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Gravel borders are stylish, eco-friendly, and extremely low maintenance. Hazel Sillver looks at how to plant one to enjoy a beautiful garden without the need to weed or water
Andrew Montgomery
Requiring less watering and weeding than any other type of garden, a gravel garden is ideal for anyone with a busy lifestyle. Comprising freely draining soil covered in gravel, through which suitable plants grow, the only effort required is in its creation; after that, this contemporary form of garden largely looks after itself.
The gravel acts as a mulch: sealing in moisture (which means less watering is required), protecting against frost, and forbidding the weeds. The stone also absorbs and holds a lot of heat from the sun and radiates it to the plants, creating a mini microclimate. As long as it is sharp gravel (rather than smooth shingle), it also deters plant nibblers (such as slugs and snails) and plant squashers (such as cats and dogs).
Inspired by stony, sun-baked regions, such as the garrigue of southern France, a gravel border purposefully has a slightly sparser look than most garden styles, with the stone being part of the show. The classic inspiration is the wonderful Gravel Garden at Beth Chatto’s Plants and Gardens in Essex, and one of the most recent examples is the Delos Garden at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, which has been superbly revamped by garden designer Dan Pearson.
Continued below.
www.houseandgarden.co.uk
Andrew Montgomery
Requiring less watering and weeding than any other type of garden, a gravel garden is ideal for anyone with a busy lifestyle. Comprising freely draining soil covered in gravel, through which suitable plants grow, the only effort required is in its creation; after that, this contemporary form of garden largely looks after itself.
The gravel acts as a mulch: sealing in moisture (which means less watering is required), protecting against frost, and forbidding the weeds. The stone also absorbs and holds a lot of heat from the sun and radiates it to the plants, creating a mini microclimate. As long as it is sharp gravel (rather than smooth shingle), it also deters plant nibblers (such as slugs and snails) and plant squashers (such as cats and dogs).
Inspired by stony, sun-baked regions, such as the garrigue of southern France, a gravel border purposefully has a slightly sparser look than most garden styles, with the stone being part of the show. The classic inspiration is the wonderful Gravel Garden at Beth Chatto’s Plants and Gardens in Essex, and one of the most recent examples is the Delos Garden at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, which has been superbly revamped by garden designer Dan Pearson.
Continued below.
How to plant a gravel garden
Gravel borders are stylish, eco-friendly, and extremely low maintenance. Hazel Sillver looks at how to plant one to enjoy a beautiful garden without the need to weed or water
