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Gravel Gardens​

Neat, simple entrance

Neat, simple entrance

This simple, elegant design looks good year round. Elegia tectorum skirts the base of the Cabbage tree in a circle of stones. Lampranthus and other vygies soften the hard materials.

Annual daisies

Annual daisies

Annuals add a brush of informality to this stone floor.

Use heat-hardy plants

Use heat-hardy plants

Daisy annual, aloes, gazanias, Felicia and Agapanthus thrive in the hot sun.

Choose plants to handle the heat

Choose plants to handle the heat

Bulbine, Crassula and aloes are water wise and heat-hardy plants to use in a gravel bed.

Generous focal point

Generous focal point

An out-sized red pot relieves the blur of foliage and rock.

Gravel plants

Gravel plants

Aloes, grasses and succulents are natural bedfellows for a gravel garden.

Announcing guests

Announcing guests

A meandering gravel entrance path to inspire guests - and the crunch underfoot announces their arrival.

A raised edge keeps all in place

A raised edge keeps all in place

Edging keeps this narrow gravel bed secure, and makes it easy to trim the adjacent lawn.

Perfect pathway partners

Perfect pathway partners

Simple round pavers provide secure footing

Divide the space

Divide the space

Small islands provide interest and wildlife refuge, help to break up the glare of gravel, and creates the popular 'room' effect in the landscape.

Choose daisies for bright colour

Choose daisies for bright colour

Plant daisies to spread with exuberance across the gravel floor - and provide pollen for insects.

Define the edge

Define the edge

Use small rocks to define the edges of the gravel floor and prevent stones and adjacent soil from mixing together.

Adding outliers

Adding outliers

Adding a few outliers like these Falkia repens as escapees from the bed adds charm and informality to a design. Speckled Ledebouria create a seasonal edging and mix well with the soft mounds of Falkia.

Entertaining Africa-style

Entertaining Africa-style

A gravel and paved floor links the rock pool to the braai patio.

Add strong base weight

Add strong base weight

Large pots and generously-sized pavers adds strong contrast to the spread of small gravel stones.

Gravel path

Gravel path

Without an edging, the gravel bleeds into the adjacent bed and will need to be replenished.

Gravel path

Gravel path

Alternating pavers and grass clumps turn this short path into a feature of interest and slows the pace of movement along its length.

Quirky features

Quirky features

Tiny succulents turn this rock into a small, single feature of interest.

Aristida junciformis for a soft edge

Aristida junciformis for a soft edge

Grasses and gravel work well together and help to both soften and cool the hard driveway materials.

Water feature in a gravel scape

Water feature in a gravel scape

A gravel garden expands the size and diversity of this entrance water feature.

Groundcover of stones

Groundcover of stones

A gravel floor allows for generous spacing between feature plants.

Add small artistic touches

Add small artistic touches

Expansive gravel floors are bland, boring, hot and unfriendly to wildlife. Add pockets of interest to break up the space.

Stone edging

Stone edging

Use small rocks to edge an adjacent bed.

Firepit space

Firepit space

Use gravel to provide generous space around a firepit.

Uncommon combination

Uncommon combination

Grassland Dierama provide ethereal movement to this hard, static design. They may not survive long term in this setting though.

Neat and clean

Neat and clean

Gravel provides a neat, clean floor around the house - and the crunch underfoot adds a bonus security feature.

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