Patio
Birminghamhygienist
Posts: 7
I have a very ugly concrete patio that puts you off going in the garden. I have been lucky and have two pensioners fixng it up for me. I am shocked at how much and how hard they have worked. The main man age 70 and the other 72 don't stop working even in the rain. They are trying to make my garden easy to look after. I have listened to them and love what they have done so far. They have suggested ; gravel ,stones or chippings to go over the top, I am unsure of the best type , I would like to have garden furniture outside and for it to be comfortable, I don't have pets or children so that makes it easier..... They have said if I don't like gravel all over I can move it and put something different in the middle and still have the gravel or stones surrounding the area. My question is what would be the best choice of stone or gravel or slate in the interim. There are boarders made from sleepers as you will see in the photographer.......... What would be the best option ? I think I could pave over the concrete at a later date.....I would appreciate any advice.
0
Posts
Personally, I find gravel a pain as a patio surface as it’s too easily scuffed up with moving chairs etc., so I think you are right to consider a hard surface under your dining area. I would also reconsider putting gravel directly outside your patio doors for the same reason, it can be a trip hazard.
To be honest when I got this house I thought I would have a beautiful garden in a few years how wrong was I , I've been sorting out the problems inside from day dot. I planted things in the wrong places etc . I have felt bad pulling them out but I am starting again with lots of plant research. This site is amazing glad I have found it .🏡
Goodness that’s a tricky one, there is so much choice and is largely governed by your taste and budget. Also whether you like the natural, aged effect of stone or would prefer something a bit slicker and modern. Anti-slip is important too and a flamed or textured effect would be less hazardous in the rain. A bit technical but if you go for natural stone, try to find out its hardness on the moh scale as this affects hardness and longevity. My local sandstone flags are honed, which is quite smooth and not a natural choice for a patio but I happened to have a lot spare to hand. For this reason I designed it with the border of little tumbled, rough textured marble setts which give better grip underfoot.
I think the best idea to get a sense of the desired look or theme, apart from looking at your own interiors that reflect your taste, is lots of browsing of gardening/lifestyle magazines and keeping a scrapbook of ideas (or the internet equivalent by taking screen grabs and creating a garden folder). For flooring a few visits to tiling and stone suppliers might help your choose - they often provide samples you can try in your shady conditions, which will be different to under shop lights.
As for plants for shade, why not post a new discussion on this forum asking for advice from those knowledgeable about shade gardening? Give some info about your soil (do a soil ph test with a cheap kit), is it heavy clay, sandy, lovely rich loam, is it dry shade or damp, which way does the garden face etc. With the help of suggestions from forum members, make a list of plants that suit your conditions, then you have a starting point.
Good luck!