How to advice required for a novice please

Discussion in 'Landscaping and Outdoors' started by Cluelessonhowto, Mar 18, 2019.

  1. Cluelessonhowto

    Cluelessonhowto New Member

    Hi, We have an area in our garden roughly around 5 - 10 metres in length and approximately 1 metre wide.
    It currently consists of rocky soil and weeds, with our son's trampoline on the one end. We are useless gardeners and want it to be a low maintenance area. We were thinking of digging it up a bit, levelling it and laying a weed membrane down with some shingle on top of the weed membrane or play bark and then putting the trampoline back on. Has anyone done something similar please? If so would you mind sharing how you did it? We are not great with DIY but would like to give this a go. Wondering where we could find a how to guide/the correct steps to do this project and the correct products to use. Many Thanks .
     
  2. spirits are real 2016

    spirits are real 2016 Screwfix Select

    go to you tube and you will find plenty of usefull information if you search the subject.
     
  3. Muzungu

    Muzungu Screwfix Select

    Just be aware if you put down bark every cat in the vicinity will use it a toilet, I have been there (not literally of course).
     
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  4. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Yes done the same several years ago for kids play area

    So your on the right track, levelling, digging up worse offending woody type weeds and any visable large rocks and stones. Don’t need to remove all weeds or grass as once covered over, this will die off

    Good quality weed membrane, thick woven stuff not thin ‘tissue paper’ type stuff

    Build a simple frame from deck boards and 50x50 treated timber for corner supports and posts along the lengths of deck board to keep straight. These posts make 3x width of deck boards and dig into ground (or cut point on end and wack into ground)

    Staple membrane onto sides of deck boards

    Shingle cheap but nahhh

    Bark chips, looks great when first down, will need topping up every couple years as it just disappears, and the cats toilet issue - not good for kids play area

    Take a look at ‘rubber play bark’

    Not cheap but .....
    Comes in great selection of colours, will not rot or dissintergrate, apparently cats don’t like it, nice and soft for the kids

    Make sure you look at ‘rubber play bark’ as landscaping bark may be made from car tyres and contain bits of wire from tyres, not good for the kids

    As ever, compare prices on line and website will have a calculator so you can get a quote on quantity and price

    Sit down .... it ain’t cheap and you need loads but.... it’s great stuff
     
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  5. Cluelessonhowto

    Cluelessonhowto New Member


    This is true! I wondered about this!
     
  6. Muzungu

    Muzungu Screwfix Select

    I am digging mine out this summer, an area about 4 by 3 metres at the bottom of the garden, as it is now absolutely foul after just one year and looking threadbare. I have a good membrane down so will be replaced with pebbles. I have pebbles at the front of the house and no problems at all, the cats don't like to walk on it.
     
  7. Cluelessonhowto

    Cluelessonhowto New Member


    Thank you for your informative reply. Much appreciated. Some questions if I may?
    How does one decide/tell how much you need to dig up?
    Would you have a shop/website you can suggest for the type of weed membrane you mentioned?
    Thanks for the step regarding the deck boards, did not think of this. As I said total novice. Do I need deck boards on all sides as our neighbours fence is in the way so to say and weeds grow up from their side as well. I have a picture if it will make more sense.
    Out of interest what puts you off shingle? Does it not work well?
    Thanks for the tips on bark etc... Any shop or website you sugges where I can look at the rubber play bark?
    Any tips on how to judge how much of the stuff you need to purchase in terms of if you settle on shingle or play bark?

    Any other tips/ instructions would be greatly appreciated as like I said, not DIY skilled :) Haha.
    Thanks again.
     
  8. Odd Bodkin

    Odd Bodkin Active Member

    It sounds like a sad way to kill 100 sq mtrs of garden space - with some imagination and a small budget you could create a rock garden, using moss which is as low maintenance as you can get. Small trees, tall grass can provide a screen and you can still find a way to make a play area for the kids.
    There's plenty you could do rather than laying a carpet of loose bark.
    Think about it, please, before you turn your garden into a desert.
     

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