"peterlsutton" wrote in message
...

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
I am about to make quite a lot of path round my raised beds. I intend
laying weed suppressing fabric then pebbles on top. Apart from being
clear for walking it will (I trust) stop the weeds from the area
surrounding the beds migrating into the beds themselves. However
pebbles specifically for paths seems to me rather expensive, can I use
ordinary builders pebbles successfully? Also any ideas on quantity
required, for, say, a square meter?


The bags of gravel they sell at Garden centres are very expensive. If you
want a
lot get a 1 ton dumy from a builders' merchant as suggested. Otherwise, some
of
the DIY chains like Wickes sell 20K bags of gravel for more reasonable
prices.
Try not to get graded gracel like pea-gravel, at least for near the house,
since
the sub-10mm stuff is picked up on your shoes and transported. Also, I would
be
careful of laying gravel very deep, as cats seem to like it as kitty litter,
at least if it
isn't too big. I laid gravel on clay soil directly, which stabilises it: I
get a few weeds,
but constant traffic keeps the main part of the path clear, and the
occasional violet
or what-have-you sprouting at the edge can look rustic.

Andy.