Tired of standard gravel driveways and mulch made of brown soil and bark? Crushed shell is here to lift you out of your landscaping rut. Made from pieces of seashells, oyster shells, and clam shells, this organic mix brings you images of the sea and can transform your home into a beachfront wonder. This landscaping option is very affordable when you purchase crushed shell in bulk and you can use it in a number of ways around your home.
Garden Mulch
Types of landscaping mulch fall into two categories, organic and inorganic. As the crushed shell is composed of pieces of naturally-occurring seashells, it functions as a great organic mulch mixture. Crushed shell ground covering allows for excellent drainage, as rainwater can easily run through the shell pieces. The sloped nature of the shells forces the rainwater to percolate into the soil, rather than rush in and erode the soil. As they decompose into the soil, they’ve changed their function to crushed shell as nutrients. Besides the practical values, crushed shell makes for an appealing, light garden covering.
Paving Material
By replacing gravel with crushed shell, you can also give your driveway, patio, and garden paths a more beachy appearance as well. The more you drive and walk over paving made of crushed shell, it breaks into even smaller pieces that spread evenly. This crushed layering creates a stable surface. While crushed stone topping is prone to ruts and holes as it breaks down, crushed shell does just the opposite and builds itself up. Using crushed shell for driveways and other paving needs generally works best when it is a level surface. If the driveway or pathway is steep, the shells will likely collect at the bottom.
Decorative Accents
When you get crushed shell in bulk for your driveway or mulching needs, you can use it to spruce up your landscape’s appearance. Typically, the shells used for hardscaping are oyster, clam, and scallop. These three types come in subtly different shades of color that can each create a beautifully natural landscaping accent. Oyster shells are primarily gray and off-white, clamshells are off-white or yellow-white, and scallop shells come in variations of brown. As any kind of shell lays under the sun, it bleaches into a light white. Any type of shell, or a combination of the three, will create an aesthetically-appealing garden accent.
When you want to do something different with your landscaping, using crushed shell in bulk is a great option. Make your home’s landscaping stand out from any other by incorporating crushed shell into any part.