"ex WGS Hamm" wrote in message
...

"Michael" wrote in message
...
Hello,

My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a rake
to
keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly
enough
and for safety reasons want a walkway. There preferred method is
compacting
the soil on the garden to make a path which in the past has got covered
in
weeds, but served its purpose.

I am thinking about alternatives to this but don't want grass or paving
slabs as I haven't had much success with these methods . I was thinking
of
something that could be planted (as a path) low maintenance,would keep
to
the area planted and not suffer too much with people occasionally
walking
over it !

The soil is clay and not very good drainage , but gets sun all day.
I think you might have problems. When it rains, compacted clay will get
very slippery. Have you considered some kind of roll out stuff made from
plastic which you can take up when they have gone? Or go for a path made
from bark chippings. The best solution for safety for elderly relatives
might still be a concrete path of some sort. You could always plant
something like lavender at the sides so it sprawls over the edges to
soften
them a bit and they smell wonderful when brushed against.


I take it you don't want gravel? I put down smallish pea-gravel on top of
compacted
clay soil and it works a treat. As mentioned, you can soften the edges with
Thymus Serpyllum, camomile, various decorative grasses that don't mind the
occasional
footstep etc.

Andy.

Hello,

My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a rake to
keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly enough
and for safety reasons want a walkway. There preferred method is compacting
the soil on the garden to make a path which in the past has got covered in
weeds, but served its purpose.

I am thinking about alternatives to this but don't want grass or paving
slabs as I haven't had much success with these methods . I was thinking of
something that could be planted (as a path) low maintenance,would keep to
the area planted and not suffer too much with people occasionally walking
over it !

The soil is clay and not very good drainage , but gets sun all day.

Any suggestions please ?
Thanks.

Mike.

Michael wrote:
Hello,

My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a
rake to keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly
enough and for safety reasons want a walkway. There preferred
method
is compacting the soil on the garden to make a path which in the
past
has got covered in weeds, but served its purpose.

I am thinking about alternatives to this but don't want grass or
paving slabs as I haven't had much success with these methods . I
was
thinking of something that could be planted (as a path) low
maintenance,would keep to the area planted and not suffer too much
with people occasionally walking over it !

The soil is clay and not very good drainage , but gets sun all day.

Any suggestions please ?

I really can't think of anything but stepping-stones (you can use
sections of tree-trunk for a less obtrusive appearance) or grass
paths with lots of nice herbs such as creeping thyme and camomile.
These will smell good when stepped on, and don't mind being mown (not
too short).

When you say you rake after people have walked through, I assume
there's some kind of coarse mulch. But if your relatives can't see
the garden properly without walking through it, how on earth do you
see it yourself? Are you an alarming eight feet in height?

Mike.

"Michael" wrote in message
...
Hello,

My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a rake to
keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly enough
and for safety reasons want a walkway. There preferred method is
compacting
the soil on the garden to make a path which in the past has got covered in
weeds, but served its purpose.

I am thinking about alternatives to this but don't want grass or paving
slabs as I haven't had much success with these methods . I was thinking of
something that could be planted (as a path) low maintenance,would keep to
the area planted and not suffer too much with people occasionally walking
over it !

The soil is clay and not very good drainage , but gets sun all day.
I think you might have problems. When it rains, compacted clay will get
very slippery. Have you considered some kind of roll out stuff made from
plastic which you can take up when they have gone? Or go for a path made
from bark chippings. The best solution for safety for elderly relatives
might still be a concrete path of some sort. You could always plant
something like lavender at the sides so it sprawls over the edges to soften
them a bit and they smell wonderful when brushed against.

"Michael" wrote in message
...
Hello,

My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a rake to
keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

On seconf reading, I think you have just open soil and no grass??
The whole area is full of palnts??

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly enough
and for safety reasons want a walkway. There preferred method is compacting
the soil on the garden to make a path which in the past has got covered in
weeds, but served its purpose.

See 1st comments/question

I am thinking about alternatives to this but don't want grass or paving
slabs as I haven't had much success with these methods . I was thinking of
something that could be planted (as a path) low maintenance,would keep to
the area planted and not suffer too much with people occasionally walking
over it !

People always come out with thyme and suchlike for such a situation, but I find
it always looks 'ratty'. Plants (except perhaps grass) don't like being walked
on :~)

The soil is clay and not very good drainage , but gets sun all day.
Any suggestions please ?
Thanks. Mike.

1) Hoe often do the rellies visit?
2) How doddery are they?

Idea:
Make a miniature railway between the plants all round the garden. They can sit
and view in comfort and you can play traindriver :~))

Jenny

"Michael" wrote in message
...
Hello,

My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a rake to
keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly enough
and for safety reasons want a walkway.

Any suggestions please ?

I have used rolls of that semicircular-sectioned wood edging to make a path
and it has been very successful.

It is obtainable with one end of each piece rounded but I have used the
version that has both ends the same.

Even treated with wood preservative, the surface of the upturned curves
scuffs slightly, but that is more attractive (and good for the grip) than
when laid new.

The stuff comes in various widths and lengths and can easily be laid without
staking.

--
Brian
"Reality rarely lives up to TV, usually because reality has a smaller budget
and the opportunities for retakes are minimal."

In message , Brian Watson
writes
My garden is aprox 70ft by 30ft which I try and keep tidy ,using a rake to
keep it looking OK after walking on it etc.

Sometimes elderly relatives visit and can't see the plants clearly enough
and for safety reasons want a walkway.

Any suggestions please ?

I have used rolls of that semicircular-sectioned wood edging to make a
path and it has been very successful.

How about a porta path, unrolled when relatives come, and stored when
you don't want it? (Assuming you have a straight area where you can use
it)

I'm thinking of getting one to use on the lawn in winter, to get to the
shed, dryer, etc. with dry feet:

http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/p_protection6.html

but I'm still looking for a cheaper one somewhere else


--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 29/10/04 1:46, in article , "andrewpreece"
wrote:

snip


I take it you don't want gravel? I put down smallish pea-gravel on top of
compacted
clay soil and it works a treat. As mentioned, you can soften the edges with
Thymus Serpyllum, camomile, various decorative grasses that don't mind the
occasional
footstep etc.

In my last garden I used square wooden 'pavers' which had grooves in them to
help prevent slipping. IIRC, I got them from Homebase.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)