Site Help: First time planting with gravel mulch..., 1 by lpage6007

lpage6007 wrote:
We moved into our new house in the middle of winter and are now starting to spruce up our front yard with some new perennials. We have 2 gravel beds that we have been planting in; one is part sun/full sun and the other is part sun/shade. In the shady bed we have planted hostas and in the sunny bed we have planted a large range of perennials: salvia, Russian sage, gaillardia, phlox, candy tuft, ice plant, and several others.

Because this is our first attempt at planting in a bed with gravel mulch, I am slightly concerned about a few things. We live in Wyoming and do have hot summers- will my plants get roasted due to the rocks retaining heat? Also, will my plants be able to spread sufficiently?

Any help or expertise is much appreciated!