I love pea gravel. Always have. I want a pea gravel driveway like I want to be a billionaire. So freakin’ bad. Our paved driveway is in need of some love and I had hoped that pea gravel was the answer, but it’s not sounding that way.
So, I’ve been wondering how I can get my pea gravel love on. The most common sense plan would be to use pea gravel instead of mulch in our landscaping. I’ve seen this done but it’s usually in water restricted areas and I cannot remember specifics on if I liked it or not. I’m fearful of how it’ll look. The Mister is all about it as it will cut down on the need to “remulch,” but I’m a little on the fence.
via Better Homes and Gardens
The other option is recycled tire or rubber mulch. It’s definitly more than regular mulch. Still, it typically has a 15 year color warranty, doesn’t need to be remulched and doesn’t attract bugs or pests. Then, of course, it’s good karma because it’s recycled tires.
I’m leaning more towards the rubber mulch. What about it with a pea gravel border? Am I trying too hard? Wait. Don’t answer that. Have you seen pea gravel in landscaping done well? If so, bring on the photos. I need your help here.
R.A. Please use the rubber mulch in a playground area. The dry creek bed photo with the pea gravel is beautiful!
Why can’t you have a pea gravel driveway?
If you use the pea pea as ground cover consider using a weed barrier cloth so the rocks don’t sink away into your soil.
The best mulch for growing and feeding your plants is “black mulch” which is beautiful and adds nutrients to your soil since it is mostly broken down. Apply as directed once a year – most of those bugs mean you have created a healthy garden!
No rubber mulch unless I install a playground?
We’ve been told that we can’t put pea gravel over our current driveway unless we want to build up around the driveway edge to keep the pea gravel along the path. That’s been discouraged and ripping the driveway out has been encouraged. Do you know something that I don’t?
Hey hey R.A.!
What about a fresh layer of asphalt with pea gravel poured on top? You use less pea gravel and it is more like the correct way to install pea – it fakes the compacted layers below the finish topping of “peas”. (specifically, an edge restraint; 6″ sub base of crushed stone; 1″-2″ of clay; then 3/8 pea at a “camber mound” (slight arch from one side to the other). (I took a landscape design class from English Designer David Stevens.)
Looks like you have the room to “feather” the edges out (making the drive a bit wider) which takes away the need of an edge restraint. If the depth gets too high near the house – just tear out what needs to go – ie: not a complete gut job.
There is always the correct way and then there is the creative way, when budget does not allow for correct. But creative ONLY works when your project allows it…ie: Do you have drainage issues that need to be your priority? And creative usually just buys you time before correct needs to be done.
Let me know if you have other details that may allow for me to share more of my “wealth of knowledge”! (I smile.) This is great fun to be involved, especially if any of it helps you with your project.
Cheers!