Already know what you need? Buy now.

Pebbles are a great way to add texture and colour to your garden, whilst fulfilling a practical purpose in paths, driveways, drainage and mulch. Our guide below will help you determine the best fit for you garden, and includes insider info on how to make your decision.

Pebbles and gravel - what's the difference?

Pebbles are rounded and smooth, worn into shape by the motion of river water and come in a wide range of natural colours. Artificially coloured and polished pebbles are also available.These pebbles are usually imported, while the natural-coloured pebbles are usually sourced locally.
Gravel on the other hand is sharp and angular, with uneven edges and inconsistent shapes. It is made from crushed rock and is sourced locally and overseas.

Upgrade your pathways and driveways

For pathways: Choose a gravel, or pebbles under 10mm. These will be small enough to create a stable surface. Some of our most popular looks include:

• Hunter River pebbles are a great solution for a native garden - and you can add interest with white crushed quartz.
• Lucky River Pebbles complement a path of smaller River Pebbles
• Blue Metal Gabion match perfectly with a path of Blue Metal Aggregate.
• Add impact by using larger pebbles and contrasting colours to define the edges of a gravel path.

Pebbles and pavers were made to go together. Top tips for pairing pebbles and pavers:

• Use a different colour of pebble for impact.
• Think about white pavers surrounded by black pebbles, or black pavers with Snow White Pebbles.
• Or complement your pavers with a toning shade, like sandstone with Cowra Gold.

For driveways: Gravel is your best bet. Pebbles can roll underfoot, but the sharper edges in gravel allows it to compact under the weight of your foot or car tyres for stability. Decomposed granite in gold, red or brown pink, rich terracotta crushed tile or blue metal all work well here.

How to use pebbles as mulch

Absolutely, and with a few very good reasons:

• Retain moisture in your soil: Like all mulches, pebbles will help your soil retain their moisture.
• They are low cost and low maintenance: lay your pebbles once and you won't need to replace them. They won't break down over time, nor will they blow away with the wind.
• Non-flammable: if you live in a fire prone area, this is particularly important for your property.

Use your pebbles to make a statement:

• Complement native plants with native pebbles like Cowra Gold or Cowra White
• Choose a dramatic polished pebble for stunning results.
• Use them in plant pots both inside and outside to give your potted plants a burst of style.

As with all mulches, we recommend the use of weed matting underneath to discourage weeds from popping up between your pebbles or stones.

Use pebbles to show your personality and style

The possibilities are endless, but we've rounded up a few of the most popular uses:

• Fill gaps between plants and garden features with pebbles to give them instant impact.
• Use pebbles in shady corners where nothing will thrive, and around the base of trees (where a wood-based mulch might cause rot).
• Add luxury and style with glossy black or snow white stones; mix up different sizes for visual interest and add wood or pavers for more variety.
• Use local Australian stones, like Cowra Gold, Cowra White or River Pebbles to blend garden features into nature
• Create your own features like riverbeds and spirals using different sizes of stone.

Remember to lay weed mat underneath your gravel or pebbles to deter weed growth.

Create your own Japanese Zen Garden or Xeriscape

Pebbles are a key element in water-saving Xeriscape and drought-tolerant gardens. Different types, colours and sizes of pebble add visual interest among drought-tolerant plants, and gravel is excellent for creating paths. Colourful imported pebbles add drama, or use the softer colours of our native river pebbles for a more natural look.

For a Japanese Zen garden you mix natural dry landscaping materials, including pebbles and sand, to create calm, meditative surroundings. Sand, gravel, such as crushed granite, or tiny pebbles like our smallest Hunter River pebble are often used in a curving, flowing shape to simulate water. A blend of medium and larger stones can be used to create a dry riverbed effect. Read more about the history of Zen gardens and how to create your own in this fascinating article.

Landscapers share their top tips for using pebbles

"People are loving wooden planter boxes with plants surrounded by white or black pebbles. These are often built along the fence line with benches in between. They're practical and good looking; a great way to use a bit of space that isn't always used well. You see them a lot in new builds at the moment."

"Here's an easy one for a quick fix of your front yard: use brilliant white stones against dark green or red foliage along the path to the front door. Instant refresh."

"Gabion baskets. I love them. Stack them up and fill them with blue gabion or lucky pebbles and you've got a fence, a gateway, a retaining wall, a letterbox... Whatever. They always look great."

"I like to use white pebbles where I know a plant will have white flowers. Not the brilliant white, but crushed quartz or Cowra White."

"There's a lot you can do with stones in a small yard to liven it up. So, you can use all those colours in imported pebbles to put blocks of colour against one another. Some people like the 'yin and yang' sign in black and white, that's been really popular, but there's so much more you can do."

Link Edge is good to separate the areas; it's narrow so it doesn't spoil the look, but it keeps spaces well separated for maximum impact."

"I did a garden recently that they wanted to be low maintenance, minimal watering. Cacti and succulents with decomposed gold granite, looked like sand. You could use decomposed red granite for an Aussie red centre effect too."

Pro tip: Where to avoid using white or black pebbles

White pebbles: Whilst Snow white pebbles are beautiful, the truth is you shouldn't use them everywhere. The reason? Maintenance. Avoid laying white pebbles in damp areas where moss or mould may grow on them, or in excessively dirty areas where their beauty will quickly be dimmed by mud or dust. Use brown or grey pebbles in these areas as the dirt will be less obvious. And, please, if you put white pebbles under deciduous trees use a leaf blower to quickly get rid of leaves in autumn before they can break down and ruin the true beauty of your pebbles.

Black pebbles: Avoid using these in direct sunlight. These pebbles are coated with a clear finish that fades in the sun. To keep them at their shiny best, use them in shady areas or in water features.

For all dog lovers & owners:

Unfortunately nothing will be completely puppy proof, but our four-legged friends don't enjoy the feel of pebbles against their paws, whereas mulch is fair game. Pebbles will also stop chickens scratching around in parts of the garden that you would prefer to keep chicken free.

Delivery

With yards at Brookvale and Taren Point, our landscaping and building products can be delivered throughout greater Sydney including Sutherland Shire, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs, Northern Beaches, and beyond. Loose products such as mulch, soil, sand and pebbles can be tipped or delivered in bulk bags. Secure your delivery time as you check out.