Hi, we have a wood deck which sits some 4 odd feet off the ground from the back of the living room. The ground under it is sadly uneven and bare/weedy. I want to get it smoothed out and then made better looking in part because it is ugly and in part because the uneven nature is causing too much water to be retained near the house.

What is commonly done under decks? I would like to place something down to prevent critters from digging (rural area, as we have field mice), so was thinking of landscape fabric, grave, and nice stone. Lotsa sites on making decks, but not alot on increasing the aestetics under it.....

I do plan to add some skiting on the side, but I do not want it to be a field mouse haven....