Landscaping with Decorative Rock & Gravel

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Landscaping with Decorative Rock & Gravel

Including decorative rock and gravel into your landscape design is a great alternative to using organic products such as mulch or sod. Natural stone products are becoming a popular choice in Calgary, owing to their great aesthetic, low maintenance and sustainability. Here at Ornamental Stone, we carry a large variety of Landscape Supplies, and while mulch is a great choice for landscaping in Calgary… it’s in our name, natural stone products are always our top recommendation.

This guide will inspire how to incorporate decorative stone or gravel into your landscape project or even replace landscape products such as mulch or grass. We will go over the benefits of using landscape rock, different types of decorative stone and gravel that are available, as well as some basic use cases and ideas.

Benefits of Landscape Rock

First at foremost, decorative rock offers a gorgeous aesthetic. It can accent any landscape design or become the focal point of your yard. With the wide selection available here at Ornamental Stone, you are sure to find the style and colour that suits your landscape design.

Many of our customers choose to use landscape rocks over organic options like mulch or sod due to the low maintenance required. Mulch is great for your gardens but will break down over time (plus blow away) and need seasonal top-ups. Gravel will not breakdown and should keep its place, requiring the odd raking to level out if there is foot traffic.

Another benefit of decorative stone and gravel is that it is sustainable. Many in Calgary are using decorative stone in their yards as an alternative to grass. This is easier on both your water bill and the environment. Choosing locally sourced options can help further reduce your footprint.

Types of Decorative Rock & Gravel

There are many choices when it comes to landscape rock products. You could opt for a flashy decorative rock like our Green Glacier, achieve a refined look with Rundle Rock, or go with a more wallet-friendly option like Pea Gravel and Washed Rock. There are range choices when it comes to looks, size and budget.

Decorative Rock

We understand the importance of choice and want to make it easy for our customers to find the perfect landscape rock. Ornamental Stone has one of the largest selections of decorative rock in Calgary. Here are a couple of our top choices:

Rundle Rock – Our most popular choice and a local favourite. Rundle Rock is a smoky charcoal colour and suits any colour scheme. It is locally sourced just outside Calgary, therefore it is a more sustainable option.
Lava Rock – A more exotic option, we bring in this decorative rock from the southern USA. Our Lava Rock is a dark, rich black; perfect if you need a darker option than Rundle Rock.
Crystal White – Draw some attention with this bright white decorative rock. It provides great contrast alongside sod or a Rundle flagstone.
Rainbow Rock – Add some excitement to your yard with this gorgeous decorative rock. Pastel colours that become intense when wet.
Autumn Blend – A neutral option that goes well with earth tone landscaping. Autumn Blend is crushed
Limestone – Another locally sourced option. Limestone is a blueish/grey colour that can accent most landscape designs. Great for rock mulching as it can help neutralize acidic soils.

To see our entire selection and order today, head over to our decorative rock store page . Ornamental Stone strives to offer the best priced decorative rock in Calgary and can deliver it the next day!

Gravel

Washed rock or pea gravel are also popular choices for landscape projects in Calgary. Gravel is a more budget-friendly option compared to decorative stone and is great for coverage of large areas.

Pea Gravel – A washed, rounded stone that is easy to walk on; also known as river rock. This landscaping rock comes in a range of sizes and works well with any landscape décor.
Washed Rock – A washed stone that is not rounded and will compact better compared to pea gravel. Neutral grey and earth tone colours make this an easy choice for a variety of applications.
Drain Rock – Screened rock for utility purposes. Great for under the deck or in window wells.

For available sizes and pricing, please visit our sand and gravel store page. All products can be ordered online and delivered for a flat rate within Calgary.

Decorative Rock & Gravel Ideas

There are so many options when it comes to landscaping with decorative rock and gravel. We will go over some basics and hopefully provide you with some inspiration to get started on your next landscape project!

Xeriscaping

Calgary has seen xeriscapes become more popular in recent years. As a source for landscape supplies, we constantly get questions from our customers. Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping that aims to reduce and even eliminate the need for watering. For example, plant shrubs and ornamental grasses, then mulch with decorative rock or gravel as an alternative to having grass in the front yard.

Rock Gardens

Rock gardens are another popular choice in Calgary. Utilize a variety of decorative stones to create visual interest and add decorative boulders to act as landscape features. To elevate your rock garden, consider adding a water feature and a natural stone bench so you can relax and soak up those warm summer days.

Landscaping Accents

Decorative rock works well as an accent, consider choosing a colour that will contrast the rest of your landscape design for added effect. As an example, leave some room between your sod and a pathway, then add solar lamps and decorative gravel to create a clean contrasting line that will also help with drainage.

Mulching

Gravel and decorative stone can be used as an alternative to wood and bark bulk. Gravel won’t break down over time like wood mulch, so it won’t require topping up every season. While it won’t add organic matter to your soil it provides the same temperature and moisture regulating properties as wood mulch. Check out our mulch guide for more info on mulching.

Pathways and Utility

There are many other uses for gravel and decorative rock in Calgary. You can build gravel pathways using pea gravel and washed rock. These are also great choices for beside the house or detached garage, providing clean looks and low maintenance, especially when paired with landscape fabric. Don’t forget to use landscape fabric and drain rock under your deck; some weeds can still flourish in the shade, having gravel will help minimize weeds and aid with proper drainage.

Armed with some ideas, you are now ready to get started on the next landscape project! We carry landscape supplies to tackle any of the above projects. Feel free to give us a call at 403-275-5550 or come visit us for more inspiration at 75 Prairie Place SE, Calgary.