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Re: [SG] Pea Gravel For Paths;Slate for Steps

Some observations on pea gravel and paving FWIW...

Plants of all kinds think pea gravel is an ideal seedbed;

It's a bit tough to walk on since it doesn't pack down, and for it to look
nice, needs a fair amount of raking smooth;

It won't hold on even a mild slope (voice of sad experience)

But, the color is quite nice :-)

In the UK, I saw what appeared to be crushed pea gravel (even brought a bit
home in a bag).  It was used as a paving material and quite nice, since it
did lock together.  I have never found this in the US - at least here in
the greater Washington DC area - maybe you can find some where you are.

The paths at the Mall in DC (the area between all the museums of the
Smithsonian, etc.) are made of some secret formula of pea gravel and clay.
Some years ago, I made several phone calls trying to find out just what
this formula is, to little avail.  The only thing I could discover was that
it was specially made for the Park Service and only available in quantities
too huge to contemplate.  It does hold on mild slopes, drains well and
doesn't shift with foot traffic......nice to know, but of little help in
actually reproducing it :-)

I used pea gravel for one of my paths, as a thin layer over stone dust.
While it still has the problem of stuff seeding into it and it doesn't hold
on a slope, I do think putting down the stone dust as the  major layer
helps to keep it from rolling underfoot....you might consider this as
stonedust is also less expensive than pea gravel.

It is, however, less work to keep up than woodchips in that it does not rot
down and need topping up.

IMHO, for major paths, a solid masonry material such as slate, flagstone,
concrete pavers (not poured concrete - OK for sidewalks, but not garden
paths IMO) or brick is well worth the initial cost and effort of
installation - if it is at all within the scope of the pocketbook.
Installation on sand or stone dust base is not all that difficult (I just
finished such a project) and permits the paving to drain - unlike
installation on a poured concrete base.  The one drawback to this
installation method is that plants will seed into the cracks.  But, the
upside to this is that you can grow plants in the cracks if you wish :-)  I
use fine sandbox sand to fill the cracks, swept in and then watered and
repeated until the cracks are filled firmly.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
>
> >For me, I am changing all my paths and shall use pea gravel. A rather
in-
> >between look, that will not be as time consuming as the stones and not
as
> >difficult to keep up as the wood chips.
> >For steps, I am getting someone to put in slate steps too complement our
> >patio.
> >
> >Clyde Crockett z5
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