Question on outdoor groundcover ideas

[oldpops]

Hello all! Hope everyone here is doing well! I could use some help, advice and ideas on what to use for ground cover. We live in a very rocky area and have a 30' foot X 50' foot backyard. Some of the rocks are sharp, and our dogs sometimes dig holes. This makes it kind of treacherous for me (disabled senior with balance problems) to walk out there. Years ago we had the backyard graded and it was easy to walk on for a while. But when the rains came, it exposed all the rocks. Between all the sharp rocks and holes (made by Nature and our dogs), I have already fallen a few times.

I have saved up a little $$ and I want to get the yard graded/leveled again, but this time I want to put some kind of groundcover down that will not erode, or get torn up by our dogs. I thought about just putting down weed fabric and covering the backyard with pea grave, but my boss of 37 years says "no" because it might hurt the dogs paws, and can get too hot for them to walk on.

When I was a kid, one of our neighbors had an inground pool, and the concrete deck around the pool was covered in some kind of small, smooth stone, brown in color, that was somehow glued down/in place. I think it was some kind of 'Epoxy Pebble Stone'. If I remember correctly, that surface was easy to walk on and didn't get too hot (in the summer). And when a few stones came loose, they were easily glues back down.

Does anyone know what that kind of concrete treat was/is called? I might be wrong but I don't think they had Epoxy when Ii was a kid. Is it expensive? Easily repairable? Do you folks here have any other ideas that can be used? We live in a very hot part of southern CA and our water bill is already outrageous! So I don't really want to put grass out there. Plus our dogs might dig it up. My wife is against gravel as well as DG since it can be carried in on our feet and scratch the floor. I would really like to be able walk outside in my backyard again, so I really want to get this taken care of.

As always, thanks in advance for all help, advice and suggestions - they are GREATLY appreciated!!

 

[Joe Reed]

How about that artificial grass that has become pretty common? Looks nicer and is softer than concrete - and maybe cooler to walk on. Anything else you put down or plant probably will get dug up by the pups....

 

[Sumboodie]

I don't see pea gravel hurting a dog.

Granted my dog walks all over metal shavings, greasy equipment, the woods with thorny stuff that even pokes through saw chaps.

Not sure if he's tough or just dumb.

 

[Joe Reed]

Since you have balance issues, I'm not sure pea gravel is an ideal walking surface

 

[Zeke]

The pebble deck you speak of was a urethane product. A large area would be very expensive.

AFA the yard is concerned I'd think of concrete walks and some water tolerant landscaping. Leave some areas for the dogs to play and dig as well as do their business. I'd seriously consider one tree from a reputable nursery planted and guaranteed. If you've saved some money you can buy a lot of tree planted for under a grand and don't have to wait for it to grow.

With concrete walks you can do your DG or bark or a combination of surfaces. Sosia ground cover watered by under turf irrigation will make for some clean areas that are soft, nice looking and pretty durable unless your dogs are really doing it up out there. Very stable to walk on an never needs mowing.

And landscaping with walkways means you can section off areas for selected uses like flowers or a garden and still have a large open area. As you get older you will appreciate the walkways. I'd go 3 feet wide and follow any pattern that pleases you from serpentine to rectilinear.
Easily cleaned. Keep them slightly higher than the surrounding landscape so they don't flood with mud when it does rain.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Your neighbors pool deck was most likely concrete with an exposed aggregate finish. I don't know what contractors charge for it but expect it would be more expensive than a plain finish.

 

[oldpops]

Thanks everyone! I guess there are some dogs who can get the small pea gravel in between their toes and cause irritation and possibly infection. I saw some turf-stones which allow grass to grow in the little pockets surrounded by concrete edged. That might be a possibility.

 

[BillK]

Look into permeable pavers but they can be expensive.

Permeable pavers - Google Search

 

[nadogail]

Paving blocks, either set in sand or mortar.