Garden Path

[Thistledew]

I am designing some paths and paving areas in MIL's garden.

I am using brick-sized pavers in a course 4 bricks wide, which will be bordered by cobbles set in mortar.

I am debating whether to set them just on a sharp sand base, or whether to put down a few inches of hardcore first.

MIL's garden has a light, sandy soil and is very level. The ground where I am laying the paths has not been disturbed for decades, so I do not anticipate any settling issues. The paths will get light use only.

There will also be two small paving areas- about 3 meters by1.5 metres each.

Obviously, the sand only option would be cheaper and easier to do, but I know that there is a risk of the paths becoming uneven if I don't use hardcore.

Does anyone have experience of either method, or have any recommendations?

i've just done paths using both methods and without a doubt the ones with the proper hardcore base that's been flattened with a wacker thing is much more flat and professional looking. We did a smaller path of bricks on sand and it's ok and solid but it's probably only going to be there a year....I'm sure it would be ok if it's not going to be used much though.

Thanks cooper44, that's useful. Did you use brick-sized pavers or flagstones?

In my previous garden I laid a patio on just a sand base using sandstone flags. The bit that went over earth that had not been dug for years was completely fine, but the section over disturbed earth did sink a little. I just wonder if the shifting would be worse with smaller slabs.

I can't comment [at all] on methodology other than MIL had paths laid using just sand and not hardcore. Light use in a kitchen garden around some beds on a dry sandy soil type. They have shifted a lot over 3 yrs and she has had a couple of falls now. She's been lucky not to break something and regrets doing it on the cheap now.

I know bugger all about the methodology of laying garden paths. But I had some laid a few years ago and they drive me crazy. I have a cottage style garden and like my plants to spill over onto the paths and soften the edges. I told DH and the landscaper the paths they were putting in were going to be too narrow. Everyone tut tutted, "oh no they will be fine", and completely overuled me. They are so annoyingly narrow, even DH admits it.

Thanks both.

TreadSoftlyOnMy(garden path) - do you know whether the edges of your MIL's paths have been mortared in?

I'm intending to use these pavers, which are 15cm wide. The paths will be a total of 60 cm wide and will have mortared strips down each side, set with cobbles. There will be three rows of bricks, the outside edges of which will be abutting the mortar, so it will only be the middle row which are completely unsupported.

I keep changing my mind! One minute I think that they will be fine on sand using this method, then I think it is too risky.

60cm

Is that how wide yours are, Tinkly?

It is a lesson to be learned that even if you want that 'spilling over the edges' look, you should still plant back from the edge half the size of the mature plant.

Mine are less than 60cm I think. Certainly with my geraniums and alchemilla doing their thing, they are more like 10cm. I have planted well back but everything spreads.

Just hacked my way through the jungle nipped out to measure the path. Mine is 46cm. I would like it to be about 90 to 1m I reckon. My garden is very....exuberant though.

Thanks Tinkly, that is useful. I have mapped out the paths with spray paint, and the proportions look about right in the design, and feel about right as you walk over them.

My other annoyance is that when I started costing this project out a few weeks ago the pavers l linked to were available on the B&Q website for £17 per sq metre- and now they are £27!! I guess that now we are in to spring, there is more demand, but I am somewhat shocked at the difference in price.

That is very annoying. Are you laying them yourselves? Our landscaper sourced ours, Indian sandstone, surprisingly cheaply.

Yes, DH and I are going to lay them, hence being attracted by the easier option. MIL has got someone in to dig out the paths, but ideally we will do the rest over a long weekend.