River Rock in the Landscape Means No Water, NOT “No Maintenance”

I personally love the look of rocks in a landscape. There is something very majestic and tranquil about rocks and there is a history and a story behind every single pebble and stone. Rocks have been in the landscape for millions of years and one can only speculate the amazing adventures and incredible stories they could tell if only they could speak.

I grew up in Illinois and spent many summer days at my Grandpa and Grandma LaPaso’s lake house on the Kankakee river. I lived right behind a quarry filled by a natural spring and I must have skipped a thousand stones and collected about as many along the way. I loved the uniqueness of each and every rock and I wondered in their creation. I am an admitted Rockaholic.

When I became a landscape designer it was for the love of flowers, but rocks are a huge part of my final creations. They can be incredibly functional and the best part of using river rocks and stepping-stones is that they become a permanent fixture that unlike plants and mulch, never have to be replaced. That being said…while they are a permanent fixture much like plants and mulch, they do require maintenance.

I hope you can see the abundant weeds in the photo above because this fellow has definitely allowed his weeds to take over this space. This happened because he used landscape fabric (or no liner at all) instead of plastic liner and because he does not pull the weeds as they come in. This space is about a year old and this is how his looks, the one below is 8 years old and maintained properly.

Let me be as clear as I can be, river rock is NOT a no maintenance landscape, it is a no water landscape. If you are never going to get out and pull the weeds as they come in (about every two weeks for about 10 minutes or so), then absolutely avoid river rock because all you’re going to do is cause a nuisance for yourself, the neighbors, an eyesore for the neighborhood. Worst yet, people will spray weed killer to eradicate the problem when what they should have done is keep the weed lawns that were already in the space and mow them every week. This photo below is NOT a solution, this is a problem…

This is a solution (below) as this was a drainage problem and served as a solution to the water as well as extended the driveway to the front door which is always too small and has a crazy tiny sidewalk. Adding river rock and stepping-stones creates flow and directs traffic to the front door without smashing your lawn and creatively extends the driveway and sidewalk. This river rock path flows all the way to the back yard to serve as a sidewalk

This is another great use for river rock…Remember though that anywhere you add rock will also add heat. Rock will increase the temperature of the area it is in so be careful where you place it.

If you decide to go with river rock, You will need to pull the weeds as they come in and be sure to never allow weeds to go to seed (flower) or the problem will only get worse. You will notice a growth usually after a rain and in the spring time. You can buy organic weed killer at the local nursery or big box stores and you can make a homemade remedy by mixing 20% acid vinegar (available at Lowe’s on 620) in a one gallon sprayer with 2 tbsp Epsom Salt and a tbsp of dish detergent. Shake and spray! I greatly prefer plastic over fabric for small areas like the nuisance strip or fence line as the heat and rock combo the fabric will only last a couple of years before it begins to tear. That being said, if you are on a grade or slope, you will need to use fabric instead.

I use painters plastic and landscape pins. You can find a 4 mil painters plastic (heavy and thick) at the Wal-Mart or at the Lowe’s. You can buy a 20’x 25′ square for about $25 and here is a play by-play on how I use it…

If you have Oaks be wary of placing rocks beneath the trees as Oak leaves do not break down quickly and you will have to blow or vacuum the leaves from the rocks to keep them looking neat. All in all I am a big fan of stone and I love to use hardscapes in my landscape designs, I also think there is a limit to how it should be used. We are not trying to turn Austin into a desert but as an alternative to an empty mulched bed when plants are not desired. River rock and stone are a beautiful low maintenance, no water landscape solution if you know what you are in for. It is not a free ride to no maintenance town.

Remember too that rock adds heat. So be careful where you use it and be sure to use the appropriate size. Pea gravel is very fluid and aside from easily being kiccked about can also be difficult to walk on. 1.5 – 3″ is typically the best to use in a nuisance strip or walk way. Larger stones look great but can be difficult to walk on.

If you are not willing to accept the amount of maintenance a river rock bed can be then leave your sod/weed strip and mow the weeds. If you are looking to reduce your lawn, consider well mulched landscape beds with appropriate sized plants. If you choose to use rock in your landscape, understand and accept the maintenance and you will be saving water and saving yourself a lot of trouble in the end.

Now go get your rock garden on! (or don’t 🙂

Lisa LaPaso

Lisa’s Landscape & Design (“like” me on Facebook)

“Saving the Planet One Yard at a Time”

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