Can I concrete this?

[Dilbertian]

My house has an inconvenient wedge of land between the building and my neighbour's drive. I have shaded it in the diagramme. Most of it is lawn and shrubs, but the last 8' or so is too narrow to do anything with. I've tried things like campanula, which succeed, but that strip just requires too much maintenance to keep it weed free (I'm not the keenest or most industrious of gardeners). There isn't even any soil there, just a shallow gravel-filled concrete trench

Can I fill it completely with concrete and have done with it? I'd much rather have plants there, and I'm sure I'd succeed if I wasn't a lazy bum. But after many years of weeds and ivy, maybe it's time to face up to reality.

My neighbour is completely polite, and has never complained about the appearance of this area, even though it is a few feet from her front door. I'm sure she'd also rather see flowers there than weeds, but I suspect she'd also rather see concrete there than weeds!

Is there any practical reason why I shouldn't just fill it with concrete? If I did so, how should I finish the end where the soil and the garden-able part of the garden begin?

Or is there a better, more attractive - and low-maintenace - solution?

[Dilbertian]

thuggish ground cover - I like the sound of that.

I would much rather have pretty plants than concrete. TBH I would allow the ivy free reign, were it not that the blasted stuff is literally making its way through closed double-glazing! I like ivy - I just dislike what it does.

[Saz12]

Dig out as much weed as you can. Then spray the regrowth. Or just spray immediately!

Then I would either:

a) weed membrane and gravel. Any weeds that pop through can be pulled out or sprayed with herbicide.

b) paving slabs. Personally I wouldn’t do this as they need to slope away from buildings for drainage, aren’t environmentally friendly to make (concrete is hugely polluting to manufacture), and you’ll need to jet-wash them occasionally anyway if they’re shady and damp.

c) thuggish ground cover, Something like periwinkle (vinca), Top dress with a layer of chopped bark to help suppress weeds. It will still need some weeding, but not much.

You could ask your neighbour if they have a preference? But whichever you go for you need to get rid of weeds first -boo!

[friskybivalves]

How.about sedums? They need zero nurturing or watering. Mine are resilient in shade or sun. Just kind of do their own thing. Occasionally sprout an interesting long stem and even a little flower. Keep themselves to themselves. But prettier and nicer environmentally than concrete.

[WhoWouldHaveThoughtThat]

It looks like there is a cable box mounted to the wall and so there may be a cable below the ground, one day someone may need access to it. There also appears to be a down pipe - maybe that's just soaking into ground. (I'm not sure you're supposed to do that these days)

I would probably infill it with matching blocks. Greater cost, better look (that you won't have the benefit of) Or 'lend' it to your neighbour and let them plant something.

[BuildingThings]

@Dilbertian you will need to spray the leaves with a herbicide first. This will kill the plant in about a month. When the leaves turn brown and start falling off is when you should remove it, lay down a membrane and then cover with either pebbles/gravel or bark. Bark is inexpensive.

[CatherinedeBourgh]

They are indeed

[Dilbertian]

Buggers.

[CatherinedeBourgh]

@Dilbertian

If I clear as much as I can of the ivy and brambles, and then cover the ground with membrane, will the ivy and brambles die? Or will they find their way back through the membrane?

No, they’ll push it up or grow around it.

[Dilbertian]

They don't seen to need soil at all.

[Dilbertian]

Hmmm...houseleeks?

[Dilbertian]

Alpines like crappy soil.

Trouble is, so do brambles, ivy and other weeds.

I would love to create a little Alpine garden there. That fuzzy thing at bottom right of the photo is a little campanula which is quite contented in a sport with no direct sunlight, no real soil, no depth to the soil.

But an Alpine garden needs maintenance. I need seriously low maintenance for that strip.

[Horrible76]

A rock garden by any other name!

[Horrible76]

Hmmm. Concrete isn't very environmentally friendly. Alpines like crappy soil. I think I'd make up a mix of gritty soil, pack it with that, plant up some alpines and then mulch with limestone chippings.

[BuildingThings]

artificial grass is not very easy on the eye... or the environment 🌍

[Dilbertian]

Artificial grass would look dreadful there: bright green and totally out of keeping with the natural lawn further along the wedge.

Unless artificial grass is made in 'grotty' as well as 'luxury'.

[foggyfuzz]

I'd dig it out, lay membrane and put an artificial grass off cut down

[Dilbertian]

@BluebellsGreenbells

You don’t need a builder, you only add concrete and water in a bucket!

I’d concrete and add some pots with flowers in - can you actually see this spot from your house?

I rarely see it. Which is why it gets so little TLC - out of sight out of mind.

[Dilbertian]

If I clear as much as I can of the ivy and brambles, and then cover the ground with membrane, will the ivy and brambles die? Or will they find their way back through the membrane?

[jazzandh]

To add, I would plant some soft grasses along the edge, a little height easy to maintain, a bit of colour, look pretty against an aggregate.

[BluebellsGreenbells]

You don’t need a builder, you only add concrete and water in a bucket!

I’d concrete and add some pots with flowers in - can you actually see this spot from your house?

[jazzandh]

I would clear the area, cover with a good quality weed proof membrane and put down some slate chippings that complement the brickwork. You could extend this further along with some planting pockets through the membrane/chipping to soften the look further down.

[GreyishDays]

I’d think membrane and gravel would look better. But also ask the neighbour.

[Viviennemary]

You can get some large white pebble type stones say a bit bigger than a ping pong ball and nothing much grows through them. Not sure how expensive they are. And put these down instead of concrete.

[Dilbertian]

I quite like that idea, BuildingThings. I shall investigate.

[BuildingThings]

@Dilbertian Could you lay matching paving all the way to your wall? Might be a bit more 'forgiving' and less permanent than concrete. Concrete can crack and you will need a good builder to pour it to look good.