Getting started and understanding the job at hand

If you’re unsure of where to start for beginner landscaping, it can seem like a pretty big job, its easy to get lost in the small details and become frustrated as it can seem like a very complicated project to undertake, what sand or gravel to use, what greens, trees, features, pathways and many other different things can make up a landscape project and leave you feeling frustrated.

Thankfully, we’re here to tell you that landscaping isn’t as complicated as it seems, in reality, landscaping is one of the most relaxing and structured things you can do when you just have a few tips on how to start and setup your project, whether that be a small garden or a large project that spans multiple places, and hopefully today we’ll explain why you might not always need to look at hiring a professional.

Today, we’re going to be giving you some garden designs landscaping ideas, and other tips and tricks as well as better explaining how to structure your mindset when it comes to a landscape project to turn it into a professional landscape and What better place to start than the bedrock of any project, the ground.

Sand is the king of moisture retention and productivity

Sand is a staple in landscaping, it can be used for several different means such as creating level ground, creating drainage systems, filling in the gaps between other parts of your landscape such as pavers and borders and it can be used to help improve the quality of the soil in the surrounding areas.

When you decide to use sand in a project it’s important to take into account what type of sand you’re going to be using as sand may seem like a one size fits all, but depending on the type of sand you use, it can help to create a stunning landscape display, create artificial borders in your garden or can be used in the soil to give your grass and plants the constant moisture they need to thrive.

Mostly, we see sand being used to fill in the gaps between stone walkways, sand is great at doing this as it can be heavily compacted to create a stunning finish, but also because it can be replaced, removed, and maintained by even beginners in landscaping.

Another very common use that we see for sand is with water features and water in general, sand is great at absorbing moisture, and water features will occasionally sprinkle out on the surrounding areas, by having sand available, it soaks it up and creates a moisture-rich environment that can help your lawn stay green and further increase how a landscape looks.

Use gravel for amazing drainage solutions and attractiveness

Another very common material we see being used is gravel, gravel is a staple in landscaping and can be used for several different projects, from creating pathways in your yards, creating amazingly versatile and great-looking driveways and much like sand, can help to create drainage areas around your landscape that can help to keep areas you don’t want moisture to build up in, completely dry, this is also great if you live in very wet climate conditions, as gravel is incredibly resistant to weather and can be easily maintained.

There is also the classic gravel driveway, it’s a staple in Australian homes, and it is easy to see why, it is cost-effective, easily maintained and creates an authentic finish on your properties when installed with borders, can be used for decades without the need to fix and repair it as traditional concrete and cement driveways have a tendency to build up grime and detritus from the environment.

Gravel is a great way to finish off your garden, or to create a large encompassing area that not only looks amazing but works efficiently for years to come and doesn’t require constant maintenance or the need for additional supplies to make it work properly, it just works wherever you put it, every time.

Sand and gravel working together

So how about incorporating them both together?

Sand and gravel go like a hand and a glove, they’re incredibly useful garden tools that can be used for several parts of your project.

Creating a garden bed or vegetable bed with sand and gravel can create a wonderful environment for your plants as the gravel allows for the plants to grow further down and the sand below provides a constant source of moisture and water so that they can continue to grow, this is especially great for flower beds that have a lot of diversity and require water on a constant basis.

Likewise, creating paths out of gravel and sand is much like creating a garden bed, while the gravel does the most work, having a sand bed underneath the gravel will create effective drainage areas that keep your pathways drive and free of debris.

Sand and Gravel win every time

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, landscaping with gravel and sand is an effective tool and one of the best pieces of advice that we can give you when it comes to creating an attractive and efficient landscape.

Consider your project from the bottom up, creating a foundational bedrock that is built to last is almost, if not more important than what goes onto it, and in terms of creating a solid foundation sand and gravel are amazing tools you should use whenever you can and not only that, they’re cost effective, attractive, easily maintainable and can be replaced very easily.

So the next time you’re starting a project, do a bit of research ahead of time and have a look at more of the amazing benefits that sand and gravel can confer to your project, what types of gravels and sands are available, and how they can better help you in creating an amazing landscape that you can be proud of every time you look at it.