Forum home› Garden design
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Gravel moss mess

kathkinkathkin Posts: 3
in Garden design
I have a medium sized patch of garden on the top level of a 3 level garden.  When I moved in it was completely covered in moss and weeds. I’ve recently tried to kill and clear the moss on one half but have uncovered underneath the entirety of the ground black gravel stones and blue plastic sheeting which is quickly degrading into tiny bits.  On the other half is exactly the same, so, I have no idea what I can do to clear this up. The gravel is mixed into the weeds, soil and moss.

I don’t want anything fancy, just to not have it look like a wasteland.

I’m a complete novice gardener but am keen and looking for any help.

Thank you

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Anyone got any ideas to help this new member?

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





  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hello @kathkin,

    Welcome to the forum.

    If the blue plastic is breaking up into tiny bits .... then I think your best option might be to scrape everything up and bag it up to go to the tip (but not into their green waste).
    If the area is large then it might be worth hiring a skip.

    One you've skimmed all this rubbish off, you will have a blank canvas. Decide what you want to use the area for. It might make a nice sunny patio with a few raised beds for plants to soften the area.

    Hope this is helpful. Keep us all posted with your progress.

    Bee x
    image
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • kathkinkathkin Posts: 3
    Thank you Bee. I think I just hoped it didn’t need to be a big job and that I could do it on my own. I’ve already done something similar to a different area of the garden and I don’t know if I have the muscles to shovel up all the stones and dirt etc on such a large area. 

    I’m going to look into getting someone professional in and see what magic they can do.

    Thanks for the advice

    Kathkin
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    As Im looking inti gravel gardens - is it possible you could remove the remaining turf, lay a weed membrane then lay gravel?  (See the Adam Frosts gravel garden thread)
  • kathkinkathkin Posts: 3
    Thanks Tin pot, I’ll check out that thread.

    Sorry if the photos or me weren’t clear. There is plastic sheeting, very old weed membrane, across the entire area however it is so old is is disintegrating into tiny pieces. There is gravel on top, mixed in with dirt and weeds, with moss covering it completely.

    I was just wondering if anyone had advice on what I could do with it, but I think I’m going to have to get someone in to clear it all away. It’s just a mess :-( 

    Thank you though.
Sign In or Register to comment.