Landscaping, Patios, Decks, page 1
Any Questions?

Q. I would like to know how or what are the basic rules to fitting a slatted fence around my garden. I would like to use six foot high slats which are thick at one side and thin at other. where do I place the nails and basic stuff like that. Also how do I go about building a gate, do you know of any books I can read.

Q. I have a 1m x 3m x 0.75m trench at the bottom of my heavy clay garden that I want to fill to make into a raised bed (to help with the drainage). I'm going to have to buy soil/compost to fill the hole so do you have any suggestions as to the recipe and quantities I should use?

A. It depends partly on what soil or compost is available and in what quantities, also on what will be planted in the bed. If you have heavy clay soil, then there is a chance that soil that is available locally and sold as top soil may also have quite a high clay content, so try to make sure top soil that you buy is a good quality loamy soil. Ideally, I would add top soil and good well rotted garden compost in the ratio of about 4 + 1.

Ironically raised beds need something in them to retain moisture, the idea being that there is plenty available but allowing excess to drain freely away. Organic matter fulfils this role while also adding nutrients. If garden compost in large quantities is not available, then use well rotted farmyard manure instead.

The organic matter will rot away in time and so the level of the bed will fall (slowly), just add more to the top as a mulch every now and then - annually say. Once the bed is in place and filled, you shouldn't need to dig it ever again.

This recipe is a general one assuming that vegetables or ornamentals are to be planted. If you are to use it for alpines, then add coarse sand or fine gravel to the mix, if acid - loving plants, then use peat as the organic matter or fill the bed with an ericaceous compost

You could use log roll, (though I'm not keen on it), or rough fencing posts laid horizontal with the pointed end cut off. Make sure you peg them in place securely if you go for either of these with substantial wooden pegs driven at least 6" into the ground, I use pegs 12" long in total for this. Drill (3mm diameter) the top of the peg to take the nail, it is very likely to split being so close to the edge of the wood otherwise.

If you are going to cover it with decking, I'd use landscaping fabric with just a scattering of gravel to stop the wind from lifting it. You could get away with half this amount or less if it is all to be covered.

1/ Cut the slabs by hiring a machine to do the job. A hard, tremendously noisy and laborious process, but necessary if you want an edge-to-edge finish.

2/ After laying and compacting the hardcore lay the slabs without cutting any. This will leave gaps along one edge which can be used as planting pockets - dig the pocket of hardcore out first after the mortar for the slabs have set. Otherwise the gaps can be filled to level with the slabs with gravel or other decorative stone - by far the easiest option and good looking too.

Q. I have a sloping garden and would like to level it and put a patio in. Can I just get some soil and build the garden up? Do I need to build a retaining wall to hold the new soil in place or is there an easier way? The difference in height from the high to low is approximately 1 foot/30 cms. Hope you can help!

A. It really depends on how the slope falls in relation to the house. Are you planning to do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you?

If you are planning on paying a contractor, then this should all be part of the service. I would certainly take some advice from some-one who comes around to see the garden and exactly how things are set out. If you get it wrong, you could end up with a patio that floods regularly during heavy rain which could cause knock-on problems

If the slope is away from the house, a retaining wall or steps will almost certainly be needed. You could build up a bank on a very gentle slope and stabilize it with grass before putting the patio in, but this would take upwards of a year before you even started on the patio. Building it up with soil would do the trick, but the surface of the patio might then supply enough water to wash it away before any turf had become established.

Q. I wonder if you can advise on suitable surfaces for a children's play area (playhouse, slide etc). We are not so keen on lawn as the shape of the area is long and thin and therefore difficult to mow - what alternative surfaces would you recommend?

A. The easiest material to use is probably "Play bark" bark chips selected to be larger and softer than the usual bark chips used as a mulch. To be effective it needs to be placed at a depth of 6" / 15cm which means that:

1/ You need a lot!

2/ You need some kind of edging material to keep it in place. I always favour large rustic tree trunks or logs laid down if I can get them. If not, then rustic fencing posts from a fencing supplier are good, use one on top of another both nailed or screwed to large pegs knocked into the ground. Log roll could be used if suitably supported or even gravel boards or scaffolding planks if suitably treated and supported. The main thing is to make sure they're supported strongly enough - that's where tree trunks / logs are good, as the children are bound to at least step on them if not make a game out of walking along the edge.

3/ You might want to place a weed-proof membrane under the bark to stop weeds growing through it, though you'll find that in damp conditions some weeds will actually grow in the bark, easy to deal with though.

As you'll need a lot look locally for a bulk materials merchant who sells it by the 1 cubic metre bag, if you buy it in poly sacks it'll cost a fortune. Don't underestimate the job of installing it all either.

Alternatively you could use the thick rubber matting that is used on public play areas, more expensive and I'm afraid I don't know where you get it.

Q.  I am wanting to plant up a railway embankment which serves as my "back garden" and measures about 40 ft wide by 50ft tall and is on an incline of about 45 deg.

Can you recommend where I can source plants at reasonable price as I obviously need a lot - the whole area was cleared of scrub during the summer but I did nothing with it till now because of the severe drought.

Conditions to plant are now as good as they are going to get although the underlying "soil" is a type of scree which one would expect a railway embankment to have been made up from. I am conscious that if I put compost down or topsoil it may just wash down the slope and I am keen to do something with it to pretty it up in time for next spring.