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The difference between river rock and landscaping rocks is size, smoothness, and use. River rocks are smooth and flat, as if polished by water, and come in diameters between 1 and 8 inches. Landscape rock can vary in size from small pea gravel installations to car-sized boulders. However, landscaping and river rocks are interchangeable in many situations. River rock is best for pathways, walkways, garden bed mulch, water features, and planting accents, while small landscape rocks can serve as a walkway base, gravel playground areas, and filler between pavers.

Pea gravel is a type of gravel that is generally smaller and rounder than regular gravel. It's usually made from river rock and is available in a wide range of colors. Thanks to its soft, round shape, pea gravel is more comfortable to walk on compared to standard gravel, which can have sharp edges. A drawback of pea gravel is that it can scatter more easily than other gravel types.

Yes, pea gravel is good for driveways as long as your driveway isn’t built on a hill or any type of slope where it can slide. It’ll settle on a flat surface and create a suitable driveway over time, though some spreading initially will take place. If you're wondering how to make a gravel driveway in a high-rainfall area, using pea gravel could help you to cut down on costs needed for extra drainage solutions.

Colored mulch can be bad for plants in that it robs them of nitrogen as it depletes the soil to break itself down. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to test your soil to check the nitrogen levels. If the nitrogen levels are low, use fertilizer with extra nitrogen or switch to regular mulch.

Another downside of colored mulch is if it’s heavily contaminated, it can contaminate the soil and damage your plants. To avoid this, look for the MSC certification logo on the mulch bag before purchasing.