Question
Hi Sean.  Thanks for your help with this question.  We live in the Houston area in a fairly wooded section.  Our house has no gutters due to trees and pine needles.  The water runs off the roof and erodes some areas od beds.  We have been told to line the perimeter of the house with river rock to help with draining the water away and avoiding erosion at the same time.  How far from the house should the river rock extend?  

Answer
Place the river rock at the drip line. Make it 6" deep and 6 to 12" wide centered on the drip line. You can also cover the gravel with pinestraw so you don't really see it. It will still function.
Or you could install gutters that have a leaf guard type of system on them. They work well for pine needles.

Sean J Murphy, LA,ISA, LEED AP
Please check out my blogs and articles on landscape topics like this on my websites.
http://www.seanjmurphy.com
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