There’s nothing worse than watching your efforts at using landscaping rocks to beautify your property literally start slipping away. Landscaping rocks, such as polished black pebbles, are meant to stay in the same place for many years, yet you’ll need to take a few precautions to make sure they don’t start slipping around. Over time, shifting soil combined with the weight of the decorative rocks can cause them to move. Human and animal interactions can also push the beach pebbles away from their desired places. These tips are all effective for helping your river rocks stay exactly where you want them.
Use the Weight of Larger Rocks to Hold in Smaller Ones
Using larger decorative rocks has the benefit of keeping your landscaping materials as natural as possible. You can put down smaller beach pebbles as a base layer and put larger ones on top. Or you can use the larger river rocks to create a border that holds the smaller pebbles, such as Mexican beach pebbles or white pebbles, inside the space. This is an effective method for areas where you want the decorative rocks to blend in with the surrounding landscape, such as near a pond or waterfall.
Plant the Decorative Rocks into the Ground
Another simple way to keep decorative rocks in place is to dig out a shallow hole that spans the entire area you want to cover with beach pebbles. Once you create the hole, make sure the ground is as level and packed as possible. Then simply pour the beach pebbles into the space. While you’ll need to account for the extra space you need to fill in with river rocks, you’ll find the walls created along the edges of the hole hold them in better than putting them on top of the ground’s level surface.
Strengthen the Ground Surface with Landscaping Fabric
Certain types of soil tend to shift more than others. The weight of the decorative rocks can also cause the soil to sink in, which changes the appearance of your landscaping design. You can use landscaping fabric or plastic sheeting to support the weight of the river rocks. This method also gives the decorative rocks a stickier surface that provides a strong grip.
Put Down Edging Strips to Create a Defined Border
You’ll often see this strategy used along walkways and in decorative rock and flower beds. You can find edging in a variety of different materials, and each type provides varying benefits and durability. With most edging strips, you’ll typically place them slightly or all the way into the ground. Then you’ll fill in the area with river rocks so the edging holds them in place. This is especially useful on walking paths, where you can expect some of the decorative rocks to be moved aside as people walk on them.
Be Cautious with Lawn Equipment
Even when you use the best practices for decorative rock placement, beach pebbles are still at risk for being moved by human error. You’ll want to be cautious as you use weed trimmers and other lawn equipment near or along the edges of the river rocks. While you may occasionally need to move a decorative rock or two back into place, you can avoid having to completely redo the placement by being careful as you maintain the rest of your lawn.
No matter what kind of landscaping project you’re planning, decorative rocks and beach pebbles can give it additional depth, character, and beauty. Whether you’re looking for an assortment of river rocks or the highest-quality Mexican beach pebble, reach out to the experts at RS&P Rock Stones & Pebbles, a premier river rock and supply superstore. To learn how we can help you create the landscape of your dreams, call us today at (866) 380-0770.
