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What to do with a concrete path?

Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
in Garden design
Our small front garden is bisected by a concrete path which nobody uses as it leads to the middle of the house, not the side door, and as we can't have fencing or hedging due to regulations 🙄, it's just a 'nothing' area. The property is rented, and the landlord doesn't mind what we do (within reason) as he knows we look after the property - it's too much work/expense to dig the path out, and I don't really know what to do with it. Any suggestions? (Apart from a fake long barrow!)

Posts

  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    Lots  of pots? 
    West Yorkshire
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Or a couple of long wooden troughs with plants in?  I think they might be less liable to being pinched if you have open gardens.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    For me id always try and add mkre garden and plants rather than horrible concrete but I would see how thick the concrete is before deciding, just dig down the side to get an idea. We had the same situation and I think the footings for a nuclear bunker had been layed due to the amount of concrete they had used. 
    The trouble with concrete is also getting rid of it after.
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    What's the soil like on either side of the path @Slow-worm?  If it's good, how about creating borders on either side and planting something that flowers and spills over to hide much of the path, creating a "river" of flowers?  There's lots of lovely plants featured in @malorena's current thread here:

    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1064005/perennials-grasses-ground-covers-apr-june-22#latest

    One of the hardy geraniums or parahebes may suit.  Erigeron karvinskianus is also a long flowering, very willing plant!

    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    What is the area around it like? Is it just grass, or is there planting?
    A photo would be good, so that we can get a better idea of the space @Slow-worm :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    edited June 2022
    Thank you all.
    Yes I'd considered plants growing either side, which might be one of my only options, cos I'm definitely not up to concrete digging any more,  and I really don't like pots/planters because I usually forget to water them. 🙄😄
    I'll get a photo Fairygirl, but for now as I'm off to work imminently, it's grass, not bad soil, a gert big tree one side (which I forget the name of, and it probably takes most of the moisture etc), and NE facing, so 6 hours of sun max. 
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630

  • M33R4M33R4 Posts: 291
    That is a tiny path! In the winter you will need this clean, mud-free path to and from your house so it's a keeper right?

    Paint in black or dark grey with a floor/garage paint. Or have it recovered as a resin pathway?
    I wish I could garden all year round!
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    I mean... I'd just leave it! It's no more offensive to me than the lawn either side.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    You could plant a border either side and use the path for access to maintain them
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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