Front Garden area.

[Pipedreamer86]

Afternoon all,

I’m hoping I can plunder some expertise and knowledge from others here.

I wish to neaten and tidy up our front ‘garden’. As you can see from the photos it’s a bit tired. I aube many questions and I expect a lot of them are very basic but I’m new to any of this so have no idea and want to do things correctly once! 

I would like to achieve a simialr ‘look’ but with new stones, potentially some different stepping stones and some plants at the top/front. 

I’m assuming I will be removing existing stones and killing off existing weeds (round up?) and removing existing sheeting then doing the reverse with new? 
The only issue is how! 

What type of sheeting/membrane would be required?, how would I fit it...do I fix it down or just lay it? How does it join the limiter in terms of the drive edging/pathway slabs and house bricks?

If I wanted to fit some new stepping stones would I fix them in the sub ground or on the sheeting?

Where the ground meets the pavement and drive there are u even mounds co very should I remove them to install sheeting and stones easier and flatter?

Is there any other steps or alike that I am missing? 

Any help or pointers is very much appreciated. 

[Bozza]

Just scape out all the debris, weeds old chippies etc.  make sure you get the weed roots out.  spray if you wish to.  
landscaping fabric (toolstation, screwfix or whatever) down up to the edges as best you can.  Then your desired stone chipping on top.  Very easy / cheap low skill required.  Weight of stones will keep it in place but you can use pegs if you really want to.

 

Don’t skimp on the depth of the chippings go down enough for maybes a couple of inches Nothing worse than membrane showing through -  the landscaping equivalent of a VPL.  
 

alternatively same as above but put down some topsoil and turf.  Again easy DIY job.

 

if I were you I’d try just loose laying the stepping stone, and if that doesn’t work just scrape back the chippies (or turf) and get some ready mixed mortar and mortar them down.  
 

Turf would look far better IMHO but the stones obviously less maintenance.
 

 

 

 

[Pipedreamer86]

On 12/06/2024 at 14:54, Bozza said:

Just scape out all the debris, weeds old chippies etc.  make sure you get the weed roots out.  spray if you wish to.  
landscaping fabric (toolstation, screwfix or whatever) down up to the edges as best you can.  Then your desired stone chipping on top.  Very easy / cheap low skill required.  Weight of stones will keep it in place but you can use pegs if you really want to.

 

Don’t skimp on the depth of the chippings go down enough for maybes a couple of inches Nothing worse than membrane showing through -  the landscaping equivalent of a VPL.  
 

alternatively same as above but put down some topsoil and turf.  Again easy DIY job.

 

if I were you I’d try just loose laying the stepping stone, and if that doesn’t work just scrape back the chippies (or turf) and get some ready mixed mortar and mortar them down.  
 

Turf would look far better IMHO but the stones obviously less maintenance.
 

 

 

 

Hi Bozza,

 

Thank you very much for the response and info. A couple of follow up questions from your response….

 

with regards to the weeds

would I spray the weeds roots once I’ve pulled all the existing stones and fabric up and leave them to die off first for a few days?

 

with the landscaping fabric…is there a particular brand that is worth paying for or avoiding? If it isn’t wide enough to cover the whole area do I tape two bits together or just overlap say 6 inches?

 

definitely agree about not skimping on stone so fabric or anything else doesn’t show through. I know the bags will have an approximate coverage in them but to what depth are they? 
 

thank you. 

[Pipedreamer86]

I also forgot to ask about bits like this…

 

 

is this concrete helping hold the edging of the drive up or can it be broken up a bit to drip the height a bit?.

[Alan Ambrose]

I think that is holding up the edge of the asphalt - so remove it and the edge is likely to crumble over time.

[Bozza]

Yes agree with @Alan Ambrose that little kerb is retaining the tarmac drive.  Leave it.

 

so what to do is:

1.  Remove / scrape out all the old stones and weeds and crap.  Go down about 2-3 inches below the level of whatever the area is bordered by eg kerbs.  
 

2.  If you still have weeds dig them out and spray with weed killer if need be.   Backfill any holes with the leftover debris to make a level area 2-3 inches lower.  No need to wait.

 

3.  Put down your landscaping fabric.  Any will do but often comes in 1m rolls but you can get it in larger folded dimensions so it would be ideal to get some that means you wouldn’t have any joins/overlap.  If you do need to overlap it yes just overlap it by a few inches.    Your area is not a driveway so it’s just decorative so don’t waste your money on expensive stuff.  Tips are not to do it on a windy day and to have a few rocks/bricks or whatever to weigh it down and keep it in place.  At the edges I tend to just underlap any excess as if you cut it it can fray.  Start putting in your stones they will weigh down the fabric and just remove the weights when you reach them.

 

very easy low skill job to do.

 

Calculate volume of stones required  by length x width x depth.  Speak to your building merchant they will tell you bag volume.  But big bags are 1mx1m - the depth of bag fill can vary tbh.  But maybes 80% full approx.  If your calculations result in you needing eg 1.2 bags then if you can just dig lower to use more stones, or offer your leftovers on Facebook someone will buy them off you.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Pipedreamer86]

Hi Guys,

 

I was front earlier on and suddenly realised that I hadn’t said thank you very much for your advice and help!

 

I haven’t made any progress yet but now at least  I know when I do, im doing  it correctly! 

[RandyPeters]

Stepping Stones can be placed directly on the membrane. For a more secure hold, you can add a layer of landscaping sand before placing the stones. Other Stones it depends on the type of stone and desired look, you might need a layer of gravel or sand under the stones.

I wanted to ask:

1. Do you have any specific plants in mind?
2. Do you have any budget constraints?

If you're looking for landscaping help, consider posting ' craigslist landscaping jobs' on platforms like Craigslist or AroundWire and specialists will start contacting you. 

Edited July 24 by RandyPeters

[ProDave]

Used crushed / irregular stones, they will lock together and not move much.

 

Do not use rounded "pebbles" it will be like walking on marbles.  (a mistake I only made once when ordering 20mm stones from a builders merchant without seeing them or asking any more details)

[saveasteading]

All the advice is good.

I would only add that a 'non woven membrane, is more resistant to tough weeds than 'woven membrane'. . where the roots can prise through the weave. But this is not the utmost importance.

And lap by 150mm for the same reason.

 

No need to poison the  ground, just spray any leaves when they appear and the roots will die,

 

You will get weeds as the gravel becomes dirty and allows seed germination, but it is easy to stay on top of it with weeding.

The slabs should be laid on sand at the very least, with the sand straight on to the membrane, or mortar as best.

 

pictures once done please?