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Help, please

pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
in Problem solving
I’ve been trying to plant a rose today, but as I dug the soil I kept finding large stones. I gave up in the end, but I will resume tomorrow. I’m afraid I will end up with thousands of them! 

Are they natural stone or rubble left behind by builders? Can they be used for creating paths? (Trying to be optimistic here as I almost cried seeing the never ending layer of stone.)



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Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Hmm, looks a bit 'archaeological', maybe the foundations of a very old building or wall, perhaps?  Do any of them look 'worked', perhaps with one flat face?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Tempting me to build a Folly  ;)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It's a lot like that in my new rose garden and I suspect either an old wall or building or else a dump of some sort.  It's back breaking stuff at the time but I've been out there weeding today to prepare for more hole digging and rose planting and seeing all the new foliage and even buds coming on the roses I planted last autumn makes it worth while.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    Thanks, everyone. I’ll try to use them one way or another. It will take ages to dig the border though. I was already sieving the very stony soil.
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    @BobTheGardener I’ll have a closer look tomorrow, but they are probably from an old wall or building of sorts. I would like to make this path I’ve seen in the Gardener’s World magazine. Is it achievable and what can I use under the stones? Would dry mixture of sand and cement work?


  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    It will be tricky because the variation in size will need a deep base so you can produce a level surface.  I think a dry sharp sand & cement mix would work - doesn't need to be a very strong mix, something like 6:1 would do.  Maybe you could dig holes for the larger ones first and then use the mix to place the smaller ones in between?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    I will give it a go, thanks.
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    @BobTheGardener Will rain water drain through the mixture of sand and cement?
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Should do if you use a weak enough mix. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    Thank you.
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