Bottom of garden path - Suggestions?

Tempest

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Over the past couple of months I've been busy outside, tidying up the bottom of the garden, and digging out a LOT of soil, eventually on my hands and knees with a Spirit Level and Wallpaper Scraper, making a neat walkway against the neighbours fence.
(Also did a lot of rockery work, but that's not the question here)

I have last year already purchased 60 ish 18" paving slabs to make a path.
Given the rare times this path would be walked on, could probably get away with laying them on dirt, or perhaps better a dry sand/cement mix.

I'm also going to have some gravel available, so the plan was kinda to lay the slabs, and then, with weed matting pour gravel either side of the slabs to create a nice neat end of garden walkway.

My main concern of this as a general plan is all the junk that falls off the overhanging trees, as can be seen in the later photo's.
Right now as it's simply a dirt surface I can literally sweep the dirt with a stiff broom, and make it look clean.
With gravel there, that won't be possible and I'm going to end up, over a few years with a gravel and mass of dead plant matter mix.

Hence I'm questioning if my plan is a good one, and if it's not, what else can I do, other than just leave it dirt.
I could just leave it dirt, but I have slabs, so wondering if there are any other ideas to consider.

Your thoughts?

All clean and tidy and just finished making look great :)

1a908d82961393479f35d0bb043401c4.jpg


After 2 days of strong winds:

a46c001fc48d4766641f302d0dbcc7c5.jpg


Close-ups of what's fallen down after 2 days:

3445aeb31184cbc5c518856a23c00073.jpg


daddfb0aa9eb4d71ccffdefb710dda1d.jpg
 
Looks good but as you say, with the tree debris problem, gravel is going to be a pain in the arse!

If you're up to it, the best move would be to cover the entire area with slabs. You just need a firm bed of sharp sand to bed them on. No need for any cement, especially as it's going to get infrequent use, but it will be a darn sight easier to keep tidy!

I laid a shed base (of cheap slabs) on a tamped down bed of sand and it's been perfect for several years now.
 
Yeah, it would be great if the whole area was slabbed, but that's perhaps another 120 slabs and a massive amount of work for just an occasional bottom of garden path.

And yeah I have a blower, and did think that perhaps that might be enough to blow away some of the larger stuff, but the small bits will get between the gravel.

I guess it could be just a case of every few years cleaning it all.....
Honest can't really think of much else which does not require a massive amount of work.
 
Yeah, it would be great if the whole area was slabbed, but that's perhaps another 120 slabs and a massive amount of work for just an occasional bottom of garden path.

And yeah I have a blower, and did think that perhaps that might be enough to blow away some of the larger stuff, but the small bits will get between the gravel.

I guess it could be just a case of every few years cleaning it all.....
Honest can't really think of much else which does not require a massive amount of work.

I think it would be fine the way you've it planned. A few twigs and leaves will add to the charm. :D
 
Chuck this down and fill it with gravel...


Keeps most of it contained and provides a nice path - I wouldn't even bother with the paving slabs if using this. Need the weed barrier membrane under it though!

Another one here.....

 
That self binding gravel stuff looks interesting, though it would need more soil removal I guess to get a base for it to sit on.
Worth considering though :)

Gravel and Tree junk.... Hmmm, I have a garden blower. Perhaps I should lay perhaps a couple of meters and see how it works in reality. I'm just wanting to avoid, perhaps after a few years a solid mass of gravel and tree bits all gunked together.

Yeah, seen those plastic things. if I'm honest I though they were really made for driveways to stop gravel moving, or to hammer into grass to stop grass getting churned up by car tyres.
I guess, whilst I don't need them for that purpose, it would mean you could brush and blow pretty hard, and it would stop the gravel moving around much.
Again, worth considering, thanks :)
 
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This looks lovely, natural and peaceful as it is.😍 Shame about the tree debris falling into your garden. Personally, I think paving slabs would be too harsh a feature to introduce and would spoil the lovely aspect. Gravel would be a pain in the RS to keep free of debris too and can soon look untidy and dirty.
I’m not a fan but what about considering using artificial grass to cover the area which would be softer in appearance than flags. Plus, maintenance wouldn’t be a problem as you would be able to ‘hoover’ up the debris quite easily and wash it down with a hosepipe.
 
Over the past couple of months I've been busy outside, tidying up the bottom of the garden, and digging out a LOT of soil, eventually on my hands and knees with a Spirit Level and Wallpaper Scraper, making a neat walkway against the neighbours fence.
(Also did a lot of rockery work, but that's not the question here)

I have last year already purchased 60 ish 18" paving slabs to make a path.
Given the rare times this path would be walked on, could probably get away with laying them on dirt, or perhaps better a dry sand/cement mix.

I'm also going to have some gravel available, so the plan was kinda to lay the slabs, and then, with weed matting pour gravel either side of the slabs to create a nice neat end of garden walkway.

My main concern of this as a general plan is all the junk that falls off the overhanging trees, as can be seen in the later photo's.
Right now as it's simply a dirt surface I can literally sweep the dirt with a stiff broom, and make it look clean.
With gravel there, that won't be possible and I'm going to end up, over a few years with a gravel and mass of dead plant matter mix.

Hence I'm questioning if my plan is a good one, and if it's not, what else can I do, other than just leave it dirt.
I could just leave it dirt, but I have slabs, so wondering if there are any other ideas to consider.

Your thoughts?

