Hello!
I have a garden bench arriving in a few days, that I plan to put in the corner on an angle.
I began moving rocks, in hopes that I can mulch an area for the bench, and eventually a path leading to the bench.
am I getting over my head with this? I am planning on laying cardboard down and then mulch. I am thinking now I need to do edging- do you have any recommendations? or even do a turf area, but will that spread?
thank you for any tips!
by Key-Echidna9629
4 Comments
It can work. Just be aware the mulch will spread out into the rock over time no way to stop that.
Why do you want mulch in the rock? Don’t put mulch in the rock. Just put the bench on the rocks
I love the look of mulch in a lot of places, but the rock you have there, could look good around a bench, I might try and put some kind of pergola cover over it, something simple, then use mulch spots in pots or rings or something as constant. Could help keep weeds down around and under the bench…..
Don’t shove that bench deep into the inside corner against the brick. That is dead space and sitting there will feel claustrophobic. You will be staring right at the side of your porch and hanging out directly under your foundation vents. Pull the bench out toward the front edge of the bed near the retaining wall blocks and angle it so you can actually enjoy the view of your yard. You want a welcoming focal point with breathing room, not a time out corner.
Do not mix a patch of wood mulch into a sea of river rock. The two materials will immediately mix together and look like a sloppy mistake and plastic edging will just make it look like a chopped up box. If you need a solid path to the bench just get a few large heavy pieces of natural flagstone and settle them directly into the rock. It gives you a stable walking surface without the headache of keeping mulch and stone separated.
Right now your bed is just a massive rock pile with two hostas floating in it. You are completely missing the structural layer of a real landscape. Once you pull that bench forward use that empty back corner to plant sweeping masses of upright shade plants like ferns or a large structural shrub. Make it look like the bench is tucked into a lush planted space instead of just dropped onto a gravel driveway.