Gravel and Bark in Garden Surfaces

Gravel can be used to create practical and attractive garden surfaces. It has a smooth look about it and is easy to lay; it also has the advantage of being relatively cheap. Many people enjoy the satisfying crunching sound that it produces under foot, indeed, some use it as an early warning for anybody approaching the house. Gravel does, however, need a bit more care and attention than some other surfaces to keep it neat and in place as it is easily spread to adjacent lawns and flowerbeds, spoiling the effect.

Being a soft material, gravel flows around corners and is ideal for filling irregular shapes. In small gardens or courtyards, the whole ground can be covered with it, with plants growing through in one or two places for a natural look. Gravel can also be used to complement other materials such as brick, stone or grass, providing interesting textural contrasts.

The warmth of orange and brown gravels has a lot to recommend it in the garden, but there are also many grey and yellow chippings to choose from. In addition, plenty of gravels are made from local stone, and these are useful for tying up paved areas or walls made from the same material.

Gravel areas can benefit from a solid, fixed edge, such as a kerb of stone or lengths of wood, to keep it in place, although for a less formal effect it can be left to merge in with surrounding areas, or the edges can be softened with overhanging plants.

Chipped or shredded bark is another popular material for creating visually and physically soft surfaces. Its somewhat unruly appearance and tendencies make it unsuitable for formal areas and, because of its natural affinity with wood, it is generally used in wilder parts of the garden. Bark is particularly suitable for woodland areas, where its colour and texture blend in well with the trees.

Bark is one of the best materials to use in areas where children play as it is relatively soft. Heavier pieces of bark are better than composted bark, which is more like peat in consistency, and tends to be more difficult to control.

Bark and wood chips will not necessarily stay in place, even with kerbing of some kind, as regular use by pedestrians and birds searching for worms will scatter it far and wide. Logs can be used to edge the area to provide some restraint, and these will be in keeping with the natural look of the surface.

The Japanese make the most of the amorphous nature of gravel in their tranquil gardens which are especially designed for contemplation. Here, a deep layer of gravel is laid and then raked into patterns, often swirling to resemble water flowing around stones. With sensitive treatment, these ideals can easily be transferred to any garden, provided that the surrounding areas conform with the stark, minimal approach of the Japanese original.