All clean and tidy and just finished making look great :)

1a908d82961393479f35d0bb043401c4.jpg


After 2 days of strong winds:

a46c001fc48d4766641f302d0dbcc7c5.jpg


Close-ups of what's fallen down after 2 days:

3445aeb31184cbc5c518856a23c00073.jpg


daddfb0aa9eb4d71ccffdefb710dda1d.jpg
I think your original idea - slabs and gravel - is best and, as Dony has already pointed out, a blower will remove any debris from the neighbouring garden. Before doing anything I would cut all the branches overhanging your boundary.
 
View attachment 1509354
This looks lovely, natural and peaceful as it is.😍 Shame about the tree debris falling into your garden. Personally, I think paving slabs would be too harsh a feature to introduce and would spoil the lovely aspect. Gravel would be a pain in the RS to keep free of debris too and can soon look untidy and dirty.
I’m not a fan but what about considering using artificial grass to cover the area which would be softer in appearance than flags. Plus, maintenance wouldn’t be a problem as you would be able to ‘hoover’ up the debris quite easily and wash it down with a hosepipe.

Thanks. Nice of you to say those kind words, yet I agree, it's a lovely little spot, and where I'm standing could be a place for some summer house perhaps in the future.
I hear what you say about slabs, and take your point.
The gravel I have (which will be available in the future) is 10mm pink granite chippings, and they do blend in very nicely.
I'm still mulling over the idea of perhaps just weed matting and gravel and see what happens.
I'll admit it's not bad, just as dirt, but it needs just something.
I could try a trial 1m patch and see.
Yes, I could artificial grass it, though to be honest I'm trying to keep costs down.
Could put bark chippings but that would end up a horrid mess I'm positive.
As I say, the gravel will be free, hence my desire to try it.
 
I have one of these, Clears a large garden in no time

 
^ Indeed, though I'll have to be honest here, I'd need a major reason to spend £800 to occasionally blow debris from a end of garden path!
I have an electric one, not great, but it's not terrible.
I did look on ebay and see people do sell these second hand so it's worth a thought. :)

It's a fine line between flowing away the debris and blowing away the gravel!
If it was 20mm stones I had, it would be fine I guess but 10mm might get moved by something too close and powerful.

As I said, I may just do a meter or two as a test and see what happens before I commit too far.
 
Thanks. Nice of you to say those kind words, yet I agree, it's a lovely little spot, and where I'm standing could be a place for some summer house perhaps in the future.
I hear what you say about slabs, and take your point.
The gravel I have (which will be available in the future) is 10mm pink granite chippings, and they do blend in very nicely.
I'm still mulling over the idea of perhaps just weed matting and gravel and see what happens.
I'll admit it's not bad, just as dirt, but it needs just something.
I could try a trial 1m patch and see.
Yes, I could artificial grass it, though to be honest I'm trying to keep costs down.
Could put bark chippings but that would end up a horrid mess I'm positive.
As I say, the gravel will be free, hence my desire to try it.
What a lovely spot for a summer house. I could just imagine myself sitting there enjoying the lovely garden and sipping a large gin and tonic.

Agree, pink granite chippings would look very attractive. As you say, worth trying the gravel first as it is free. Good luck.🙂
 
Lovely garden! Personally, I'd just lay a path of crazy paving and easily sweep the tree debris into the flower bed at the side where it will rot in and provide added nutrition for whatever plants you have in there.
 
Oh wow that looks fab! I'd probably put some flower beds inside the areas that are created by the stones - going to look fab!
 
Time for an update...........

Pretty much exactly 1 year later (what happened to that year!)
Finally decided to put down slabs.

I had previously bought some cheap plain grey ones, but the colour clashed at the other end of the path, so been going down Wicks to buy some more expensive ones with a texture in a buff/yellow colour.

100% admit I've not done this as 'correctly' as I could have done when it comes to the base, as it's just an end of garden path, which will get VERY minimal usage, so It's just the hard clay based soil, with a sand/cement dry mix (approx 1" thick)
Very strong mix. 2 parts sand 1 part cement.

I've also learned about cutting slabs, and that it's well worth buying a diamond blade to cut them, as the mon diamond stone cutting disks wore out after about 2 cuts.

Anyway, some pics :)

This is before I knocked part of the mini wall away, and decided to open it up for easier access to my new pathway:

d02d123fc2105ce3abbac4e07842620c.jpg




Here is the end nearer the house/patio showing the original grey I was going with, but I was not happy with the colour clash:

6c83966ab0641491d0b88150f518af5e.jpg


Grey slabs removed a few weeks later to be replaced with different ones:
(more advanced cutting!) :)

29fe55e2394993f431726171794ae3d0.jpg


The other end of the path, decided would expand it out as opposed to just a single line of slabs to have to walk onto:
(grey look is just cement powder which will brush/wash off)

bfb5525c05531cbe40e920d6710160f7.jpg


Planning layout and do I have enough slabs to cut into shapes:

d333db676d8cd142087d03623c0b7cfa.jpg


Cutting equipment ready :)

6991274078bfc31f8fb4864ea2d1e951.jpg


Slabs cut and just laid into place.
Decided to dig holes where the little angled bits would go, and to fill these holes with concrete to give these little triangles more support as I thought they would more likely to fall away if stepped on:

b7f10d77b119eccb3ece1b61f31ad93c.jpg


Concrete in the holes, ready for the following day:

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Following day:

Took ages to get all level etc, but all done, and happy with result.
A bit overkill, complexity of cutting wise, but hey.......... :D

71d7f226b953a576f01e1fe15ca9945f.jpg
 
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