choice of ground stuff

[Rosendula]

I know it's a bit early to be planning my winter activities, but I've got can'tbebothereditis today.

There's a little bit of my garden behind the greenhouse that I've never managed to control. Currently, I have a baby bath frog pond, a log pile and a load of weeds. I want to relocate the pond and log pile so that it is along-side the greenhouse rather than in the middle of the patch. Then I want to use the open bit of space to put big plant pots and the likes on, but I need to supress the weeds and create a low/no-maintenance surface.

I can't decide whether to use gravel, bark chips, slate chips or whatever else. It's only a small space, about 7 feet by 4 feet. I need to consider drainage because it's quite low land. I don't mean I need to install drains or whatever, just that I need to allow the water to seep through. I also want to consider the environment (of course), and cost (ditto). What do you recommend I use and why?

[MKG]

Well, that's just typical! Developers! They're all the same.

Having encouraged your froggy friends to take up residence in your garden, having built them a des-res of the first order, what are you proposing now? Hah! Froggies have to move to make way for redevelopment and progress. I wouldn't be at all surpised if you woke up one morning to find hordes of frogs (bussed in for the occasion) with protest placards marching in step (well, how else would frogs do it?) around your greenhouse.

C'mon, Ishers!!! Support the rights of your local frogs! Let's see some solidarity against this, the worst case of frog abuse I've ever seen (well, today, at least).

Shame on you, Rosendula!!!



Mike

[Rosendula]

I know! I know! I'm awful aren't I? I just want to kind of budge it up a bit, about 3 feet over, that's all.
And I do love my frogs. I had 3 today and even rescued one from my playful cat.

Honestly, if you think it would be so bad to move the pond, even just a little bit, then I won't.

[Thomzo]

Well, I think if you explain to your frogs the reason for their move and get their buy in (maybe in exchange for some more nice shady places for them to live) then they'll take the move in their stride (or should that be hop?).

Personally, I would recommend that whatever you use, you put down a layer of weed suppressant fabric first. You can buy specially made black fabric from garden centres and DIY stores. Alternatively you could recycle some old carpet or use some plastic but punch holes in it for drainage. It stops weeds coming up through your gravel/chippings and stops them sinking into the mud.

As for the covering, do you have access to anything that you could use for free? Do you have lots of trees nearby that provide leaves in autumn? Do you have lots of shrubs? Maybe you could hire a shredder and shred all the prunings? You could ask at a nearby saw mill for wood chippings.

Otherwise, what colour would you like? Bark can be dark if the area is small. With gravel you get a choice of colour and can make it really light.

Just a thought but if you are going to have lots of pots, how about creating an area for them using some old logs lined with pond liner. The pond liner will keep water around the base of the pots, keeping them cool and helping to stop them drying out. The sides don't want to be too high as you don't want them to get waterlogged. Lots of garden centres use this idea as it saves on watering. It would also create a nice shady home for your frogs.

Have fun
Zoe

[Rosendula]

Thanks Zoe, you can have a hug for that but Mike's not getting one

I had thought about the weed supressant, but not the idea of using pond liner to keep the water around the pots. It does get a bit waterlogged in winter, and the ground is heavy clay, so drains very, very slowly, so although I think the pond liner is a good idea, I think I'll stick with the normal weed membrane stuff. It's permanently damp around that bit anyway.

I am beginning to think that gravel wouldn't be very nice for the little fellas, so perhaps bark is a better choice. I have a load of fruit bushes that are going to be removed this winter and will be shredding those. I suppose I could use that. (??)

Thanks for helping me develop my ideas. I've got a good few months before the work will start on it, so I'm sure by the time I've heard everyone's opinions I'll be able to get it perfect for me and the frogs.

[Millymollymandy]

I was going to say that gravel won't be ideal if you get frogspawn and babies as they'd get dried out on it. I think bark chippings would be more suitable and go better with the log pile/frog pond/wildlife type of theme, and just as good for sitting your pots on. I would use the weed suppressant membrane but be warned that some weeds still come up through it!

[MuddyWitch]

Don't spend a fortune on 'weed surpressing membranes' for such a small area; nip into a charity shop, buy the most hideous looking double duvet cover, ensuring its POLYcotton. The cotton bit will rot in time but the poly bit won't. My whole pat is laid on old kiddy duvets as the youngest had out grown them & they were beyond reuse. It's still weed free nine years later. (Though you will get the odd weed seeding into you bark or gravel)

As for the top dressing I would go for bark chips, it looks very natural & it soon attracts woolice etc for your froggy friends to dine on. You could spend hours with your Little One on mini-beast saffaries too.

MW

[Rosendula]

Wow! That's great advice and very interesting MW. We are doing something at another bit of the garden that may or may not involve using weed supressing membrane (haven't made our minds up yet), so we'll wait until we've made our decisions before making the purchase. If we do only need the little bit, we'll probably take your advice.

[Thomzo]

Oooh, that's a good idea Muddywitch.

Cheers
Zoe

[MuddyWitch]

Now I've seen what Mrs Flibber can do with a duvet (see http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... 38&t=14703) I'm thinking my path wasn't the best use of my old duvet covers!

MW

[prison break fan]

Love the idea of the duvet covers, shall definitely have a go. We should have 101 suggestions for duvet cover use! I bet Mrs Flibble could come up with a few!! pbf.

[JillStephens7]

We have exactly the same area down the side of our greehouse to solve (only our frogs are 1st time buyers so only in a washing-up bowl) !

Lots of great ideas so thanks for asking the question (I've only got as far as sitting on the grass looking at it and sighing a lot) and thanks for the answers