Now it's springtime and time to re-assess and fix it. The grass we planted last fall is actually doing OK, except that it came in very clumpy because we had a few strong storms after I planted it, which washed the seeds into clumps. I have more loam available now, but I'm undecided as to how to use it.

So my 2 choices are:

1) Spread another inch or two of loam on top of the existing grass and overseed. Presumably the healthy grass that's already there would find its way up through the loam, and the bare spots in between would be filled in with new seedlings. Sort of a leveling and overseeding at the same time.

2) Add another inch or 2 of loam on top, and then rototill everything together and replant. Doing so would mix some of the crushed gravel with the loam and vice versa. Not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing. The crushed gravel is fairly small - probably 3/8" and sharp (not round).

I'm not sure which way to go. Rototilling it would give a uniform media of mixed loam and crushed stone, down to about 5 inches. Topdressing/leveling would make distinct horizons: 2-3 inches of soil, then lots of crushed stone.

Advice is appreciated!

I'd suggest you take the topsoil of the stone. put down a fabric barier over the stone and make a boarder by covering with pea gravel. But if you really prefer grass, try covering the fabric with 4" of topsoil and reseed. Although the fabric will help slow water from draning out of the topsoil as fast (and keep the stone from filling with soil, so the stone can serve whatever the purpose it was evidently placed there for--drainage to protect the integrity of the pool sides?--no clue). That area is still probably going to need more water than the rest of the lawn as the soil isn't going to retain water due to the underlying stone.