Stone chips are called natural material obtained by crushing stones of different breeds. Widely used in landscape design for decorating personal plots. Simple tips and interesting ideas for decorating with stone chips will help transform the look of the garden and give it originality.
Advantages and disadvantages of decorating stone chips
Most often, stone rubble is used to decorate home gardens. The popularity of this material is explained by its advantages, among which it is worth highlighting a huge variety of shapes and sizes of crushed stones, as well as a wide selection of colors and shades. In addition, an affordable price can also be considered an advantage.
It is also impossible not to notice that the natural material fits perfectly into the general atmosphere of the wildlife of the garden. Another plus is the mobility of jewelry. If necessary, stone laying can be moved to another place.
There are practically no drawbacks to this decoration, with the exception of difficulties in care. It is difficult to keep the crumb in order, since the small particles are constantly knocked to the sides and form tubercles on the surface of the tracks. In addition, it is difficult to remove debris and loose leaves without damaging the mosaic pattern.
Did you know? The landscape style "Alice in Wonderland" allows you to visually enlarge a small area. To do this, the infield is planted exclusively with dwarf plants.
Kinds of stone chips
The variety of types, shapes and sizes of stone chips gives great scope for creating ideas for the design of the exterior.
Kinds of crumbs:
- Gravel - rounded stones that are mined on the banks of mountain rivers. They can be homogeneous and consist of material of the same breed, or mixed (stones of different breeds). The color of the crumbs is the same as the stone from which it was obtained. The size of the fractions is 5–70 mm.
- Granite or marble crushed stone - in order to get crushed stone from marble or granite, blocks of rocks are processed in specialized workshops. As a result of processing, the edges of the pebbles are sharp and flat. The natural color is dark gray. Repainting is allowed.
- Pebbles - A natural material of a rounded shape, which refers to solid rocks. It is not exposed to processing as it is honed and ground in natural conditions. Pebbles are mined on the sea coasts. The color palette can vary from white to beige and light gray.
- Sand - fine-grained crumb, the largest particle of which is only 5 mm. It is mainly used for filling and drawing. The color can be white or golden.
Ways and ideas of application in landscape design
There are many ways and ideas for using stone chips in landscape design. Most often, flower beds and ponds are formed with natural material. The garden can also be decorated with a dry stream. Paths and paths made of small stones will look beautiful among greenery and flowers.
Important! Spread the stone crumb so that it completely covers the geotextiles.
General rules for laying stone chips:
- Remove topsoil.
- Pour a thin layer of sand (this is necessary so that rain easily seeps into the ground).
- To lay on the sand a special fabric - geotextile (this material is good for moisture and will not allow weeds to grow).
- Lay out a layer (about 5 cm) of crushed stones.
The following is a detailed description of decor ideas and materials that are suitable for creating an original garden exterior.
Decor for flower beds and ponds
For the design of flower beds, marble chips are perfect. Marble crushed stone has many sizes and colors, so choosing the right material is not difficult.
Having picked up a material suitable in size and color, you can begin to lay it. To do this, marble crushed stone must be laid out in the manner described above. Then you can form a pattern. For the picture, sand is suitable, as well as smaller stones from marble. The color of the pebbles is desirable to choose a contrast. Sand can sprinkle the main pattern, formed from small fractions. Plants can be sprinkled at the base with pieces of bark. This will add decorativeness and create a layer of mulch.
Marble paving must be replaced regularly. You can decorate a pond or a fountain available on the site with it. To do this, select small fractions, then lay their bottom with a layer of 10-15 cm.
Dry marble chips creek
If there is no reservoir in the garden, then it can be created artificially. In this case, you can form a dry stream - an imitation of a natural reservoir. For this, decorative colored stone chips made of marble and pebbles are suitable. Spread the creek on a flat surface. Construction should begin with light pebbles mixed with small white marble rubble.
Important! Colored decorative crumbs, unlike natural ones, are not environmentally friendly material, therefore it is not recommended to allow children and animals to come into contact with them.
Then you need to gradually add fractions of a blue and blue tint. They will shine in the sun and give the impression of a smooth surface. The brook can be made winding, winding between bushes and flower beds. To enhance the effect, you can install a small curved bridge through such a "river". The "mouth" and "source" can be hidden in the vegetation.
Creating paths and paths
Paths and paths in the garden can be laid out from fractions of different sizes. For example, gravel and granite gravel will do. Large granite fragments can be laid with the main layer, and smaller, gravel, to frame the path.
You can also decorate stone crumb alleys by applying drawings of flat granite fractions of dark shades on them. Along such paths you can plant a hedge from ornamental shrubs.
Use as a mulch for plants
- Plants in the garden can be covered with flat gravel from granite or marble. Advantages of Stone Crumb Mulch:
- obstruction of weed formation;
- additional shelter from the cold;
- decorativeness.
To cover plants with crushed stone mulch, you need a medium-sized flat material. It is advisable to choose a natural color, since the paint along with watering will penetrate deep into the soil and, thus, will have a toxic effect on the root system. Having prepared the material, you need to cover it with a small bore circle around the trunk, not more than 5 cm.
Video: How to mulch plants with stones correctly
Care for stone chips in the garden
The crushed stone in the garden looks very beautiful and spectacular. However, caring for him is quite difficult. Small fragments of stone tend to crumble in different directions. They have to be re-laid from time to time. Short-lived patterns on the flower beds.
Did you know? The Roman emperor Claudius Caesar spent all his free time in the garden, embodying his own ideas of landscape design.
Wind and other weather conditions scatter sand and small stone particles throughout the flower garden. The figure has to be re-formed. In autumn, collecting fallen leaves is also not very convenient, since the initial shape of the paths is disturbed during harvesting. It also needs to be corrected.
To put in order the alleys and flowerbeds decorated with stone chips, you need to collect loose stones and sand and then lay them in place. Once a year, it is advisable to completely remove material from the site, rinse it under the hose from dirt and dust, dry it and lay it out again.
Stone chips are one of the most affordable natural materials for decorating a garden exterior. There are many types and colors of decorative crushed stones. Having chosen the material to your taste, you can lay out paths, paths, create a dry stream, decorate flowerbeds and ponds. Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to care for such a decor, the result is worth the effort.
