Keeping gravel in place
The common complaint about gravel is that it ends up on the lawn, the pavement and the hallway carpet. We deal with that in three ways. A cellular stabilising grid sits over the sub-base and holds the stones in small pockets, so they don't rut or drift. Solid edging keeps the sides tidy. A paved apron of block or setts at the pavement end stops stones being carried onto the road.
Choosing stone
Angular stone around 10 to 20 millimetres locks together better than round pea gravel. Golden flint, buff limestone, grey granite and slate all suit different houses. A warm golden gravel sits well with the stone and brick of the older villages; grey granite looks smart beside modern render.
Drainage
Gravel lets rain soak through, so it usually satisfies the front garden rules without extra drainage. We still install a membrane to keep weeds down and separate the stone from the soil, and we make sure the sub-base doesn't hold water against the house.
Upkeep
Rake it level now and then and add a top-up every few years. With a grid underneath, it needs much less attention than loose gravel on a bare sub-base.
