The top mulch varieties for your garden

Gardeners use mulch to keep weeds away and to preserve moisture in the soil. Though wood and bark mulch are the most popular, there are many other options available. Here are some types of mulch that are worth con­sidering for your garden.

• Pine straw slowly acidifies soil, making it ideal for gardens with flowers that thrive in such conditions like hydrangeas, azaleas, rhododendrons and daffodils.

• Fallen leaves are a cost-free and organic mulch option. It allows water to get through, prevents weeds from pushing up and improves soil health by eventually turning into compost.

• Rock mulch is a more permanent option given that rocks don’t blow away or decompose. Rock mulch works well for low-maintenance gardens with mostly shrubs and trees.

• Cocoa mulch is the most eye-pleasing — and aromatic — option. Made of rich brown cocoa hulls, this type of mulch retains moisture well, repels garden pests and has a chocolaty smell. However, co­coa mulch may not be the best option if you have pets: ingesting it makes dogs and cats sick.

• Wood and bark mulch is the most common type of mulch used for a reason. It’s inexpensive, it gives your garden a pleasing and natural look and it’s easy to lay down.

This is just a small selection of the types of mulch you can use in your garden. For instance, there’s also landscape fabric, mush­room compost, lava rock and seaweed. Simply choose the one that best suits your garden, budget and style.