My experience with bulk mulch vs. bags is that you actually get a lot more mulch for your money in bags. Loading it into the truck, then dumping it out fluffs up the bulk load, and it sure looks like a lot when it's dumped in your driveway. But when we bought the bulk stuff for my daughter's garden we had to go buy a whole pickup load of bags to finish, because once it settled or was watered in, there was a lot less of it.
I find it easier to spread around, just pull the bags directly out of our pickup truck into my wheelbarrow, (no lifting!) and distribute them around the yard where I'll need them.
The mulch of choice here in FL is melaleuca, 'Florimulch' brand is the name and it is made from an invasive tree so it's a win-win, gets rid of bad trees, makes really good mulch. In addition its aromatic oil - it is the tree that tea tree oil comes from - is shown to repel termites, as does eucalyptus mulch.
SO agree with you on the rubber mulch, Cheryl! It doesn't insulate the way wood chip does, will sink eventually but not enrich the soil, and I also just hate the smell of rubber in the garden!
