Alternatives to sleepers

glineli

Hi

At the moment in my garden i have a stone surround which runs onto the grass. I dont have anything that stops that stones running on so it can look a little messy. I was planning on getting sleepers but then would i need to raise the flower beds? I really dont want to have to raise the beds however, So what i was thinking was if i got some treated 4x2 and maybe dug a trench, placing maybe 2 inches below and just have a little divider sort to speak? Does that make sense or would it look very tacky??

any other ideas are welcome.

cheers

twenty8

Why don't you try sinking blocks at the border between the stones and the grass. Not ugly grey blocks - but nice small red ones.

With these you can easily mow over it and removes you having to trim the edges with a strimmer.

Just a suggestion.

glineli

twenty8 wrote: »

Why don't you try sinking blocks at the border between the stones and the grass. Not ugly grey blocks - but nice small red ones.

With these you can easily mow over it and removes you having to trim the edges with a strimmer.

Just a suggestion.

thats a great idea, would i just need to put them on a bed of sand? would i need any cement? i am totally a novice at this gardening thing

dh0661

twenty8 wrote: »

Why don't you try sinking blocks at the border between the stones and the grass. Not ugly grey blocks - but nice small red ones. These are called bricks I think, and are available from any builders providers.

With these you can easily mow over it and removes you having to trim the edges with a strimmer.

Just a suggestion.

And a very goog suggestion I think.

dh0661

glineli wrote: »

thats a great idea, would i just need to put them on a bed of sand? would i need any cement? i am totally a novice at this gardening thing

Hubby done this in ours, and he's not the best at the D.I.Y /gardening. He packed down sand, laid the bricks, hired out some sort of a hopper yokie to pack the bricks in. Only problem is that weeds grow out through the gaps, especially at this time of the year, but a small spray of weed killer sorts that.

glineli

thanks everyone for the help!!

A whacker is prob what he hired out.

I might have a go, sure worst comes to the worst i always just resow grass hehe

thanks again

Mr.Diagnostic

This is more of a thought than a suggestion and I am sure someone who knows better than I will correct it if its way off the mark. Would it work to use treated 4x2 timber bedded in sand with plastic under it. Would surely be a lot cheaper than sleepers.

glineli

Mr.Diagnostic wrote: »

This is more of a thought than a suggestion and I am sure someone who knows better than I will correct it if its way off the mark. Would it work to use treated 4x2 timber bedded in sand with plastic under it. Would surely be a lot cheaper than sleepers.

The treated 4x2s are a lot cheaper, although i dont know if i am looking at the right ones. Would any ones do, once they are treated???

Even though a nice bit of digging, still easier than raising the flower beds:D

Minder

There is a similar thread on the DIY forum.

There are a variety of edging products available at DIY shops and Gardening Centres. Have a look here for ideas.

http://www.click4garden.co.uk/index.php?getprodid=586

http://www.greenfingers.com/supersto...dept_id=200332

Plenty of ideas on those links - look for something that you can hammer in to install.

andymad

dh0661 wrote: »

Hubby done this in ours, and he's not the best at the D.I.Y /gardening. He packed down sand, laid the bricks, hired out some sort of a hopper yokie to pack the bricks in. Only problem is that weeds grow out through the gaps, especially at this time of the year, but a small spray of weed killer sorts that.

If you mix some cement with the sand (not with water just dry) it will seal the gaps and should stop most of the weeds. I am about to do something similar with our garden.

GreeBo

bricks look nice but the grass will creep over the bricks and you will need to keep edging it.
If you can have something that is slightly raised its better. In my opinion its easier to strim than edge (and you will probably have other edges that need to be strimmed anyways)

DamoKen

you could do what I did, use the sleepers instead of the 4X2 but dig the trench deeper (6" should leave about 3" exposed). The soil you remove could then be placed under the stone in the beds, raising the beds slightly.

If you dig any type of trench chances are you'll have to move the stones anyway to make room to work in, plus stop them falling in all the time.

used sleepers would give a much nicer look than 4X2, are a lot tougher if they're hardwood plus beds at a slightly higher level would give a more varied look to the garden. What I did was use the soil removed to raise behind the sleepers and put a patio there, same principle though and looks nice.

Sonnenblumen

There is a little conflict here between be same level as grass or slightly below to facilitate mowing the lawn edge and no strimming for which a variety of edging can be considered:
- bricks
- concrete
- natural stone setts

These need to laid in a mortar bed and level. Simply tamping in and backfilling with sand is a very poor DIY finish.
- metal lawn edging can also be a very effective means of lawn and pebble and the step can be discreetly concealed on inside edge

On the otherhand you might prefer a more distinct raised edge to retain stones, but this will involve strimming the lawn along the raised edge. Here your choice includes:

- bricks/setts which can also be laid to provide a 50mm/2" rasied edge.
- kerbing (concrete and/or natural eg sandstone/granite) for 42-6" raised edge
- sleepers or boards can also be used, however it is difficult to achieve curves with boards
- rounded posts (not to confused with the crappy log roll) can also make an attractive raised edge
- there is also the Victorian rope edging tiles which can also be effective

Kerbing will require and hardcore base and concrete haunching to secure in position.

Plenty of choice, depending on how you decide to resolve the inherent conflict!

If you are keen on recycling you could also try inverting wine bottles and setting them in concrete.

Eurorunner

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

sleepers or boards can also be used, however it is difficult to achieve curves with boards.

What sort of boards would you use? What do you use to hold them in place? Will they keep or do they need to be treated?

Sonnenblumen

Eurorunner wrote: »

What sort of boards would you use? What do you use to hold them in place? Will they keep or do they need to be treated?

For longevity, you have to go with Pressure Treated material. 150x25 is a good size board for linear edging, and set 50mm below Ground Level. Secure boards with brass/zinc coated screws to 50x50mm batons set 300mm in ground.
If you go with PT Sleeper you can use 75x75mm posts cut to size for secure fixing.


There is also an attractive PT "landscaper board" 150x100mm with 2 rounded sides and flat top and bottom, which gives an attractive barrel board profile to front. Come in 3.0m lengths and less expensive than sleepers.

Eurorunner

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

There is also an attractive PT "landscaper board" 150x100mm with 2 rounded sides and flat top and bottom, which gives an attractive barrel board profile to front. Come in 3.0m lengths and less expensive than sleepers.

Thanks Sonnenblumen. This sounds like the ticket.

Are these easy to source?
Anyone know where to source in the West of Ireland?