What are decorative gravels?
Decorative gravels are gravels which have been graded, processed and washed to form a top landscaping layer with consistent good looks. They’re made from all types of natural stone and create practical, low maintenance surfaces anywhere.
Decorative gravels come in a wide range of attractive colours and textures to complement all garden styles. This kind of gravel should be installed on a layer of sub-base ballast or crushed stone to ensure it stays weed-free.
It’s a very different kind of product to building ballast or crushed stones. Basic aggregates like these are used for putting down patio sub-base layers, creating drainage and mixing concrete for general building projects.
Pea gravel, shingle and chippings are all other terms for gravel extracted from a number of UK sources such as old river beds or slate quarries.
Samples of all our Decorative Aggregates are available to see and handle in person at all our Turnbull branches.
Quick, affordable landscaping solutions
10mm pea gravel: inexpensive and versatile
These small stones have a smooth, rounded texture which is the result of natural weathering. Known as golden gravel, pea shingle is actually a mixture of buff, rusts, greys, creams and whites.
Versatile pea shingle makes an instant mud-free walkway or path. It can form a play area surface that’s easy to hose down and rake tidy. Use it as a filler between paving stones on a patio or as edging for a vegetable plot. It’s a long lasting topping for planters as well as an attractive and economical mulch for planted borders. Finally it’s tough enough to form a barrier to rodents and other unwanted visitors.
20mm driveway gravel: cheap and practical
20mm gravel, bought in bulk bags, is a great practical solution to creating or topping up your driveway surface. With a kerbside delivery, all you have to do is spread it by shovel or barrow it in smaller amounts to get a good, even coverage.
Driveway gravel is robust, long-lasting and very low-maintenance. It can be refreshed or topped up in high wear areas whenever required.
Decorative gravels to transform your garden
If you’re looking for a simple way to transform your outdoor space, gravel will deliver. Introduce new colour and texture with the minimum of effort by using decorative gravels in a variety of colours.
Choose a decorative gravel for a water feature surround and enjoy how natural stone reflects light and changes colour. Some decorative stones are fish-friendly and can be used to conceal unsightly pond liners and provide wildlife with easy access to water.
Limestone gravel comes in versatile neutral colours; sandstone produces deep red gravels and granite’s grey-green hues complement grey paving designs.
- Light-reflecting pure white quartz brings brightness and a Mediterranean holiday feel to a sunny corner or seating area.
- Granite also contains quartz usually in a mix with other natural rock minerals which give its characteristic look. Granite gravels in shades of pink, red or green will add individuality to your chosen area.
- A softer, warmer look can be created by chippings made from creamy Cotswold stone or with buff and red-gold sandstone aggregates quarried from what were ancient sea beds.
Our most popular decorative gravels
![Red Granite Decorative Gravel [20mm]](https://www.turnbull.co.uk/cms/app/uploads/2021/03/Red-Granite-Decorative-Gravel-20mm-600x400.jpg "Red Granite Decorative Gravel [20mm]")
Our decorative stone is also available in handy grab bags
A bulk bag with free delivery is the easiest and most economical way to buy decorative gravels for your garden project. However, if you know you don’t need a full bulk bag for your project, then you can buy gravel in handy grab bags, weighing in at 25kg. They’re perfect for smaller projects and can be moved around your garden with ease.
There’s also a wider choice of colours available with grab bags. From Scottish Decorative Pebbles, to striking Black Ice Mixed Decorative Gravel and bright Decorative Chippings in Flamingo.
Decorative Slate Chippings
A recycled bi-product of the Welsh slate roofing industry, slate chippings are a cost-effective mulch for borders and large planters. Larger 40mm slate chippings aren’t as comfortable to walk on, and so we recommend smaller 20mm slate chippings for paths.
Slate chippings come in blue and plum colours that work well with evergreen shrubs and grey paving slabs.
Browse more ideas for garden landscaping, including useful tips about the best landscaping materials to buy from the Turnbull team
How to lay a gravel path or utility area
Installing garden gravel is easy, requiring few of the tools or DIY skills needed to lay paving and driveway blocks.
First dig out any weeds to a depth of about 80mm. Then lay down a weed barrier of 100mm of impacted crushed rock or ballast. Finally spread your top decorative layer. About 50mm is all the depth you need to get an attractive, long lasting finish.
You might opt for a landscape fabric barrier between the base ballast and your chosen stone. It can help to keep the layers separate, which makes for easier maintenance and topping up.
However, fabric barriers can become visible over time, which is unsightly. You will need to top up your surface layer every few years. Alternatively, make sure you put down a generous layer of ballast, and keep on top of the weeding.
Gravel tends to travel so it needs to be contained by some kind of edging material like slabs, blocks or steps.
Although it’s great for paths, it can be hard to move heavy weights like a fully loaded wheelbarrow across an expanse of gravel, so position some paving slabs for these higher traffic areas.
How are bulk bags of decorative aggregate delivered?
Bulk bags are filled to order from stocks of loose aggregate at our depots, loaded onto flat bed trucks and delivered. Kerbside delivery for bulk bags of aggregates is standard. Our drivers will place bulk bags as near to your property or site as possible.
Our local deliveries are made by HIAB lorries with a crane to lift the bags off the vehicle and onto the ground. Bulk bags weigh approximately 850kgs or just under a tonne – they’ll do their best to position goods where you want them, but the size and weight of bulk aggregates makes this tricky.
FREE delivery is available if your delivery address is within a 20 mile radius of one of our branches. We deliver Monday to Friday, between 8am and 5pm and within 5 working days from time of receiving your order.