Garden surfaces other than grass

[springlamb]

I would like to get rid of an area of lawn in my garden. It's about 20 feet by 15 and is just awkward - it's shape and the terrain make it hard to mow, the soil is awful and it's always waterlogged. Not an attractive feature.
Any suggestions for what to replace it with? Would need to be a 'fixed' surface (not gravel or bark). Anyone any experience of 'bonded gravel'?
Or any other suggestions?

Paving? You could intersperse areas of paving with planting to break it up?

bonded gravel, or resin bound gravel to give its correct name, is a great product, but would be expensive in a domestic setting, as you need a firm base to lay it on as it is between 10 and 16mm thick. So you would need to dig up all the soil, and lay stone and then bitmac (like on the footways out and about in most towns), and then lay the resin bound gravel on top.

If the soil is always waterlogged then you should look at draining the area properly - this can be acheived by digging out a lot of the soil, and laying single size stone, and then put back new soil, which would probably have to be a few inches higher than the existing level. You could then get the shape and slope of it to suit grass better.

It will cost you a lot of money though - you need to see what your neighbours have done as there may be a historic land drainage problem in your area.

Thanks.

The next road is called Springfield, which I think says everything about drainage round here.

Didn't think the bonded gravel meant so much work - rethink ncessary!

I've got the same problem, except that the previous owners have already taken up the grass and replaced it with bark chippings, which don't work either. We've basically got the world's biggest, dampest litter tray outside our front door.

Have thought of paving but also the type of wet pour soft surfaces you get in playgrounds (or is that bonded gravel?!). Anyone any thoughts or experience on that? Sorry for hijack, but could help OP.