2026 Spring Landscape Trends Explained: Your Guide to Top-Selling Mulch, Rock and Soil

Walking into a landscaping supply store to choose mulch, rock, or soil can feel overwhelming. Where do you even begin? Which one will be right for your project? With so many textures, colors, and grades, it can be challenging to narrow down your list and find the right products.

Of course, here at Rocky Top Resources, we have knowledgeable staff on hand to walk you through the process and selection, but if you’re not able to visit our location, or if you’re a good student who wants to do their homework before popping in – A+ to you! – here’s a quick run-through of our customer-favorite products, complete with some easy explanations of why they’re so popular. With us on your side, a beautiful, thriving outdoor space is closer than you think.

Mulch: Form and Function

Mulch is our top category for a reason. It protects soil, retains moisture, and provides that beautiful, finished look. Here’s what our customers love:

For Specialty Mulch:

Cascade Cedar (often called "gorilla hair") takes the prize. Its long, stringy fibers mat together nicely, which means that it stays put in windy areas. Plus, its rich, natural brown makes the greens and blooms in your garden truly pop.

For Colored Mulch:

We use only non-toxic colorants, which are safe for plants and pets. For a fine texture (think the size of an adult pinky finger), the top sellers are Buffalo Brown Fine, a deep, uniform chocolate that creates a smooth, elegant backdrop, and Chocolate Swirl Fine, which mixes light and dark browns for a dynamic two-tone effect. For a coarse texture, Caribou Brown Coarse is the favorite. Its lighter brown hue and chunkier pieces offer a more natural, soft accent.

For Natural Mulch: 

Our untreated natural mulches are equally popular. Without added color, the choice often comes down to the aesthetic preference for a specific bark size and texture.

Ultimately, the best mulch depends on your specific application, but it often comes down to the size and color you love at a price that works for you.

Rock: Durable and Decorative

For low-maintenance, permanent landscaping, rock is a perfect solution. Our undisputed top seller is Canyon Granites because of its decorative, multi-colored appearance at a very accessible price point. Following closely is classic River Rock, which has a smooth, rounded shape rather than angular, crushed stone.

Whether you’re building a dry creek bed or defining a pathway, if the goal is decoration, you can’t go wrong by choosing the rock that you find more visually appealing. It’s ok if this one is solely a beauty contest!

Soil: Foundational and Fruitful

Healthy plants start from the ground up. For soil, two products lead the way for different reasons:

Tri-Mix:

This blend is the go-to choice for sod installation and seeding. Its balanced composition provides the ideal structure for strong root establishment in lawns.

Premium Topsoil:

This is the preferred pick for gardens and raised beds, offering the nutrient-rich, loamy environment vegetables and flowers crave.

We carry a full range of soils, composts, and amendments for every task. The right choice depends on your goals, so give us the details, and we’ll give you the perfect soil solution.

Still have questions? You don’t have to figure it out alone!

Our experts are here to help you navigate all the details. Stop by the office or give us a call, and we’ll guide you to the perfect materials to make your landscaping project a success.