Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!

"Melross" wrote in message
...

Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!


Railway sleepers, or any type of wood, would be very slippery when wet, and
would also rot away.

I saw a garden recently with steps made of reclaimed roof tiles laid on edge
and cemented in. Very effective it was too. But obviously would not be cheap
if there are loads

Steve

On 21/01/2013 16:09, shazzbat wrote:
"Melross" wrote in message
...

Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!


Railway sleepers, or any type of wood, would be very slippery when wet, and
would also rot away.

I saw a garden recently with steps made of reclaimed roof tiles laid on edge
and cemented in. Very effective it was too. But obviously would not be cheap
if there are loads

Steve



The imitation railway sleepers made from concrete are pretty convincing.

"Melross" wrote in message
...

Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!




--
Melross

Melross take a look here

http://www.myalbum.com/Album=MUKLG34Q

The first two pictures show the steps to our gardens. Now I am well aware
that this is not steep, but could the same principle be used, but the bricks
on end instead of on their side and filled between the steps with gravel?

A LOT of steps possibly, but they could be done a few at a time. Mine are
laid on a footings type of base so should outlast me ;-)

The steps would be long lasting and 'could' be quite attractive, depending
on point of view ;-)

--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On 21/01/2013 14:30, Melross wrote:
Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!

Railway sleepers and wood in general when wet can be very slippy.
How steep is step? My front garden is about 1:3 in places.

I favour stone steps, flagstones or concrete ones. I have some of each.
The utilitarian solution is using concrete cast in place.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Melross wrote in news:Melross.b7308b6
@gardenbanter.co.uk:


Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!





I would use concrete.

http://tinyurl.com/25jf9hd

You can do this very cheaply if you hire a mixer and have a mate to help.
Non slip too if you tamp and not float.

Baz

On 21/01/2013 14:30, Melross wrote:
Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!






Try entering "rustic steps" into Google Images. You will see lots of
pics of steps in various 'rustic' situations. This should help you
decide on a style you like. If you happen to like a style that is not
as steep as your slope, see whether you can adapt it by adding in a
landing and having two shorter sections of steps. This would also ease
your journey up and down the slope if it is particularly precipitous.
Will you need a handrail? Consider future weeding if the steps are to
be mainly gravel, bark or earth. A narrow path is easier to keep
weed-free simply because wear on it is greater. However, a wider path
is easier for two to navigate together.

It is worth thinking ahead. If, in the future, you think a hillside
water feature would be attractive, plan in some of the plumbing and
wiring now that might be required later. Or plumb in a simple standpipe
so that you don't have to carry water up hill for irrigation.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

"Melross" wrote in message
...

Hi I have a very steep hillside garden in Shropshire and have to replace
many of the original steps as they have collasped. We are thinking
about replacing them with old railway sleepers, but still unsure whether
this is the right choice. Any ideas as to what might be the best
solution. As I say it is a very steep, woodland garden with many steps!

--
Melross

Lots of ideas for steps from everyone, I have a sloping garden, no idea
whether its as steep as yours but I have done my best to not have steps as
they are a pain for mowers and barrows, instead our paths resemble the hair
pins on mountain roads in areas where you may have also put steps and trace
around borders that are terraced with stone walls, it was hard work and was
done over many years!


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:09:47 -0000, shazzbat wrote:

Railway sleepers, or any type of wood, would be very slippery when wet,
...

Agreed, and real ex railway sleepers are filthy things full of tar, oil,
grease (and shit from the train loos). This muck will get onto your shoes
and most likely into the house...

... and would also rot away.

Real hardwood railway sleepers will take a very long time to rot (think
decades), not only does the oil, grease etc protect 'em they are pressure
treated with preservative. They are also big heavy lumps of timber, 10 x
5" and 8'6" long (commonly) weighing from around 1 cwt for softwood to 2
cwt for the denser hardwoods (50 to 100 kg).

The vertical (riser) board back filled with hardcore/gravel is probably
the best bet. The hard bit will be getting the rise and tread for each
step even within a fraction of a inch, people are very sensitive to
uneven steps and they can be trip hazard particulary if the rise varies.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article ,
says...

The first two pictures show the steps to our gardens. Now I am well aware
that this is not steep, but could the same principle be used, but the bricks
on end instead of on their side and filled between the steps with gravel?


I would be very, very wary of using gravel on paths in
the garden. Definitely not in a veg garden, where you
walk with muddy boots, the gravel sticks and ends up
where you dont want it, mud falls from the
boots/wheelbarrow etc and encourages weeds to grow in
the gravel.

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

The first two pictures show the steps to our gardens. Now I am well aware
that this is not steep, but could the same principle be used, but the
bricks
on end instead of on their side and filled between the steps with gravel?


I would be very, very wary of using gravel on paths in
the garden. Definitely not in a veg garden, where you
walk with muddy boots, the gravel sticks and ends up
where you dont want it, mud falls from the
boots/wheelbarrow etc and encourages weeds to grow in
the gravel.

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Roger I couldn't agree more, but I think you will find that this is a
'Woodland Garden' and I am assuming grass either side.

Maybe I have it wrong, it has been known ;-)

Mike


--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article ,
says...

The first two pictures show the steps to our gardens. Now I am well aware
that this is not steep, but could the same principle be used, but the bricks
on end instead of on their side and filled between the steps with gravel?

I would be very, very wary of using gravel on paths in
the garden. Definitely not in a veg garden, where you
walk with muddy boots, the gravel sticks and ends up
where you dont want it, mud falls from the
boots/wheelbarrow etc and encourages weeds to grow in
the gravel.

I agree about gravel, but hoggin is fine. You want something that
compacts. Another approach that works well is bricks - you can
often get lots of used ones cheaply, and it doesn't matter if they
break up over time. Of course, using proper paving bricks on a
proper base is better, but more expensive and harder work - and
few people need their steps to last for centuries!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Hey there gardeners,

My steps are made of locally sourced slate and a few flat pieces of granite laid cross wise. We used an ice chipper to cut the soil and followed a string line to gauge width. The first two are set at a 45 degree angle to each other, the rest are a straight run. These are enough to give us a purchase to haul the garbage out of the basement door and up to the street during the winter.
We didn't need wide steps.
We did use gravel fines between the small granite stones; totally stops weeds.