| Natural stone pebbles are becoming extremely | | | | always add an element of tranquillity to any |
| popular in homes because of their wide range of | | | | garden. When planning a water feature you can |
| colors and uses. Here are a few ideas for use in | | | | incorporate natural stone in a variety of ways. |
| your own home.Japanese GardensJapanese | | | | Larger stones around the edge of the feature |
| Gardens and known for their peacefulness and | | | | can add character. Pebbles can also be used to |
| tranquillity. This style of garden uses specific plants | | | | cover the base of the water feature and to |
| as well as rocks and water to create this effect. | | | | cover up any cords or pumps that are used to |
| Often these gardens are small in scale and are | | | | power it. Before choosing your stone remember |
| incorporated into an overall garden design rather | | | | to wet a sample as this is how it will look in your |
| than being the whole garden.Decorative | | | | water feature.PondsThe same rule applies with |
| PotsPlacing some pebbles around the top of a | | | | ponds to wet your sample and check the colour |
| potted plant can make indoor plants more | | | | of the stone. Natural stone is normally dusty |
| attractive. Consider what part of the potted plant | | | | when collected and when the dust comes off the |
| you want to make the focus. You can use a | | | | real color is revealed. Ponds look great with |
| decorative ceramic pot as well. Decide whether | | | | built-up edging. You can use a variety of materials |
| you want matching or contrasting colors in the | | | | including feature rocks, wood, metal and many |
| pot and the pebbles you choose. The pebbles and | | | | others. You can also mix and match various sized |
| chosen pot should help focus your eye on the | | | | stones for a more natural look.Pebbles as |
| plant you have chosen.VasesPebbles are also very | | | | MulchMulching is something more gardeners are |
| effective used in the bottom of vases. Glass | | | | doing in the garden. Basically it involves adding a |
| vases in particular look superb with some colored | | | | layer of material over the top of your soil to aid |
| natural stone in the bottom. The pebble base also | | | | with water retention. This means less watering |
| helps hold the arranged flowers in place. | | | | which saves time and also water supplies. Not |
| Decorative vases make great table decorations | | | | everyone has an endless supply of water or the |
| for dinner parties.Paths and DrivesPaths and | | | | enthusiasm to maintain lawns and pebbles are a |
| drives become very low maintenance when | | | | great alternative, particularly in naturally dry |
| covered with a topping of small natural stone | | | | areas.Weeding in garden beds is greatly reduced. |
| pebbles. The pebble size you choose needs to | | | | It is quite easy to pull the few weeds that |
| take into account how the path or drive will be | | | | attempt to grow among the pebbles. As the |
| used. Heavy car traffic or foot traffic areas need | | | | plants mature and fill up the planting spaces there |
| smaller stones as they are more comfortable | | | | is less room for weeds to find a place to grow.To |
| underfoot and better for cars to drive over. | | | | stop the grass from coming up through the |
| Gravel drives and paths should have retaining | | | | pebble mulch paths we have found that a heavy |
| edging to hold the stones in place. Drives and | | | | layer of newspaper and then a layer of plastic or |
| paths need to be topped up with extra stone | | | | weed mat on top works very well. The |
| occasionally. They are very durable and much | | | | newspapers and the plastic help to retain |
| nicer looking than a plain old concrete | | | | moisture, another important reason for mulching. |
| driveway.Water FeaturesIt seems now that | | | | On top of this plastic the pebbles that were |
| everyone wants a garden water feature. They | | | | recently in the planting holes are spread in a thick |
| can be very small or quite large and bold but | | | | layer. Larger flat rocks are used as edging. |