Creating a clean environment up against a building is important for the health and maintenance of a building. Therefore we recommend a clear stone product against a building and most commonly recommend 1-3” river rock for its aesthetic quality and ease of maintenance. It is common practice, particularly in heavily treed cottage areas, to not install eavestrough. We recommend river rock over geotextile; 1.) to create a SPLASH GUARD and keep the cladding of the building clean, 2.) to protect from EROSION and direct the water away from the building (at times, we recommend a compacted Granular base layer be placed below the river rock and graded away from the building, as the water travels through the river rock, it will travel across the compacted granular away from the building) and 3.) To MINIMIZE INSECTS. Pest control specialists believe river rock helps to deter insects such as ants away from entering a building, in particular over that of mulch and soil.