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

Marking out a design

RoseRodentRoseRodent Posts: 1
in Tools and techniques
I'm figuring out the layout of a new design and I want to paint it out onto the garden to help visualise the size of things. Specially designed grass paint all appears to wash off in a good rain and builder's marking out paint doesn't specify if it will kill plants. I currently have lawn all over and it's all going, so if it kills the lawn so be it, but I don't want residues to damage new planting. Does anyone have any great ideas how to mark it all out? I can't do it with a spade as the ground is super hard, I'm dealing with that issue with a rotivator and additives, but trying to make marks with a spade or edging tool or whatever is about 3 days' back breaking work. image Any tools or techniques leaping to mind?
«1

Posts

  • landgirl100landgirl100 Posts: 655

    I've done something similar, used flour and photographed - it did last through a couple of downpours!

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    Use a hosepipe.  It won't wash away and, if you leave it in place for at least a week once you've viewed your design from all angles and are happy with it, it will leave a mark in the grass for you to work from when digging.

    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
  • BizzieBBizzieB Posts: 885

    I use string and wooden pegs. Fiddily but can keep tweaking shape as and when until satisfied image 

  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    All of the above!

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    I use cheap, brightly coloured washing line - easily seen, held down by bright (also cheap) plastic tent pegs. Easily moved about, can   be seen from lots of angles and the house. Can be used to guide digging a marking trench when mind more or less made up.

    Sometimes I have used Roundup to mark the edge of a bed as well

  • Angela 17Angela 17 Posts: 74

    Hi Rose,

    I used the blue wire you get for clotheslines, then got a wire clothes hanger and cut it into about 3" pieces, bent them over and used it to peg the wire to the ground. It worked a treat.

  • BizzieBBizzieB Posts: 885

    phillipa, er, OP??  image .   '

    complicated Heraldic design'  image now that would be something!

    RoseR , I've just enlarged a border by digging into grass and the ground was bone hard even following existing border line.

    Yours sounds a big job. Hope some of these suggestions are helpful, keep in touch on how you get on image 

  • BizzieBBizzieB Posts: 885

    Ah, thanks image 

  • henry.douglasshenry.douglass Posts: 1

    Thanks i like the hosepipe idea

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,008

    Hosepipe is great as long as the weather isn't too cold, otherwise it's an absolute b*gger to get to go where you want it.  I'd be inclined to use rope or string until happy with the final design and then re mark that with sand.  The sand won't get in the way when trying to cut the line, and it won't be disturbed as string would be if you happen to get your foot or tools caught in it.

Sign In or Register to comment.