Yes, how about working to create some mounded area around your dry river? Mix leaves, manure, top soil and create some areas. Add mulch over your plantings.

I found this photo with a large pot right in the river bed, looks like a fountain(?) but still an added 'unnatural' element, and I liked the look. I have mapped out a small oval for artificial turf and want to make it look like a little oasis (a little putting green my husband wants very much) with a dry creek bed running around it. I suppose I should take a photo and will try to, in its' present state. I like the ideas of planting in the containers the plants come in and/or using mounded new soil mix to plant rather than try to dig, as this has been compacted (on purpose) for years, so the neighbor's cats don't use it as a sandbox while we were trying to decide what to do. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/240661173810217637/

Diane, that pinterest photo with the large pot does look quite nice surrounded by pretty plants. I was envisioning short, stubby clay pots scattered along the "river". But, that tall, thin pot does look great at the end of the river bed. Go for it. Can we see a photo of the area?

Add large rocks/boulders. Bury them at least a third into the soil to look realistic.

Darzy, I'm glad you think so too. I'll take a photo when we get back from our day out of town tomorrow and try to post it this week. We took out a large amount of grass, so the bare area is where the grass was. pcmom1, we have some large rocks waiting to be placed, when we do the dry creek bed and plantings.. and I didn't think of burying them slightly to look more realistic. I hope my husband can dig that area out better than me.