Landscape Beds & Ground Cover
Rock instead of mulch — and in this climate that is usually the better call.
The situation
Your beds need a ground cover. Mulch looks good for a season, then fades, washes out in heavy rain, breaks down, and has to be replaced every year. In South Florida it also holds moisture against the house and attracts things you would rather not attract.
What to buy
Rock does not break down, does not wash away in a storm, does not need replacing annually, and does not hold damp against your foundation.
Which stone
Pea rock is the most popular — small, rounded, mixed natural colours, soft-looking and comfortable if anyone walks in the bed.
#57 rock is larger and angular. It stays put better on any slope, looks more architectural, and drains even faster. It is also usually cheaper.
For a modern look with a lot of contrast, some people use #57 in wide borders and pea rock closer to the house.
Two things that decide whether it lasts
Landscape fabric under the stone. Without it the rock works down into the soil, weeds come up through, and in two years the bed needs stripping and redoing.
Edging at every boundary, especially against grass. Otherwise the stone migrates into the lawn and finds your mower.
How much you need
Two to three inches deep. One cubic yard covers roughly 160 square feet at 2 inches or 100 square feet at 3 inches.
- A 4-foot border along 40 feet of house — 160 sq ft — about 1 yard at 2 inches
- A front bed of 300 sq ft — about 2 yards at 2 inches
- A whole front yard converted, say 800 sq ft — about 5 yards
If you are planting as well as covering, you may want topsoil on the same delivery.
Not sure? Tell us the rough size of the area and how deep you want it and we will work it out with you. Nobody expects you to know this — it is our job, not yours. Or use the calculator.
For scale: a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. A typical bag of stone or soil from a home centre holds about half a cubic foot — so one yard is roughly 54 bags, three to five car trips, and a lot of lifting.
We will bring one yard. We will also bring a hundred loads. Ask for a price →
How to do it
- Clear existing mulch and weeds down to soil.
- Install edging around every boundary.
- Lay fabric, overlapping the seams generously. Cut crosses for existing plants.
- Spread the rock 2 to 3 inches deep.
- Blow or rinse the leaves off occasionally — organic debris sitting on stone is what lets weeds start.
Materials for this job
Landscape Beds & Ground Cover — common questions
Is rock better than mulch in Florida?
How deep should landscape rock be?
Will weeds still come through rock?
How many yards for a small front bed?
Other projects
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One cubic yard or a hundred loads — same pricing structure, same delivery standard, same one-hour quote.