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Ideas for a part gravel drive

jimtwalkerjimtwalker Posts: 8
in Garden design
Hi 

We'd love some cost effective ideas for what to do with our drive as we're at a loss.  
In the picture you can see what was meant to be Cotswold stone laid on membrane.   We had this done because the existing rock/gravel/MOT style stone was letting weeds through.  Unfortunately having paid someone to put Cotswold stone down, we're back at square one with weeds everywhere. 
 
Presumably at one time this was grass and it was gravelled over for extra parking.  The rest of the drive is block paved but probably 15/20 years ago so we can't easily get some more matching blocks.  We'd love to have the whole drive block paved but simply can't afford it.

Posting here in case anyone can give us a great idea for how to make it look nicer (less weedy) without breaking the bank.


Thank you!!!

James
«13

Posts

  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Paving slabs?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The gravel has to be a thick enough layer to be really effective. At least a couple of inches. Some types of gravel will also break down, so perhaps that could be happening. It will provide ideal conditions for many weeds to thrive easily.
    Having said that, weeds will always seed in from other areas so you can either pull them out or hoe them, depending on what they are. Persistent ones can have some weedkiller applied, depending on how you feel about it. Many now don't have glyphosate and are different and less damaging than those that have it. 
    If the weeds are coming from the area in the photo that doesn't seem to have any planting, you could also address that. Lots of plants and groundcover will help  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Assuming it's a decent membrane that has been used, the weeds will have grown from seeds that have blown onto the stone.
    I used to have Cotswold Chippings drive and paths at the front - although mine were more of an off-white colour and nothing like the colour of yours.
    I ordered too much (which is typical of me!) and the chippings were about 3" deep.
    I didn't get any weeds coming through that, and I didn't use a membrane of any sort.

    Weedol Pathclear should achieve your desired result.
    It will kill any existing weeds and prevent seeds from germinating for several months.
    I used it last Saturday on my relatively new block-paved driveway to clear weeds coming through the joins and I can already see them dying.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • samgriffiths340-CMoNrTrsamgriffiths340-CMoNrTr Posts: 13
    edited September 2023
    Rock salt kills weeds in gravel , just make sure the run off isn't to anywhere important , as although the bulk of the salt stays in the gravel, it could still kill plants down steam too
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Unfortunately, salt will only kill top growth, but what it will do is kill useful insects and bacteria etc that benefit the soil, and therefore any plants. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • jimtwalkerjimtwalker Posts: 8
    Thats ace.  I assumed my hoe was only good for soil (and Mr McGregors onions of course), but I will certainly give it a try through the stone!

    Thanks all for your suggestions and comments.  We were also wondering about replacing the stones with something, or even putting grass back down.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Do you use it as extra parking @jimtwalker? That's what I was assuming you did. If the gravel's a thick enough layer that also helps to keep weeds from seeding too easily,  and makes it much easier for hoeing too   :)

    If you fill in the sloping area between the gravel and the main part of the raised section, to make the whole space more attractive, that will help with weeds seeding in. It looks like that's where most are coming from. Some evergreen groundcover [loads of choices]  which you could also bring down the side of that other wall on the left, and that will unite the whole area nicely too.
    You can then plant up the rest of the raised section as time and budget allow, but a thick mulch of bark or similar would help suppress more weeds until that stage.   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jimtwalkerjimtwalker Posts: 8
    Fairygirl said:
    Do you use it as extra parking @jimtwalker? That's what I was assuming you did. If the gravel's a thick enough layer that also helps to keep weeds from seeding too easily,  and makes it much easier for hoeing too   :)

    If you fill in the sloping area between the gravel and the main part of the raised section, to make the whole space more attractive, that will help with weeds seeding in. It looks like that's where most are coming from. Some evergreen groundcover [loads of choices]  which you could also bring down the side of that other wall on the left, and that will unite the whole area nicely too.
    You can then plant up the rest of the raised section as time and budget allow, but a thick mulch of bark or similar would help suppress more weeds until that stage.   :)
    Thanks again....no, we don't really use/need it.   Like I said, if we had the cash lying around to block pave all of it then that would look much tidier.   We have recently had a dying tree cut down hence why the hedge is only half way along.   We've planted hornbeam but they're not really taking off just yet.   As you suggest, we do intend to put plants/bark etc in the soil at the front and that will fend off the weeds there.  We'll likely replace the wall with a reclaimed brick dwarf wall to look a bit nicer too.  Its the stone that's the 'ugly' bit.  We have thought of reverting back to grass which would look nicer and a fraction of the cost.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Just a ‘left field’ suggestion … plant it up as a gravel garden, with tall waving grasses, verbena bonariensis etc?  Does that appeal at all? 

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





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