What can I use as a decorative finish around the plants in my rockery?

Rock plants, or alpines as they are also known come from mountainous regions where the land drains freely and they are subjected to harsh weather. As a general rule they need good drainage, especially around the base of the plants and the roots. Use Coarse Grit as a decorative mulch around your rockery, not only does it look good, but it also has practical applications too, as it helps excess water to drain off from around the plants and mimics the natural habitat of scree slopes and mountainous terrains that these plants originate from.

I want to create a slope into my pond but am struggling to find the right material to over the slope, what do you suggest?

A shallow slope into a pond is essential for wildlife as it allows them an escape route if they fall in. Why not use a layer of Coarse Grit to cover the slope. It will look natural and won’t do any harm if some of it washes into your pond. You could lay it over a layer of landscape fabric so that it stays clean and doesn’t work into the soil below. Simply cover the slope with an appropriate garden planting fabric or landscape fabric and mulch over the top with Coarse Grit. A layer of small rocks at the edge of the pool may help to keep the Coarse Grit from washing into the pond.