We know what you're thinking: seriously, a post about gravel? Yep, a post about one of the most aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective substrates we use in our residential landscape design.

Gravel is an attractive material that can be employed in the residential landscape for various aesthetic  and functional reasons.

The curb appeal of Central Texas gardens and landscapes can be enhanced through its use. It is an organic material readily available locally, and Perfect Lawns and LandWorks of Austin has been encouraging its use for years.

Ironically, gravel is a hard material and yet has a softening  visual affect in landscape design. Gravel is available in different forms, aggregate size, color and texture. It can be used in a formal setting and can be used in an informal design, as well.  The use of gravel in the landscape of house styles including Tudor / English, Italian / Tuscan, Texas / Hill-country and Southwestern can be most appropriate and add interest and focal point.

Crushed gravels such as “Tejas Black” and Decomposed Granite Gravel are excellent for walking surfaces ,driveways and even patios. Various gravels , for example, pea gravel, river gravel and New Mexico River cobbles are great for texture in a landscape bed and can be used instead of mulch  (depending on the situation). Many plants are striking when juxtaposed against a bed or path of gravel. It is very attractive when wet. We even nestle it into the top surface of pots and around water features.

Gravel can be placed in beds and other areas where a typical mulched surface would be washed away during  large rain falls.  It is often recommended to use a filter fabric under gravel to prevent weed growth. Combined with flagstone in a path at a gate, for example, the contrasting materials add much interest and a natural ambiance.

The Cost of a Landscaping Commodity

Global resources of gravel and sand are staggering, so scarcity is not an issue. This said, clients ask all the time, "If gravel is so available, why is it so expensive?" Designing, recovering, distributing gravel can be costly depending on the source, location and actual substrate (kind of gravel) used in a design. Like anything, not all gravels are created equal. Further, gravel and sand are part of a regulated industry so invariably there are environmental laws about protecting or preserving the source location/area and regulations on where gravel and sand can be relocated and repurposed.

Residual Cost of Lawn Care and Lawn Maintenance during drought: Xeriscaping with Gravel and Sand as a Solution

The recent drought in Central Texas and the subsequent water use restrictions imposed by the City of Austin and surrounding municipalities raised a design challenge: Many people interested in re-designing their residential landscape rarely consider the residual costs and unintended consequences of their design. This is why it is a good idea to consult with a licensed and registered landscape architect that  has decades of experience designing and executing those designs in your immediate area--the earth and landscape of your lawn is a story of time and pressure; weather patterns are cyclical over years, not weeks or months. Respecting this process can literally save you and your family tens of thousands of dollars. So, while the upfront cost associated with implementing gravel and sand as a primary element of residential landscaping, generally, and xeriscaping, specifically seems too costly, it pays for itself over time when living in Central Texas (Section 8).  Gravel and sand do not require water and very little residual upkeep.

The Foundation of Your Home: Gravel and Perimeter Bordering as a Landscape Solution

Grasses, mulch beds and like vegetative, organic materials used in landscape design and architecture often decompose at a faster rate under extreme heat and drought conditions. This not only shortens the lifespan of plants and grasses, should your yard directly buttress up against the foundation of your home, the chemical effect of decomposition can directly compromise the foundation. A Gravel and Sand border around the perimeter of the foundation line can mitigate if not eliminate this problem-- a design solution that not only saves you money over time, but actually increases the value of your property should you resale your home.

Categorizing  Gravel and Sand Use in Landscape Design, Architecture and Construction

The application of gravel and sand as a resource commodity falls into two separate categories. In most cases and for our purposes as a residential landscaping company in Austin, Texas, gravel is used in construction where it may be mixed with other materials or used as is. The second use is industrial where the sand and gravel are used in the production of other materials. Because so much sand and gravel is consumed in each category, the United States Geological Survey tracks sand and gravel consumption in these two separate categories.

Made In America

Construction gravel, like we use in our designs, is extracted and available in all 50 states in the United States. The states producing the most gravel and sand are California, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Washington, and Utah. Collectively, they produce 52% of the total amount of construction gravel extracted and processed in the U.S. More than a billion tons are produced annually in the U.S. As with many commodities, gravel and sand is also imported. Because of the production and distribution costs, gravel and sand imports primarily come from Canada, but also from The Bahamas, Mexico, and assorted other nations. In other words, because these areas are in closer proximity to the U.S. it is more economically viable to source this commodity from these areas as opposed to more distant source locations.

In closing, landscape design and architecture is a diverse field and as a customer of Perfect Lawns and LandWorks of Austin, you have options that we think about and implement specific to your aesthetic preferences while educating and consulting on the practical implications. So the next time you think a post may be "dumber than a box of rocks," think again! Gravel is your friend and a fascinating study if you ask us!

More gravel please,

Tom