12 Jun

How to create a low-maintenance garden

Are you getting tired of moving the lawn and weeding? Are you looking for a more low-maintenance garden this summer?

There are many of us who love to idle away the hours tending to our gardens, but there are also many of us who dread the onset of summer, as our gardens require a lot of maintenance.

Typically, the most dreaded garden tasks tend to be mowing the lawn and weeding, which needs to be done on a weekly basis over the summer. If you are looking to curtail your time in the garden, why not consider creating a low-maintenance gravel garden?

If the thought of weeding fills you with dread, then why not consider replacing your earth borders with gravel for an attractive but easy maintenance garden.



To create a gravel garden, you need to:

Clear the designated area

Remove the existing planting from your borders or from the designated area. If you want to keep some or all the plants, then place them to one side.

The Edge

You will be looking to place your gravel where the lawn borders meet your current planting space. Here, you will need to add an edge, such as an monoblock mowing strip. This will provide you with a nice rounded curve which will compliment your gravel layout.

Preparing your borders

Once your edging has been done, you can then prepare your borders. Start by digging over the borders to introduce air into the soil which will make it easier to work with. Take this as an opportunity to improve the health of your soil. If your soil is looking quite heavy, then you can look to add some peat free compost which will help break it up a bit. You might want to add a granular fertiliser too at this stage.

Don’t forget to rake through the soil so that it is spread evenly to avoid any bumps in the gravel.

Laying membrane

Further to preparing your borders, you can now start to lay out your membrane, in most instances, you can utilise weed membrane which is a fabric woven matting which essentially blocks out light to weeds and will keep the soil separated from the gravel. The membrane also allows water to pass through the woven material and into the soil.

Border planting

You can now take the plants that you wish to include in your new gravel garden and place them in your position of choice. You will find that it is best to plant in pockets of gravel where you can create small islands of plants surrounded by gravel.

Here, you can also plant through the membrane, simply cut a cross in the membrane which is large enough to accommodate the plant and place the plant in the soil. Once the plant is immersed in the membrane, fold back the edges of the membrane so that it seals around the plant.

Lay down the gravel

Now you can start dressing the membrane with gravel, you can opt for either small piece of gravel or larger pieces of gravel. At MB Wilkes, we have a wide range of gravel and shingle that are suitable for gardens, walkways and driveways. You may want to consider 2-6mm shingle gravel which is a light golden flint shingle gravel or go a little larger with 10mm ravel which is approved by the National Trust. MB Wilkes provides gravel and shingle up to 40mm.

Get decorative

Once your gravel is in place, you can look to accessorise your new gravel layout with garden ornaments. You can also look to add texture by incorporating different textures and colours to add interest.

Whether you go for an all-over gravel garden, or you just incorporate some gravel to parts of your garden, this will certainly reduce the maintenance of your garden, giving you more time to relax and enjoy the summer!

 

To find out more about the range of products we offer, from building materials and decorative stones to shingle & gravel and driveway materials, contact our team today on 01258 857465 or take a look at our special offers!

