Beach Pebble & River Rock Ideas for Smaller Spaces

Beach pebbles are a great landscaping material for both large and small spaces. They come in a large variety of sizes and colors, allowing even owners of miniature gardens and urban spaces to create their beach-themed landscapes. Over the years, many of our customers from across the country have worked with us to select the best type of beach pebble for their various projects, and to get installation ideas and useful tips. Below we share three ideas on how to use Mexican beach pebbles to landscape a small space into a complete, elegant-looking scene that will last for years.

Landscaping Idea #1 – Beach Pebble Zen Garden

This Florida customer came to us with a vision of a peaceful, no-maintenance Zen garden that would be created in a small backyard. We recommended 1-2” black (grey) natural beach pebbles to complete this project. After preparing the ground (removing previous landscape materials and plants) and installing protective material underneath, landscape pebbles were poured to create roughly 2-3 layers of stone. We always recommend multiple layers so that nothing shows through and the final look is uniform.

In addition, narrow beach pebble borders were created along the sides of the main walkways to unite the overall look. Our customer was very happy with the final result – both the aesthetics and the fact that this landscape literally requires no maintenance and minimal water!

Landscaping Idea #2 – Pebble Rooftop Garden in NYC

This customer had a unique idea of creating a maple tree garden just outside a Manhattan apartment. After selecting the right miniature trees, the next step was to find the perfect ground cover. The choice was black / grey Mexican beach pebbles in the size ½-1”. Also known as Mexican river rock pebbles, these smaller stones are tiny enough to not overpower the trees, and yet large enugh to stay put in various weather conditions and when walked on.

Landscaping Idea #3 – River Rock Walkway

A very popular use of beach pebbles is to create walkways. While some people choose to cover the entire walkway with beach pebbles, others design various tile and pebble combinations. Here are two versions of Mexican pebble walkways: the first shows 2-3” light grey beach pebbles that contrast with the deeper green shade of the adjacent lawn. The second version is a concrete tile walkway where beach pebbles are used sparingly to create contrast and add a unique element to the overall landscape.