Maintenance Free Railway Sleepers Encircle New Turf and Flower Bed

Category: Driveways, Patio, Paving & Walls

Garden Design Project: DWSYRK002

This project shows an alternative way of using Railway Sleepers stood on their end rather than the traditionally laid down method.

DAY 1 � My customer called me back 12 months after Landscaping his front garden. The plan was to make half the garden area Maintenance Free and leave a circular grassed area in the center of the garden.

We started by marking out a large circle which was to form a Railway Sleeper boundary around the New Turf to be laid. Next we removed the existing turf, where the new path was to be laid, placing it upside down to raise the level of the centre circle making sure this was cut up then compacted.

DAY 2 � The old path Paving Slabs were used to form a base for the new Patio area and then we used sub-base over the hardcore and compacted. This was going to be an area where the customer could sit and enjoy The Garden with a cup of tea.

The garden sloped down towards the house so the Railway Sleepers were cut to different sizes with a chain saw with the taller blocks to the front making sure all sleepers were in the ground by 100-150mm. These were bedded down into a shallow dry trench which was later back filled with Concrete.

DAY 3 � Additional strength was added by strapping all chocks together with high strength banding, which got nailed off with a twisted nail. After securing these in place, we raised the level inside the circle with around 6m� of top soil delivered to site.

In preparation for the Indian Sandstone Stepping Stone path we created a foundation by compacting 100mm of sub-base.

DAY 4 � The Pavers were set on a wet 5-1 mix of cement and sharp sand and spaced so they were a comfortable distance from each other.

Paths were laid in a Keyhole Design as they were laid around the circle and then flayed off at each side from the centre point of the sleeper circle. One side leading to the Patio and the other side to The Shed.

DAY 5 � The fan shaped Patio was edged by the Railway Sleepers which were at the same level on the inner edge whereas the outer edge was higher supporting the soil in the Flower Bed behind. All existing Flower Borders were sectioned off with a small Flower Border of Railway Sleepers to fit in with the overall effect

A geotextile membrane was laid out and then 20mm shingle covered this. Several plants (Phormium, Cordyline, Miscanthus, Carex, Festuca) were planted in the shingle area of the garden to form some additional softening of the design.

New Turf was delivered and laid in the circled area which ended up being about 25mm higher than the tops of the Railway Sleepers to allow for the soil to settle. There was a very slight fall from the top to the bottom of the Circular Lawn to allow the overall design to remain visible from the house as the building is positioned lower than the garden.

The overall effect of the completed project blending the shingle in with the greenery made a nice transition from the front of the house to the back. Another satisfied customer!

Submitted By: Phillip Wimpenny
Website: www.yorklandscapeandconstruction.co.uk

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