Landscape Rocks and Landscaping Rock for Yards and Beds

Choosing a size for the job

Under 20 mm reads as gravel and walks comfortably. 20–40 mm is the general-purpose landscape rock most yards sell by the tonne. Above 70 mm the stone stops behaving like a surface and starts reading as an object, which is where dry creek beds and feature placement begin.

Coverage and tonnage

As a working guide, one tonne of 20–40 mm landscape rock covers roughly 9–11 square metres at 50 mm depth. Send us the areas and depths you are quoting and we will return tonnage per size band plus the container split.

Why colour consistency matters more than the sample

Natural rock varies batch to batch. What protects a yard is not a perfect sample but an agreed tolerance: we photograph the loaded batch before sealing so the stone landing at your yard matches the stone your customer saw last season.

Ground cover versus decorative feature

Ground-cover rock is bought on price per tonne and volume; feature rock is bought on shape and character. Keep the two lines separate in your pricing — buyers who compare a feature boulder against a bulk gravel rate will always think the boulder is expensive.

Ordering a mixed container

A 20 ft container carries roughly 25–27 tonnes of landscape rock. Most first orders split it across three sizes and two colours, which lets a yard test demand before committing a full container to one SKU.

Drainage beneath mixed-size beds

Landscape rock beds combining several size bands should sit over a compacted, free-draining base with a slight fall, since larger stone in particular can trap water in the gaps between pieces if the ground beneath doesn't drain. Poor drainage shows up first as algae staining on the underside-facing surfaces of larger rock and pooling around feature boulders, both avoidable with basic base preparation before the rock goes down.

Weed membrane across size transitions

Where a bed transitions from fine ground-cover gravel to larger feature rock, lay one continuous membrane under the whole area rather than separate pieces per zone — gaps at membrane joins are where weeds most reliably establish. The membrane should be cut carefully around any boulders set directly into the ground rather than sitting on top of the rock layer, since boulders are usually seated below grade for stability.

Behaviour through winter and frost

Hard landscape rock itself is unaffected by frost, but poorly drained beds can heave as trapped water freezes beneath smaller gravel sizes, disturbing the surface layer. Larger cobble and boulder placements are generally undisturbed by frost since their weight and depth of bedding resist movement. Free-draining base preparation matters more in cold climates than any property of the stone size or colour.

Wholesale, bulk and export details

This product is supplied on the same commercial basis as the rest of our range: quantity confirmed against container payload, packing quoted separately and documentation prepared to your broker's brief.

Questions buyers ask about landscape rocks

Related products

Browse the full decorative pebble and landscaping stone range (43 product pages).

Where we ship landscape rocks

Other pebble colours, finishes and grades we export