Pea Gravel: The Perfect Finishing Touch for Your Garden

If you recently moved out in the home of your dreams or are currently building it, one key part that most people tend to forget or leave as an afterthought is the garden. As a full-fledged city-dweller who loves living in their condo, this is not really an issue I have to think about, but my mom believes that an unkempt garden is a reflection of its owner. So, if you have a garden, you better keep that space clean and luscious because people will judge you for it even if they tell you they won’t. One easy fix for this is to use pea gravel, which will bring a more rustic aesthetic to your garden and make it look well kept and look like something which you put a lot of thought behind and not as an afterthought which is most likely is.

What is pea gravel?

They are small and fluid stones with an appealing smooth texture and are usually found near bodies of water. They are like this thanks to natural weathering, which smooth them out over time. They usually come in the size of peas, which is why they are named like this, and usually come in 1/8 to 3/8 inches. Because they can be naturally found in nature and are weathered over time to get this smooth texture, they also range in color and can be from anywhere from white to translucent to rust-brown.

As its name suggests, Pea gravel resembles peas, and in terms of decorative stone for your place, it doesn’t get better than that; you better trust and believe. On top of that, they provide a statistic crisps cereal sound when you work on them. This one is for all the ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) fans out there. They are very versatile and inexpensive and are the perfect covering for paths, driveways, and filling empty spaces.

What are they best for?

As argued earlier, they are a very versatile material and can be used for literally anything. It is usually used around gardens and plant contains because they retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and don’t decompose like organic mulch.

Because of its tendency to travel, not on its own, but rather because they are very loose and can be moved easily, they are best contained by some type of intangible/edging material like brick stones or metal edgings. They are excellent for pathways; they provide excellent drainage and deter rodents because they have difficulties diffing through pea gravel.

As mentioned earlier, pea gravel tends to travel and shift under our feet. So you might have to consider this which choosing this as the finishing material for your place. As much as the crunch from walking on pea gravel is satisfying, you should be aware that it isn’t stable enough to support outdoor furniture because it isn’t a smooth surface. You can also not drag or wheel anything over it because the gravel will stick in the wheels and will prevent you from moving properly.

Pros of Pea Gravel:

• • Easy to install

• • Easily maintained by raking stones in place

• • Improves drainage

• • Inexpensive

• • Prevents damage

• • Prevents erosion

• • Prevents rodents from coming to your place

• • Versatile

Cons of Pea Gravel:

• • Can be uncomfortable on bare feet

• • Difficult for snow removal

• • Doesn’t provide a smooth base for furniture or for anything else for that matter

• • Difficult to remove from soil- which is necessary if you are reconsidering landscaping

• • Need to be replenished every four years

• • Shifts underfoot

• • Travels

With over 4 decades of experience in the building and supply industry, Lakeside Pakenham & Narre Warren Garden and Building Supplies have been making over gardens all over Melbourne. Contact them now for all your gardening needs, and they can give you the backyard and garden of your dreams. Why wait? You can have the garden that you always dreamt of with the help of Lakeside Pakenham & Narre Warren Garden and Building Supplies’ team of professionals.