When planning a garden, everyone probably has the ideal situation in mind, an attractive bed and green area all year round. However, this wishful thinking does not always fit the local conditions. In very sunny regions where the soil is heavily compacted or very lean and sandy, conventional planting requires a lot of maintenance. A gravel bed is a visually very appealing solution that requires little work and at the same time is very trendy when it comes to garden design.

Lavender is a must in the Mediterranean gravel bed

Plan a gravel bed

As with all garden design measures, laying out a gravel bed begins at the desk. There are a number of things to consider when planning a garden:

  • The site conditions: should the bed be laid out in full sun, in the front yard or in the shade of the house?
  • The soil conditions: is the subsoil rather dry and sandy and nutrient-poor or is there a risk of waterlogging?
  • The look: A gravel bed can be laid out like a well-structured Japanese-style garden or, for example, conveys the illusion of a Mediterranean or Alpine landscape.
  • Do you prefer the clear form of a straight surface or should small elevations and perhaps even an artificial stream provide relaxation?

Be sure to measure the available space and draw a precise plan based on your considerations. In these, not only the shape of the bed should be recorded, but also the exact location of the individual plants. When planning, be sure to consider the later space requirements of the plants.

Which ornamental gravel is suitable for garden planning

How the later bed should look is important for the selection of the right decorative gravel. Reddish and brown varieties go well with the Mediterranean design, white tones underline the linear and design-oriented charisma of Japanese gardens. Gray-black nuances look the most beautiful with the alpine garden.

Here are some of the most common varieties and their coloring:

  • Carrara marble: bright white
  • Quartz: black and white, with nice veining
  • Rose quartz: soft rosé
  • Natural granite: mottled grey
  • Glacial gravel: colorful natural tones
  • Basalt: deep black

Decorative gravel is available rounded or with sharp edges and in different grain sizes, which also affects the overall picture.

Lay the gravel bed properly

Materials needed

  • shovel
  • sharp knife
  • Decorative gravel or - chippings
  • plant

and depending on the plan:

  • drainage sand or topsoil
  • weed fleece
  • pond liner

How deep does the bed surface have to be excavated?

Mark the outline of the bed with a piece of thread, this will make this work much easier. Within the marking, you must dig the ground at least 25 centimeters deep, even 30 centimeters would be better. Be sure to remove all weeds. If the excavation consists of pure topsoil, half of this is mixed with gravel and filled into the resulting pit. When doing so, bear in mind that there will be a layer of gravel on top, which should be level with the other surfaces.

In the case of sandy soils, there is no need to ask how deep you have to dig, because these already have the optimal soil structure. Only deep digging is done here. In the course of this work, read out all root residues.

paths or garden runs

If you have planned a path in the garden that will lead through the gravel bed, or if you want to create a watercourse, now is the right time. Even if larger boulders or stones are to be used to structure the bed, you can now distribute them in the appropriate places.

Which plants are suitable?

The planting is based solely on which natural area you want to imitate with your gravel bed.

Plants for dry shade (front yard)

  • Spurge family ((Euphorbia amygdaloides)
  • Comfrey (Symphytum azureum)
  • Red veil fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)
  • Foxglove (Digitalis ferruginea)

The alpine gravel bed

  • Gentian (Gentiana)
  • Edelweiss (Leontopodium)
  • Purple Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina)
  • creeping or dwarf pine species

The Japanese-style bed

  • Phlox divaricata
  • Funkie (Hosta)
  • Japan anemone (Anemone japonica)
  • as well as regularly pruned trees such as magnolias, Japanese decorative maples or bamboo.

Mediterranean planting

  • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia
  • Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)
  • dwarf iris (Iris Barbata-Nana)
  • Plumeria (Dianthus plumarius)

These are just examples, you will find many other plants in specialist shops that harmoniously match the planned look of the bed. The design with grasses also looks extremely attractive.

Planting the plants

To do this, first place the plants and the pot in a tub filled with water and wait until no more air bubbles rise from the pot ball. During this time you can cover the bed with the fleece. Then distribute all the plants on the fleece as planned in your plan.

  • At the point where you want to insert the plants, the fleece is now cut in a cross shape with the knife.
  • Using a small hand shovel, dig a pit about 1.5 times the size of the root ball.
  • Plant, gently press down the soil.
  • Spread the fleece back around the plant.

graveling

Only then is the gravel distributed over the entire bed. The gravel layer should be at least five centimeters thick. Protect small plants with an inverted flower pot or bucket so that you don't accidentally cover them with stones.

The border

A stable border is recommended, especially if the gravel bed borders on green areas in the garden. A border made of stone in the same tone as the gravel looks very appealing.

tips

The gravel bed only needs to be watered regularly during the growth period. You can then do without additional watering, with the exception of longer periods of drought.

Category:

Garden design