You don't say WHY you've chosen gravel mulch as a solution to your landscape problems. Frequently, and mistakenly, people choose it as a panaceac weed control. It is anything but. Weeds grow just as well in gravel mulch, whether or not there is "landscape fabric" below it. If using gravel mulch, one of the few acceptable uses of "landscape fabric" is to keep the gravel separate from the soil. This aids greatly when removing the the gravel at a later date. I put "landscape fabric" in quotes because much of what is sold at the retail level doesn't qualify. It's worthless membrane. One would need a landscape fabric that cannot be torn, now or later. It must have tensile strength or it won't do the job of helping to remove the gravel mulch. As far as "rolls of paper" as a separator below gravel mulch, forget it. It would have no ability to help later separate gravel from soil. I'm not opposed to gravels that are used for soft paving. But as a mulch for plants, usually, it's the wrong way to go. As others have said previously, it becomes a problem of its own. Unless there is some reason for desiring it that hasn't been explained, I'd reconsider the decision and consider instead, as mentioned by Woody, that covering the ground with plants that haven't been infested by weeds is a better solution to creating an attractive landscape. If you were to clear out all the "undesirables," mulch any bare ground with wood/organic material-based mulch, then you could improve the look of things, buy time and make a better assessment of what to do. "There's also some Rhododendron that grew to the size of trees and have completely ruined the look of the beds." Before relegating these to the trash heap or severe pruning, I'd consider, with some judicious pruning, could these be used as small trees? If so, instead of being blamed for ruining the look of things around them, they might be praised for being outstanding specimen small trees. If you post a photo of them, it would help to determine if they're something that can be used in another way.

It's helpful that you want to use sand, as it is quick draining and full of air spaces. If you go ahead with this, try to use course "builders sand" as it has the most of the attributes mentioned above. Suffocation of the roots is the concern, as they need oxygen to survive. That's one of the reasons why filling in over tree roots with heavier soils can be so detrimental. Using very course sand, I think you'll be okay. +oM

Marcj117 is there anything at all that you like about the rocks? Do you know what is underneath the rocks? I want to encourage you to at least remove some near the front of your house, but it will be time consuming and tedious. It took me around three days to move rock from one side of the yard to the other side of the yard (luckily it is not my yard). It was a small amount of rocks. Around twenty years ago my neighbor decided to have a river rock yard with just a small area of grass. She also had a wonderful Cedar tree close to my property line. It all looked hideous so I won't go on about that. I wasn't watching the calendar so I do not know how many months passed before the weeds arrived. They just sprout above the plastic. She was long gone by then. The house has changed owners a few times since then. My current neighbor does not weed weekly. About every three months she and her family clean the area. It is not the weeds that are so messy, it is needles from the tree. The needles get stuck in the gaps between rocks. On my side under the tree there is an area too shady for most plants to grow. I keep it as an unplanted area. I rarely get weeds because I leave the needles on the ground. I am very grateful for the free mulch.

These are the five I think of using. Except for the “tracks” they seem really easy, but at least the first letters of the answers spell a real word unscrambled. If you have a harder one with the same first letter, I would gladly exchange. Not very inspired solution word either. Seems my brain is a bit scrambled, too. I have two legs, but they only touch the ground while I’m at rest. White bird featherless, flying down from Paradise. Flying over sea and land, now lies dying in my hand. You can see me in the water, but I never get wet. Many of them come down to the river, but none ever drinks. What goes up but never ever comes down?