How to Build a Dry Creek Bed

A dry creek bed adds character and dimension to a landscape. It offers the benefits of a rock garden -- reducing erosion and weeds, creating a focal point and requiring little maintenance once established. Give your home the feeling of a cabin in the woods by creating your own dry creek bed in a forest setting, using basic tools and landscaping materials -- some of which you may find on your property.

Things You'll Need

• Pick
• Shovel
• Gravel
• Soil
• Sand
• Rake
• Boulders and large rocks
• Rocks of all sizes
• Ferns or other plants (optional)

Instructions

1. Dig the dry creek bed with a pick and shovel, to a level 1 foot deeper than the desired finished depth. This allows for a natural-looking fill when completing the creek bed.

2. Excavate the creek bed to the length you want. For example, dig the creek bed from a corner of the property along the back of the lot, ending behind a tree at the other side of the lot to create a realistic appearance. Curve the creek bed slightly and make the edges uneven for a natural effect.

3. Spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of gravel for drainage -- even though your creek bed is dry, it will catch rain.

4. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of soil. Avoid using mulch; it will float away. Dirt from another area of the property works well. If you use potting soil, cut one end of the bag all the way across. Put the cut end of the bag down at one end of the creek bed. Drag the bag by the other end to spread the soil along the bed.

5. Add a 1-inch layer of sand. Dump a 1-foot pile of sand every three feet and spread it with a rake.

6. Dig holes at least 6 inches deep to seat each boulder. Dig 2- to 3-inch holes for large rocks to sit in. This stabilizes the rocks, reducing the risk of injury, and makes it look as though they have been there a long time.

7. Place rocks along the creek bed and pile some up along the banks. Tumble the rocks unevenly. Drop some down the banks and let them roll. This looks more natural than placing each rock individually.

8. Plant ferns and other plants along the banks of the dry creek bed, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the creek bed to connect to water drainage on the property if you have wet winters.

• Add mosses and ferns in shady areas and drought-resistant plants, such as succulents and groundcovers, in sunny areas for a low-maintenance, natural landscape.

• Seek expert advice if you are unsure about the drainage on your property, the location of water and gas pipes, or any other aspect of this project that may result in any hazard or liability. For example, if your creek bed causes flooding on a neighbor’s property during a winter storm, you could be liable for any damage that results.

References

• The Water Conservation Garden
• The Landscape Design Site: Using Landscaping Rocks -- Accent Boulders in Landscape Design
• Natural Rock Formations Inc.: Rock Gardens

Resources

• Colorado State University Extension: Rock Garden Plants
• The Landscape Design Site: Moss Rock and Garden Statues