Classic pea gravel with smooth, rounded edges and natural earth tones. A versatile favorite for pathways, patios, drainage, and decorative ground cover.
I used Mulch Mound to have 3 cubic yards of garden soil delivered. The process was easy and I love that I didn't have to call anyone. I placed my order online, picked my delivery date, laid out my tarp and the dirt was delivered. My delivery had to be pushed back, but I was ke...
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How Much Material Do I Need?
For decorative ground cover and weed suppression in Aurora, plan on 2 to 3 inches of stone depth over landscape fabric. Drainage applications and dry creek beds typically need 4 to 6 inches to function properly during Aurora's concentrated summer storm events.
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About this stone
Classic pea gravel with smooth, rounded edges and natural earth tones. A versatile favorite for pathways, patios, drainage, and decorative ground cover.
I used Mulch Mound to have 3 cubic yards of garden soil delivered. The process was easy and I love that I didn't have to call anyone. I placed my order online, picked my delivery date, laid out my tarp and the dirt was delivered. My delivery had to be pushed back, but I was ke...
How Much Material Do I Need?
For decorative ground cover and weed suppression in Aurora, plan on 2 to 3 inches of stone depth over landscape fabric. Drainage applications and dry creek beds typically need 4 to 6 inches to function properly during Aurora's concentrated summer storm events.
Use our free stone calculator
I used Mulch Mound to have 3 cubic yards of garden soil delivered. The process was easy and I love that I didn't have to call anyone. I placed my o...
Read full review
I used Mulch Mound to have 3 cubic yards of garden soil delivered. The process was easy and I love that I didn't have to call anyone. I placed my order online, picked my delivery date, laid out my tarp and the dirt was delivered. My delivery had to be pushed back, but I was kept informed via text, which was great. So why not 5 stars? The description of garden soil on the website is "A balanced mix of topsoil and organic amendments ready for raised beds, flower gardens, and new planting areas. Good drainage, solid nutrients, easy to work with." What I got was more like fill dirt. It had a lot of gravel, a lot of clay, and random trash mixed in. I didn't test the soil to see if it actually had "amendments" because I already have compost and alpaca manure ready to add, but if I'd known the quality of the dirt was going to be the same as the bagged dirt I bought last year, I probably would have gotten 2 yards of top soil and a yard of leaf compost for better quality, especially since the leaf compost is cheaper. Photo of my mountain of dirt and just some of the trash I found in it.
Really appreciate the care and follow thru that this company had with our order. A hiccup came up but they were quick to respond and address all co...
Read full review
Really appreciate the care and follow thru that this company had with our order. A hiccup came up but they were quick to respond and address all concerns, which made our garden day a success! Thank you for your prompt care.
For irregular stone bed shapes in Aurora yards, sketch your area and break it into rectangles or triangles you can measure separately. Add the square footage of each section before calculating cubic yards. Because stone does not compress or settle the way soil does, your depth estimate stays more accurate, but ordering a small buffer is still a smart practice for larger projects.
Complete Your Outdoor Stone Project
Combining decorative stone with drought-tolerant plants and quality amended soil in planting pockets creates a complete xeriscape design that thrives in Aurora's climate. Browse our soil blends to fill planting areas within your stone landscape.
In Aurora, the ground moves more than most homeowners realize. Freeze-thaw cycles through the winter cause clay loam soil to heave and shift, which can push up landscape edging and allow stone to migrate over time. Installing a solid steel or aluminum landscape edging border around your stone areas before filling keeps material contained through multiple winters and reduces the annual maintenance of raking stone back into place after the ground settles each spring.
Mulch Mound Pro Tip
Aurora's summer hailstorms are a real consideration for stone selection. Larger, heavier stone like 2 to 4 inch river cobble stays in place better during intense rain and hail events than small pea gravel, which can scatter and wash. If your project area is exposed or on a slight grade, choosing a stone size that has enough mass to resist movement during Aurora's monsoon-style summer storms will save you from raking and redistributing material after every significant weather event.
Mulch Mound Pro Tip
One underused application for bulk stone in Aurora is creating a gravel buffer strip between lawn areas and planting beds. This transition zone of 12 to 18 inches of decorative stone reduces the edge-trimming labor that Aurora's clay loam produces when grass spreads aggressively into beds during the wetter parts of the season. It also keeps irrigation from lawn heads from saturating mulched planting areas, helping you water lawn and beds more independently and efficiently.
