D.I.Y. Tips

In helping with designing your lawn we have provided some helpful tips for your “Do- Itself” projects.

• Everyone is busy in the spring getting their out door living spaces ready for summer, so to ensure your delivery date and product, call or email in advance.
• Remember when calling around for quotes to make sure you are comparing the same product and sizes. Ask about delivery fees, and realistic time frames.
• Consider the size of gravel. Really small gravel tends to be too fine for areas that will have to cope with lots of foot traffic, as it will spread too easily. However, larger gravel pieces can be uncomfortable underfoot.
• There are a couple of ways of going about preparing an area for gravel. If the space is to be used as a seating area or pathway. It is a good idea to dig down about 10cm and lay a flat compacted layer of hardcore – then lay 3-4 inches of gravel on top. This is important to avoid the gravel sinking or becoming unstable underfoot when wet.
• Using gravel for mainly decorative use, simply dig away at the surface, leaving it flat, and lay a weed suppressing membrane. Peg the membrane down and chuck the gravel on top. You can plant through the membrane by first cutting through it with a knife.
• To contain the gravel, you will need to decide how to keep the gravel in around the edges. Timber edging is quick, easy and cheap to install, but can be difficult if you want to have curved edges around your graveled area. Bricks are larger cobbles offer a more permanent alternative and can be set in concrete. The end result is also far more appealing visually.
• Before you begin, mark out the area you want to fill using pegs and lines and make sure you keep your edging high, to stop the gravel from spilling out.