Denise Kelly's Gravel Garden

Denise Kelly's Northern California gravel garden.

"I used 2 inches of compacted base rock with 1 to 2 inches of gravel on top, no barrier cloth underneath. I like angular gravel because it packs down, and you can walk on it and roll a wheelbarrow easily. And lots of nice things can be planted in it and thrive. We used to have a lawn and took it out and replaced it with gravel, and I couldn’t be happier with it."

Denise also recommends three wonderful books on dry gardening by Oliver Fillipi: The Dry Gardening Handbook, Bringing the Mediterranean into your Garden, and Planting Design for Dry Gardens; as well as Beth Chatto's The Dry Garden and Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden.

For more, see: Tips to Help Your Garden Survive a Summer Drought