle and sophisticated ways to add low-maintenance beauty to your outdoor or indoor space. They’re also an affordable, eco-friendly alternative to cement, and they’re easy to work with.
That’s all good news, but what exactly do you use hardscaping pebbles for? Well, here are five uses to get you started:
Ground cover
Hardscaping pebbles do an excellent job of framing plants while minimizing dirt, dust and mud.
You can place hardscape pebbles them where you’d normally have dirt or grass (which saves on water usage) or as an attractive border between paved and landscaped areas. This not only blends nicely and looks amazing, but it also provides great drainage when it rains.
Walkways and siding
A DIY walkway made of river rock is not only beautiful to behold, but it will also save you a heap of money over pouring cement. River rock is also more durable and environmentally friendly than cement. You can mix river rocks with puka lava pavers or stone planking for variation.
Potted pebble mulch
Beach and river pebbles are all about balancing organic plant life with the smooth and clean aesthetic of stone. Combining stone elements with plants and ceramic pottery makes for a stunning centerpiece or accent. You get the added benefits of soil and pest control, and the pots are portable.
Mosaics
Want to make gorgeous stone patterns or stone artwork? Mosaics are the way to go! Mosaic stone surfaces have decorated spaces for eons across different cultures. They offer practical benefits of waterproofing, too, on walls, swimming pools, patio and interior floors and backsplashes in the kitchen and bathroom. Pebble mosaics come in a variety of pre-cast patterns for easy installation.
Zen garden
Who in their empty mind doesn’t appreciate a zen garden? Heh heh. But seriously, pebbles are an integral element of Zen landscaping, which blend flat areas of sand, pebbles or finely crushed gravel with mindfully-placed boulders, water features and native plants.
Beyond pure aesthetic, the boulders represent land masses, while the flatter areas pebbles represent bodies of water. Rake patterns represent waves or ripples in a pond or other interesting patterns.
Here at Geobunga, we carry pretty much any size, shape, color and finish you could possibly dream of. You can visit our pebbles and pebble mosaics pages to view some varieties, but the best way to see the entire collection is to drop by one of our locations.
Images courtesy of Houzz.