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When it comes to which stone is better, crushed or natural gravel, it all depends on the project. Crushed stone is a great base and filler material for projects like retention walls, concrete slabs, driveways, pipes, and drains. Gravel is a common choice for visually attractive landscaping projects like walkways, above-ground drainage systems, patios, and garden borders.

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.

Although it’s not required to lay anything under mulch, it can help to put landscape fabric or plastic weed barrier down and lay mulch on top. The barrier helps keep weeds from growing up through your mulch. It also helps keep rodents and insects from burrowing into the ground underneath.

The best way to landscape your front yard on a budget is to invest in hiring a professional for hardscaping—things like upgrading walkways, redoing driveways, and installing partitions around garden beds. You can often do the softscaping yourself—think laying down mulch, caring for your lawn, removing weeds, and planting flowers and shrubs. It’s also almost always worthwhile to pay a professional for routine yard maintenance, as this dramatically improves curb appeal and delivers above 100% ROI in most cases.