Gravel can be an attractive, functional component of many landscapes. It looks wonderful when used in garden beds, to form walkways, and even to fill a grill area or informal patio. Most areas have at least a few companies that supply landscaping gravel, so it should be pretty easy to come by. However, there are a few tips and guidelines to follow as you order it and put it to use.

Have it delivered in bulk

You may have seen bags of landscaping gravel at some garden centers. Unless you really only need a few scoops of gravel, these are not worth buying. You end up paying many times more than if you were to just order the gravel. Plus, you have to lift and transport those bags — which are really heavy. Calling a gravel company and having gravel delivered to your yard is much easier and will cost you much less.

Calculate how much you need

Instead of just guessing how much gravel you need, and then ending up with too much or not enough, take the time to calculate how many cubic yards of gravel are needed. All you need to do this is the length and the width of the space where you plan to spread the gravel, plus the thickness of gravel that you're going for. Spreading it to three or four inches deep is ideal in many cases. Convert all of your values to yards, and then multiply the length x width x depth to figure out how many cubic yards of gravel to order. 

Decide how large you want your gravel to be

Are you picturing the space being filled with small gravel or with large chunky gravel? If you let the gravel company know what kind of look you are after, they can recommend the type of gravel that is right for you. If you're familiar with gravel sizes, then you can just order the size you need. Here's a quick overview of common gravel sizes:

• #8: Often known as pea gravel, this gravel has pieces that are about 1/4 inch across.
• #57: This is a really common gravel size with pieces around 3/4 inch.
• #411: This gravel consists of a mixture of small and large pieces. It compacts well over time but is not as attractive.

Hopefully, this guide has given you a better idea of how to order gravel and the important steps in the process. Before long, your landscaping will look incredible. Contact a local gravel supplier to learn more.