How much will this cost

[viennawaitsforyouu]

I am new to gardening. I need a garden that’s easy to manage. I am thinking of getting rid of the grass at the front. It’s over grown. There’s weeds everywhere. I want to just have landscaping stones with plants growing through instead. My front path has weeds growing through the cracks. I also want my fence painted. I’m not sure how much this would all cost to get done. Not sure how much the materials would cost to get it done myself or how to do it properly. The previous owners had plastic down and landscaping stones but weeds would grow through so I took it all out and I want to avoid that this time.

Impossible to say without photos

Pics and sizes will help

Weeds are going to happen whatever you do, you just need to keep on top of them. They are easy enough to pull out in gravel.

It’s a small front garden but it is also an overwhelming mess. So many weeds, cat shit. I am ashamed. I don’t want to upload a photo for privacy reasons

Whats the basic size of the garden or sq meterage?

Loads depends on where you are in the country too, in the SE it will almost always cost more than anywhere else in the UK for example. Also are you only looking to replace the gravel or do you want to take up the path etc?

Do you have a budget?

I need a boarder for the path and probably need to get the slabs uplifted so something can go underneath them to get rid of the weeds if that makes sense. replacing the path as well isn’t necessary but would be nice.
I’m not sure if I’ve measured my garden properly because I’ve done it with a phone app but it appears to be about 5 meters lengthways and 3 meters long ways

It sounds like you have quite a lot of remedial things needing to be done, replacement fabric, gravel, removal and replacement of paving, painting the fence etc. You have some grass at the front does that need removing or just mowing? Removing things like an old lawn or soil can run into quite a lot of money.

You might be able to save in some places like painting the fence yourself but you will need to consult with neighbours if the fence borders their garden or is their fence, painting fences can be a huge source of arguments.

Might be worth getting some quotes from garden landscapers on Buy with Confidence (trading standards approved) and see what they come up with. Unless you are looking to do most of it yourself?

I am thinking to just get landscaping fabric and put that over the grass then put the landscaping stones on but I don’t know what to buy or how to do it.
I don’t want any grass I just can’t keep on top of it and all the weeds.
I might paint the fence myself but I can’t be bothered.

Ahh OK, landscape fabric over grass might work for a few months maybe 18 months but the grass almost always grows through somewhere. Grasses are incredible plants and can survive in very low light conditions such as under fabric and even stones. You would need a depth of at least 3inches of gravel and more to block the light enough to stop grass growing through.

To make a successful low maintenance garden, there is a huge a mount of prep needed, that includes removing the topsoil, putting in solid borders, and putting in enough hard landscaping to make it worth while. Even after there are weekly and monthly jobs to do to keep it low maintenance.

Honestly grass is easier to manage than gravel!

Not when someone’s cat keeps coming and shitting on it every day

Cats won't poop on gravel - good quality barrier and min 2 inch of gravel will stop weeds apart from wind blown ones and they come out easy

You need weed control membrane. You can buy that on Amazon. Get one 4 by 5 m. That will kill off the grass but it may take a long time, so get it down now.

For the weeds on the path, cover them with salt. You could also water in diluted vinegar. Keep doing this every few weeks to kill them off. You may get away with not lifting the paving then.

Pea gravel is very cheap. Landscaping merchants sell it for about £60 a bulk bag. That size of garden will need 2 bulk bags.

Good luck.

Perfect