Interesting points, but honestly I've had the opposite experience with river rock. Mulch tends to float off or clump together after heavy rains around here, leaving bare spots and a messy cleanup. River rock, if installed correctly with proper drainage underneath (think landscape fabric and gravel layers), can actually hold up surprisingly well. I've done this around my old historic home—no mini waterparks yet, thankfully...though that might've been kinda fun to watch from the porch.
Haha, fair point about the mulch turning into a floating mess—I’ve been there, done that, and spent way too many weekends cleaning it up afterward. River rock definitely has its perks if you set it up right. Ever had trouble with weeds sneaking through the landscape fabric though? I swear those things are like little ninjas...always finding a way to pop up exactly where you don't want them. Any tips on keeping them at bay?
"Ever had trouble with weeds sneaking through the landscape fabric though? I swear those things are like little ninjas..."
Honestly, I've always found landscape fabric to be a bit overrated. Sure, it slows weeds down at first, but after a year or two, dirt and debris settle on top and give weeds the perfect foothold. I've had better luck skipping fabric altogether and using a thicker layer of river rock—about 3-4 inches deep. Seems counterintuitive, but weeds struggle more without that fabric barrier holding moisture underneath. Worth a try maybe?
Worth a try maybe?
Yeah, totally agree on skipping the fabric. I tried it once and ended up with weeds anyway—plus a soggy mess underneath after heavy rains. River rock or even crushed gravel drains way better and keeps things tidier long-term.
Good points on the gravel—I went with crushed gravel around a rental property last year and it's held up surprisingly well through some pretty intense storms. Only downside was the initial cost was a bit higher than I expected. Curious if anyone's tried combining gravel with strategic plantings (like native grasses or shrubs) to help absorb excess water naturally... might be a decent compromise between drainage and aesthetics.