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The ultimate guide to choosing gravel and shingle
From paths to sitting areas, gravel and shingle are ideal options to create a durable but soft looking area that is cost effective, attractive and versatile. There are lots of several types of gravel and shingle and how it can be used varies enormously. If you are looking to use stepping stones in your garden, you may want to consider using loose gravel or shingle. It is one of the cheaper types of gravel and shingle and looks great on a flat piece of land. Keep it looking tip top by dragging a pallet over it to give it that perfectly raked finish. Typically, the smallest gravel particles are around 5mm and anything that is smaller than this is classified as sand. Gravel is a natural material that is available in lots of different shapes, sizes and colours which makes this a truly versatile addition to your garden. At MB Wilkes, our shingle starts at 2mm - 6mm and is a light golden flint shingle which is brown and yellow in colour. Our shingle range goes up to 40mm shingle which are best suited to drainage and soakaways. Loose gravel is best suited to land that is flat and ideally, we wouldn’t recommend using loose gravel on a slope that exceeds 1.10) any slope less than this can utilise loose gravel with a polythene hexagon mesh which sits around 40mm underneath the surface of the gravel and can provide an ideal solution for a gentle slope that is gravel friendly. For paths and driveways, you may want to consider our 10mm shingle which is a light golden flint shingle. However, at MB Wilkes, we provide a consultative approach and will provide you with our personal recommendations for your specific project. Most the gravel and shingles have been approved by the National Trust and MB Wilkes are a wide range of gravels to suit your requirements and your budget. To find out more about the range of products we offer, from building materials and decorative stones to shingle & gravel and driveway materials, contact our team today on 01258 857465 or take a look at our special offers!
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How to use decorative stones to improve your garden
Decorative stones are a brilliant way of living up your garden and bring a real touch of quality to your residence. There are a huge range of choices available, all with different styles, sizes and prices. Ultimately, they could be considered a 'quick fix' for any garden that is lacking style and design. They are ideal if you are looking to add a sense of structure to your gardens look, provide texture and areas of interest, as well as creating either a sense of space or division - all dependent on how they are used. No matter what size of garden or outdoor space you have, the addition of decorative stone can help to create detailed contrast and depth, helping to give a more traditional feel to your residence. Here are some of the best ways to utilise decorative stones: Create a garden path - A selection of landscaping stones can be used to create a fantastic garden path which can elongate your garden and give the illusion that your garden is longer than it actually is. Use garden gravel - As a low maintenance option, garden gravel is brilliant way to keep weeds at bay whilst offering up a delightful alternative to a lawn or driveway. You could even include a coloured stone for extra impact! Add a water feature - If you already have a water feature, or are considering adding one, decorative stone can look great as a border. It can draw attention to it and more importantly mark its edges - this is definitely useful! Improve flowerbeds - Decorative stones can make excellent features within flowerbeds, but don't overlook softer chippings for a more subtle look. These can also be added in various colours for a more textured finish. Create a rock garden - Commonly referred to as a rockery, these stylish collections of decorative stones can give your garden a meditative Zen-like feel. They are also low maintenance and safe for children and pets.   To find out more about the range of products we offer, from building materials and decorative stones to shingle & gravel and driveway materials, contact our team today on 01258 857465 or take a look at our special offers!
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23 Aug
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So you've chosen one of our fantastic gravels or shingles to coat your new driveway - good choice! Before you commence with laying it though, it is important to consider the final appearance you desire. Think about the space you have, the colour of your house and the surrounding area. Consider the textures of different types of gravel - how do you want you want your driveway to look? Would you like it to be a feature, or would you prefer it to blend into the background? Gravel is a brilliantly low maintenance material and so simple to lay! So let us take the strain off even further and help with the planning and design aspects of your new driveway. Space and shape We all know that driveways are there to serve one main purpose - they are the entrance to your home, leaving you somewhere safe to keep your car. But why not take it a step further and focus on the aesthetics rather than just the function? Think about the space you have and decide on the shape of your path. Would a curved path work? Or maybe you'd like to keep it simple with clean, straight lines. Secondly, consider car space. If you have more than one car, consider how you can utilise your space in order to fit them comfortably. Maybe widening your path will allow for side by side parking, eliminating the need to move your cars around every time you need to use the one furthest from the entrance. Materials The great thing about gravel is that it is extremely versatile, not to mention easy to maintain! Before you make a final decision of which to choose though, you must first consider a few important things: what colour scheme are you working with? Would you like your driveway to complement the colour of your home, or contrast for added interest? Choosing neutral colours such as grey, beige or white will pair well with the majority of homes. However, if you'd like to create more of a focus on your new drive, perhaps a coloured slate or even a combination of different gravels would be a better choice. To find out more about the range of products we offer, from building materials and decorative stones to shingle & gravel and driveway materials, contact our team today on 01258 857465 or take a look at our special offers!
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