Gravel Garden Ideas: Drought-Tolerant Plants and Layout

Getting it right

Counterintuitively, don't improve the soil. Compost holds moisture and pushes soft growth that flops and rots, and the plants that make this style work want it lean. Spread 3–4 inches (75–100 mm) of 3/8 to 3/4 inch (10–20 mm) gravel straight over loosened ground with no landscape fabric underneath, plant through it, and water only through the first growing season. After that the gravel keeps the roots cool, and seedlings start filling the gaps on their own.

How to plan it

A gravel garden is the planted cousin of xeriscaping, and it suits most of the western US and anywhere else with dry summers or watering limits. It also works in wetter regions on sandy, free-draining soil, but not on heavy clay that stays wet through winter.

Kill the existing lawn or weeds completely first, either by smothering them under cardboard for a season or by digging them out, then loosen the soil without adding compost. Set out the largest plants first, such as Russian sage and Adam's needle, then fill between them with groups of three to seven smaller plants in loose drifts. Plant through the gravel and pull it back around each stem.

Leave room for paths of the same gravel so the planting and the walking surface blend together, and edge the whole area with steel or stone so the gravel doesn't wander into the lawn. Expect self-seeding: Brazilian verbena, alliums and sea holly will pop up between other plants, and you edit them rather than plant them.

Plants that work

Botanical names come first so you can order the right plant anywhere. Heights are for mature plants in the ground.
Plant	Type	Light	Water	Height	Hardy to
Russian sageSalvia yangii	Shrub · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	3–4 ft (0.8–1.2 m)	−13 °F / −25 °C
English lavenderLavandula angustifolia	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	16–28 in (40–70 cm)	−4 °F / −20 °C
Mexican feather grassNassella tenuissimaInvasive in parts of the US. Check your state's list.	Grass · Semi-evergreen	Full sun	Low	16–24 in (40–60 cm)	−4 °F / −20 °C
Mediterranean spurgeEuphorbia characias	Perennial · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	3–4 ft (0.8–1.2 m)	10 °F / −12 °C
Brazilian verbenaVerbena bonariensis	Perennial · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m)	10 °F / −12 °C
Flat sea hollyEryngium planum	Perennial · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	2–3 ft (60–90 cm)	−22 °F / −30 °C
Ornamental onionAllium hollandicum	Bulb · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	3–3 ft (0.8–1 m)	−22 °F / −30 °C
YarrowAchillea millefolium	Perennial · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	20–31 in (50–80 cm)	−31 °F / −35 °C
Showy stonecropHylotelephium spectabile	Perennial · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	16–24 in (40–60 cm)	−22 °F / −30 °C
Korean hyssopAgastache rugosa	Perennial · Deciduous	Full sun	Low	2–3 ft (0.6–1 m)	−4 °F / −20 °C
Adam's needleYucca filamentosa	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	2–5 ft (0.6–1.5 m)	−13 °F / −25 °C
Lavender cottonSantolina chamaecyparissus	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	16–24 in (40–60 cm)	5 °F / −15 °C

Surfaces and materials

Decomposed granite
Limestone gravel
Gravel mulch
Weathering steel
Boulders
Stepping stones
Uplighting

Works well when

Watering is restricted in summer
Summers are hot and dry
The soil is sandy and free-draining
You want low maintenance
There is no outdoor spigot

Think twice when

The ground stays wet after rain
Young children play there
People walk on it barefoot

Common questions

Should I put landscape fabric under gravel?

Not in a planted gravel garden. Fabric stops plants spreading and self-seeding, and windblown soil collects on top of it, so weeds grow there anyway. Keep fabric for gravel paths with no planting.

How deep should the gravel be?

About 3 inches (7.5 cm) over planted areas, and 2 to 3 inches (5–7.5 cm) on paths over a compacted base. Much deeper and it's hard to walk on; much shallower and weeds come through.

Is a gravel garden the same as xeriscaping?

Close. Xeriscaping is the broader approach to water-wise landscaping and can use any drought-tolerant plants and mulches. A gravel garden is one specific way to do it, with the plants growing directly in a gravel mulch.

Is gravel a good surface for kids and bare feet?

Not really. Angular gravel is hard on bare feet, and small children tend to throw it. If kids play in the yard, keep a lawn or a smooth paved area for play and use gravel in the planted parts.