"Maybe larger stones at the bottom and finer gravel on top to naturally filter out silt without fabric?"
That's actually pretty common in drainage trenches and French drains—larger stones at the base for water flow, finer gravel or pea stone above to catch sediment. Seen it work well plenty of times, but the key is still maintenance. Eventually, silt builds up on top, and you'll need to scrape or refresh the top layer occasionally. Still beats wrestling with clogged landscape fabric though...
Curious if anyone here has tried incorporating drainage pipes within their gravel layers? Could cut down even more on maintenance in the long run.
I've thought about pipes too, but honestly, I'm a bit wary of them clogging up over time. My neighbor tried it and ended up digging everything back out after a few years...not exactly low-maintenance. Gravel alone seems simpler to me.
Yeah, pipes can definitely become a headache if they're not properly installed or maintained. Gravel alone is simpler, but you might also consider adding a geotextile fabric underneath—it helps keep the gravel cleaner and improves drainage long-term. Worked pretty well for me so far.
"you might also consider adding a geotextile fabric underneath—it helps keep the gravel cleaner and improves drainage long-term."
Totally agree with this point, the fabric makes a noticeable difference. I was skeptical at first (seemed kinda unnecessary?), but after dealing with muddy gravel for months, adding it saved me a ton of hassle. Worth the extra step for sure.
Wish I'd known about the fabric sooner. I skipped it thinking gravel alone would do the trick, but now I'm stuck with weeds popping through and muddy patches after heavy rain. Guess I'll be redoing it next spring...lesson learned. Did you guys use a specific type or brand, or is any geotextile fabric good enough?
