Explore ten inspiring ways to elevate your outdoor space by landscaping with gravel…
Transform your garden into a stunning, low-maintenance haven with gravel! We are a premier supplier or decorative aggregates, construction aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete in southern England, and come with 125 years of experience. Whether you’re designing a driveway, patio, pathway, or water feature, Hills Quarry Product’s decorative aggregates offer versatile, long-lasting solutions.
1. Select the right colour gravel for your aesthetic
Selecting the right type of gravel is about more than just practicality: it’s about creating a cohesive look that enhances your garden’s overall design.
Our Cotswold gravel offers soft cream tones when dry, or honey golden tones when wet. It integrates effortlessly into both classic English gardens, to contemporary minimalist aesthetics. Cotswold gravel is flexible and well-suited to driveways, pathways, and decorative borders.
If you’re after a striking look, redstone offers a deep-coloured tone to make your driveway stand out from the others with good definition and texture. Other applications could include pathways, water features, and decorative borders in your garden.
Alternatively, Woodford gravel is composed of a cream, brown and black mix of flint, offering good driveway and decorative uses, as well as a quality drainage medium. Mortimer flint also makes for an exciting entrance to your home, composed of gold, buff, black and white flint. The angular shapes provide great definition and texture, while the deep reds or golden tones instantly boost your home’s kerb appeal.
In summary, choose gravel that suits your aesthetic and functional needs. No matter your style or purpose, the right gravel can transform your outdoor space—adding charm, function, and lasting impact.
2. Design easy-to-maintain garden paths
Durable, low-maintenance, and golden-coloured, Cotswold path gravel is perfect as a concrete or paving alternative for pathways. Its warm tones and compact finish create a natural yet refined look that suits a wide range of garden landscaping ideas: from cottage-style gardens to modern outdoor spaces.
Otherwise, washed pea shingle is a well-suited to enhance decorative areas of your garden with its neutral, cream colour. It also acts an effective drainage system, making it ideal for areas prone to water pooling or heavy rainfall. Its rounded, smooth texture offers a softer appearance while still providing excellent functionality.
Both Cotswold path gravel and washed pea shingle make for smooth, walkable surfaces. These materials deliver durability and a polished finish, perfect for footpaths, cycleways, and garden borders. Whether you’re refreshing an existing layout or planning a new outdoor design, these gravel options are practical and visually appealing additions to your garden landscaping ideas.
3. Define borders with decorative chippings
Create clean, elegant lines in your garden by using decorative chippings to define borders. Whether outlining lawn edges, raised beds, or patios, this simple addition can significantly enhance your garden’s structure and visual appeal.
Cotswold chippings, with their creamy beige hues, offer a timeless look that blends effortlessly with natural plantings and a variety of garden styles. Their light colour brightens up shaded areas and contrasts beautifully with greenery, adding a refined touch without overpowering the space.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Cotswold Chippings are also low-maintenance, helping to suppress weeds and reduce soil erosion, making them a practical choice for long-lasting garden landscaping ideas.
4. Sculpt eye-catching rockeries
Add height, texture, and focal points to your garden by incorporating Rockery Stone into your design. These decorative stone lumps are perfect for building rock features, raised beds, or low retaining walls that introduce a sense of structure and dimension.
Rockeries are a great way to showcase alpine plants, succulents, or cascading greenery, and they work especially well in sloped or uneven areas where traditional planting can be challenging. With their natural, rugged appearance, Rockery Stones create contrast and bring a dynamic edge to your garden layout.
Whether used as standalone features or integrated into borders and terraces, rockeries offer both form and function, making them a striking addition to your garden landscaping ideas.
5. Enhance water features with slate
Bring a serene, polished look to your garden’s water elements by using blue & plum slate around ponds, fountains, or water gardens. The flat, angular shapes of slate provide a sleek, contemporary edge while still retaining a natural feel.
