Types of garden stones and gravel: Which aggregate is best for your project?

If you’re working on a landscaping project and want to transform your outdoor space, there are many types of aggregates available to help you with your garden design ideas. When it comes to understanding the different types of garden stones, pebbles, chippings and gravel, there are plenty of questions to consider: Which landscaping aggregate is best for your project? What size and colour aggregate should you use? How many bags of aggregates should you buy to get the coverage you need? What’s the difference between stone and gravel? You also need to consider your budget, environmental factors like the climate, your desired aesthetic, and whether you want something low maintenance.

It can be very easy to maintain your stone and gravel areas, and decorative aggregates can be great for controlling weeds, protecting against frost, improving drainage, and reducing the time and energy spent on upkeeping the garden as there’s no pruning or mowing the lawn needed!

Here we’ll explain the different types of gravel, chippings and garden stones available to purchase, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and what they’re best used for. From pathways and driveways to neat borders and garden beds, we’ve outlined your options below to help you decide how to choose the right aggregate for your project.

Gravel

Gravel is a very popular and versatile landscaping aggregate that can be used in a variety of outdoor projects, but what are the pros and cons of using it? It’s often the aggregate of choice for creating driveways because of its excellent drainage qualities, its ability to prevent erosion and the growth of weeds, and its stability, especially when used alongside gravel grids. Gravel can also be used in paths, flower beds, borders and anywhere soil may be prone to becoming waterlogged. If suitable weed membranes or gravel stabilisation isn’t used, however, you might be at risk of unwanted weeds and potholes forming.

If you’re looking for a low-maintenance option for your driveway that’s durable, long-lasting, and easy to install, gravel is a fantastic choice. Loose stones like gravel also provide bonus garden security as they make noise when driven or walked over.

Available in multiple sizes and rich colours, you can choose from pea gravel, golden gravel, limestone gravel, and much more. Whether you’re aiming for it to blend into the rest of the natural garden, or to create a stunning centrepiece that stands out you’ve got plenty of choice.

Garden stones

When it comes to the different types of garden stones, the sheer amount of choice could be overwhelming. There are thousands of decorative stones including slate and other chippings, decorative gravel, pebbles and cobbles, and larger gabion rocks, available to spruce up a gardening project.

If you’re looking to build a garden footpath, you can choose one aggregate or a combination of multiple, such as chippings, bark chippings, compacted rocks and self-binding gravel that’s easier to walk on. Or, for garden paths that are closer to the home, you might want to opt for looser garden stones like pebbles and chippings that make noise when walked on, as an added security feature.

Pebbles & Cobbles

With a rounded, smooth surface that has been shaped by wind, water and other natural elements, pebbles and cobbles are an excellent choice for enhancing the aesthetic of a garden. Their range of colours and textures can be used for decorative purposes such as borders, flower beds, rockeries and water features. They might not have great stability when walked on regularly and require a little more cleaning due to algae growth.

Chippings

Chippings are a decorative aggregate formed from crushed stones in varying colours, textures and sizes. Their angular shapes make them better for interlocking and stability, making them a good option for pathways and driveways. They’re also great for ground cover in bare garden areas to cover soil, weeds and uneven ground, or even just to spruce up large spaces. They’re not always as comfortable to walk on though, due to their irregular shapes.

Slate

If you’re looking for aggregates with an exceptionally unique texture and colour variation, slate chippings come in many sizes and quantities. They’re durable and long-lasting, and can be used for pathways, flower beds and ground cover. Slate comes in stunning blue, plum and green colours that darken in the rain, but it can also be slippery when wet.

Consider the most important function of your aggregate – is it to be walked on, or just for aesthetic value? - as well as the desired look. When it comes to general ground cover, flower beds, plant pots, borders and bases, you can use a mixture of rocks, stones, pebbles and chippings to achieve your desired look. Pebbles are especially good for water features and rockeries, whilst slate chippings might fare better in garden borders and beds. Gravel and chippings are popular choices for driveways and paths thanks to their durability and stability.

With plenty of landscaping and decorative aggregates available, you’re sure to be spoilt for choice when you get started on the job. You can use an online materials calculator to decide how many bags of aggregate you’ll need, or you can estimate based on the size and depth of your space and how much coverage each bag will give you.