Path/Garden edging

[Russdl]

I need to separate a path from a thin strip of garden. The path is level, the strip of garden starts about 4" below the path and slopes down to end about 8" below the path. The thin strip needs to slope down to follow the line of a fence.

 

Whats the best way to separate the path from the garden to ensure they stay that way? I was thinking of 12" gravel boards concreted in. Any better ideas? 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Russdl

[joe90]

What is your path made of? How wide is thin?

Edited January 14, 2021 by joe90

[Russdl]

@joe90 the plan is to finish the path in 20mm Cotswold stone, its just compacted type 1 at the mo.

 

The garden strip is a long thin triangle going from the apex that is nothing wide and 4" below the path to about 3' wide about 8" below the path (all approximate)

[Russell griffiths]

150 x8 mild steel comes in 6m lengths bends nicely and will rust and blend in

have done loads of fancy paths with it as edging. 

You can use 6mm if no vehicles will wallop it. 

[joe90]

9 minutes ago, Russdl said:

The garden strip is a long thin triangle going from the apex that is nothing wide and 4" below the path to about 3' wide about 8" below the path (all approximate)

Can you not grade the garden triangle so it’s a constant 4” below the path where it meets the path.

8 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

150 x8 mild steel comes in 6m lengths

I really like metal path edges (good enough at national trust properties etc).

 

is the garden triangle lawn or planting?

[Russdl]

@Russell griffiths what a great idea!

 

150mm will not be wide enough, I guess I could get 300mm wide. Or to 150mm's welded together... 

 

Great idea.

 

Take a gold star.⭐

[Russdl]

2 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Can you not grade the garden triangle so it’s a constant 4” below the path where it meets the path.

 

No, the other side is a fence that is going steadily downhill and I want to keep the garden below the gravel board tops.

 

3 minutes ago, joe90 said:

is the garden triangle lawn or planting?

 

Rubble at the moment but it'll probably end up planting.

 

4 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I really like metal path edges (good enough at national trust properties etc).

 

That would be where I'd seen it before. Never thought of that, never remembered that I'd ever seen it until Russell mentioned it. This place can be really brilliant at times.

 

Most times

[joe90]

3 minutes ago, Russdl said:

No, the other side is a fence that is going steadily downhill and I want to keep the garden below the gravel board tops.

Don’t think I explained that very well,  the “border” does not have to be flat across its width, at the widest point a slope of 4” over 36” is not a lot, parts of my garden slopes more than that. P.S. I am making steel circles in my lawn to plant trees in (like NT gardens).

[Russdl]

3 minutes ago, joe90 said:

the “border” does not have to be flat across its width

 

You're right of course, it could grade down towards the gravel boards, I guess I was concerned about the level slowly creeping up over the years and covering the gravel boards if I were to do that.

 

So a 6m 150x8mm mild steel sheet it is I reckon, in fact 6mm as no vehicles will get near.

 

Thanks both ?

[joe90]

1 minute ago, Russdl said:

I was concerned about the level slowly creeping up over the years

Ground cover plants are good at holding earth on a slope. ?

[Russdl]

4 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Ground cover plants are good at holding earth on a slope. ?

 

Exactly, but when I look down at a muddy rubbly hole I forget that stuff. Thanks for reminding me!

[joe90]

@Russdl Do you have a welder? Good way to hold the edging is short lengths of rebar driven into the ground the side with the highest finish, below the top, every couple of feet and tack weld the sheet to it. It ain’t going anywhere.

[Russdl]

@joe90 yep, I was already thinking along those lines. Another sleepless night beckons as this goes round and round in my head for the next many hours!

 

I can over think anything. 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Russdl

[Ferdinand]

Do you have roof tiles left over?

[Russdl]

7 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Do you have roof tiles left over?

 

 

No, long gone. I see where you’re going with that though. 

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Russdl said:

 

No, long gone. I see where you’re going with that though. 

 

OT: So what will you do when a roof tile cracks ?.?

 

I try to have a couple in an exposed location so that they will vaguely colour match for replacements people can see. An option to get a few now, depending on relative cost, and use the rest for the edging if suitable?

 

[Russdl]

14 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

OT: So what will you do when a roof tile cracks ?.?

 

My roof tiles are zinc standing seam, I think I'll stick to the mild steel ?

[Gone West]

16 minutes ago, Russdl said:

I think I'll stick to the mild steel

We used EverEdge Halestem for edging our driveway, paths and lawn. There are different sizes for different applications.

 

https://www.everedge.co.uk/product/halestem/

[Russdl]

@PeterStarck They look good, they're a bit shy with their prices. Do you know what their m price is for 150mm high?

[Gone West]

15 minutes ago, Russdl said:

@PeterStarck They look good, they're a bit shy with their prices. Do you know what their m price is for 150mm high?

Four years ago we paid :-

6 * 2.5m x 150mm £369

13 * 2.5m x 100mm £550

Including VAT and delivery.

[PeterW]

Just checked with Parker’s and 150x6 flat stock is £12/m plus VAT ex works. That is for lengths at 6-6.4m long. 

[Russdl]

@PeterStarck and @PeterW Thanks, so it works out roughly twice the price for the galvanised stuff with a bit of jiggerey pokery re VAT delivery, time elapsed. I'm pretty sure I'll go for the mild steel for the path alongside the house and maybe revisit the Everedge for the pretty bits.

[joe90]

11 hours ago, Russdl said:

I was concerned about the level slowly creeping up over the years

Ground cover plants are good at holding earth on a slope. ?

 

thinking about this, I remember years ago being told that black mild steel is best fir this application, should be cheaper than drawn mild steel and is used by major gardens such as National trust, RHS.

[Russdl]

40 minutes ago, joe90 said:

black mild steel is best fir this

Never heard of that, I shall research further. 

[Russell griffiths]

19 hours ago, Russdl said:

@Russell griffiths what a great idea!

 

150mm will not be wide enough, I guess I could get 300mm wide. Or to 150mm's welded together... 

 

Great idea.

 

Take a gold star.⭐

Do you mean deep enough, as in you have more than a 150mm step. 

Re read original post. 

300 x6 mm steel

16mm re bar smashed in the ground as stakes, stickwelder and you will have a path for life. 

If you haven’t got a welder then get the re bar and weld flat tags on them, smash them in the ground and drill through and nut and bolt. 

Edited January 15, 2021 by Russell griffiths