Creating and designing a gravel garden

Depending on the quality of the garden soil, in some cases you have to enrich it with a nutrient-rich plant substrate from a specialist shop so that the plants used can thrive.

• Gravel areas are ideally suited for small front gardens that should always look presentable
• If the entire garden is to be covered with gravel, the costs and effort are higher, but there is very little gardening to do later
• The gravel effectively prevents unwanted weeds from spreading excessively
• Autumn is ideal for laying out a gravel garden, in September the days are still warm enough for it, and early October is also suitable for this
• The decisive factors are good material for the soil, a suitable location and a well-considered selection of plants
• Gravel is a stony substrate, which is particularly suitable for sensitive plants that have a high need for air supply in the root area
• In addition, plants in particular that do not tolerate waterlogging and constantly moist soil thrive in the gravel garden
• When choosing the location, the choice of plants is crucial and whether they prefer sun or shade
• Avoid areas near or under trees, as the falling leaves require more maintenance

Concrete work steps during the creation

Creating a gravel garden involves some effort and requires strategic planning in advance. A pre-made drawing makes the job easier and creates a clear, visual idea of ​​the final goal.

• Exact marking out of borders and areas
• Removal of a layer of earth with a diameter of approx. 10 cm
• Lay out the entire area for the gravel beds with a high-performance root fleece
• The edges of the root fleece should overlap at the transitions, this way you create a flush finish
• Water surfaces and streams beautify every gravel garden, the sources of the water supply are to be placed strategically in the planning

selection of stones

When selecting the stones for the gravel garden, there is a wide range of shapes, colors and sizes. In this country, gravel gardens are increasingly being recreated with a view to Japanese garden culture, which are designed with a view to spiritual contemplation and meditation. In this traditional construction, ordered areas of sand and smooth gravel symbolize the water, i.e. the streams, the rivers, the lakes and the sea. In contrast, large and powerful stones form the mountains in which the sources of water are located, and they also represent islands in the sea.

• Conventional pebbles are grey, these are also available colored in specialist shops, for example in white, black and other shades
• White gravel reflects the incoming sunlight and also makes gray and cloudy days look brighter
• Dark gravel heats up more quickly in spring and promotes plant growth thanks to the stored heat
• Concrete forms from nature can be recreated with stones of different sizes, including streams, mountain valleys, steppe landscapes, etc., and greened with suitable plants

paths and quiet areas

Special paths should be planned for easy access to the beds in the gravel garden; no plants should be planted on these paths. All areas can be easily reached and maintained via the paths. Otherwise, these are set up in exactly the same way as the beds and are also underlaid with fleece so that the gravel covering cannot sink into the subsoil.

• Remove a little topsoil for the paths, moderately compact the given subsoil and then lay out the fleece on top
• If possible, do not choose smooth gravel for the surface of the path, but prefer gravel or grit, as the broken stones jam better into each other and therefore do not give way under your shoes as much as the round pebbles
• In particularly beautiful areas, setting up a park bench or other seating options is a good idea

Selection and planting of plants

Anyone who attaches great importance to a gravel garden with constantly blooming and colorful plants should pay attention to the different flowering times and a different color spectrum when making their selection. In this way, not all plants flower at the same time, but spread out over the whole year, with the exception of winter, of course. With lush plant growth, picking the flowering plants is a good idea, which can then be placed in vases in the living area. Especially after the dark and cold winter months, the colorful and fragrant flowers bring spring-like and exuberant feelings again.

• Prefer winter-hardy plants that do not have to go into winter quarters and are frost-resistant
• Plant some evergreens for a rich green color in the wintertime
• Plants with flowers should not be placed too densely and also not in too large groups next to each other, rather as small islands of color on the gravel surface
• Plant early bloomers in groups in the gravel garden so that the first plants bloom immediately after winter
• Early bloomers include: daffodils, daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, tulips and pussy willow
• Then, in May, the golden spurge and woodland sage bloom
• Other ideal plants for the gravel garden: iris, peony, mullein, yarrow, lilies, tufted grass, imperial crown and ornamental onion
• The sweet nettle, the sedum plant and the stone witch hazel bloom even beyond the first frosty nights, reliably throughout the summer months
• Some of the plants still have sizeable inflorescences in winter, which are beautiful to look at

Planting large plants and shrubs

If larger plants and shrubs are planned, a corresponding hole must be cut in the root fleece at the desired location. If the fleece is laid around the pot in several layers, weeds have no chance of rampant growth.

• For large-format plants and shrubs, cut a cross into the root fleece, which can then be enlarged as desired when inserted
• If space is limited and the plants should not exceed a certain size, it is best to plant them in a pot
• The pot should be open at the bottom to give the roots enough room to grow
• Ideally, the upper edge of the flower pot should be flush with the gravel bed, but the seamless finish of the pot and fleece is just as important
• First the empty pot is buried, the planting takes place later
• Lay out a layer of approx. 5 cm fine gravel and then bed the root fleece over it again
• Then put the trees and shrubs in the pots
• Apply soil where smaller plants have been planned
• Finally, cover all surfaces with coarser gravel
• Alternatively, granite gravel can also be used

Themes for the gravel garden

Thematically laid out gravel gardens, in which the selected theme is adhered to throughout, are particularly appealing. An Asian orientation goes best with the pebbles, since two pure concepts meet here. However, other styles are also possible when designing, there are no limits to your own imagination and the individual ideas of the garden owner in a gravel garden.

• Asian theme goes perfectly with the gravel
• Also attractive are: Alpine, Mediterranean and African gardens
• Design plant selection according to the theme
• Provided with decorative elements, these include sculptures, fountains, figures, larger stones, etc.
• The gravel can also be placed in specific shapes in select areas
• Lettering is also possible, this is particularly striking with Chinese and Japanese characters
• Use pebbles in other colors for decoration, for example black on white

watering and fertilizing

Depending on the plants placed and the frequency of rainfall at the location, you sometimes have to water more or less. Many rainy days save the garden owner watering, but during dry and hot periods an additional water supply is essential. If the location is in an area with high rainfall, the rainwater can run off easily between the pebbles and no harmful waterlogging forms. Fertilization must be based on the selected plants and their needs.

• Even after heavy rain, the cavities between the pebbles fill up with air quite quickly and the soil can dry out quickly
• Prefer stagnant rainwater for watering
• With a finger test before each new watering, determine whether you really have to water
• Be sure to water more on hot summer days
• Fertilize from spring to autumn, about once a month and depending on the plant

Correct hibernation

If only hardy plants are selected, no outplanting or moving to a special winter quarters will be required. However, it does not hurt to cover sensitive plants to protect them from the cold and snowfall.

• The gravel is a good protection from freezing temperatures and from the pressure load of heavy snowfalls
• Cover frost-sensitive plants with pine sticks, but leave enough space for the plants under the sticks

Conclusion
If you want to set up a gravel garden, you have to reckon with a certain amount of work when creating it for the first time. As a reward, this garden area then becomes easier to maintain and you save many tedious hours weeding and maintaining the beds. If large parts or even the entire garden are to be laid out with gravel, a themed design is a good idea, for example as an Asian, Alpine or Mediterranean garden. A gravel garden in the front yard of a house is ideal, in this way this domestic figurehead always looks well-groomed and representative. You have to pay special attention to the laying of the different layers, only in this way the weeds are efficiently kept away. Sculptures made of stone and wood and bubbling fountains are ideal for additional decoration of the gravel garden,