Grass area on driveway for parking.

paulr70

Hi All,

We have a 100sqm front garden which currently has about half of it grass lawn, the rest crazy paving. We were considering having the whole thing paved so we can get a couple of cars on the drive and easier turning but then started looking at grass mesh. Has anyone used these at all?
Came across TDP Netpave 25
http://www.tdpltd.com/our-products/netpave-25/
looks quite interesting and wondered if it would be a quick and cheaper solution. I like the look of the lawn and would rather keep an penetrable surface, also the thought of £1000s to pave the driveway put me off.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

moneyistooshorttomention

I shall be watching this thread with interest - because I'm contemplating the same sort of thing as a possibility in the future (ie when I can afford it).

I've got a large tarmac area I hate with a passion and my thought is to keep just enough space for 2 vehicles to park and turn the rest into "garden".

Re the space for my 2 visitors to park - I think I might use this sort of stuff infilled with grass. Not quite the same as grass as is - but it will look a good deal better than tarmac. I've kept details of PP40 porous paver grass personally - as I think it looks as if its reasonable quality.

The one reservation I have is that I live in an area where I can see a lot of people have moss intermixed with the grass in their gardens (those gardens that arent "concrete gardens" that is) and I dont know whether I'd have problems there (particularly as I'm an organic gardener - and so wouldnt use chemicals to get rid of it).

Though I'm guessing a 50/50 mixture of grass and moss (if it comes to it) would also look reasonable.

I'm guessing it would be pretty easily possible to just pull up any couch grass or the like that tried to "set up home" there.

Don't know if these things are considerations for you?

NB; Just checked out your link - and now wondering (with both types) as to what would happen about mowing? Presumably one would have to/could mow it?

paulr70

If you see on their website it shows photos of it being mowed, so no issue there.
And I found a article on the telegraph from 2005 giving a price.
Sounds very diy as well, just cut the grass short and push it down.

kathrynha

RHS have done a front garden guide, that might have some useful tips https://www.rhs.org.uk/communities/pdf/Greener-Streets/rhs-front-garden-guide

paulr70

kathrynha wrote: »

RHS have done a front garden guide, that might have some useful tips https://www.rhs.org.uk/communities/pdf/Greener-Streets/rhs-front-garden-guide

Thanks, had to go to another link on there for paving.

Also came across these
https://www.grassform.co.uk/buy/pavelok/

its diy and looks pretty cost effective. Theres a video of installation and from the photos it just appears like a normal lawn after it grows through.

Annie1960

The council around here uses a similar idea, but the grid seems to be made of concrete or something hard. They use it on grass verges in side-roads where people park with one wheel on the grass verge and the other on the road. I'm not sure what it is called.

mysterymurdoch

Going back to basics a bit, if you park a car over a patch of grass, that grass isn't going to get the light and rain it needs and will end up dying, regardless of what geogrids you use. It'll look poor.

getmore4less

If it is just to assist turning then one of the just lay it on top mesh solutions is worth a try. one that beds in then once the grass has grown and cut it should look quite good.

next would be those grids that need the turf lifting then laying level and refilling grass/gravel much more labor.


When I was looking for a gravel path project you can get grid down to £10 sqm


a quick google finds this stuff for a mesh lay over solution.
http://www.rubbermatting-direct.co.uk/productdetail/Premium-Grass-Reinforcement-Mesh £4.32sqm

there grid solution is £12sqm

there is quite a lot of choice out there.

chrisw

Annie1960 wrote: »

The council around here uses a similar idea, but the grid seems to be made of concrete or something hard. They use it on grass verges in side-roads where people park with one wheel on the grass verge and the other on the road. I'm not sure what it is called.

It's commonly known as Grasscrete.

Nick_C

Grasscrete is much better than a solid surface as it allows rain to permeate and reduces the likelihood of flooding.

paulr70

mysterymurdoch wrote: »

Going back to basics a bit, if you park a car over a patch of grass, that grass isn't going to get the light and rain it needs and will end up dying, regardless of what geogrids you use. It'll look poor.

Yes did consider that problem. But at the moment we can park in front of the garage and also in front of the house bay window so the grass would be more for doing 3 point turns to drive straight out of the driveway instead of reversing rather than actually parking on the grass.