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.
Planted with species that hail from arid, warm regions (including the Mediterranean, South Africa, and California), a gravel garden can cope with extreme weather, continuing to produce a glorious succession of scent and colour throughout a scorching, dry summer.
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Where to plant a gravel garden
Full sun is the main requirement for a gravel border. Shelter is not as important, as there is a wide range of drought-robust plants that cope with exposed sites. The ideal soil is very free-draining: for instance, sandy soil is ideal. Even a shallow growing medium is do-able if the soil has good drainage, as the late gardener Beth Chatto showed in the creation of her Gravel Garden . . . this was planted on a former car park, which had a very thin layer of top soil above a bone-dry mix of sand and gravel. However, if you have your heart set on a gravel garden and have a denser, retentive soil, it is still possible to create one successfully, albeit with a lot more work and expense.
How to plant a gravel garden
Thoroughly remove all perennial weeds. The eco-friendly approach is to lay down sections of old carpet or heavyweight black pond liner for as long as it takes for the weeds to die (1 to 8 weeks, depending on the weather). Alternatively you could opt to lean into certain weeds that are ‘having a moment.'
On very free-draining soil (such as sand), remove the top soil and fork in a generous quantity of organic matter (such as peat-free multi-purpose compost, mushroom compost, and well-rotted manure). On heavier, fertile soils (such as clay), simply remove the top soil.
Dense soils require a much thicker layer of gravel than well-drained soils. Although the stone can be expensive, it is worth buying enough for a thick layer, as this will prevent weeds for years to come. Upon choosing a colour, think about how the stone will look when wet and when dry; a pale biscuit-coloured stone usually looks good. On heavy clay, a 20-centimetre (8 inch) layer of gravel is the optimum amount, although you can do it with less. Very well-drained soil (that already contains a lot of sand and rubble, for instance) can be dressed with a much thinner layer of gravel.
Put the plants in when the weather is not too extreme: spring is ideal, but early autumn is also fine. Think about where to place the plants before putting them in the ground – having a few slim, vertical plants or willowy plants in the front and middle of the border that allow the planting behind to be glimpsed creates an attractive series of layers and makes the border appear fuller, bigger, and more interesting. Having bright colours at the front and paler colours at the back will also enhance the illusion of the bed being bigger than it is. Finally, ensure that plants in need of elbow room (such as bearded irises, which enjoy sun on their rhizomes) are given plenty of space.
In periods of high heat and low rain, water the plants regularly until their roots are established. After that, you should not need to do any watering, except in prolonged and severe heatwave and drought.
Which plants to use
Opt for drought-tolerant plants that enjoy very well-drained soil and full sun.
For height and presence at the back of the gravel garden, grow lush heaps of good-looking foliage (such as Melianthus major and Euphorbia mellifera, which smells of honey) and grasses (for instance Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ and Pennisetum macrourum, which throws up wands of blonde in late summer). Pair them with sizeable flowering plants, such as the fabulous architectural Eryngium pandanifolium ‘Physic Purple’, which has cranberry-coloured flower thimbles; clouds of airy purple Verbena bonariensis and willowy pink Althaea cannabina; imposing yellow rockets of Verbascum olympicum; and silvery towers of cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), which is crowned with purple thistles throughout summer.
Create texture and movement through the middle of the border with elegant grasses (including silvery Stipa barbata and blue Panicum amarum ‘Sea Mist’), and a pink-white froth of Oenothera lindheimeri. Float architectural flowers amongst and above them: such as the maroon drumsticks of Allium sphaerocephalon, the blue fireworks of Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’, and the silver-purple pokers of Nepeta tuberosa. Add elegance and structure with clippable mounds of cotton lavender Santolina rosmarinifolia ‘Primrose Gem’ and white lavender Lavandula x intermedia ‘Edelweiss’. And ensure the start of the season is impressive via beautiful bearded irises, such as ‘Mer du Sud’, which shimmers blue in the May sunshine.
In prime position at the front of the gravel garden, add colour via bright-scarlet splashes of Tulipa sprengeri in May and June and Eschscholzia californica ‘Red Chief’ in June and July; and contrast it with the blue needles of Festuca glauca Intense Blue grass, the felt-like silver lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina), and the wispy flaxen Stipa tenuissima, which billows on the breeze. Inject softness and warmth with pink flowers, such as Allium senescens subsp. glaucum and Helianthemum ‘Rhodanthe Carneum’. And make the border visually exciting by dotting vertical accent plants (such as Verbascum bombyciferum) or ‘see-through’ airy plants (for example, Verbena hastata f. rosea) through the front section of the border.
How to plant to attract wildlife
If you want your gravel borders to lure pollinators, opt for drought-tolerant nectar-rich plants they love and plant them generously: for example, dot several lavender bushes through the beds, rather than just growing one. This means less distance for insects to travel when foraging, saving them energy. Both bees and butterflies enjoy lavender; bees are also fond of long-flowering Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ and woolly Salvia ‘Blue Spire’ – both are small shrubs with purple-blue flowers and aromatic grey-green foliage; while butterflies like yarrows (such as Achillea ‘Terracotta’) and marjorams (such as Origanum laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’). Finally, to attract birds, grow some spiky pink teasels (Dipsacus fullonum) – come autumn, their striking seedheads will be visited by tits and goldfinches.
