How to Dry Creek Bed

Maybe not the best place for this question because no "Water" will be involved but I'm hoping for any words of insight before I start this project. I have a ditch that runs along the side of the driveway and occasionally when it rains really heavy it does fill with water otherwise it's just a pain to mow..... So I was thinking of turning it into a dry creek bed.... I have just a couple of questions but would appreciate any additional tips and techniques and better yet pics......

Is there something cheaper to use than the regular pond type liners that would be just as effective for under the rocks.... Do you really need to put a layer of sand because I don't care if the liner is punctured the point isn't to hold water but to kill grass, weeds and no longer have to mow it.


Thanks

There are several pix on the Pond Tour thread that I started recently... Look at the pix in the 11:48 pm post. They had a very nicely done dry creek.

IMO, yes you would want sand under the liner, or old carpet, pad etc so that NOTHING will puncture the liner, and then grow through.

I love the look of a dry creek bed, and hope to have one someday too.

I would think heavy treated burlap or industrial weed block fabric would do just as well, since as you state you don;t care if its water tight.

That is a nice dry creek bed TXMel....... I doubt mine will look that good.... I was just going to use rocks picked up from the road ditch....... but it sure is pretty ....... thanks for posting the pics

I have a dry creek bed in my herb garden. I suggest that you use weedblock fabric that water can penetrate. That way water gets into the surrounding soil better and you don't have standing water in the 'dry' creek bed during rains. Weeds cannot get through, but you can cut holes in it to plant anything that you want growing among your rocks - creeping thyme or shrubby plants that like heat and little water. If you use weedblock fabric, then it's easy to water these plants when necessary. Here's a photo of the herb garden after I'd just finished the dry creekbed. It's filled in since then, but you can get the general idea.

That is really pretty Pixydish....... thanks for the advice..... I think I'll go with it ..... I was thinking I wouldn't be planting in it but your's looks so pretty I better leave my options open....

Thanks! I'll have to post a picture later in the spring when all the plants have filled out. I really do like how low-maintenance it is. When it gets too many fir needles or leaves in it, we just get out the leaf blower and have at it. Works like a charm! Good luck with yours!

I just saw the pix of the dry creek bed that you built! WOW. very nice! I would like to see more pix of it all grown in.

Well, I'll have to give it about a month because I don't have any from last fall. Things are just kicking in around here and I have some tender perennials like honeymelon sage (yum) that need to go back into the ground. But meanwhile, just to keep you interested (LOL) here's a "before" picture. What I REALLY like about my new 'kitchen garden' , as I call it, is there is very little weeding to do! Plus, I just go outside my kitchen door with some snips when I need herbs. I feel positively medieval! Oh, the little wire fence is supposed to keep my dogs from racing through the bed. Sometimes it works.