Skip Standard Gravel - The Beautiful And Versatile Alternative For Your Garden

If making your garden more beautiful is on this year's wish list, adding gravel to your garden beds might be a step you plan to take. Gravel has a number of benefits, including that it helps retain water and can keep weed growth at bay, but it has a somewhat basic appearance. For the best garden rocks, slate chips could be a refreshing alternative to consider.

Slate chips have a distinctive look to them. This type of rock is easily recognizable by the way that it cracks into flat shards, which adds a sleek style to your garden beds. Slate features many of the pros that your common gravel will, in addition to being less easy to displace than regular gravel, thanks to its flat, larger-sized pieces. If you were under the impression that slate was only available in black or dark gray, think again; slate comes in an array of colors, including blue, plum, and green, each bringing its own stylistic appeal to your landscape. Remember that slate becomes darker when wet, so whatever color you choose will become more saturated and intense after the sprinklers have run or following a rainstorm.

Since money matters, it's good to note that slate chips are pricier than gravel; while gravel usually costs $30 to $60 per ton, slate chips can run more than double that price. Once installed, slate tends to be easier to maintain and has better durability than gravel, which can help offset the initial resistance you may feel to shelling out more money.

For individuals wanting to make their property more refined and lower maintenance, slate chips can be a great find. As mentioned, they make a great filler for garden beds; this is because they can limit weed growth and help with water retention, plus they tend to stay put pretty well even in heavy rains. Beyond just using them in your gardens, however, slate chips can also be a great gravel alternative for hardscaping projects around your property. Since it has a flat structure and larger surface area per piece, slate is a more stable surface to walk on, making it a suitable choice for pathways. It does bear noting that slate becomes quite slippery when it's wet, making it less ideal as a primary walkway to and from your home. Slate chips can also be used as a border around your patio, providing a sturdy surface to position planters atop of.

In order to have the best success with your slate chips, you'll want to install them properly. For garden beds, it's best to pair the slate chips with a weed barrier fabric underneath, which will help to impinge their growth for longer. Also, while slate chips don't shift as much as gravel, utilizing paver landscaping edging that adds curb appeal is a good way to protect your hard work and investment in style.