Small Patch of Grass into Parking Area - ideas please

Tiddlywinks

Currently we have a double width drive in front of a garage with a small patch of grass running down the side.

We are using the garage for something else for a while and want to create an extra car parking space on the grass whilst still look relatively smart and not too obvious when not in use.

All of our neighbours have already done this and have used gravel - but the gravel drifts onto the road and looks messy and uneven after a while. Is there something else we could use that looks a bit 'nicer' when there is no car on it but that will still do the job?

I don't want block paving or anything (for cost and colour matching reasons).

I've thought about chipped bark but will that get slimey as it degrades and cease to be useful? Am I stuck with gravel?

I just really need to see if there are any other good ideas out there.

Thanks

ic

This sprung to mind: http://www.pavingexpert.com/gridforce_01.htm. Screwfix used to sell it for home installation, but I can't find it now.

molerat

Google "grassed paving"

roger196

Try ground guard tiles, you can grow grass thru these yet they are strong enough to park on.
www.screwfix.com part no 92810

ic

roger196 wrote: »

Try ground guard tiles, you can grow grass thru these yet they are strong enough to park on.
www.screwfix.com part no 92810

That's the one.

Tiddlywinks

Thanks for replies so far.

My fault, I don't think I really made it clear what I want... I want something relatively attractive for the front of the house and I think those mat things look a bit too industrial really.

I want something to replace the grass to turn it into a parking area but at very little cost (I know, it could be called mud ) that is not as messy as gravel can be.

Do you think chipped bark might be a go-er or do you think it'll decompose leaving a nasty mess?

As I said I don't want to use block paving (cost and problems with matching existing driveway).

So, is gravel my only real choice (other than those mats)?

roger196

Remove topsoil down 38mm, lay mat, fill gaps with soil, sprinkle lawn seed, allow to grow. Once grown, these mats should not be too obvious. They can always be removed later if desired.

Try freecycle / landscaping firm etc to see if someone has a spare mat or two which you can try before buying a pallet of them.

pink_poppy

I'm wanting to do something similar, Tiddlywinks.

I wouldn't use chipped bark, I think it could get messy (might it stick to the car tyres??) & it's likely you would get drift as well.

My latest thinking for my garden was to get some sort of raised border around the proposed parking area ~ not too high to cause a problem driving over it, but enough to contain whatever 'filling' I decide to use. No idea if it would work, I'm only in the 'thinking about it' phase at the moment :think:

I've seen slate chipping used for parking if you don't fancy gravel??

Tiddlywinks

pink_poppy wrote: »

I've seen slate chipping used for parking if you don't fancy gravel??

I thought about slate chippings as they seem to 'bounce' less because they are flatter in shape but am worried about the bits being hard and sharp enough to cause a puncture.

Let's hope someone with more imagination than us comes along with the answer .

societys_child

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Thanks for replies so far.

My fault, I don't think I really made it clear what I want... I want something relatively attractive for the front of the house and I think those mat things look a bit too industrial really.

You can't see them when covered in earth and the grass has grown thro'.
Seen a large field which was occasionally used for car and truck parking done in these. Didn't know they were there until I jumped out of the truck and looked closely.

So, is gravel my only real choice (other than those mats)?

Yes, (or some paving)

Let's hope someone with more imagination than us comes along with the answer .

You'll probably have to invent something

PasturesNew

I like the look of scallop mulch
http://www.decorativeaggregate-uk.co.uk/products.htm