Cheapest way to cover a large garden

Ian_iD

Hello everyone, I have moved into a masisonette with a detached garden area of roughly 40x25ft. (Too far for any plug extensions) It's a bit overgrown at the moment and would like to clear it and make it as low maintenance as cheaply as possible. There is a lot of work to do on the inside, don't have much to spend out and don't want to have to keep spending to get someone in to clear it every few months.

I'm presuming decking is going to be expensive so was wondering about paving, fake grass, woodchip or gravel, a mixture or any other options that anyone has used or can suggest would be great please?

Thanks in advance :beer:

zaax

Just leave it to nature. You will get all sorts of birds, animals and the most wonderus plants

Davesnave

The cheapest solution for a year or two would be proper woven polypropylene ground cover, fixed down with ground anchors:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yuzet-control-Landscape-Ground-Fabric/dp/B006H1MDMO/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1432721886&sr=8-12&keywords=weed+control+membrane

Other brands are available but avoid spun bonded membrane at half this price or less. It won't work.

This will look horrible, of course, but the aesthetics are up to you!

Davesnave

zaax wrote: »

Just leave it to nature. You will get all sorts of birds, animals and the most wonderus plants

"One year's seeding, seven years weeding!" (although it sounds a bit rampant already.)

Ian_iD

Thanks for the link, good idea for now and when I get more money I could just pave/deck/gravel etc on top by the look of things? I might rent out towards the end of summer so I will eventually want something that looks ok too.

Is that stuff strong enough for people to walk on by the way, if I did want to use the area over summer?

lostinrates

Your cheapest solution is always going to be grass and mowing.

Lgrass is popular for a reason, and can stand some abuse and neglect. ( and tenants can be required to mow occasionally)

Gravel and paving etc are NOT maintenance free. Weeds seed into gravel and into the joins between stones, and you cannot just mow them down.

Davesnave

Ian_iD wrote: »

Is that stuff strong enough for people to walk on by the way, if I did want to use the area over summer?

I hope so.... I've been walking over mine for about 4-5 years.

You don't want joins if there's going to be a lot of foot traffic, as edges fray.

While I agree with lostinrates, grass isn't no maintenance, but nicer to look at and use.

I_have_spoken

Old mattresses from tip?

lostinrates

I_have_spoken wrote: »

Old mattresses from tip?

We have some of those in hedgerows, one word. Rodents.