Need help with garden paths
leanne67
11 years ago
Hi there, I just love your website :) We have started landscaping in our front yard which we are making into a courtyard as we have a really awkward back yard and have easier access to the front. We need to put paths along the full perimeter of our house. The front, back and utility sides of the house are flat but the easterly side is quite sloped, especially in the small area in front of the gate. Our landscaper has suggested to concrete the whole area but I feel that this would look like a concrete jungle.
I thought that using gravel would be a real possibility but tricky on the sloped area so perhaps we could use concrete pavers. We have a local company that makes them in charcoal (or white) and sizes are 300 x 300mm, 400 x 400 mm and 500 x 500 mm and 48mm thick or larger ones that are white only are 600 x 600mm, 760 x 760mm and 915 x 457mm (these are all 50mm thick).
We live Australia and in a really dry area that is often hot in summer but we get heavy frosts in winter. Since my elderly mother lives with us we need something that is not slippery in normal circumstances and would prefer not to build stairs on the sloped area in case we need to use a wheelbarrow in this area. Because of our climate we would prefer not to have any lawn. The current concrete path will be removed as it doesn't serve any useful purpose.
We would really appreciate advice on materials, sizes of pavers if recommended and layout and any other tips taking into consideration cost (eg the 500 x 500 pavers are $12.50 each and large 915 x 457 are $29 each). Thanks very much in anticipation. Cheers, Leanne.
I thought that using gravel would be a real possibility but tricky on the sloped area so perhaps we could use concrete pavers. We have a local company that makes them in charcoal (or white) and sizes are 300 x 300mm, 400 x 400 mm and 500 x 500 mm and 48mm thick or larger ones that are white only are 600 x 600mm, 760 x 760mm and 915 x 457mm (these are all 50mm thick).
We live Australia and in a really dry area that is often hot in summer but we get heavy frosts in winter. Since my elderly mother lives with us we need something that is not slippery in normal circumstances and would prefer not to build stairs on the sloped area in case we need to use a wheelbarrow in this area. Because of our climate we would prefer not to have any lawn. The current concrete path will be removed as it doesn't serve any useful purpose.
We would really appreciate advice on materials, sizes of pavers if recommended and layout and any other tips taking into consideration cost (eg the 500 x 500 pavers are $12.50 each and large 915 x 457 are $29 each). Thanks very much in anticipation. Cheers, Leanne.
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Comments (6)
PROASVInteriors
11 years agoI did a quick search on xeroscape amongst Houzz photos and came up with these below:
My thought is that ornamental grasses are great way to give you some movement in the expanses and also their root system serves to stop soil erosion fairly rapidly.
I am troubled by your slope - I think you either need to terrace it and add a barrier, or add stairs (most wheelbarrows can manage small stairs (or do stairs with a ramp beside it).
Because your elderly mum lives with you, also well worth getting a landscape architect to come out and help. Often they will charge for the visit and designs, but give you a planting plan that you can attack yourself. They will know what grows best locally and inexpensively and rapidly.
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11 years ago
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