Thanks for all the ideas. I think some form of rip rap, probably broken concrete, will be my best bet for longevity. Rock would be pretty but every rock you see in my part of the country is imported, and imported is another word for "expensive". I just don't want to tear the place up again handling that heavy stuff after I've spent 5 years trying to make it look nice. I'll ponder till spring and maybe the problem will go away.