Slate works beautifully for borders, mulching, or even as a base around water features, helping to suppress weeds and retain moisture. The subtle shimmer when wet enhances its colour—adding a dramatic, reflective quality that elevates the overall aesthetic.
Whether you’re designing a modern reflection pool or a rustic wildlife pond, slate chippings offer a versatile and striking finish, making them an excellent addition to your garden landscaping ideas.
6. Create natural-looking hoggin surfaces
For a rustic, timeless aesthetic, consider using Cotswold hoggin: a compactable blend of clay, sand, and gravel. Its warm, earthy tones and natural texture make it an ideal surface for bridle paths, garden walkways, and patios where you want a softer, more organic look.
Unlike concrete or paving, hoggin creates a natural-looking surface that blends beautifully into traditional or countryside-style gardens. It provides a firm, low-dust finish that drains well while maintaining a characterful, unrefined charm.
If you’re looking to achieve a heritage feel without compromising on durability or function, Cotswold hoggin is a standout option among garden landscaping ideas.
7. Build tough, textured rock beds
Introduce durability and definition to your planting areas by lining them with 20 mm Cotswold hard stone. This robust, beige limestone not only enhances the visual structure of your garden but also supports excellent drainage, making it ideal for raised beds and borders.
With its angular texture and weather-resistant properties, Cotswold hard stone is built to withstand the demands of the UK climate, maintaining its appearance and performance year-round. Its light, neutral tones complement a wide range of plants and materials, adding a clean, finished look to any landscape design.
If you’re aiming for a garden that’s as functional as it is attractive, rock beds with hard stone are a smart and lasting addition to your garden landscaping ideas.
8. Layer drainage-friendly gravel zones
Improve both function and aesthetics by creating drainage-friendly zones with gravel. Using 10 mm washed pea shingle or 20 mm golden flint around downpipes, foundations, or low-lying areas helps manage water runoff effectively while enhancing the look of your landscape.
These angular stones allow water to flow through easily, reducing the risk of pooling or water damage near your home. At the same time, their varied textures and colours add visual interest, turning practical areas into attractive features.
For gardens that need both beauty and resilience, gravel drainage zones are a smart solution, bringing together style, sustainability, and reliability as part of your garden landscaping ideas.
9. Add colour contrast with accent gravel
Elevate your garden design by mixing gravel types to create striking colour contrast. Combining warm tones like Cotswold chippings with the cool hues of blue & plum slate adds depth and definition to focal areas, paths, or seating zones.
This layered approach introduces visual interest and helps guide the eye through different areas of your garden. It’s also a great way to subtly separate functional zones, such as dining spaces, walkways, and borders, without using hard edges or fencing.
By thoughtfully pairing contrasting gravels, you can infuse personality and balance into your landscape, turning simple layouts into standout garden landscaping ideas with creative flair.
10. Build a durable mulch alternative
Swap traditional wood chips for Cotswold chippings or washed pea shingle to create a long-lasting, low-maintenance mulch. These decorative aggregates not only add texture and colour to your garden beds but also offer practical benefits: suppressing weeds, retaining soil moisture, and resisting weathering over time.
Unlike organic mulch, these materials don’t break down quickly, meaning fewer top-ups and less maintenance year-round. Their clean, natural appearance also enhances planting areas, providing a neat and polished finish.
For a smart, sustainable alternative to bark or wood chips, gravel mulch is a durable and stylish choice, ideal for modern garden landscaping ideas that value both form and function.
Why choose Hills Quarry Products’ decorative aggregates?
- Extensive variety: From beige limestone to slate and flint, every project can find the ideal material.
- Nationwide delivery: Based in Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, but delivering decorative stone across the UK.
- Weather-proof quality: Durable materials like Cotswold Hard Stone and Hoggin offer beauty and longevity in all conditions.
Ready to transform your garden?
Contact Hills Quarry Products today to request samples or quotes. Our décor-grade gravel and stone are the perfect first step to a stylish, sustainable outdoor makeover.
