Identify where water naturally flows in your yard. Your dry creek should follow this path, guiding water away from problem areas. Use a garden hose to lay out a natural, meandering shape—avoid straight lines.
Dig a shallow trench 4-8 inches deep and 2-4 feet wide. Create gently sloping sides like a natural stream. Make it deeper in the center and slightly wider at curves where water naturally pools.
Line the entire channel with heavy-duty landscape fabric. Extend it 6 inches beyond the edges. This prevents weeds and keeps soil from mixing with your rocks over time.
Position your largest rocks along the edges and at key focal points. Bury them 1/3 into the ground for a natural look. Group odd numbers (3, 5, 7) together for visual appeal.
Fill the channel with 3x5 bull rock or river rock. These mid-sized stones create the "stream bed" look. Vary the sizes slightly for a more natural appearance.
Use smaller gravel or pea gravel to fill gaps between larger rocks. This creates texture and prevents fabric from showing. Add plants along the edges for a finished look.
For the most realistic look, use 3 sizes of rock: large boulders for edges, bull rock for the main bed, and smaller gravel for filling gaps. Mix colors for visual interest—our Rainbow Gravel works great as an accent!
From $80/yard
From $80/yard
From $90/yard
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