Your outdoor space can be transformed in a number of different ways when you use decorative aggregates. The use of decorative stones and aggregates for your garden can take many forms, whether it’s pea shingle gravel for a drive, large boulders to make up a rockery, some pebbles for the bottom of your pond, or a flower bed made up of bark.

Within this article, we will look at which decorative aggregates would be most appropriate for your garden to help you revamp your outside space – and give it the ‘wow’ factor you’re looking for.

Create a Path for Your Garden

A suitable sub-base allows most of our decorative aggregates to be used for garden pathways. Gravel is the perfect choice because it is both affordable and hard wearing. If you want to create a striking path design down your garden, you could try decorative bark with a wooden border.

If you are looking to revamp your garden, hopefully the information we have provided about decorative aggregates will be useful. It is always important to estimate how much decorative stone you will need for your project to avoid unnecessary expenditure. One way you can do this is by using the aggregate calculator that is readily available on the websites of most providers.

Improved Drainage

In contrast to some paving options, decorative aggregates let water flow through them and into the ground, which means they are the perfect solution for preventing flooding in your garden. For example aggregates, such as crushed stone or jersey shore gravel are the perfect choice for a driveway or garden path as opposed to paving stones. If you like the aesthetics that paving slabs provide, you could mix the two together to give yourself a stylish yet practical option that will keep your driveway free from the build-up of water.

Create a Drought-free Garden

When it comes to low-maintenance gardens, rockeries, alpine gardens, and gravel gardens are excellent choices. Their adaptability also makes them well suited to poor soils and unpredictable weather conditions. Decorative aggregates are especially good for sloping gardens because they provide more topography. Because of their make up decorative aggregates will not only help improve your drainage but also protect you against drought.

Landscaping a Pond

Decorative aggregates can play an important part If you are looking to revitalise an existing pond in your garden or in fact build a new one. If your garden attracts wildlife you can use decorative aggregates to build a ramp for them. Cobbles and pebbles can be used to give your pond the look of a river or stream.

When choosing a decorative aggregate for your pond, make sure it is suitable for the aquatic life that may be in there.  Using natural stone that contains lime can adversely affect the pH of your pond’s water, which could be harmful to pond life.  As a result you should always wash any stones before placing them in situ. 

Decorative Aggregates are a Great Option When It Comes to Resurfacing a Drive

When resurfacing a driveway, angular chippings tend to be a good choice. The reason for this is that they fit tightly together, making them extremely secure underfoot. Another advantage is that vehicles are much less likely to roll backwards on angular chippings than smoother rounded stone. If the chippings are smaller, the fit is tighter. On the other hand, larger gravel is less likely to get stuck in car tyres. Both are effective and stylish, so it really is a case of personal preference.

Due to its tendency to break under the weight of vehicles, slate is not a suitable driveway material as they often need to be able to cope with heavy loads. Stone driveways should be laid on a solid hardcore base with a suitable edging and compacted and rolled separately in several layers.