The Unique Landscape of Aurora
Decorative and functional stone has become one of the most practical landscape materials for Aurora homeowners dealing with water restrictions and a climate that pushes plants to their limits. With only 15 inches of annual rainfall and Aurora Water conservation guidelines, replacing turf or mulched areas with stone dramatically reduces irrigation demand while still giving yards a polished, finished appearance. Aurora's clay loam soil is prone to cracking and erosion in bare areas, and stone coverage stabilizes those surfaces against both wind erosion and runoff from summer storm events. At 5,471 feet elevation, temperature swings between day and night are significant, and quality stone holds up to the freeze-thaw cycles that crack cheaper hardscape materials over time. Stone pathways, dry creek beds, and xeriscape borders all perform exceptionally well in Aurora's Zone 6a climate where drought-tolerant design makes practical and financial sense. Whether you are looking for river rock, decomposed granite, or decorative boulders, bulk stone delivery gives Aurora yards a durable, low-maintenance landscape solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to see the answer
Answer
What type of stone works best for xeriscaping in Aurora?
Decomposed granite and small river rock are both excellent choices for Aurora xeriscape projects. Decomposed granite compacts into a firm, natural-looking surface that works well for pathways and open planting areas, while river rock in the 1 to 2 inch range creates attractive ground cover that allows water to percolate through to the soil below. Both materials hold up well to Aurora's UV intensity, temperature swings, and the occasional intense summer storm without washing away or degrading.
Answer
How deep should I lay stone for a ground cover application in my Aurora yard?
For decorative ground cover over landscape fabric, a 2 to 3 inch depth is standard and gives you enough coverage to suppress weeds without using excessive material. For decomposed granite pathways, 3 to 4 inches compacted gives a stable walking surface that holds up through Aurora's freeze-thaw cycles. In drainage swale applications, where stone is managing water flow from Aurora's summer storms, 4 to 6 inches of rock provides the volume needed to slow and absorb runoff without washing out.
Answer
Should I put landscape fabric under stone in my Aurora landscape?
In most Aurora applications, yes. Landscape fabric under decorative stone serves two purposes here: it suppresses weeds and it helps prevent the stone from gradually mixing into Aurora's clay loam soil over time. Clay soil has a tendency to work its way up into stone layers through freeze-thaw action, which degrades the appearance and drainage of your stone beds over years. A quality woven fabric under your stone keeps the layers cleanly separated and extends how long your installation looks good.
Answer
Will stone get too hot for my Aurora yard in summer?
Darker stones like black Mexican pebbles or dark lava rock can absorb and radiate significant heat during Aurora's sunny July and August days, which can stress plants growing close by. In full-sun applications near plant beds, lighter-colored stones like buff flagstone, tan river rock, or white marble chips reflect more heat rather than absorbing it. If heat retention near your home is a concern, lighter tones are a practical choice for south and west-facing exposures common in Aurora yard designs.
Answer
Can I use stone to help manage drainage problems in my Aurora yard?
Stone is one of the most effective tools for managing the runoff that Aurora's clay loam creates during summer storm events. A dry creek bed filled with river rock or cobble stone channels water away from foundations and low spots in a way that looks intentional and attractive rather than like a drainage fix. Placing larger round cobble or rip rap stone at downspout outlets also protects Aurora yards from the erosion that concentrated roof runoff causes on clay loam surfaces.
Answer
Does stone actually help reduce my Aurora water bill compared to grass?
Yes, significantly. Replacing irrigated turf with stone ground cover can reduce outdoor water use dramatically, which matters in Aurora where irrigation accounts for a large share of residential water consumption and restrictions apply during dry years. Stone requires no irrigation at all, and when combined with drought-tolerant plants in a xeriscape design, the overall landscape can thrive on Aurora's natural rainfall with minimal supplemental watering. Many Aurora homeowners see meaningful reductions in their summer water bills after converting high-irrigation areas to stone.
Answer
How do I calculate how much stone I need for my Aurora project?
Measure the length and width of your project area in feet and multiply them for square footage. Divide your desired depth in inches by 12 to convert to feet, then multiply by your square footage and divide by 27 to get cubic yards. Stone is denser than mulch or soil, so a cubic yard goes a bit less far by coverage area than you might expect. Our calculator handles the math automatically, and adding 10 percent to your estimate is a good practice to avoid running short on a large Aurora installation.
